He smiles as if I’m missing something obvious. “You don’t need to know the reason you’re here, bella. You don’t need to know anything at all.”

I want that to be true almost as much as I want to put on his necklace and be whatever he wants me to be. But that’s so pathetic. I look into his eyes. “Maybe. But I want to know.”

“Why? You’re a sweet little virgin and I’ve come offering rubies. Isn’t that enough?”

I try to say no but he’s already kissing me. I let him, warmth running from his lips to mine. My heart swells inside my chest. He’s different from Doc. Softer and more complete. He groans into my mouth and the knowledge this perfect man wants me, sets my skin ablaze. I kiss him back, shame and sweetness battling inside me until Eli pulls away, rubbing a thumb over my lower lip. “Yes. You’re everything a woman should be. You will be mine.”

There’s a rushing sound in my ears. “I’m already engaged.”

He smiles “No, you’re not.”

“Mr. Parker—”

“Will soon be dead. After we’ve wrung enough misery out of him.” He says it as though commenting on the weather.

“But you can’t kill Mr. Parker!”

Eli’s face contracts into a familiar expression. I’m annoying him, but I can’t act like this makes sense. “Why do you all hate Mr. Parker so much?”

He looks at me like I’m a child wanting to know where the sun goes at night. He sighs. “He did wrong by the four of us a long time ago. Does that satisfy your curiosity?”

“Um…” That’s not anything I couldn’t have guessed. In fact, it would be weirder if Mr. Parker didn’t do something to make them hate him. “What did he do?”

His face hardens. “Ask another question.”

“Okay…” I cast my mind around for something I want to know. “Are you in the mafia?”

His lips press together. “If you ask that again, I will be forced to strike you. I’m a businessman. I have professional interests.”

He sounds so disgusted, tears prickle at the corners of my eyes. “Sorry, Mr. Morelli.”

“Ah, bella, do not cry.” Eli throws an arm around my shoulders. I give in and collapse into his chest.

“It will be done,” he mutters into my hair. “I will keep you.”

I pull away. “You mean… marry me?”

For a second, he stares at me, and then he laughs. A rich, genuine laugh I haven’t heard before.

“Sorry,” I say again, wanting to disappear. “I shouldn’t have… Sorry.”

“Miss Whitehall, don’t take this as a slight on your beauty, but the two of us are not a match.”

I feel my face burn. If he’s not attracted to me, why was he kissing me? “What do you mean?”

Eli picks up his necklace from my blankets. It must have slid there while we were kissing.

“It means, I can trace my bloodline back to the House of Savoy. You are from a wealthy family, but I would be marrying beneath my name.”