Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 23833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
"Per l'amor del cielo," he heard his grandmother grouch, "you two are the worst, and you are not even yet married."
Ezio reluctantly turned his gaze away from Cattleya, but it was not because he believed his grandmother was truly annoyed. He knew her too well, and so he also knew that what she felt was the opposite.
The old lady was definitely pleased that he and Cattleya were getting along, and that was how it should be. Good marriages had always been the foundation of their famiglia. But right now, that might also prove to be his greatest challenge.
"Sit down, bambino."
Ezio smiled down at his fidanzata. "You heard her."
Her brows furrowed. "I did, yes, and—-oh!"
She finally understood what he was leading to, with him now occupying the seat she had once occupied, while she was back on his lap, where she belonged.
"This is not proper," his fidanzata protested under her breath.
"It absolutely isn't," Ezio agreed pleasantly. "And that's what makes it more enjoyable."
Potenziana was finding it harder and harder to pretend she was annoyed at her youngest grandson. She had prayed and prayed and prayed, oh, how she had prayed that God would help her find a girl who would be right for Ezio.
Because even as a boy, he had been so terribly self-contained.
And no matter how hard Potenziana worked at breaking his walls—-
It was as if there was always a part of him that was completely out of everyone's reach.
Which was inevitable, Potenziana thought sadly, when one considered the way he had been raised.
In his younger years, Ezio had spent his school months in Boston with famiglia while the holidays were spent with his mother, a tenured art professor who was also one of the country's leading socialites. It should've meant having the best of both worlds, but instead it was the opposite. Because he had been a sickly boy at that time, his father had largely ignored him. His mother, on the other hand, just loved to describe her beautiful baby boy as 'perfect'...if not for the distasteful mafia blood that ran through his veins.
Oh, if only.
If only it had been in Potenziana's power to save Ezio from such a horrible childhood.
But it was not.
What was hers to control, albeit only to a certain extent, was this.
Ezio's gaze narrowed when his grandmother presented two sets of contracts. "Di che si tratta?" What is this about?
"I asked a favor from Judge Willis a week ago, right after Cattleya asked for your hand in marriage."
Ezio reached for one of the contracts.
What the—-
"If I am reading this correctly...all Cat and I have to do is sign this contract, and we will be married."
"Sì."
"But without the public knowing anything about it."
"Sì."
"What is the secrecy for?"
"My reasons are my own."
His brows shot up. "And that's it?"
"Are you questioning my motives?"
Yes.
Because something didn't feel fucking right about this.
A secret marriage was what he had planned to ask for as well, and as luck would have it, that was exactly what had fallen on his lap, and he didn't even have to say a word.
When something was too good to be true, Ezio thought broodingly, it probably is.
But no matter how many times he turned the matter over in his head, he could not find anything wrong with it. The coincidence was unnerving, yes, but it was not wrong. And he could not even say it was suspicious, since it involved La Strega herself.
"Do you agree to this or not, Ezio?"
He glanced at Cattleya, who had since turned rigid on his lap the moment his grandmother had made her request known to them.
"I will only sign this if you will," he said quietly.
Potenziana frowned, but this was only to feign her disapproval, when in truth she was beyond elated at this unexpected display of defiance.
Ezio had always been the most quiet and dutiful of her grandsons. Not once had he even cared to argue with her, but even then, she had also known this was more out of indifference than obedience.
He had always done what was expected of him...until now.
Until Cattleya.
And that had to mean something.
That had to be a reason to hope.
Was it not?
Nine
THE BUTTERFLIES IN her stomach were fluttering their wings nonstop. And could she blame them for doing so? That pretty much summed up her entire mood since leaving La Strega's study. In one word: fluttery.
Because she was now Mrs. Ezio Marchetti.
Me! Wife! Ezio!
She closed her eyes even as she continued brushing her still-wet hair, her mood rather dreamy as she recollected how the rest of the day went. When they had finished signing the contracts La Strega had presented to them, Ezio had stunned her by suddenly pulling her into his arms and kissing her breathless.
Afterwards, he had whispered into her ear, 'From now on, you are mine to protect and cherish.'
Just remembering those words had Cat wanting to squeal like the world's most besotted schoolgirl.