THE WAY WE WERE BEFORE
LLA'S
ging on like an eternity. I sat stiffly on the cream-colored couch
hands neatly folded in her l
ossed over his chest, though the tension in his jaw
?" Emilio's voice was sharp, cutt
heavy with authority. "I'll get straight to the point." he said, his voice steady but firm
age. That one word sucked
ign that this was a bad joke. She sat motionless, her gaze
f the wall. His protectiveness flared like a stor
Russo family has been allied with the Romano family for generations. Th
I forced myself to speak. "So by union, you mean me." My vo
o mine. "Yes. You will
sion blurring. I shot up from the sofa, the
oice cracking. "I'm not some pawn fo
said nothing. Emilio, however, stepped
e 18th century. You can't just ma
nough!" His voice boomed, silencing us both. "This is not about feelings. I
s words pressing down on me. "Duty?" I spat, my
aid coldly, as if my protests were
fall. I turned to Mama, desperate. "Mama, ple
ally, she murmured, "Bella, your father
crashing down on me. I didn't look back at m
floor, echoing in the quiet of the hallway. My heart pounded in my ears,
losely behind. "Bella, wait."
walking, not caring where I was going. I just needed to get away from hi
his hand gently touching my shoulder. "Let me
"There's nothing you can do, Emilio. It's already
ding me. "I'm not going to let them do this to you, Bella. We'
offered, though I knew deep down that
y anchor. He always had been, and I wasn'
a small flicker of hope-no matter how dim-knowing that