“You like her though?”
“I suppose.”
“And Sisco?”
“He likes her too.”
“And Joey?” she says, her expression serious, as any child’s would be while they tried to untangle the messy lives of grownups.
I nod and a small frown puckers between her eyes.
“It’s complicated,” I stress. But it’s not—not really. Not for me.
“So, youalllike her?” she asks.
I nod.
“And does she like you?”
“She’s safe with us,” I say instead of answering the question. I know she likes Sisco; I’ve seen the way her chest rises and falls when he gets that wild look about him. She admires his daring, his craziness. And her cheeks flush when she’s near Joey. She likes that he makes her feel young and reckless, like a twenty-year-old should. And me—there’s no denying the way her pupils dilate when she’s near me.
Yes, she likes us all. Though she may not realize the consequence of that yet. But she will.
Eva pats my knee. “She looks kind. I think she’ll fit right in with us.”
I nod in agreement. “I think so too.”
She scoots off the edge of her chair. “I need to go do my homework. Is Mom in her room?”
I nod and Eva leaves. I watch as she clicks my office door closed. I’m not sure Eva truly understands what’s happening, or who Natalia is to us now, but she’s smart enough to make her own mind up about it.
And she’s right, Natalia is kind, so I have no worries that she won’t fit in here.
Eventually.
Chapter 5.
Natalia
After dressing in a short black embellished dress, I make my way down to the waiting limousine. Sisco and Joey have barely left my side since I arrived here, but I insisted I be left to dress on my own. All three men are at the bottom of the stairs now, and they turn to stare. Wearing thousand-dollar suits and with their hair slicked back, you’d mistake them for models, and I swallow, wishing I’d chosen the longer dress. The urge to squeeze my thighs together at the sight of them is enough to drive me to distraction.
Sisco whistles as I make it to the bottom step and he takes an arm as Joey takes my other. Dominic looks me up and down approvingly before turning on his heel and heading to the limousine, and I try not to be hurt by his uninterested reaction to me.
I don’t really understand my place here yet, but I was supposed to marry Alfonso until Dominic asked for me. Therefore, I can only think that I’m supposed to be Dominic’s wife-to-be now. Yet he’s barely said a handful of words to me. At least his brothers have been attentive, and I can’t deny that I enjoy their attention.
“You like steak?” Sisco asks as the car heads down the long driveway. “I love steak. Gotta be rare, pepper sauce.” He licks his lips and it’s ridiculous how sensual such a simple act is. “I like fries and salsa too. I make a mean homemade salsa. I’ll make it for you sometime. You’ll love it, especially if you like chili…”
Joey chuckles and Sisco stops talking and looks over at him sharply. “Give her some space, brother.”
“I prefer well-baked cannelloni, but steak is good too, I guess,” I smart.
Sisco laughs like I’m the most hilarious woman ever, and I grin. Joey has his arm slung over the back of my seat again, and one of his fingers is stroking along the top of my shoulders. It’s such a small movement that I shouldn’t even notice it, really, but as with all these men, I can’t help but be hyper-aware of everything they do. Every movement, every laugh, every smile, every touch is turning me to molten fire.
“I’m going to get you the best steak you’ve ever had in your life, Natalia,” Sisco promises.
I let my gaze slide to Dominic as Sisco talks, noticing that he’s watching me intently, that dark look back on his face. He looks almost angry, but I know I haven’t done anything to anger him.
I’m terrified and turned on, and I don’t know what to do with these feelings. I’m still horrified that my father basically sold me off to Dominic, and yet I can’t be too angry because I’d rather it be Dominic than Alfonso. At least we’re closer in age. At least Dominic hasn’t watched me grow from baby to toddler to teenager to woman. There was something almost perverted in the way Alfonso wanted me for his wife.
