Her eyes narrow.
"You'll move into the house. You'll meet everyone. There'll be events and meetings we're expected to attend." I shrug. "That's part of the deal."
She nods. "Okay.”
"There are expectations in this world," I continue. "You know most of them from your family. You'll learn the rest once we’re married. The Syndicate and the world watches everything. How you conduct yourself publicly is not a private matter."
"I understand that," she says. "I grew up in this world."
"You're eighteen," I say, leaning forward in my chair.
"Yes."
"That's young."
She holds my gaze. "And that means I don’t understand how this world works? Or what’s expected of me? How I’m supposed to act?" She crosses her arms over her chest and glares at me. “While you were being taught how to become a ruthless killer, I was being taught how to be the perfect wife, the perfect mafia woman. I know exactly how to behave in public.”
This is good. She’s not afraid to speak her mind. I wonder if what they say about redheads is true, that they have a fiery temper? Let’s see how far I can push her.
"You'll be expected to manage social dynamics," I tell her. "The Syndicate wives, the functions, and the businessmen we deal with as well as their wives and daughters. Among them, there will be women who will test you."
"I know," she replies mildly.
"Sabrina Laskaris is?—"
“I’m well aware of who Sabrina Laskaris is, Lorenzo."
Just how does Quinn know Sabrina?
“She’s very vocal,” she tells me with a roll of her eyes. “She’s extremely vivid in her descriptions of her conquests. I must admit, hearing about her and Dáithí, or even her and Caden, is something I never wish to hear again.”
I knew that Sabrina liked to party hard and get fucked even harder. I didn’t realize she liked to move through the men of the syndicate like it’s a hobby.
"Sabrina likely will be unkind to you," I say, pushing that detail to the back of my mind for now. "Publicly, she’ll want to try to undermine you, to try to prove that she’s somehow better than you. She’ll never be as powerful as a wife, but that won’t stop her trying.”
Quinn sighs. “I figured.”
“She'll use the fact that Dáire was supposed to be my wife. She'll listen to all the bullshit versions of what happened and make sure to target you with them in rooms full of people who will be watching how you respond."
Quinn’s lips twist into a wry smile. “I grew up with Dáire, I know exactly how bitchy people can and will get to try and bring people down a peg or two.”
The more Quinn speaks, the more I realize there’s so much that I don’t know about her and the dynamics of her family. The way she speaks is very calm and without emotion, but I have a feeling that she’s hiding a hell of a lot under the blank stares and flat tone.
"You should understand what this means for your daily life," I say, wanting to ask a fuck of a lot of questions, but knowing that this isn’t the right time. I need Quinn to understand what she agreed to by marrying me and we don’t have much time before her parents and my father ensure this wedding is being organized. "You'll have limited freedom of movement, guards at all times outside the estate and even within the house itself. Events will be scheduled around Syndicate requirements and your social interactions will largely be determined by who is politically useful for us to be aligned with."
"I understand," she says and this time there’s a slight resignation to her tone.
"You didn’t want this?"
She looks at me for a long moment before she answers. "No," she says. "I didn’t. I was told rather than asked about marrying you. But it’s what’s needed for the Syndicate. I always knew I’d marry for alliances, Lorenzo, and that’s what we’re doing."
The honesty of it stops me very briefly. I like that she isn’t afraid to be honest with me, it’s quite refreshing if I’m being truthful.
"You'll have access to the household accounts within reason," I say, giving her the last of the details she’ll need. "This marriage will be what it needs to be in public, I want that to be clear from the beginning so there's no confusion later. I don’t want you to get any idea that we’ll end up in love"
She holds my gaze and I can see the determination in her big green eyes. "It's crystal clear."
"Good. I’m glad we’re on the same page. Now, do you have any questions," I ask.
