Isabella’s jaw drops. “No freaking way.” She stands abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. “You can’t be serious.”
To my surprise, Maximo’s expression shifts from shock to something like delight. A slow, predatory grin spreads across his face as he leans back in his chair, eyes roving over Isabella.
“I don’t know,” he drawls. “I think I could get used to having you in my bed every night,bella.” His voice drops lower. “Imagine all the fun we could have... fighting and making up.”
Isabella’s cheeks flush crimson. “You’re disgusting,” she hisses, but I don’t miss how her breath catches.
“That blush suggests otherwise,” Maximo continues, standing to approach her. “You’ve been watching me since day one. Don’t think I haven’t noticed.”
“I’d rather marry a rattlesnake,” Isabella retorts, but she doesn’t back away as he steps closer.
“At least a rattlesnake warns you before it strikes,” he murmurs. “I prefer to... surprise.”
The tension between them crackles like a live wire. Isabella’s blush deepens, and though her mouth opens for another retort, no words come out.
Isabella looks like she might actually strike Maximo, and I’ve seen my sister angry enough times to know she’s not above it.
Nico steps forward, his hands raised in a placating gesture. “Isabella, please. This isn’t just about two people. This is about two families.” His voice softens, surprising me with its gentleness. “Think of what we could build together—real peace after three generations of bloodshed.”
My father nods solemnly beside him. “The feud ends with us. Here. Now.”
Isabella’s eyes dart between them, then to Carmela, who gives her a sympathetic smile. My wife understands better than anyone what it means to be the bridge between families.
“So I’m supposed to take one for the team?” Isabella throws her hands up. “Be chained to him forever?” She glares at Maximo with such intensity I’m shocked he doesn’t burst into flames.
Maximo, the smug bastard, seems to be enjoying every second of her discomfort. He leans against the conference table, muscled arms crossed over his chest.
“I don’t mind being chained to you,bella,” he purrs, eyes traveling down her body and back up again. “We could make it fun. I even have the cuffs already.”
Isabella makes a strangled sound of outrage while Fed coughs to hide a laugh. I shoot my brother a warning look, but it’s too late—Maximo caught it, and his grin only widens.
“And that concludes today’s business,” my father announces, tapping the table. “We’ll reconvene tomorrow to finalize our strategy against Tartarov.”
The tension lingers as everyone files out, murmuring in small groups. As expected, Isabella storms toward me, green eyes blazing.
“A word,” she hisses, grabbing my arm and pulling me into the adjacent study.
The door slams behind us. “What the hell, Silvo? You couldn’t warn me before offering me up like a sacrificial lamb?”
I lean against the desk, giving her space to vent. “We didn’t decide anything. It’s a suggestion that deserves serious consideration.”
“Consideration?” She laughs bitterly. “You watched him humiliate me in there with those disgusting comments!”
“I saw a man who couldn’t take his eyes off you,” I counter. “The same way I looked at Carmela when we first met.”
Isabella crosses her arms. “That’s different.”
“Is it?” I step closer. “Being a De Luca means considering sacrifices for the greater good of the family. Always has.”
“So I’m supposed to sacrifice my happiness?”
“I married Carmela because our family needed strength and power from the Bianchi alliance. We needed to expand our reach in California.” I soften my voice. “I resented it at first. Thought I’d be trapped in a loveless arrangement forever.”
Isabella’s anger falters. “And now?”
“Now I can’t imagine my life without her.” I take my sister’s hands, feeling the same protectiveness I’ve had since she was born. “I found love in the last place I expected. You might too.”
She stares at our joined hands. “And if I don’t?”
