My Future Brother-In-Law

Chapter6

Behind every fortune, there is a crime

This song played in my mind, reminded me of fathers wealth, of Marcino Scuderi and all the twisted paths that led him here, and under our roof. I was sitting in the living room, I stretched my legs on the couch feeling the sweat on my skin from earlier dance practice. My leggings clung to me and my off shoulder crop top was slightly damp from the thick sticky summer air. I wish and hope for a quiet evening. but that wasn’t granted when I heard the front door open, followed by my father’s voice in the foyer. My heart dropped when I heard a second voice. Deeper , rougher joined his.

Scuderi.

It took everything in me to keep my eyes fixed on the TV, though I barely registered the scenes flashing by, my whole body tensed. Even without looking I could feel him, his presence. The way he moved as if the entire house bent to accommodate him. I heard his footsteps approaching. Oh please walk past. he stopped directly behind me. f**k!

He is so f*****g close, I don’t need to turn around to know how close he was, his scent, clean, woodsy filled the air. And every muscle in me tightened.

“Motherfucker.” His voice was a low murmur speaking to someone on the phone. The harsh tone caught me off guard making me to jump slightly. Then with one swift movement, he reached over my shoulder, grabbed the remote beside and switched the channel to that of news some recent drug bust without a word.

I gritted my teeth, eyes glued to the screen. This was my space, not his. But instead of confronting him outright, I muttered just loud enough for him to hear, “Yours? Bummer.”

A moment later, I felt a light tug on my ponytail. I whipped around, ready to snap, but his eyes were trained on the TV, a faint smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. “Watch it,” he said, with a witty tone.

My heart beat faster, a mix of irritation and...something else I couldn’t quite pin down. I forced myself to hold his gaze, reluctant to let him see any hesitation. “You know there are seven other televisions in this house, Scuderi.”

He didn’t even flinch. Instead, he tightened his grip on my ponytail, pulling it just enough to make me tip my head back, forcing me to meet his stare. His eyes were cold, intense, like he wanted me to understand exactly how easily he could keep me in check.

And damn it, I hated that my heart was racing. I hated the way his hand in my hair sent an unwanted excitement down my spine, betraying the anger boiling inside me.

“What’s your problem, Marcino?” I managed my voice tight. “You shot my brother.”

Marcino’s gaze hardened, and he gave a slight shrug. “He deserved worse.” There was no apology, not a single ounce of remorse.

“His an i***t, he almost got you killed.” He said with irritation in his tone

“he is still my brother.”

Mom voice was heard in the room and Mr Snuggle pants left my hair slowly

The way she looked at him, with her voice tight she asked him if he will join for dinner. She didn’t like the way he shot Tony

“No mom, I think Mr…

That will be great Gracie” he cut me off

Mom left to prepare a table for us

“you know so well the one thing I hate.”

“Assuming.” I said rolling my eyes at him

A smirk crossed Marcino’s face as he leaned down, close enough that his breath brushed against my ear. “Smart girl,” he whispered, the words sharp, indirectly telling me to beware.

I hated the fact his presence lingers even after he straightened and stepped back. I hated it, he walked off finally with looking over his shoulder with a smirk playing on his lips.

“Don’t f*****g do it again,” he muttered, as if daring me to challenge him.

I was sweating and shifting uncomfortably in my seat, it was fuckin hot as if the merciless sun blazing down on us had something to prove making my skin stick to my chair which is so irritating every time I try to get comfortable, even my high waist shorts and cropped top couldn’t keep the heat at bay. I turned my gaze to the courtyard bricks

Maybe, maybe if I lay flat on them, I will come out well done as Nonna’s infamous steak. I laughed at my own joked in my mind.

Nonna sits beside me fanning herself with a napkin muttering complaints. “Really Meralda, thi is barbaric,” she grumbled flicking the napkin like it will blow the heat away. “It’s hotter than blue blazes out here, I can see the bloodstains on this courtyard.” Classic Nonna, brutally honest and yet somehow entertaining her complaints.

I tried hard to focus on something worth focusing on, wiping the back of my neck wit my own napkin, across from me, Marcino Scuderi leaned back on his chair, his sleeves all rolled up just enough to reveal the tattoo in his forearms.The Ace Of Spades I caught myself looking a little longer and quickly looked away hoping he didn’t notice.

I tried distracting myself then the topic shifted to Tony

“I don’t blame you a bit for what you did Marcino,” Nonna said, she looked at him. “That boy of mine had it coming for a long time.” I blinked, surprised. Tf. It wasn’t every day Nonna would talk about the family fights, let alone the ones that involves guns.

Mom stiffened beside me, she was clearly pretending to ignore Nonna’s remarks. Marcino just shrugged as if it was no big deal. Heavy silence fell across the table, everyone awaits his responds but instead of that he moved his chair backwards, stretching his legs out not bothered.

Isabella my little sister scrunched her nose muttering to him, “it’s called manspreading.” I had to bite back a laugh. Only her would dare say that loud to Marcino Scuderi.

He turned to her with narrowed eyes but then he surprised me in a way that didn't surprise me, he stretched his legs out even more leaning back on his chair with a smirk as if daring anyone to say anything about it.

Annoying. I looked at him again. I couldn’t stop, he put on that feeling about him. That he has complete control over the whole room he was in.

The Ace tattoo caught me again. Ace. I wonder if he liked being called that or if it just stuck to him.

Finally I found the nerve to ask the question inhave been holding the whole day. I took a deep breath and hope dad might be in a good mood enough to consider it. “papa,” I started, my voice came out more quiet than I expect it to. “One of the dancer is having a pool party, I was wondering if I could go too”

He turned his head toward me raising an eyebrow in the way he didn’t like the sound of something. “Which girl is this?” he asked in a suspicious tone.

“Actually,” I replied, trying to keep my tone even, “it’s a friend from my dance class—Tyler.” As soon as I said it, I felt Marcino’s gaze on me. I had no idea why his eyes on me made me nervous, but it did, like he was dangling on every word I said.

Papà’s brow lifted just a bit higher, but before he could say anything, Nonna leaned forward with a disapproving look. “Since when are you interested in beta males, Meralda?” she asked, making me wish the courtyard would swallow me up right now.

I felt my cheeks heat up even more, if that was even possible, and I bit my lip, trying to ignore her. But my dad’s face darkened, clearly taking this as all the approval he needed to make things difficult for me. “Fine,” he said finally, voice heavy with acceptance. “But only under a few conditions. I want the address, the family’s name, and you’re taking Benito as a chaperon.”

“Thank you, Papà,” I said softly, trying to hide my disappointment as best as I could. I’d been excited about this party, but with a bodyguard tagging along, I wasn’t so sure anymore. Especially with Marcino’s penetrating gaze following me every time I spoke.

Nonna had enough of the heat and stood with a loud huff. “I’ve had enough of this sauna,” she muttered, looking at Mom as she went inside. “What a day to eat outside, honestly.” Mom just rolled her eyes, too tired to argue.

I was just about to stand when I felt Marcino move closer. He leaned down, and his voice was so low that I could barely hear him over the cicadas vibrant in the heat. “Try not to get yourself into too much trouble, Meralda,” he murmured, his breath warm against my ear.