MILLIE
Sienna, draped in the ethereal fabric of her wedding gown, presented a vision of pure radiance that tugged at my heartstrings, a sight that struck me deeply for the cruel truth it held: she was being denied the chance to unite with the man who owned her heart. Gently, I arranged the delicate veil across her shoulders, my reflection in the mirror capturing her eyes brimming with anguish. Memories of my own wedding day rushed back, the fear and despair I had grappled with, but unlike Sienna, I hadn’t harbored an alternative love. Her marriage, unlike my fortuitous union with Gio, wouldn’t evolve into a concealed blessing. The words of solace I yearned to offer my sister seemed empty in the face of this grim reality.
“This is utterly unfair,” Harper muttered under her breath, her hand resting consolingly on Sienna’s shoulder. “Sienna, you can’t let this stand. Let us rally around you. What’s the point of being wedded to the Capo and the Consigliere of the Famiglia if we can’t compel them to wage a war for your happiness? You’re condemning yourself to misery.”
Harper understood the lengths I had gone to in order to sway Gio, and she hadn’t ceased to pester Sebastian about it either, albeit to no avail. I couldn’t circumvent Gio’s authority again, especially when wounds still festered from my concealment of Sienna’s affair with Dario. Balancing my desire to safeguard my family against defying Gio was an agonizing tightrope walk.
“Sienna whispered, “Gio said I can escape Gallo in a few months, once it won’t arouse suspicion.” A few months? The mere prospect of enduring Arman’s touch sent revulsion coursing down my spine, a sentiment I knew Sienna shared.
Harper scoffed, her disbelief palpable. “Of course, and in the meantime? Seriously, could Gio be any more heartless?”
Gio, the Capo, would prioritize me above the Famiglia, but not beyond that. He wouldn’t extend a helping hand to Sienna, regardless of my pleas.
“Are you and Gio still at odds?” Sienna inquired softly.
“I wouldn’t label it as a feud. We’re essentially avoiding one another. He’s resentful for my secrecy about you and Dario, and I’m furious that he’s compelling you into a marriage with Gallo.” Though “avoiding” didn’t encapsulate the full scope. We conversed and shared a bed, yet an intangible wall of disappointment and hurt segregated us.
“He isn’t forcing me, Millie. Father is. Gio is acting in his capacity as Capo. I’m not his concern; the Famiglia is.”
Her rationale was sound, though my heart resisted it. I disapproved of a world where women bore the brunt, allowing men to retain power unscathed.
“God, Dario’s influence has seeped deep within you. Tell me you don’t truly endorse what you just said,” Harper interjected.
“I can’t allow all of you to jeopardize everything for my sake.”
Harper, exasperated, slapped her forehead. “We’re willing to stake it all for you. You have to permit us.”
If Sienna agreed, I faced uncertainty. I would need to confide in Gio if we assisted Sienna in escaping. The fear of losing him entirely paralyzed me.
A knock sounded, followed by MMillie’s entrance, my father’s newly wedded wife. “It’s time to make your entrance.”
She vanished without another word. A chill swept over me at the thought of Father marrying a girl not much older than Sienna. The situation felt wrong.
“I can’t fathom Father being married to her,” Harper voiced, echoing my sentiments. “I don’t care for her, yet I can’t help but pity her. Father truly is a wretch.”
Sienna lowered her veil over her face. “We should proceed.”
“Sienna,” I began, unsure of the words that might alleviate this ordeal. But before I could formulate them, she straightened her posture, blinked resolutely, and advanced toward the door. Outside, our father stood ready to escort her down the aisle. A glare from me conveyed my sentiment. Days when I held reverence or fear for him were long gone. He was the architect of our suffering, and that, I would never pardon.
~***~
The whirlwind of wedding festivities had swept by in a flurry of emotions and joy. Yet, when the jubilation subsided, and the boisterous calls arose, urging the groom to join the bride in their marital chamber, a knot of unease settled deep within me. Though Sienna put on a brave front, I could discern the vulnerability concealed behind her facade. The mask she wore couldn’t conceal her true feelings-the terror, the fear that gripped her. Witnessing this shattered me.
Sebastian found himself grappling with Harper, struggling to prevent her from rushing after our sister. Meanwhile, I stood there, immobilized by my own helplessness. The sensation wasn’t foreign to me, but on this day, it surged to new heights.
In the midst of it all, Gio’s voice cut through the haze, soft and assuring. “Come on,” he whispered, his warm hand enveloping mine. He guided me toward our designated chamber in the sprawling Gallo mansion. In retrospect, agreeing to spend the night there as per my father’s suggestion felt like a mistake. The door closed behind us, and a stifling feeling of unease closed in on me. Turning away from Gio, I moved toward the bed, memories of our first night together resurfacing-our wedding night.
Back then, a profound fear of Gio and the prospect of consummating our union had seized me. Yet, Gio had surprised me with kindness and respect, a demeanor he had maintained throughout our marriage. I had been fortunate.
But Sienna wouldn’t be afforded such fortune. Sebastian’s description of Gallo as a vile character echoed in my mind. I had seen it in his eyes. Regrettably, rape still cast a sinister shadow over some marriages in our world. It was veiled under the guise of tradition, where a woman’s body was seen as her husband’s possession. The darkness of this reality haunted countless lives. Harper and I had escaped its clutches. For Sienna, I had assumed the same. I had been wrong.
Tears streamed down my face, tears for Sienna, and for Dario-two souls entangled in an impossible love. I forced my mind to avoid wandering down the corridor to imagine the horrors that might be unfolding in the adjacent room. Gio came up behind me, his hands settling gently on my shoulders, much like he had on our wedding night years ago. Back then, his touch hadn’t offered solace, but now it did.
“Millie,” he spoke softly.
His tender tone deepened my sobs, and he enveloped me in his arms, his strength a comforting shield. His lips brushed my tear-dampened cheek. “Life’s unjust,” I managed to choke out amidst the constriction in my throat. “It’s as if all the good fortune was reserved for Harper, me, and now Sienna is left with nothing.”
Gio gently turned me to face him, tilting my chin upward. His expression brimmed with compassion. “Don’t blame yourself, Millie. This has nothing to do with luck or destiny. Life can be unfair.”
“No,” I retorted, a touch of bitterness in my voice. “Not for everyone. Men don’t experience this kind of unfairness. Were you afraid before our wedding night? No, you were probably eager, eager to claim me.”
A sigh escaped Gio as he wiped my tears away. “Yes, I was eager, Millie. Up until the moment I saw your fear, and you know that.”
“I do,” I acknowledged. “But Gallo won’t care about Sienna’s fear. Nothing will deter him from violating her.”
Gio leaned in, our foreheads touching. “Dammit, Millie. What do you want me to do? Should I drag that bastard out and end him? Right now, I’m inclined to do just that because I hate seeing you like this. The only thing holding me back is the realization that I’d be risking your life. If I kill Gallo, if Dario does, we’d be at war with the Outfit.”
“Perhaps there’s another way,” I mumbled, realizing the naivety of my words. Gallo wouldn’t allow Sienna to escape the room willingly. At the very least, we’d have to incapacitate him, a move that would inevitably escalate into a war.
I lifted my head, grazing my lips against Gio’s. Furrowing his brows, he inquired, “What’s that for?”
Summoning a fragile smile, I replied, “For being willing to risk it all for me. I don’t deserve you.”
He shook his head, but the ring of his phone interrupted his response. Raising it to his ear, his visage shifted from surprise to fury.
“Damn it, Dario!” he cursed. Stepping back, I felt my heart race. “So let me get this straight-you’re with Sienna and Arman?”
A voice responded on the other end.
“Damn it!” Gio growled, disconnecting the call. His gaze fell on me. “Did something happen to Sienna?” I breathed.
His glare intensified. “She and Dario just ignited a war with the Outfit!”