Roses & Ruin

Chapter 68 (Lexi)

         I'd been arguing with Dmitriy and my father for hours. They keep pressuring me and Enzo to get a move on with our arrangement already. They decided to drop the bomb on me that they want me wed before they return back to Russia. 

There's no set timeline of when they go back home, but with the Irish running scared for the time being it's looking like they'll have Philly in their grasp soon enough. Then they'll leave the operation to the men trained for it. That, and Andrei apparently, who's staying a few months longer to oversee everything.

        With the newfound pressure to be wed before they return to Russia even Enzo was feeling the heat of it. His father started in on him too. He wants to keep the Petrov men happy so this alliance finally smooths over after its rocky beginning. Now Anthony's avoiding me and it's all so frustrating.

All that being said, I found myself in a jewelry store today with Enzo to pick out the ring. Vitaly almost came as my chaperone. I gave in to going myself to spare Enzo and I the headache of that.

This is a very expensive looking jewelry shop, which is Italian owned. Of course friends of friends as the Italians seem to operate. Enzo and I were looking into several glass cases to see if anything caught our eye. 

"I don't want anything flashy. We don't need to advertise this more than it already is" I told him.

        Enzo was in casual wear, jeans and a tee, and he's attractive enough, but just not the guy for me. His eyes are very honey colored, rich honey like his daughters. I met her for a second time the other day. From the glass case adjacent to where I was looking Enzo's eyes shifted up to mine after I spoke. 

"Uh...your father made it clear that it better be a ring befitting a Petrov, so sorry hun you're shit outta luck" he told me. I scoffed. "Are you frickin kidding me? He did not" I said rhetorically, because of course he did. "I'm gonna strangle him" I muttered to myself. 

Enzo could do nothing else but pity me, which I didn't want at all.

"How about this one? Flashyish but not awful" Enzo waved me over. I came beside him and we brushed arms as he pointed a finger directly on the glass to show me his pick. 

        "You're smudging the glass" I whispered. He chuckled because the jeweler has been following us around asking for us to keep our hands off the glass if possible. If possible? What does that mean? What scenario would occur for me to indefinitely have to touch the glass?

"Jezus, what size carat is that?" I gaped. The jeweler came forward and peered into the case with his hands behind his back. He'd never touch the glass I bet. No matter the circumstance. Not even while feeling lightheaded. He'd just fall right over and spare himself the smudge marks on his precious glass. "3 carats ma'am."

It was a round diamond, 3 carats, with tiny diamonds around the band of the ring. 

        "That's lowkey to you?" I arched a brow at Enzo. He shrugged. "It's pretty" he defended his choice. "You know what...whatever, I don't feel like spending my whole day here. If you think that's a good one then let's do it" I shrugged. The man behind the counter was the one to arch a brow now.

"Wow, a very complacent bride" he tried to give us a funny remark. "It's an arranged marriage" I deadpanned. The man's face flattened for a moment, but Enzo laughed and said, "She's kidding." I rolled my eyes. 

Like the jeweler knowing this matrimony is arranged will do anything. Different cultures have arranged marriages all the time. This is slightly different than that, I'd say, but arranged nonetheless.