“So, you really can’t stay longer than the weekend?” I asked Samuel again as we drove along the narrow road that led to the Cavallaro lake lodge. Anna, Emma, Leonas, and I would spend a few weeks of the summer holidays up there. It was the first year Anna and I would be at the lodge without our families. Anna’s younger sister was staying in Chicago with her parents, and Samuel had business to attend to, so he’d only drive me up and spend a night before returning to Minneapolis.
Danilo was driving Emma to the lodge, which was why I hadn’t chosen my usual lake style of shorts and a top. Instead, I was wearing a beautiful summer dress to impress him. He would also be spending the night before returning to Indianapolis for work.
Of course, we wouldn’t be staying in the lodge unsupervised. Anna had her bodyguard Santino with her who’d guard her and Leonas, Emma would have one of her own bodyguards, and Carlo was accompanying me. He’d barely left my side since Danilo made him my personal bodyguard years ago.
The forest finally opened up before us, giving way to the beautiful timber lodge situated next to the lake surrounded by firs. The sun was glittering on the blue water.
“I can’t wait to take a dip,” I said. The temperature was in the high nineties, and I desperately needed to cool down.
“The others probably won’t be here yet. Plenty of time to go swimming before dinner.”
I nodded, then slanted Samuel a curious look. “Are you excited about seeing Emma again?”
He’d blocked every attempt to talk about his engagement to Emma so far.
“I won’t be spending time with her. I’ll only spend the night because I don’t want to drive right back.”
“You don’t seem happy about your bond.”
Samuel let out a short laugh. “Sofia, arranged marriages aren’t about happiness, they’re for tactical purposes.”
My lips thinned. “But what kind of tactical purpose could there be? Our families will be linked through my marriage to Danilo anyway.”
“My wedding to Emma will solidify the union.”
I could tell that he wouldn’t say more. He parked the car in front of the lodge. Carlo’s car was already parked off to the side. He’d headed out two hours ago to make sure everything was in good condition. My family had a spare key for the Cavallaro lodge, just like the Cavallaros had one for our lodge, which wasn’t quite as splendid as this one.
I didn’t waste any time to storm to the guestroom I usually chose and change into a bikini—a white knit piece I’d fallen in love with the second I saw it. My skin wasn’t tanned enough to build a strong contrast to the pale fabric, but I was determined to work up a decent tan during our time at the lake. My hair was caught in a strange mid-length because I was trying to grow it out for my wedding updo. My bangs reached my cheekbones, so I had to put them back with pins or they’d cover my eyes, and the rest of my hair almost touched my collarbones by now. Still some way to go before I could pull off my bridal hairstyle.
When I rushed back downstairs, familiar voices reached me from the living room. I headed straight for them, finding Anna, Leonas, and Santino talking to Samuel and Carlo.
I made a beeline for Anna and threw my arms around her. When she pulled back, she nodded appreciatively. “That bikini looks hot on you. Good choice.”
I grinned, flushing when I felt everyone’s attention on me.
“Yep, you look like a hot piece of ass,” Leonas drawled as he leaned against the back of the sofa like a goddamn king.
“Shut it,” Santino growled. He sounded as if he was already at the edge of his meager patience. As usual, his furious eyes sent a shiver down my back.
Samuel walked over to Leonas and hit the back of his head. “Watch it. You’re not Capo yet, so we can still kick your scrawny ass until your balls shrivel to the size of raisins.”
“As if they were ever bigger than that,” Anna muttered, giving Leonas a smug smile.
Santino sent her a hard look. “I don’t care if you two torture each other. The only thing I care about is that you’ll return to Chicago more or less alive and that you don’t get on my fucking nerves.”
“Our other bodyguards don’t say fuck because our mother hates the word,” Leonas butted in.
“File an official report and see if I give a fuck,” Santino said before turning to Samuel and Carlo. “I’m heading to the guard house. I’ll trust you to keep them alive.”
Carlo grunted, which was the equivalent of a yes from him.
I nudged Anna. “What’s gotten into him?” I rolled my eyes toward Santino’s broad retreating back.
“Let me change. I’ll tell you at the lake.”
“All right, but hurry. I need to cool off.”
Anna snatched her small bag. “You can carry up my luggage, Leonas. All your work-outs must be worth something, right?”
Leonas gave her the finger. “Later. I’m busy. I’m sure you’ll find one of your fifty bikinis in that ugly shopping bag you carry around.”
“It’s a Louis Vuitton shopper, you moron,” Anna said in a sing-song voice as she ran up the stairs.
I turned to Leonas. “You’re really going to carry her luggage?”
He grimaced. “Lost a bet. Don’t ask. Santino refuses to do it and so
