Page 32 of Vow to Me
“I promise you, no one but you Luca,” I say, and he gives me a blinding smile that showcases his dimples and gives me butterflies. He takes my hand and presses kiss to my knuckles before he rests out interlocked hands on his lap.
We pull up to his father’s estate and I stare up at the structure, I didn’t take much in the last time I was here, considering it was my wedding day, I was a tad preoccupied. It looks like what I always imagined the Pemberly estate fromPride and Prejudicewould be like.
Luca gets out of the car, and I open my door and do the same before he can come and open my door for me. He gives me a stern glare but lets it slide, he should know by now that I don’t need him to protect me, but there’s no telling him that.
Luca takes my hand, and we walk up the steps to the entrance. A small woman—who must be in her fifty’s—opens the door she gives Luca a warm smile before doing the same to me.
“Beatrice, this is my wife, Izzy. Izzy, this is Beatrice, my father’s housekeeper.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” I say with a smile, and she returns the sentiment before guiding us to a sitting room accompanied by Salvatore and Marco.
Salvatore stands and walks towards us. “Son,” he says to Luca and gives him a nod.
“Thank you for joining us Izzy,” he says to me and squeezes my shoulder. “Dinner should be ready in a moment, Enzo stepped out to make a phone call, he can meet us in the dining room.”
We sit and wait at the dining room table for Enzo to join us. Salvatore is at the head of the table with Luca on his right and Marco on his left while I sit next to Luca. Enzo strolls in without a care in the world and takes a seat next to me, I furrow my brows, why would he sit next to me instead of Marco?
Just as I think it, Luca tenses.
“What the fuck are you doing, Enzo?”
“What? I have business to discuss with my favorite sister,” he says, nonchalant.
“You’ve never had a sister you idiot.”
Enzo shrugs but mumbles something that sounds like “I nearly did”under his breath. I know Luca has never had a girlfriend before, does that mean Marco did? I’m sure Luca mentioned Marco has never been in a committed relationship before.
The evening turns out to be surprisingly comfortable, not at all like the family dinners me and my father would have. We eat dinner and Salvatore and Luca talk about business, Enzo switches between adding in to their conversation and trying to rile Marco up while he sits there like a man made of stone, a cool expression marring his features.
“Hey Bella, about that business we need to discuss,” Enzo says to me with a boyish grin that makes him seem even younger.
“It’s Izzy, asshole, not Bella,” Luca says from beside me making Enzo roll his eyes.
“What business?” I add before Luca can say anything else.
“What do you like to do in your free time? Do you go shopping? Save puppies? Or do you… read?” he says with a look of innocence. What the fuck is he up to?
“I hate shopping. No, I don’t save puppies and yes, I like to read. What’s your endgame Enzo?” I sigh.
“No endgame, just wanted to get to know my new sis,” he says, acting innocent but I see a calculating look flash across his face before he masks it.
I swear he gets fucking weirder each time I talk to him.
After dinner, Salvatore announces he needs to speak to Luca in his office so the rest of us move to the sitting room to wait for them.
“I need to make a phone call,” Enzo says with a furrowed brow before stalking from the room and leaving me with Marco.
He stares at me from where he sits opposite me. There’s no malice in his gaze but his stare threatens to send a shiver down my spine, nonetheless.
“Is there a reason you dislike me?” I say, breaking the silence.
He cocks his head, and he appears contemplative. “I don’t dislike you Izzy, you make Luca happy so I could never not like you. I’m not much of a talker, I observe.”
“I’m the same, but the stare you usually give me is anything but welcoming, you don’t like being around me, why is that?” I ask and cock my head the way he did.
“It’s not you, you just remind me of a different time in my life,” he says in what’s almost a whisper, there’s pain in his eyes and I’m brought back to what Enzo said earlier. I’m starting to think Lucawas wrong about his brother, I think he has been in a relationship, and there’s a reason he hid it or hasn’t been in one since. But it’s not my place to pry, no matter how curious I am.
I give him a nod of understanding and his shoulders drop in what I think is relief just as Luca emerges from the office and comes and stands behind me where I’m sitting in the armchair. He bends down and presses a kiss to my temple before straightening.