This is too good.

It's been a long time since I've felt this relaxed. There's no anger or impatience nagging at the back of my mind. Though I know my face gives absolutely nothing away, I'm resisting the urge to chuckle.

Ferrera is damn near squirming where he stands as I approach him. He watches me with hard eyes but he can't stop shifting his weight. I think he wants to lunge forward and strangle me but we've got quite a crowd surrounding us so he can't do shit. The urge to smile is too tempting but I manage.

"You followed the guest list," I say when I'm close enough that only he can hear me. I look around the hall, my eyes doing a quick scan before coming back to him. His lips are pinched in disdain and it's far too pleasing. "Good boy."

His nostrils flare. "Watch your mouth."

"Watch your temper. We're putting on a show, remember?"

A group of men walk by then and Ferrera immediately stands taller. His expression turns calm and he nods at them as if he's in no hurry at all. As if he isn't burning to pieces on the inside. The men nod back, offer a congratulations to me that I don't respond to, and then walk away completely unsuspecting.

"Satisfied?" he asks through gritted teeth.

I shrug. Why the fuck is he fishing for compliments? I'm only playing this game because it's part of something bigger. If it wasn't, he wouldn't be standing alive in front of me right now.

"Is Cavallo here?" I move on. Talking about business reminds me that this is all just a plan, makes it bearable to stand in his presence. How I wish I could see him dead at my feet.

"He's on his way."

"And you've told him..."

"That your proposal was a logical step forward for the mafia and both my daughter and I accepted happily."

I look away from him. The smiles are getting harder to resist with this fucker eating out of my goddamn palm. As much as I dread having to marry his blood, all of this makes it worth it.

"I'm doing exactly as you've asked. You're going to keep her safe, right? Keep her out of this?"

"A deal's a deal," I deadpan.

What an idiotic man he is. I guess it's better this way that he thinks I'm going to hurt her. He'll do goddamn anything for me as long as he thinks that. But I could care less about the daughter. She's just one move in the game to help me get to the rest. A mere piece that will help me win. And it's the win I care about—not her.

"Where is she?" I look around for her. Not sure why. Never seen her in my fucking life. All I know is she's of age and Ferrera's weakest link and that's good enough for me. She is a shadow at best.

Ferrera looks around the hall as well. "She went to the bathroom a few minutes ago. She's nervous."

That makes me whip my head in his direction. I drop my voice low, so not to be overheard. "You insisted on being the one to tell her about this, said you would make her understand. Must I intervene?"

Ferrera's jaw clenches just barely. He avoids my eyes, probably because he has half a mind to tackle me to the ground. I admit I'd like to see him try it.  "Let her be. She only had a week's notice before this event. She hasn't even met you yet. What the fuck do you expect?"

Unfortunately, that's a sound point. I tighten the button holding my suit jacket together and start to head off. Ferrera stops me with a discreet hand around my elbow. I yank it away and fight the urge to choke him with my bare hands and see the life drain out of his eyes. Bastardo, touching me with his filthy hands. How the fuck am I going to get through this union?

"You are not to go after her—"

"You said it yourself that she hasn't met me. If she needs a formal introduction in preparation to play the part of my wife then I intend to meet her. She is not going to ruin this for me, or I ruin her. Choose now."

I can see the turmoil on his face. Relish in every second of it. He deserves all of it and more. Eventually a flicker of defeat joins his expression and he turns away. I stalk off without further hesitation.

I find the bathroom easily enough. This hall isn't the grandest because that's not what I want. I don't need the whole goddamn mafia up our asses about this. I just need the most important Familias to attend, bear witness, and believe what I'm selling them. I need them to believe everything I tell them or this will all be for nothing.

There's only one darkened hallway at the back of the hall. I stop in front of the bathroom with the women's sign on the front and swing it open. It's layout is so that the counter sinks and mirrors are the first thing you see upon entering and the stalls to the side. There's only one woman in here right now and it doesn't take a fucking genius to guess that it's my future wife.

She's hunched over the counter and I see the way she immediately stiffens at the sound of the bathroom door closing behind me. All I get is a glimpse of what's probably the most delectable ass I've ever seen in my life right before she spins around.

At least she has that much going for her.

Our eyes lock and any molecule of attraction I felt in that brief moment vanishes immediately. Fuck this. She has Ferrera's eyes. They're the exact same shade of transparent blue. That's all I'm ever going to see when I look at her.

I don't bother hiding my disdain as my gaze roams the length of her. She's wearing a form-fitting silver sequin dress. Perfectly lithe body or not, she looks like she's going to the fucking prom. Did she choose something horrifyingly ugly on purpose? If so, it works.

"You're dressed up like a goddamn disco ball."

She jumps at the sound of my voice then licks her lips with obvious nerves. A shame that such a flawless set of lips is wasted away on a face like that, a face with eyes like his.

"Nice to meet you too," she mutters under her breath but I hear her. My nostrils flare when she pushes her shoulders back and stands tall despite the way her body trembles. "Do you hate it?"

"Hate what?"

"The dress."

"Anyone with half-decent vision would."

"Good," she snaps. "Then we're even."

I take a step toward her, not sure what the hell I want to do about her attitude just yet. Figures I'm marrying a total fucking brat. "Even?"

She holds her hand up, the one with the ring I had my right-hand soldier buy because I had no intention of doing it myself. That would imply I actually gave a shit.

"What do you have against speaking clearly?" I ask when she doesn't continue.

Her eyes narrow at me. Gone is the initial fear when I walked in and replaced entirely by anger. What a stupid girl. "The ring. It's no better than this dress."

"It cost nearly a hundred grand."

"Money doesn't make everything pretty."

"You say that as if you aren't rich yourself."

"And that's why I know that taste and expense have no correlation. Did you miss the memo?"

The side of my jaw ticks. She's really starting to get on my goddamn nerves. "So you decided to show up to our engagement looking like a fucking idiot just to prove a point to me?"

"The fucking idiot that you are going to have on your arm for the rest of your life," she throws back. "Isn't that what marriage is all about, husband dearest?"

God, I could fucking strangle her. I never expected this union to go down easy but I was betting on a compliant wife, like all girls that marry Made Men are. It's no wonder this one is twenty-four and unmarried. No one would willingly choose the likes of her. I didn't expect to be doing fucking charity work when I planned this and now I'm wishing I could pair her off with Felix instead. Attitude or not, he would surely scare her into submission. I'm going to have to do the same.

"Let me make something clear." I stalk right up to her and don't stop until her back is pinned to the counter, my body holding her there. She merely comes up to my chin and I glare down at her. "Fight me all you want, but this is happening. And I would recommend playing nice and selling the part of a happy and dutiful wife. If not for me, do it for your sister. You love her very much, don't you?"

Her breath catches, all traces of attitude gone. Just like that. I cock a brow. Why the fuck is it that nobody expects me to know exactly what cards to play? They never fucking learn. Always assuming I'll respect boundaries.

"That's not fair," she whispers.

"I don't play fair, sweetheart. I play dirty."

She swallows hard then breaks our stare, turning her head to the side. I find myself watching her for a moment. If she was anyone but who she is, I might feel inclined to fuck her. Find her attractive. Sharp and elegant features, a slim body with curves in all my favourite places, hair that's wild and begging to be yanked. But she shares the blood of my enemy, has his fucking eyes, and will always be my prisoner. I don't mix business and pleasure.

"Fine," she finally mumbles. "Just leave my sister out of this."

I lean down slightly to speak in her ear. Her body stiffens again and that initial fear of her makes a reappearance. Much better. "Then just do as I fucking say."

I straighten up and take a step back, looking above her head in the mirror to fix my tie. With her face still turned, I can see her reflection in the mirror and the tears that are gathering in her eyes. I'm not surprised. She's as weak as her father and just as hopeless. She has no qualities I would ever want in a wife and I've never wanted a wife to begin with.

"Meet me outside and take my arm once you're at my side. We'll make our rounds and greet everyone formally. You will talk about how excited you are, how much fun you are having shopping for dresses or whatever the fuck makes women so horny for weddings, and you will convince them all you're telling the truth. You know what will happen if you don't." I spin on my heel and reach for the door handle. "And wipe your fucking tears. You're a mess."

The bathroom door closes to the sound of her pathetic sniffles. She better get her goddamn shit together. If she can't then she'll need to go and that's not something I can afford.

"There you are." Felix approaches me, raising a brow at what expression I'm wearing. "Trouble in paradise?"

"You're talking out of your ass because it's not you."

He smirks. "Between the two of us, you're more suitable for marriage and that's saying something."

I ignore that remark and head out for the main room again with Felix trailing behind me. Marriage has never been on the lost of my priorities for good reason. First it was becoming Capo, and then my mother, and then just about everything else that ripped me to fucking shreds from the inside out.

Ferrera comes into view, in the middle of some conversation with Cavallo. I head for both of them immediately. I don't trust his ass for a second. He's about as reliable as a cracked-out hooker.

"Marino," Cavallo tips his chin when he spots me. He's only been Boss for two years, still on the younger side just barely crossing fifty. He was forced to take over when his father died unexpectedly from cancer. I never did business with his old man so I wasn't sure if I could approach him back when I was in prison but there's a certain wisdom to him I respect. He is one of the few men here that seem like they know what the fuck they're doing. I shake his hand that he reaches out toward me. "Congratulations."

I thank our boss, then glance at Ferrera. "Your daughter requires your assistance."

Translation: drag her ass out here because I'm done babysitting.

"Your little girl needs you," Felix adds, mouth curling. He's adding fuel to Ferrera's fire and it works beause he takes off without another word, shouldering past us.

Cavallo glances between my brother and I. "Is there a problem?"

Felix grins easily. The fucker's ability to switch from one lie to another comes far too naturally to him. "Nah. Knox and I were just having a chat with Maria. She misses her mom and Ferrera feels out of his element."

I'm not sure if Cavallo buys it. Buys any of this, really. He's Boss and nothing gets past him so either we're playing the game too good, or he's allowing us to play ours. He merely nods at my brother's explanation and takes a sip from his glass, watching me over the rim.

"A word," he tells me. I'm not worried.

Felix takes his cue and heads off to fuck knows where, probably to find married pussy because gets off on taking what belongs to others, and I follow Cavallo off to the side.

"I'm not sure Ferrera is truly happy with this union," he states the obvious.

"I wasn't truly happy being thrown in jail for a murder I wasn't responsible for."

Cavallo's mouth quirks. "You're sticking to that then? This tale of how you were framed?"

"I am and you'd be wise to believe it. We both know what tampered evidence looks like. And the timing was...coincidental."

We share a loaded stare. I don't care if he doesn't buy this union. As long as he doesn't stop me from what I need to do, he should care even less of the marriage than I do.

He looks around the room but when he speaks, his words are directed at me. "You suspect something."

"You don't?"

His eyes come back to mine. "One of the first things we are taught is to keep our suspicions where they can't be found. As far as the mafia is concerned, no, I don't."

I raise a brow at his cryptic words. "And as far as I'm concerned?"

His grim expression is answer enough. "Don't fuck this up. For any of us."

A waiter comes by and holds out a tray. I grab a flute and clink it against Cavallo's. As we drink, his gaze wanders to over my shoulder so I follow his line of sight.

Ferrera and his daughter enter the hall. She has her arm linked through his and wears a small smile. Immediately, she's surrounded by guests and starts shaking their outstretched hands one by one. They're fucking enamoured with her. Even that stupid dress doesn't dim her in the least.

"She is quite a sight," Cavallo smirks, eyeing me with an expression I don't appreciate.

I don't bother with a response. I want nothing to do with her but at the very least, she will have to do.

___________________________

A/N

AND THEY FINALLY MET. All I can say is WOW LMAO. I'm sorry but I loved every second of it. The insta-hate, him being an asshole and her being a wise ass, literally the most perfect match.

If you thought this first encounter was bad, BRACE YOURSELF. Our anti-hero is going to get way worse, but don't worry because our female lead gets even snarkier. You guys aren't ready for the banter and tension.

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Happy Reading :)