to reason, but there is a warning to his tone, “we are a team, and you are part of a much bigger plan.”
“No, we are not a team. You are only using me to whatever capacity you see fit in order to reap your own benefits. That’s all you do, Vince, is use people for your own self-gain.”
His lips turn downward into a frown.“That may be true, but not when it comes to you, Lexi. You really disappointed me,” he says sadly. “I knew you so well. I knew you’d run when I put the pressure on, and you did. You ran from me, and I got to see firsthand what you’d do if given the choice.”
I look at him like he has sprouted three heads as he sits here with the audacity to actually look hurt about it. I’m so affronted I don’t even know what to say in response. “Are you really that deluded?”
“No, Sweetheart, you're the one who has been delusional all these years.” His voice tightens with irritation. “Your parents didn't do you any favors by shielding you from the real world. You do realize kings have been marrying queens for centuries in arranged marriages. You’re a mafia princess, and I’m a king’s son, and our situation is no different.”
I can't believe my ears. This cannot be happening to me. “You are crazy if you think I'm really going to marry you, Vince.” I shake my head nonstop until he cradles my cheeks in his palms.
“What happened to you?” I whisper, truly wanting to know where things went wrong with him. “You were my best friend once.”
Vince lets out a sigh of frustration, leans back, and swipes his hand down over his face. I watch him as he takes in a deep breath, and then exhales slowly, as if he’s trying to control his emotions. “Life happened, Alexis. It’s called survival .” He briefly smiles at me, but it’s in a condescending way, as if I’m an ignorant child. “You know I love you, and I know there was a time when you loved me. I realize it may take a little time for you, but we can get back to what we had before. You just need to give me the chance to prove it to you.”
“Prove what to me, Vince?” My voice rises with disdain. “You lost your direction somewhere along the way; I don’t know what happened to you, but this isn’t how love behaves.”
“You know I’d lay down my life for you,” he professes.
“Really? That’s funny, because you don’t have a problem framing me for a murder I didn’t commit.” I shake my head with resolution. “No, Vince, I don’t love you, and I’ll never love you like that. Too much has happened between us to ever turn things around.”
As if he has a bad taste in his mouth, he bites out his next question, “Do you love him? ” I close my eyes and turn my head the other way. I have nothing to say to him. Two fingers slide underneath my chin as he turns my head back to face him. His eyes are full of resolution. “He's no longer in the equation, Sweetheart. So you better get yourself used to that simple fact right now. It’s just you and me, Alexis, and we will be married.”
My eyes narrow into tiny little slits as I whisper a determined, “When Hell freezes over.”
Vince lets go of my cheek and exhales a heavy sigh. He raises my hackles when he begins speaking in an exasperated tone, “Why-oh-why do you always push me, forcing me to play hardball? Why do you have to make this so much harder than it needs to be?”
He gets up and leaves my side. He’s turned calm, too calm, and I begin to grow nervous . When he reaches his tallboy dresser, he opens the top drawer and pulls out a manila folder. I watch him intently, taking note of his every move, wondering just what the hell he's up to.
He taps the folder against his other hand as he walks slowly back to me. He sits back down on my side of the bed. His thigh muscle nudges mine, and I purposely scoot over to avoid the contact. He tosses the folder onto my lap and points at it with his chin, indicating I’m to open it. I hold still,
“No, we are not a team. You are only using me to whatever capacity you see fit in order to reap your own benefits. That’s all you do, Vince, is use people for your own self-gain.”
His lips turn downward into a frown.“That may be true, but not when it comes to you, Lexi. You really disappointed me,” he says sadly. “I knew you so well. I knew you’d run when I put the pressure on, and you did. You ran from me, and I got to see firsthand what you’d do if given the choice.”
I look at him like he has sprouted three heads as he sits here with the audacity to actually look hurt about it. I’m so affronted I don’t even know what to say in response. “Are you really that deluded?”
“No, Sweetheart, you're the one who has been delusional all these years.” His voice tightens with irritation. “Your parents didn't do you any favors by shielding you from the real world. You do realize kings have been marrying queens for centuries in arranged marriages. You’re a mafia princess, and I’m a king’s son, and our situation is no different.”
I can't believe my ears. This cannot be happening to me. “You are crazy if you think I'm really going to marry you, Vince.” I shake my head nonstop until he cradles my cheeks in his palms.
“What happened to you?” I whisper, truly wanting to know where things went wrong with him. “You were my best friend once.”
Vince lets out a sigh of frustration, leans back, and swipes his hand down over his face. I watch him as he takes in a deep breath, and then exhales slowly, as if he’s trying to control his emotions. “Life happened, Alexis. It’s called survival .” He briefly smiles at me, but it’s in a condescending way, as if I’m an ignorant child. “You know I love you, and I know there was a time when you loved me. I realize it may take a little time for you, but we can get back to what we had before. You just need to give me the chance to prove it to you.”
“Prove what to me, Vince?” My voice rises with disdain. “You lost your direction somewhere along the way; I don’t know what happened to you, but this isn’t how love behaves.”
“You know I’d lay down my life for you,” he professes.
“Really? That’s funny, because you don’t have a problem framing me for a murder I didn’t commit.” I shake my head with resolution. “No, Vince, I don’t love you, and I’ll never love you like that. Too much has happened between us to ever turn things around.”
As if he has a bad taste in his mouth, he bites out his next question, “Do you love him? ” I close my eyes and turn my head the other way. I have nothing to say to him. Two fingers slide underneath my chin as he turns my head back to face him. His eyes are full of resolution. “He's no longer in the equation, Sweetheart. So you better get yourself used to that simple fact right now. It’s just you and me, Alexis, and we will be married.”
My eyes narrow into tiny little slits as I whisper a determined, “When Hell freezes over.”
Vince lets go of my cheek and exhales a heavy sigh. He raises my hackles when he begins speaking in an exasperated tone, “Why-oh-why do you always push me, forcing me to play hardball? Why do you have to make this so much harder than it needs to be?”
He gets up and leaves my side. He’s turned calm, too calm, and I begin to grow nervous . When he reaches his tallboy dresser, he opens the top drawer and pulls out a manila folder. I watch him intently, taking note of his every move, wondering just what the hell he's up to.
He taps the folder against his other hand as he walks slowly back to me. He sits back down on my side of the bed. His thigh muscle nudges mine, and I purposely scoot over to avoid the contact. He tosses the folder onto my lap and points at it with his chin, indicating I’m to open it. I hold still,
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