“No marriage at all.” His hazel eyes danced as he took a sip of his drink.
“Are you going to tell me you’re not the marriage type?” I asked.
“I wouldn’t say that. Unlike some people,” he said, looking at the three men in front of us, “I have nothing against relationships or marriage. I haven’t met anyone I didn’t get sick of after 24 hours.”
“You haven’t met anyone you didn’t get sick of aftertwohours,” Loren laughed.
“I can’t wait for you and Rocco to find a woman who will finally bring you to your knees,” Rosie said. “Especially Roc, since he’s sure it won’t happen for him.”
Dean opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by a deep voice behind me.
“Highly unlikely,” he said, making my skin prickle from head to toe.
I had never moved as slowly as I did at that moment when I turned around. My heart was pounding hard, knowing it was the man I had pined for my entire life. Everyone else was caught up in Rocco's words, but I couldn't dredge up anything to say. My words and logic had flown from my mind when our eyes met. I saw his expression change too. His eyes were also bluer than I remembered, darker like deep ocean waters. To say he was gorgeous was an understatement — he was breathtaking. I heard my brother say something behind me, and it snapped me out of my daze. Rocco seemed to, as well, his smile turning up again.
“The Principessa, as I live and breathe.” He opened his arms and pulled me into a hug that felt electric.
I forced myself not to react to it by closing my eyes, but then his scent was all I could smell, and that, too, made me feel like I was losing my mind. To top it off, being in his arms like this felt right. His body was a wall of muscle, and I instantly wanted to be enclosed in its fortress and never leave. He dropped his arms but didn’t pull away completely. I looked at his chest, afraid that he could read my thoughts. When we took a step away from each other, and I met his eyes again, my pulse was throbbing everywhere. He seemed to know it, too, as his expression shifted momentarily. I’d always been fascinated by how the people in my life, men and women alike, could mask their genuine emotions so well. I’d only mastered it in certain situations, like in front of teachers.
“That doesn’t bother me anymore,” I said. It used to drive me crazy when he called me Principessa.
“Ah, that’s too bad. I’ll have to think of another nickname for you then.” His eyes danced when I pursed my lips.
“Just call me Nora,” I said. “That’s what my friends call me.”
His eyes narrowed slightly. “Eh, I’ll think about it.”
“Where are you coming from, Roc?” Isabel looked at his cracked red knuckles.
“He’s always on his vigilante shit.” Loren smiled. “I’m surprised Dom wasn’t out there with him.”
“I wish I could’ve gone,” Dominic said.
“I told you to take care of whatever you needed to take care of,” Rosie said, looking up at her husband through narrowed eyes.
“And leave you wearing tights alone in a room full of men?” He raised an eyebrow. “I think not.”
“They’re dancers, Dominic. Jesus Christ.” She sighed heavily.
“Every time you guys say vigilante shit, I just pretend you’re Swifties,” Rosie said, smiling. Cat and I laughed.
“A what?” Rocco’s brows pulled together.
“Taylor Swift stans,” I said. He nodded slowly like he was thinking about it, which made it even more amusing. After a moment, I winked and added, “Don’t worry. We’ll recruit you soon enough.”
“I’m willing to be recruited.” His eyes pierced mine when he said it. The way he said it made me feel he was talking about something else entirely.
He stared at me, making my heart skip more than a few beats. I could swear I saw a fire burning in those eyes. His gaze left mine and fell to my throat, chest, and back to my eyes before he finally tore his attention away completely. I took a breath and looked around the room, playing it off. I’d never looked at a man for that long. I’d never had a staredown in my life. If I could, I would have excused myself and left the room to throw water on my face. I needed to push this feeling away before it consumed me. There was nothing to do about it anyway. I was getting married, and I was still Dominic’s little sister. Giuseppe’s prized daughter. Just another woman who had to bear what it meant to be in La Cosa Nostra.
“We were talking about marriage,” Cat said after eating her hors d’oeuvre.
“And how you’re next in line,” Rosie added, smiling at Rocco.
Something twisted in my stomach at the thought of him getting married. I pushed it aside.
“Highly doubtful,” Rocco said, taking the drink the bartender brought him. “Maybe Russo will go next.”
“Fuck off,” Dean said, barely paying attention, his eyes on his phone.
