She’s not the person I want to be here with though.
There’s no one I want to be here with. No man I have even a glimmer of a thought of being engaged to. My life has been nothing but struggle and doing as I’m told to keep the family safe, and I do the exact same thing tonight. Announce my engagement to a woman I barely know.
Barely know, but perhaps can grow to respect.
Planning our wedding together a few days prior, putting on a show and acting as though we actually want to be together, was more fun than I care to share. I’ve always been a good actor, and this isn’t exactly the first time I’ve had to pretend to be in love with a woman for the sake of the Dresvanni name. But it is the first time I won’t be killing or maiming someone at the end of it all. I’ll be getting married.
Who knows what else they expect of me—of us.
I swallow hard as we finally make our way into the ballroom and all eyes are on us. I nod in the direction of my brothers who stand nearby waiting. Eivor is there as well, and I feel from behind us a familiar large man whom I’ve only just met the days prior.
Damian.
He looms over us from behind despite being shorter than me. He’s bigger, broader, and certainly a good choice for a bodyguard if there ever is one.
He resembles Soren in that way. Large and protective.
I shake the thought from my head and play it off as looking down at my fiancé. She smiles softly at me and I unlink our arms in order to take her shrug from her.
A staffer from the side then takes it from me and asks if we need anything else.
“No, thank you,” I say with a strained smile.
I have to play it up as best as I can. No matter the frustration that still boils under my skin whenever I glance at Carmine and Soren.
These days it seems Soren has more say in this family than I do.
I take a slow breath through my nose and offer my hand to Rosalie. Her face is flushed from the cold but is starting to pale again.
“Are you alright?” I ask her, leaning in and letting it be just a whisper.
She whispers back to me. “I hate dancing.”
I chuckle softly. I didn’t expect that from her. “We’ll just get drinks for now. No dancing,” I reassure her.
She sighs and takes my hand. We both put on our most affectionate smiles and head to the bar.
“Oh, you two look wonderful together,” the bartender tells us with a cheery look. I know her. Morgen. She tends many of our events. Her smile seems genuine, and I wonder if she truly thinks that we are a couple of love and not just loyalty to our families.
Perhaps that’s for the best. The more people who believe the lie, the better things will go. Right? We’re meant to bring more than just our families together; this is also about our allies.
If they believe that we have truly made peace, the process of growing our power might be easier.
It’s getting more and more difficult to ignore how right Carmine is about our engagement.
As much as I loathe Eivor and his reasonings behind demanding that we be wed, I know my own brother would never let this happen if he didn’t believe it was for the best.
“Ow, Alessio,” Rosalie mumbles.
I realize I’m squeezing her hand too tightly. I let my shoulders relax and I loosen my grip on her hand.
Based on the look Morgen is giving me, Rosalie has already ordered her drink.
“Rum and coke,” I say with a charming smile.
Morgen’s eyes glitter happily and she goes about making both of our drinks.
“Areyoualright?” Rosalie asks in a hush, looking at me suspiciously.
