Page 133 of Marry Me Not
“Ah. The daughter of the man we were hoping to have elected.” Dominic released her hand. “You thoroughly ruined all of our plans.”
Mia lifted her chin. “I’m not even a little sorry.”
The corner of his mouth curved. “Good. I’ve always found a woman without regrets far more interesting than one full of them.”
Romolo appeared beside us and rested a possessive hand on Mia’s shoulder. “I see you’ve already met our newly discovered brother.”
Dominic’s attention dropped briefly to Romolo’s hand before returning to his face. “The two of you are together. How very Romeo and Juliet.” Amusement tugged at his mouth. “You’ll have to tell me the full story one day.”
Romolo gave him a cool look. He clearly hadn’t warmed to Dominic yet, although I suspected that had less to do with who he was and more to do with the way he’d just kissed Mia’s hand.
“If we manage to reach an agreement,” Rom said, “we can have dinner at the Golden Circle, and I’ll tell you all about it.” He held a hand out to Mia. “Come on. Let’s get another drink.”
“What’s the Golden Circle?” Dominic asked as they walked away.
“A private club,” Alessio said, moving closer to where we sat. “A little too stuffy for me.”
Dominic cocked a brow. “And what about you? Is anyone joining you this evening?”
Alessio looked down at his glass. “Nope,” he said a little sadly.
Alessio and I hadn’t spoken much—his reputation for brutality was extreme even in our circles—but looking at him now, I found it hard to imagine him being the guy everyone said he was. I wondered if, like his older brother, he hid a multitude of layers few ever got to see.
Dominic raised his champagne toward him. “Then we can stick together. I’m also currently single.”
Alessio clinked his glass against Dominic’s. “Good. We needed another single man in the house. I was starting to feel like the odd one out in this sea of couples.” They drank in solidarity.
I smiled to myself. Given enough time—and provided none of them killed each other first—I had a feeling the four brothers would get along just fine.
The doorbell rang.
“Are we expecting anyone else?” Alessio asked.
“I don’t think so.” I frowned toward the hallway. “Oh, wait?—”
One of the maids appeared in the doorway, nearly obscured by the enormous number of gift bags she was trying to carry through the entrance. Behind her came Nina in an oversized wool scarf wrapped around her neck, her cheeks pink from the cold, and two more bags hanging from her hands.
I completely forgot she’d said she wanted to drop by.
“You haven’t sat down for dinner yet,” she announced to the room. “Oh good. I thought I was going to arrive in the middle of the first course.” She dropped the bags near the tree and hurried over to press a kiss to my cheek. “I only came to deliver these before I have to rush to my parents’. I was supposed to be here an hour ago, but traffic was insane.”
“Nina.” I stared at the mountain of bags. “You said you had a few small presents.”
“Well, I couldn’t only bringyousomething. I had to get gifts for everyone, and my God, it issofun shopping for babies.” She started unwinding her scarf and then swept her gaze around the room.
It landed on Dominic.
She stopped.
“Who are you?” she asked. “I didn’t get you a gift.” She shot me an accusing look. “Fabi, you didn’t send me the full guest list?”
I winced. “Sorry. There was a last-minute addition.”
Dominic was watching Nina with an intensity I hadn’t seen from him all evening. The easy amusement was still there, but there was something sharper beneath it.
“Don’t feel bad,” he said to her. “I didn’t bring gifts for anyone. Although my presence should count.”
Nina tore her gaze from him and arched a brow at me.
