15. Luxtyn

15

LUXTYN

" W e're getting married now ?" I'm dumbfounded. He already coordinated having the officiant here because he knew my only option was to say yes to him. I can't stand the arrogance of this man, yet here I am, signing my life over to him.

"No time like the present," he says as he rises from his seat. "Besides, I won't help you find your mother until you sign your name on that marriage license. I assumed you'd want to get this done as soon as possible. Was I wrong in that assumption?" He cocks a brow at me, waiting for my answer.

I glance back at Father Barone who looks uncomfortable over our disagreement. I wonder if he'll help me. . .

In one last ditch effort to get out of this situation, I say, "Father Barone, isn't it against your religion to force someone into marriage?"

"Yes, dear, it is."

"Maybe you can talk some sense into my fiancé , then."

Father Barone looks from me to Matteo before Matteo speaks. "Father Barone, please excuse my fiancée . It seems she's lost her manners."

He gives Matteo a small smile.

You have got to be kidding me.

"Father Barone, I just want to let you know that if you follow through with this coerced marriage, you'll be responsible for fraud in the Catholic church. Are you sure you're okay with going to hell?" I snap at him, but it doesn't seem to faze him.

"I'm sure you and Matteo will live a long, happy life together, Luxtyn." He says it with so much confidence, like he truly believes that. Bringing his attention back to Matteo, he asks, "Now, where would you like the ceremony to take place?"

"Here is fine," Matteo says.

I look around the office space and take in the black walls and red velvet furniture. All it needs is a pole and it would pass as a private room in a strip club. "How romantic," I mutter.

"Is this not to your liking, sweetheart?"

Rolling my eyes, I turn back to Matteo and respond with little to no enthusiasm. "It's perfect. Everything is just perfect." There's no point in fighting the inevitable. As long as he holds up his end of the bargain, it doesn't matter where we get married.

This whole thing is ironic, really. I never pictured myself getting married. It's not something I ever thought was in the cards for me. I've never had a boyfriend. Hell, I don't even like forming platonic friendships with people. It's always been my mom and me, which I've been content with. Sure, I've had sex, but emotions and feelings were never something I brought to the table. There was never a point to setting down roots when I knew I'd be leaving soon. But as I take in the reality of my situation, it dawns on me that this will be the only time I ever get married, and it's not what I expected at all .

As Matteo stares at me, there's a flash of something in his eyes. Is it sympathy? Does he actually feel bad for me? I might've just met Matteo, but he doesn't seem like the type to show people sympathy. And he's especially not going to show someone like me, someone who's just a means to an end for him, sympathy.

Matteo addresses Father Barone once more. "Enzo should be up any minute. We can do this wherever you see fit, Father Barone."

He nods as he finds a spot by the far wall with a large window overlooking the dance floor.

His timing impeccable, Enzo strolls into the office wearing a different suit than before, an all-black suit with a black shirt instead of a navy-blue one. "Alright," he says, clasping his hands, then rubbing them together. "Who's ready to have the most romantic wedding of the season?"

I roll my eyes but can't keep the smirk from spreading on my face as I try to contain a laugh. His humor is the only thing that's going to get me through this, because honestly, it's amazing I can even find any at a time like this.

Matteo narrows his gaze on me and lets out a huff before stalking around his desk and extending his hand to me. After placing mine in his, he helps me out of my seat, and when I think he's going to release it, he doesn't. He keeps a soft, yet firm grip on it as he leads me toward Enzo and Father Barone. I'm not sure how to feel about it.

"You changed for the occasion?" I ask Enzo as Matteo stops in front of Father Barone, taking both of my hands into his as we face each other.

He and Matteo exchange knowing glances, like they're in on a secret about Enzo's suit choices that no one else knows about. "I had to dress in my big brother's favorite color for the most important day of his life," Enzo says while slapping Matteo on his shoulder.

Most important day of his life my ass.

"You can just skip through all of the filler stuff and go straight to the vows," Matteo tells Father Barone, who gives him a slight nod.

"Aww, looks like big bro here is overly eager to get to the grand finale."

Crinkling my brows, I ask, "What grand finale?" Matteo wants to get this over with as much as I do. There's no point in elongating something that doesn't matter to either of us.

The gleam in Enzo's eyes tells me I'm not going to like his answer. With a waggle of his brows, he says, "You may now kiss the bride."

My gaze shoots to Matteo, who's watching me with an unreadable expression. I never thought about the kiss. Hell, I never thought about anything of the physical nature. Oh my gosh. Does he expect me to kiss him? Wait . . . does he expect me to have sex with him?

"I don't think we need to do all of that," I blurt. "Let's just sign the marriage license and call it a day."

Matteo ignores me by turning his attention back to Father Barone and nodding for him to begin.

Surely, he agrees with me. This isn't a conventional marriage. There will be no kissing. There will definitely be no sex. We're just two people coexisting to get what we want.

I'm barely paying attention as my thoughts ricochet off the walls of my brain when Matteo gives my hands a slight squeeze.

I look between him and Father Barone, who's giving me the same expectant look, like they're both waiting on me for something. "I'm sorry, what?"

"It's your turn to repeat your vows after me," Father Barone says .

"Matteo can go first," I scramble out, not ready to take the plunge yet.

"Matteo has already recited his vows."

He did?

"Um, yeah, okay." It feels like an out-of-body experience, my mouth moving on autopilot as it recites the words back to Matteo. I want to tell myself to run, to get the hell out of there, but I can't. I have to do this for my mom.

"We're ready for the rings," Father Barone says, addressing Enzo who pulls two bands from the front pocket of his suit jacket. When the hell did they get those?

Matteo slides the dainty silver, diamond encrusted wedding band over my ring finger while repeating the words Father Barone says. It's a beautiful, simple wedding band, and because it's skinny, it doesn't overwhelm my slender fingers.

Father Barone hands me Matteo's ring and leads me in another declaration while I slide the plain silver wedding band over his finger. His knuckles are red, and a couple of them have fresh cuts as if he's been pounding into a cinder block. Where the hell did he get those from?

"In the sight of God and this witness, I now pronounce you husband and wife!" Father Barone says with enthusiasm. "You may now kiss the bride!"

Even though I know Matteo has no interest in kissing me, I can't help but feel the slight flutter in my heart at the thought of him doing it. It's not what I want. It's not what either of us want, and yet my body still reacts to the idea of it.

Matteo's gaze falls to my lips, causing me to lick them. Everything from there seems to happen in slow motion as he pulls me to him and wraps his strong arms around me.

Before I have time to react, he leans down and captures my lips with his in what surprises me to be a soft but firm kiss. The warmth that spreads through me as he moves his lips across mine cannot be contained while I slowly melt into him.

Instinctively, I lock my hands around his neck as I rise up on my tippy toes. A low groan emanates from deep within his chest, a chest I regrettably haven't stopped thinking about since walking in on him changing earlier.

Before the kiss can go any further, Matteo pulls back, and the rejection leaves me feeling incomplete. But why? I don't even know him. I don't even like him. Or am I just trying to convince myself of that?

Matteo's fixed gaze has me questioning everything. His eyes are nearly black now, as his pupils have dilated, almost excluding the irises from his eyes completely. He has me pulled into him so closely, I can feel the rise and fall of his chest as he heaves for breath.

I study him, waiting for his next move when he pulls away, releasing me. He runs a hand through his hair before dismissing Father Barone. Turning back to me, he says, "I have to get going. I'm going to be late for a meeting."

I'm sorry, what?

"You're leaving?" I hate that my voice comes out more desperate than I intended it to, but I'm not sure how to take that kiss. How I reacted. How he reacted.

"Yes," he says, making his way to his desk. I follow on his heels, brushing past an amused Enzo.

"Where are you going?" I ask him.

Sliding on his suit jacket, he turns around and snaps at me. "I didn't realize I had to inform you of my whereabouts."

"That's not how I meant it," I snap back.

He stalks around the desk and stops in front of me, making me crane my neck to hold eye contact with him. "This is nothing but a contract being fulfilled. You're a business transaction, Luxtyn. Nothing else. Where I go—what I do—it doesn't concern you."

His face is expressionless even though something passes through his eyes as he speaks those words. It doesn't matter, though, because he's right. I am nothing but a business transaction to him. Like he's nothing but a business transaction to me. I'd be smart to remember that.

I step back. "You're right," I say, my eyes remain fixed on his. "I held up my end of the deal, so now it's time for you to hold up yours."

Matteo clenches his jaw before squaring his shoulders. He straightens his black suit jacket and buttons it. "I told you I'm a man of my word."

He stalks toward the door but glances back at me one last time. "I'll update you when I know more. Until then, Enzo will be your direct contact should you need anything."

Before I can argue, he exits the office, leaving me alone with Enzo. Did he just force me to marry him and then pawn me off onto his brother? I shake my head. Fine. If that's how he wants this marriage to go, then fine. A business transaction it is.

Enzo places a soft hand on my shoulder, but I can't bring myself to look at him. "C'mon," he says. I note the hint of sympathy in his tone. "I'll take you back to the penthouse."

I just nod as I think about how this morning went. I can't believe I was stupid enough to think for a second this could ever be anything more than what he told me it was. If that's how he wants to treat me, then fine, but he better remember he's nothing but the same to me.