I sit down, quickly noting the names of the women nearest me. The older woman on my immediate left is Aunt Olivia, Vega's aunt on his father's side. The matriarch at the head of the table is Amelia.
The others are mostly his cousins, except for the young woman who was just sizing me up. She is Mia Larsen, from a wealthy family with close ties to the Vastanos.
Mia is already back to glaring at me like she wants to burn holes into my skin. Why she's so intent on my destruction, I can't fathom, but I decide to ignore her.
I pick up a teacup and take a small, bracing sip of black tea.
Aunt Olivia speaks first, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness. "Tell us, Tyr, how did you two meet? I mean, you aren't exactly his type." The condescension in her tone is unmistakable, but I'm not offended. I've heard worse in a sparring ring.
"Really?" I ask, leaning in slightly, sounding genuinely curious. "What is his usual type?"
Olivia's daughter, Hazel, starts to reply. "Petite. I mean you are tall and—"
Olivia cuts her off, delivering the blow with clinical precision. "Masculine. You are so bulky. Do you live at the gym all day?"
I smile slightly, but I'm actively restraining myself. Which part of me says masculine? I'm strong, yes, but not bulky. Of course, these women are just looking for something to criticize. This isn't a friendly meal. it's a humiliation ritual.
"As a matter of fact, I do," I reply, my voice steady, giving them a clean, honest fact. "I grew up right below my father's gym."
I know these people know everything about me and just want to mess with me. They're poking the bear, trying to get it riled up.
Riley, another of Vega's cousins, wrinkles her nose. "That sounds like it smells like feet and sweat."
I clench my fist hard under the table, my nails digging into my palm. I want to tell her it smells better than her shitty perfume, but I swallow the words back. Focus, Tyr. Don't get mad.
Evelyn, another cousin, joins the pile-on. "You are also so domineering."
Then Mia speaks, her voice laced with venom. "And poor."
My patience snaps. Fuck being civil.
"You are right," I say, my voice suddenly calm and loud enough to command attention. "I am not his type. But I am the type he wanted to marry."
The entire table freezes. Cutlery clanks loudly against porcelain as they stop mid-motion. The atmosphere turns from petty insult to genuine shock.
"Excuse me," I say, rising from the table without waiting for a reply.
I walk directly to the nearest bathroom. As soon as I lock the stall door, I pull out my phone and type a message to Vega furiously.
I type: If I murder your family members dont fucking blame me.
I wait ten seconds, the longest ten seconds of my life. A notification comes through, and I tap on it.
Vega's reply is instantaneous and chilling: do as you please.
My lips curl into a slow, wicked grin. I step out of the stall, wash my hands, and stare at myself in the mirror. An evil smirk appears on my reflection. "Do as you please? Okay, I will do just that."
I wipe my hands with a paper towel and toss it into the trash. As I pass by the bar, I stop.
"Can I get a shot of vodka, please?"
To deal with this den of vipers, I definitely need one. The bartender places the tiny glass in front of me. I down it all in one swift motion. The burn down my throat gives me the courage I need.
I walk back to the table, the heat of the vodka a welcome, defiant warmth in my belly. I don't even get a chance to sit down before Mia delivers her strike.
"Not only is she late, but she is also an alcoholic," Mia says, her voice loud and self-righteous. "I wonder what Vega sees in you."
The entire table pretends not to hear, yet their stillness screams their investment in this verbal war.
My lips curl into the smile I practiced in the mirror, the one with a touch of malice. "What is it really that's bothering you?" I ask, my voice low and dangerous. "Oh, let me guess. You've been drooling over Vega for years, but not once has he acknowledged you. Is that it?"
Mia's face instantly turns dark, a flush of furious embarrassment spreading across her cheeks. I don't care.
"Is that why you're friends with these three? To get close to him?" I continue, pointing dismissively at Vega's cousins, Hazel, Riley, and Evelyn. "Well, it makes sense, because they have terrible personalities. Who would want to hang around them if it weren't for the benefits?"
Hazel, Riley, and Evelyn are visibly upset. "Don't take things too far!" Hazel snaps, her eyes wide with shock.
Aunt Olivia jumps in, her voice shrill with indignation. "How barbaric! Mother-in-law, look how disrespectful the wife your grandson brought is! She should be expelled from the family!"
I am truly having fun now. The anger is clean, the words sharp, and the vodka makes me invincible.
"So that was the plan, wasn't it?" I say, leaning in, addressing the table but aiming the truth straight at Amelia. "To bully me into anger, and then what? I beat you up and show you how barbaric and undeserving I am to be Vega's wife? Smart plan, actually, but you miscalculated."
I know I'm only going to be involved with Vega for one year, so I am absolutely not afraid to burn these non-existent bridges. They can't hurt me, and their opinion is worthless.
"Vega," I declare, letting the biggest lie hang in the air, "loves me."
I lean back in my seat and watch all their disbelieving faces. The silence is delicious.
Olivia is the first to break it, her voice trembling with indignation. "How shameless!"
I shrug my shoulders. "Now that we have cleared the air, let's enjoy the sweet treats the Mrs. Vastano painstakingly prepared for us." I turn to Vega's grandmother, Amelia, and ask politely, "Is there anything you would like for me to bring to you?"