Your friends will know you better in the first minute you meet them than your acquaintances will know you in a thousand years.

Richard Bach

Santi Marchesi's POV 

Haven strained her ankle accidentally due to our training.

It wasn't a serious injury but the doctor advised her to refrain from doing activities that might worsen her injured ankle. So that means she cannot accompany me to the engagement party that I need to attend.

To be honest, I didn't want to come to the party but Enzo but I couldn't say no to my godfather who was the paternal uncle of the groom-to-be. I have a mountain of work back here and mingling with the aristocratic Fiorenza was not on the top of my list. I'd rather stay away from them if necessary.

I sighed for the nth time while looking at my reflection in the mirror as I was getting ready to leave for the party. Should I make a call and cancel my RSVP last minute citing that an emergency came up? Nope, Cesare Fiorenza wouldn't believe such a white lie. He knew me better than I care to admit. He was a good friend of my father in their youth and they remained friends even if they meant to take different paths in life.

I was about to leave when I decided to check on Haven's condition and went to her room. I knocked lightly on the door before pushing it open. I found her sitting on the wing chair near the glass door with her injured ankle perched on the stool in front of her while browsing on her smartphone. She removed the AirPods in her ear when she could sense my presence.

She smiled brightly in my direction which made a weird thud in my chest. "Looking good." She commented looking at me from head to toe.

The corner of my mouth twitched. "Thanks," I replied, moving closer to where she was sitting comfortably. I raised her chin with my index finger and thumb to meet my gaze. "How are you feeling?"

"Perfectly, fine," she answered with a grin.

"Good," I said with satisfaction. "Do you drink your painkiller on time?"

She rolled her almond eyes at me while giving me a mocking look. "Yes, sir."

"Excellent." I kissed her forehead tenderly before placing a light kiss on her full lips. "Just make sure to drink your medicine on time so that your feet will not hurt, alright?"

"Yes, sir." She mocked again. Instead of feeling annoyed at her continuous sarcastic replies, surprisingly I don't feel annoyed or mad at her. "Just enjoy the party, Santi. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine in no time."

At the mention of the party, I couldn't help but sigh again. "How I wish I could take you to this party so you can meet my acquaintances. These people live a far more normal life than us so you'll enjoy this one, unlike the previous gathering we attended."

"How interesting," she said, tilting her head to the side. "I never thought that you have normal people you call friends. Now I am curious to meet these people you're talking about."

I stared at her dryly while standing straight. "I never said that these people are my friends, sweetheart. They were my acquaintances, that's all."

"Isn't that the same?"

"Not really," I reflected with a sardonic smile on my face. Because I believe that having such friends is a just nuisance. It would be better if one just should be on his own. You don't have to rely on other people because affection and camaraderie will only make you weak.

"You're weird, do you know that?" Haven commented while looking at me with her expressive eyes. I bet that she's currently deciphering what's going on inside my head at the moment the way her eyes were staring straight at me.

I couldn't help but laugh cynically in her direction. "I believe that you are the first person who ever told me that. So the answer is no." I raised a brow at her. "Do you think I'm weird?"

"To be honest, yes," she replied straight away without missing a beat. "You fondly talk about these people with your whole face lit up and then you deny that you're friends with them? Don't you find that weird, you weirdo?"

I looked away from her knowing gaze. "That's preposterous! I don't do such a thing. You are mistaken with your assumption."

She chuckled maddeningly before looking back at the screen of her smartphone. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Mister?"

"Seriously, Haven..." I stopped myself when she looked at me dubiously. And then, I realized why do I bothered to explain myself to her. It wasn't as if I was defensive, right? I particularly care about the status of my relationship with those people in the past so why do I feel that I need to explain that they are not my friends? Since when did I need to explain myself to anyone else?

"Yes?" She asked curiously with the side of her mouth twitching with a smile. "You're saying something?"

I shook my head resolutely. There was no point in arguing with her about this. I should just get going and go home as soon as I can. I'd rather say here than waste my time with those people. "Ah, forget it. It wasn't important. I need to go."

She gave me a teasing look, her eyes shining with delight. "Have fun at the party."

"I'll try," I answered with an equal tone. I stole one last kiss from her unsuspecting mouth, I felt triumphant when I saw her expression like a deer caught in headlights. I winked at her before leaving her room.

Once I was outside the smile was still fixed on my face. I couldn't believe that she was easy to catch off guard like that and I found it charming the artless way when it comes to relationships. Even if, my conscience was nudging me on the way to coerce her into this relationship even if I am not completely honest with my feelings about her.

I am the worst kind of an asshole for doing that to her. But being faithful would be enough, right? At least, I don't have to spout nonsense about love when I knew deep inside that I was not telling the truth because I am not capable of loving I would rather be honest and be faithful to her for the duration of this relationship.

I was still musing with my thoughts when I finally arrived at the Palazzo di Fiorenza at the top of the hill in Ragusa. Hard to believe that I was back in this place, the place where my father used to bring me in my early teens. Well, the man who owned this massive palace was none other than my godfather. Only a handful of people knew about that fact. It wasn't common knowledge that Cesare Fiorenza was my godfather. It was an unlikely association between an esteemed Sicilian prince and a mafia—that's Cesare and my father.

Guests had already arrived and since it was in the middle of the summer the party was held in their breathtaking garden overlooking the ocean.

I tried to blend in with the progressing party trying not to draw attention from the other guests since I didn't want unwanted conversation from them. I only want to show myself, especially to my godfather so he'll know that I came and then go home as soon as I can.

But I guess luck was not on my side today. On a hot summer afternoon, I instantly became hot-tempered when I heard the familiar voice I was hoping not to see at this party. I was about to reach for a glass of champagne from the passing waiter when I saw him grinning ear-to-ear in my direction while approaching me.

"Santi!" He exclaimed loudly and dramatically, causing the other people in the garden to look at us curiously. "Glad to see you here."

Fuck life! I rubbed my forehead in frustration. I should have known that he'll be in attendance knowing that he's invited everywhere.

"What are you doing here?" I dislodge the arm that was swung over my shoulder. I hate when Marco Orsini does this thing with familiarity as if we're friends for such a long time.

"How can I miss the latest member of my club's engagement party?" He replied in his sardonic manner. "I will not miss this party even if it will be the end of the world tomorrow. I will still be here partying."

Oh, right. How could I stupidly forget? This man and his idiotic club Enzo Fiorenza was his latest recruit for his silly club. I don't know what madness had possessed those sane-looking men to join his club and stick with his craziness. I raised an eyebrow in his direction, sipping the expensive champagne they were serving at the moment. "I see that you're still playing with their lives out of boredom."

"Stop mocking my club like that, Santi." He had the nerve to scowl in my direction as if I truly hurt his fucking feelings. "If I didn't know better, I would assume that you secretly want to join my club since you constantly attack the club with insults like an envious child."

I laughed humorlessly at him. "In your rotten dreams."

Instead of feeling furious about the insult, I threw it in his face he just merely smirked as an answer. Then, I remembered that I wasn't talking to a normal person. Marco Orsini was far from normal—at least by human standards. He glanced side by side theatrically as if looking for something and then he frowned at me. "I see that you didn't bring her along."

"Her? Who are you referring to?"

His dark eyes brightened considerably as if he found the topic considerably exciting. "You know, your ward you pick up personally in LA? Why didn't you bring her long? You look pathetic and miserable without a date, you know."

I could feel my teeth grinding at the nonsense words coming out of his mouth. Conversing with him was just a waste of time. I knew that he was just irritating me there was no other explanation for it. If he thought he could infuriate me like that he was highly mistaken. I took a deep breath and sanguinely sipped my drink. "I don't know what you mean, Marco."

"Playing coy, are you?" He taunted, his eyes held deviltry in his direction that made me think that the suitable job for this man was not to be the CEO of their company but be a mafia boss with his cunning nature. "Well, you know that I don't let my friend get bored at any parties that's why I decided to entertain you while you're here. Let's hunt the groom-to-be, I'm sure he is just lost with her fiancé at the moment. This place is massive, after all."

Before I had the chance to object he was already pulling my arm. "Hey, where do you think you're taking me? I need to see Cesare first." So I can go home already.

"Cesare is busy talking to someone at the moment." He replied casually. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you'll have a heart-to-heart talk with Uncle Fiorenza later."

My brows furrowed. Since when did my godfather become this man's uncle? I don't remember their family connection apart from the fact that he'd been briefly engaged to Laila. If I remember correctly the engagement only lasted for ten days. Was that the reason for his familiarity with the prince?

"Gentlemen," he chirped at the group of men who were busy having discussions of their own at the side of the garden. Oh, shit...it's too late to back out now because their attention was already on us. "Look who I found hiding in the bush like a common criminal—oops! No pun intended."

I bit back the curse that wanted to escape my mouth. Seriously! I should have bought a gun in this festivity who would have thought that it prove to be useful in circumstances like that? I sorely want to fire fatal shots all over his body.

"The devil works hard but you sure work harder, Marco." I don't need an introduction to these men I knew them well after years of gathering information about them at Orsini's request. Just like the man who just spoke. The respected Italian duke, Lucca, with his signature weird dark sense of humor. "Enzo just got engaged recently and now you have a new victim."

I eyed the men one by one. Every one of Marco's ape friends is here. From the Italian duke, Lucca Cavelli, the Greek man, Nikos Pallis, the Spanish count, Leandro Salazar, and his brother-in-law, Diego Suarez, then there's also Rafe Moretti who was the last victim of Marco's abduction.

I removed my elbow from Marco's grip. "With all due respect, I will not join his club—not now, not ever."

I was surprised when Rafe Moretti laughed at my statement. "Believe me, that's what everyone says before but still ended up in his damned club at the end."

"Thanks for the testimonial, Rafe." Marco gave him a thumbs up. "You do know how to defend our club's honor even if you rarely show up at the club meetings."

Everyone laughed except me and Moretti who didn't waste his time arguing with Marco about their club meetings. I was about to leave them and be on my own when the Spanish count moved to my side and whispered something confidentially. "Are you the guy who offered me the banned firearms in Spain before?"

I could feel my mouth twitching with a smile. "I don't remember. I've been selling those kinds of weapons daily. If you are one of my customers I don't recall. Sorry."

"Dude!" Marco butted in, he swung an arm in Leandro Salazar's shoulder. "What's with the whispered conversation? Are you hiding something behind my back?"

I gave him a smug look. "I am just telling him how I plan you dismember your club soon. I am giving Salazar a fair warning."

He stared at me with disbelief as if he was seeing the devil in the flesh. "What a rude thing to say, Santi. You'll stop being better if you will just find a woman you will love for the rest of your life. Do you want to die bachelor on your deathbed without having the chance to continue your family dynasty?"

His friends chuckle at that but I send them a warning look and they hide their laugh through a series of fake coughs. "I am not having this conversation with you, Marco."

"Stop harassing my guest, Marco." A new but familiar voice joined the conversation. "Uncle Cesare will be mad at you if you mistreat his godson."

I closed my eyes due to frustration when I saw the stunned expression from these men upon hearing the announcement of Enzo Fiorenza. I knew that he intentionally stated that information to annoy the hell out of me. Now my association with Cesare Fiorenza was common knowledge.

"Is that true?" The Greek man asked, his blue eyes filled with disbelief.

I pointedly didn't answer him and remained stoic to the whole thing. Thankfully, Marco looked pointedly at the newcomer with an accusing look. "You're late. And where is your fiancée got tired of you already?"

Enzo raised his middle finger in Marco's direction. "We were supposed to come here but she was intercepted by the ladies on our way here."

"You look tired," Marco commented with a malicious smile. "Don't tell me you lost your way to your engagement party and mount horse somewhere?"

Their other friends' appeared to be very interested in his answer and were currently looking at him intently. The newly engaged man's face was stained with color. "Fuck you and fuck off, man. I will not satisfy your gossip thirst self."

"What a boring man," Marco grumbled under his breath. "You're no fun, do you know that?"

Instead of answering Marco, Enzo gave me his full attention with a teasing smile on his face. "Aren't you going to congratulate me on my impending marriage?"

"Should I?"

Enzo shook his head regretfully but his green eyes held amusement in their depth. "Marco, smack some sense to this man so he'll stop being bitter. If not for Cesare's instruction I already trash this man's life after abducting Willow to LA weeks ago."

I looked at Marco who was staring back at me with an innocent face. I wondered how he would react when I told him that it was Marco who planned the whole thing. I have no intention of taking her with me. Then again, how would everyone react when I informed them that I was the one who gave Marco information about their missing brides? It seems that they have a habit of losing the woman they thought they loved incident after the other.

I gave Marco a challenging look. "You're not going to say anything?"

He shrugged indifferently. "I don't have any slight idea what you mean, amico."

Fucking bastard... here was one hell of an actor.