Aurora’s POV
I didn’t bat my eyes while staring at him because I knew that he wouldn’t overstep his boundaries since I posed as Matteo’s woman. The Capo brought me here and even if he didn’t introduce me to everyone as his girlfriend, they would connect the dots together and match us up.
“What are you doing with her, Giselle?” His voice became deeper than the tone he greeted us earlier with.
“She just wanted to ask me where the toilet was. That’s it,” She replied, her voice sounding shaky.
He stared at me with a warning flickering in his eyes but I didn’t look away, rather I held his gaze with my lips twitched. Maybe he’d beat up his wife when he got home, but I wanted to remind him that not all women could be treated like trash.
“What is going on here, Antonio?” Matteo’s voice disrupted my eye battle with Giselle’s husband.
“Nothing serious, I was just checking up on my wife.” Antonio replied, placing his arm around the waist of his wife possessively.
I smiled then headed towards Matteo and allowed him hold me. “I want to see you after the engagement is over, Antonio.” He said and pulled me away.
We passed through the hallway and then he led me towards a staircase that led to other rooms. “What was the meaning of that? What were you trying to do?” He snarled at me while I rolled my eyes.
“It’s obvious, Matteo. I hate intimidation and what Antonio is doing to his wife is very wrong. If you didn’t bring me along then maybe we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” I spat and he folded his arms, obviously amazed by my bravery.
I could see how the guests revered him each time he glanced at them. The women who were gossiping about us shut their lips at his glare, but none of that scared me, instead it kindled a primal feeling that I’d been fighting.
“You can’t interfere in people’s marriages. Whatever happens to them is their business and not yours,” He scolded me and I scoffed.
A bell rang, alerting everyone that the ceremony was about to start. We all stood up while both families of the couples came out from the crowd.
The young girl whose name was Sofia wore a happy mask. At least, she was better in keeping up her expression than her mother. No one could tell that she wasn’t happy except he or she was good at reading people.
Mr Sconti, stood at the middle, still holding the champagne flute I met him with earlier and his wife avoided my gaze since I was standing opposite her.
“Today, we have all come for the engagement of my daughter and I appreciate you all for making it here. I’d like to summon Danilo Costa to come forward while I give him my daughter.” He said with a cocky smile.
Danilo walked towards her his face wearing a stoic expression but his eyes were friendly. He brought out a tiny diamond ring with an emerald stone and wore it on her fingers.
She smiled shyly and then he held her waist and everyone gave a toast.
“Those two will fall in love soon,” I whispered and Matteo gave a ghost of a smile.
We returned to our seats while I ignored the devouring looks of some men that ogled at me. I wanted to play around, but I didn’t want Matteo to feel disrespected at the same time even if he didn’t deserve it. So I stood up again and nudged Matteo up.
“This place feels so boring.”
“Let’s dance,” He offered and stretched out his hand.
I let him wrap his arms around my waist while I placed my hand on his back. He moved me according to the slow beat of the song and for some reason I enjoyed it.
“Do you still feel bored?” He asked and I shook my head.
“Don’t feel so special, it’s not just about the dance.” I said and then the song ended.
It was time for me to dance with someone else and when the song started again, one of the men who had been gazing at me came towards me.
“May I?” He said to Matteo who didn’t enjoy handing me over to him, but I didn’t care. It would be fun to rile him up a little.
“You can, but be quick.” He said in a threatening manner and headed towards Sofia who looked relieved from dancing with Danilo.
We danced quietly at first and then he cleared his throat. “You look beautiful,” He commented as I smiled.
“Thank you, you don’t look bad yourself.”
“I don’t mean to get you offended by my words but it’s really unconventional that the Capo has brought someone that isn’t from the Outfit. I pray they don’t rebel against him soon.”
He looked displeased by Matteo’s acts and was willing to say more, I just needed to strike the right chords.
“What do you mean?” I asked softly, biting my lower lip.
“He has altered some of our traditions that have existed for ages. And he’s at the verge of bringing the Camorra to join us, either peacefully or through war. I know that they don’t have a Capo for now, but it’s risky and we don’t really need them for now.” He explained and I listened closely to everything he said.
Unfortunately, the song ended and Matteo came for me, sorely displeased at how fast we bonded. My only regret was that I didn’t get to know him more.
“Are we going now?”
He snubbed me and stalked off, heading for our table.
“Matteo?” I cried.
“Let’s go, Aurora. The party is over for us,” He replied through gritted teeth.
“Oh, but I want to stay. What’s the name of that man? He was warm and friendly.” I replied.
“Dammit, Aurora. If you say one more word, I’ll carry you in a bridal style out of this house and it won’t be funny,” He threatened and glared at me.
I reached for my bag, not willing to have my name making rounds on the media. I wondered what made him so angry, it wasn’t like I got intimate with him.
“Wait, I have to write something.” I said and tore out a sheet of paper and wrote my name and number.
If Giselle was smart and wanted out of the marriage then she would call me.
“Are you done?” He asked and I nodded.
We approached them and I gave Giselle a warm hug and squeezed the paper in her hand. Her shoulders tensed up but covered it up with a smile and then I left with Matteo.
“I don’t want to put my thoughts into words because it won’t be funny,”
“Then don’t bother.” I said as he revved the engine and drove off.
He turned on soul music while I rested on the headrest of the chair. The atmosphere between us was tense so I decided to tease him.
“I never knew you cared about music.” I started.
“Now you know.”
His reply was curt so I snapped my lips shut and closed my eyes, pondering on what the man had told me during the dance. I could tell my uncle about it, but he’d only advise me to get closer to him and find out more about the Outfit.
It would be risky, but the Outfit needed to be torn apart after everything that Aldo had done to my parents and the Camorra.
I was jolted from my thoughts by Matteo’s hiss as the car had come to an abrupt halt. He hopped out and opened the bonnet, while I stayed in and thought of what to do.
Some minutes later he came in with a pissed look. “Those damn workers!” He ranted.
“What’s going on?”
“We can’t get home tonight. Angelo’s arm is indisposed and I can’t allow Ginevra to leave the house by this time of the night. So we have just two options, we either sleep here or look for a hotel.” He announced.