The Wedding Debt (Underworld Kings)

With a sigh, I watch him walk off with an essential piece of my outfit. “Why do you always have to be such an ass?”

“Yeah, Luca, why are you such an ass?”

His older brother, Liam, suddenly pokes his head out from the front door. He’s the same age as Jasmine, just a few years older than me, but much more handsome with those flowing dark locks of hair. He watches us with a smile on his face as though he finds it all super funny like Luca.

We’ve been playing in the yard while our parents were busy talking, and for some reason, they wanted Liam to stay inside while we were shooed outside. But now that he’s finally joining us, maybe Luca won’t act like such a stupid kid.

“Hey, Jasmine!” Liam says, smiling broadly, but Jasmine just looks away, completely embarrassed.

“Really?” Luca yells at Liam, kicking a rock. “No one asked you to meddle, Liam.”

“What did he do this time?” Liam asks as he walks up to me, ignoring his brother.

“Jasmine and I were just playing dress-up, and then Luca stole my crown,” I respond.

He smiles at me and then waves at Luca. “Give it back to her, Luca.”

I smile at him, tucking my hair behind my ear. “Thank you.”

Liam has always been so nice to me, unlike his younger brother, Luca. I can’t stand that annoying kid. I mean, he is my age, but he acts like he’s older and tougher, and I don’t know why, but I don’t care either.

Luca ignores him, still whacking around that stick like it’s a sword or something.

Liam puts his hands against his face. “Luca!”

Luca throws him an angered look.

“Mom and Dad won’t like this.”

Luca pauses for a moment and then chucks the stick far away. He walks toward us but pauses halfway through the grass … only to snatch the crown off his own head and send it hurtling through the air. The crown lands only a few inches away from my feet.

Luca’s arms span wide. “Happy now?”

Liam signals him with his hand, and I say another, “Thanks,” in his direction.

“Oh, I don’t get a thanks?” Luca scoffs, raising his brow.

I stick out my tongue at him.

“Don’t worry about it,” Liam says, and his hand suddenly lands on my back, applying not one but three pats before he walks up to his brother. “I’ll go play with him.”

I can still feel the gentle touch of his hand seconds later even though he’s probably already forgotten. But I remember. I remember every instant. Every touch. Every smile.

And every amazing moment ruined by Luca De Vos.

Because all I want is his brother.

And all Luca wants is to tease me.

“Jasmine, Jill!”

My mother’s voice makes me turn my head.

She’s standing in the doorway, glaring us down. “What was all that noise about?”

I swallow. It’s not good when my mom looks like that. Like she wants to cut off our heads for ever starting a fight.

“Well, Luca tried to—”

Jasmine elbows me in the side, knocking the wind out of my lungs.

“Luca tried to what?”

“Uh … nothing.” I look away. I don’t want to get on her bad side.

“We were just playing, that’s all,” Jasmine fills in.

“Is that true? Luca?” She looks up at him like she expects him to give an honest answer.

“Yes, ma’am,” he responds as if he’s all nice and stuff, but I see right through that fake act.

I throw him a side-eye, but he ignores me.

I can’t bite my tongue. Not on this one. “Luca was teasing me. He stole my crown and said I couldn’t be a queen until I married him.”

My mother begins to frown. Harshly. “Marry?!”

Jasmine’s lips part. “It was just a game. It didn’t mean any—”

Just our mother’s raised finger is enough to silence her. “Come inside.” She eyes us down. “All of you.”

Oh boy. I can already feel it coming.

Still, I throw Luca a look. His nostrils flare when he looks at me, but I don’t care. He did this.

When we walk in behind her, Luca pushes me forward, and I almost fall into my mother.

“Hey!” I snarl at him.

“What?” He shrugs as we all get inside. “I didn’t do anything. Ask Liam. It was him.”

“Really, Luca?” Liam slaps his brother on the back of the head, who flinches.

“Mom, Luca—” I begin.

The door slams shut behind us, interrupting my train of thought.

She spins on her heels. The menacing look she throws us could bring even a man as powerful as my father to his knees.

“Jill. How many times have I told you not to fight with boys?”

“But I didn’t start—”

“Doesn’t matter who started it,” she quips, folding her arms. “What matters is that you weren’t being nice. And of all the things you could argue about… marriage?”

Her eyes have even Liam and Luca silenced. That’s how much of an impact her anger has on us. Because when my mom is angry, there is hell to pay.