“Perhaps she decided to run off,” Remo offered helpfully.
“She wouldn’t,” Felix said quickly, but I caught the hint of worry on his face—and so had Remo.
I picked up the book. It was about the history of Las Vegas. It pleased me that she made an effort to learn about my hometown’s history.
“There she is,” Felix said loudly.
I put the book back down, and my eyes moved toward the doorway.
Kiara Vitiello was a fine-boned woman, shorter than I’d expected, almost breakable in appearance, but her hips curved nicely under her dress, and she had above-average-sized breasts. She wore a dress the color of light rose, almost white, but it made her look even more fragile. Clearly it was to emphasize her innocence, but I would have preferred bolder colors. Her dark eyes settled on my face—not my eyes, though—lower, perhaps on my nose, and her shoulders tensed ever so slightly. She hadn’t moved from the doorway, appearing almost frozen. Her palm pressed up to the doorframe, and I knew it was to steady herself.
Remo looked at me, gauging my reaction, which was a futile effort on his part.
Her uncle motioned for her to come closer. “Come on, Kiara. Greet your future husband and brother-in-law.”
A second passed before she pulled herself away from the doorway and walked toward us. Her movements were elegant and purposeful but underplayed with a hint of a tremor she couldn’t suppress.
She stopped beside her uncle.
Even wearing heels, she only reached my chin. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said in a soft voice. Her eyes darted from my face to Remo’s then quickly back to her uncle.
“The pleasure is mine,” I replied, and Remo’s smile pulled wider. Kiara flinched slightly, almost imperceptible, but Remo had noticed, twitching his lip, and so had I.
Her uncle cleared his throat uncomfortably.
“I would like a few minutes alone with her to give her the ring and get to know each other,” I said, never taking my eyes off her.
“Well,” her uncle said, his eyes flitting between Remo and me and then to Kiara. “I’m not sure—”
Remo flashed him a twisted smile. “They will be married in two days. Then she will come to Las Vegas with us, but you are worried about her being alone for a couple of moments with my brother? She will be subject to his will for the rest of her life.”
Kiara’s shoulders rounded, caving in, and she swallowed hard.
Felix paled, his eyes hardening. “This is for peace. Don’t forget that.”
I spoke up before Remo could because he looked like he would have used his knife instead of words, and I wanted this annoying power play to end quickly. “You shouldn’t forget it either. Kiara isn’t your concern anymore. She is mine.” I showed him the ring, and her eyes flitted toward it briefly. “Today, I will put this ring on her finger, and then my word is the law, not yours.”
Resignation filled her face, and her shoulders slumped, but she caught herself quickly and straightened again.
“What do you say, Kiara?” her uncle asked. “Do you agree to talk to Nino?”
She met his gaze, her lips tense. “This is the first time you’ve asked me if I agree. As Mr. Falcone pointed out, I will be under my future husband’s rule soon enough, so I don’t see how it matters now.”
Her uncle stared at her, a blank look on his face. Obviously he was not used to any objection from her. He gave a jerky nod and turned on his heel, rushing out of the room.
Before Remo moved to follow, he turned to Kiara. “Never call me Mr. Falcone again. That was my father, and I would have burned the fucker alive if I had been given the chance.”
He stalked past Kiara, and she shied away from him so his arm wouldn’t brush hers. Remo threw the door shut, and Kiara jumped. She wasn’t naturally submissive, even if she acted that way.
I held out my hand, a silent order, and wondered if she’d comply. She stepped up to me and put her palm in mine, not meeting my eyes. I wrapped my fingers around her wrist, my thumb pressing against her veins. She shivered, goose bumps rising on her skin.
Dilated pupils, accelerated breathing, racing pulse, trembling, Kiara had the telltale signs of terror. I kept my thumb on her pulse point as I regarded her. She finally raised her gaze to mine, and her pulse sped up further. Her body’s reactions could have been a sign for arousal as well, but I knew they weren’t.
“So you didn’t agree to marry me,” I pointed out.
Her cheeks flushed, and her gaze returned to my chin. “I did agree when Luca asked me, but my uncle never asked when he made the offer.”
“Why did you agree when Luca asked, then?”