Blood Thirsty

Ch. 20: It won't blow up

Anthony and Knox never specified if they were boyfriends, which would be an odd title when they were already getting married, but it definitely felt like it. Just walking through a clothing boutique and holding Knox's hand made him giddy. He'd steal glances at Knox, who was already looking at him, and they'd both blush and smile. The sweetness threatened Anthony with a cavity.

Anthony didn't even have a high school boyfriend that made him feel this mushy. In the showroom, Anthony saw rows of tuxedos and wedding dresses, but not Johanna or Milan. With a little smile, Anthony pecked Knox's cheek. Knox slapped his hand over his cheek and sighed wistfully.

"You two are so dramatic."

Milan appeared from the ether and made Anthony jump.

Humor completely devoid of his face, Milan scowled at his princes. "I thought Anthony was going to kill you, sir."

Something dawned on him. Knox squinted. "And were you just going to let him?"

Milan blinked. "The store owner has requested your final approval on your groomsmen list."

"Fine." Knox sighed, rubbing Anthony's back. Knox gave him a quick kiss. "Have you decided on your groomsmen?"

"My brothers, Bianca, and Phoebe Easten."

"Aren't you not speaking to your brothers?"

"They're all I have, and we have to keep up appearances."

"You're right." Slightly amused, Knox laughed a little and kissed Anthony's head before following Milan.

Anthony touched the top of his head, letting himself enjoy it. He smiled quietly, just to himself, and took a deep breath. He meandered around the clothes, glancing through the dresses. For fun, he searched for a dupe of Bianca's wedding dress. He recalled it had a low neckline, but pillowing sleeves, and a skirt she couldn't stop twirling in.

Anthony pinched some silk between his fingers, which felt like the knot in his chest. He was tempted to call home and let Bianca know he wasn't going to die alone, tell Nino he was right and he ended up liking Knox, and he'd definitely let Mathew know he wasn't angry anymore. He stopped blaming Mathew a long time ago.

There was no one to blame.

Dante chose him on purpose. Not because he was the only remaining sibling. Only Anthony could handle the responsibility.

"Are you thinking of switching up the wardrobe?" Johanna asked.

Anthony looked around at her, holding his breath. She looked so much like Knox, it was actually insane. Her white blonde hair was pulled back to show off her dangling silver earrings. She wore a red pants suit with a silk scarf. Breathing or looking at it was too expensive.

"Oh, I'm just waiting for Knox to come back," Anthony explained, feeling his ears burn hot.

She hummed, glancing at the dresses too. "You two have grown close."

"Yes," Anthony said honestly.

"You don't have to be close. This marriage is arranged."

"I know..." Anthony kept his head held up high. "I didn't want to get close to him. I actually tried to put distance between us, but..." He smiled. He couldn't help it. "But your son is surprisingly stubborn. You should discipline him more."

She smiled, and it was the first time Anthony truly saw the difference. Knox's smiles were softer than velvet, sweeter than honey. Johanna had a worn-out smile that was rough around the edges, and like it was left in a cold attic.