are two choices. Lorenzo stays and marries the girl, or walks away and Lucian takes his place. The decision is yours, Lorenzo, you have until the morning to decide.”
He makes toward the door and we stare at him in surprise. I wonder when he became so cold. Of all my brothers, he was always the one to sit in the background and let the rest of us fight among ourselves. He had no interest in the business or forming an opinion, yet now he appears to be the coldest of us all.
Lucian watches him go and then says in a low voice. “He’s changed, Lorenzo. There is no hope left and he has switched off from life. The perfect mind set for the job we do, but we all know that isn’t the real him. He will self-destruct and we will be left to pick up the pieces. Talk to him and see if you can get through to him, unless you intend on leaving in the morning that is.”
He stands and nods toward the door. “We must go, we can’t keep the women waiting.”
As we follow him from the room, I feel the walls closing in on me. I’ve been here for five minutes and I already feel trapped. This is an impossible situation and I don’t know what the hell to do about it.
26
Sophia
As meals go, this one feels like the last supper. I am sitting dressed in a long red dress that clings to my body like a well-fitting glove. Apparently, they had a whole new wardrobe delivered for my visit, which totally took my breath away. I had everything I could wish for waiting inside a walk-in closet that would rival any high-end store. This family certainly know their stuff because the whole pretty woman thing is intoxicating.
I am now surrounded by four delicious devils and one incredibly powerful woman, eating food that wouldn’t look out of place in a top restaurant, served by liveried servants who are silent and blend into the shadows.
It’s a world away from life at my own home with just Mrs. Billings for company and if I wasn’t so scared, I would find this whole set up spell binding.
Maverick is seated beside Elena who is at the head of the table at the opposite end to me. I feel it was deliberate due to the daggers he is throwing his brother Lucian as he refills my wine glass. I am seated to his left and beside me is Romeo with Dante opposite him. Maverick sits beside him with Elena at his side at the opposite end to Lucian.
Feeling the scrutiny of every person here is a lot to deal with and makes my glass reach my lips much more than it should.
The food is divine and the conversation stilted. There is an undercurrent of tension that Elena is trying hard to diffuse.
My hand shakes a little as Lucian fills it once again and he leans across and whispers in a low, deep voice, “Relax, Sophia. Nobody here wishes you harm.”
I stare into the darkest eyes I have ever seen and swallow hard. “Are you sure about that?”
He looks at me with interest and then laughs as he sees Maverick looking at him with a frown.
“It appears that my brother has an issue with me, I wonder what that could be?”
I shrug and steal a look at the man himself and shiver inside. I can tell he is on the edge and one false move could turn this civilized meal into a full-blown war and as our eyes connect, I shiver for a different reason entirely. That look is promising me that he hasn’t even got started with me yet and makes thinking about anything other than him very difficult. However, Lucian has other ideas and leans close, whispering, “My brother has a decision to make that he’s struggling with.”
I stare at him in surprise, “Which is?”
“You.”
“Me?”
He laughs softly. “You see, Sophia, my brother likes to keep his cards very close to his chest. He is a private man who lets no one in. The fact he delivered you to me tells me he has allegiance to this family that he can’t just switch off. He knew we were always going to find you and for reasons of his own, he chose to deliver you personally. That tells me he has an interest in you because he has made it crystal clear he has no interest in us, our grandmother aside. So,