"Adrianna, I wish to speak to you directly about something," Lorenzo began as soon as they passed through the imposing front doors into the steamy summer night. "This business of marrying as strangers, well it simply won't do. We both know we shall be married, but I will not take you as my wife while a complete stranger. We will begin our acquaintance as soon as possible." He's words came out as a statement, a statement it was clear he did not expect her to question.

The sudden and direct proclamation hit Adrianna with a jarring, almost physical force. Knowing that she would be forced to marry the man and hearing the words from his own mouth were two entirely different things. It served as the shock she needed to peel her body away from his strong grasp. She sucked in several deep breaths of the sultry magnolia-scented night air before attempting a response.

"We...we don't know that the elders will pair us to marry." Her voice came out as a soft whisper; it was all she could manage as she realized that her worst fears were already coming to fruition. Being in the man's presence, even now she was losing her will. Her independence. It seemed to her to be an insurmountable challenge even to break eye contact with him.

"Do not act a fool, my piccola kitten, it does not suit you. We will be married, it is our obligation to the people, you know that as well as I. I only suggest that we get to know each other first, court each other, if you will."

"And if, once we do this courting, one of us simply can't bear to marry the other, what then?" she asked.

That, after all, was one of the main reasons the family elders had created such strict rules that a bride and groom not meet until the binding ceremony. Once the binding was complete, there is no means of escape, no way to abandon the obligation to continue the bloodlines, no matter how incompatible the couples' personalities might be. To the elders, nothing was more important than strengthening the Dio Pantera blood.

"You are that difficult to like cara donna? I find that hard to believe. You could be tamed with nothing more than a saucer of milk." A deep, sexy chuckle rolled from his lips, and his powerful face softened into a slow sensual smile that Adrianna was certain would go a lot further than a saucer of milk in taming her.

"I meant that I might not be able to bear you, and quit referring to me as if I am a kitten before I show you my claws." A small reluctant smile crept over her face, as his laughter served to disarm her just a little.

"I will quit thinking of you as a kitten, if you will show me that you are brave enough not to scamper away from me. Spend the evening with me, let us become friends."

For several moments she hesitated. She considered the risks of agreeing to Lorenzo's wishes. But in the end she couldn't deny his logic. If they could become friends, if she could grow to trust him, then when the time came that they were joined, maybe she could have some small chance of happiness of some kind.

"Okay, if you insist," she slowly agreed. "But since I am following your wishes, you must agree to my terms as well." She studied his face, looking for any sign of objection. She saw none, only his amazingly sexy smile.

"Anything you like." His voice was all seriousness, but a small muscle twitched at his jaw as he did his best to force back an even bigger grin.

"Let's go then, before it gets too late," she said, turning and walking as quickly as her impractical shoes would carry her towards her car. If she slowed down enough to think about what she was doing she would certainly change her mind.

"Where are you taking me, cara?"

"My apartment," was all she said as she unlocked the doors to her sleek black vintage Mercedes, and got inside.