84

I was already wearing an orange summer maxi dress and a gold belt to accentuate my waist when Luke came out of the bathroom wearing only a towel. I sat in the chair in front of my dressing table, applying my makeup, but froze with the mascara brush inches from my eye when I saw Luca. He walked over to the closet and picked out black pants and a white shirt before shamelessly dropping the ‘towel. I didn’t look away fast enough and was rewarded by his firm bottom.
I lowered my eyes and busied myself checking my nails until I dared to look in the mirror again and put on mascara.
Luca buttoned his shirt, except for the top two. He tied a knife to his forearm and rolled his sleeve over it, then put a gun holster around his calf. I turned around. “Do you ever go anywhere without a gun?” No chest holster today because it couldn’t be hidden well with just a white T-shirt.
“Not if I can help it.” She considered. “Do you know how to shoot a gun or use a knife?”
“NO. My father doesn’t think women should be involved in fights.”
“Sometimes you get fights. The Bratva and the Triad don’t differentiate between men and women.”
“So you’ve never killed a woman?”
His expression tensed. “I didn’t say that.” I waited for him to elaborate but he didn’t. Maybe it was for the best.
I stood there, smoothing my dress, nervous about meeting my father and Salvatore Vitiello after their wedding night. “Good choice,” Luca said. “The dress covers your legs.”
“Someone could lift the skirt and inspect my thighs.”
It was meant to be a joke but Luca’s lips pulled into a snarl. “Someone tries to touch you, he loses his hand.”
I said nothing. His protective attitude excited and scared me in equal parts. He waited for me at the door and I approached uncertainly. His words from the bathroom still rang in my ears.
Writhing with pleasure. I wasn’t even sure I was relaxed enough around him to feel anything approaching pleasure. Gianna was right. I couldn’t allow myself to trust him so easily. He could manipulate me.
He rested his hand on my lower back as we walked out. By the time we reached the top of the stairs, I could hear the conversation and a few scattered guests chatting in small groups in the huge lobby.
I froze. “Are they all waiting to see a bloody sheet?” I whispered, shocked.
Luca looked at me, smiling. “Many, especially the women. Men might be hoping for dirty details, others might be hoping to talk business, ask a favor, get on my side. He gently pushed me forward and we descended the stairs.
Romero waited at the foot of the stairs, his brown hair a mess. He tilted his head toward Luca, then gave me a brief smile. “How are you?” he asked, then grimaced, and the tips of his ears even turned red.
Luca chuckled. I didn’t know any of the other men in the room, but they all winked at Luca or gave broad smiles. Embarrassment rose to my neck. I knew what they were all thinking; I could practically feel them undressing me with their eyes. I walked over to Luca and he wrapped his fingers around my waist.
“Matteo and the rest of your family are in the dining room.”
“Carefully analyzing the sheets?” “As if they could read them like tea leaves,” Romero confirmed, then gave me an apologetic look. He didn’t seem to suspect anything.
“Come,” Luca said, pushing me toward the double door. The moment we entered the dining room, every pair of eyes was on us. The women of the family were gathered on one side of the room, divided into small groups, while the men were seated around the long dining table, on which ciabatta, grapes, ham, bologna, cheese, fruit plates and cookies were laid out. I realized that I was actually quite hungry. It was already almost lunchtime. Matteo sneaked up on Luca and me, espresso in hand.
“You’re shit,” Luca said.
Matteo nodded. “My tenth espresso and I’m still not awake. I drank too much last night.”
“You were wrecked,” Luca said. “I would have cut your tongue out for some of the things you said to Aria if you weren’t my brother.”
Matteo smiled at me. “I hope Luca didn’t do half the things I suggested.”
I wasn’t sure what to say about that. Matteo was still making me nervous. He exchanged a glance with Luca, who ran his thumb over my hip, making me flinch.
“You have presented us with a real work of art,” Matteo said, mentioning the back of the room where the sheets were laid out on top of some sort of coat rack for better display.
I stiffened. What did he mean by that?
But Luca didn’t seem concerned; in fact, he shook his head. Salvatore Vitiello and my father were waving for us to join them, and it would be rude to keep them waiting any longer.
When we reached the table my father stood up and wrapped me in his arms. I was surprised by this open display of affection. He touched the back of my head and whispered, “I am proud of you.”
I gave him a forced smile as we parted. Proud of what? For losing my virginity? For spreading my legs?
Salvatore put a hand on Luca’s and my shoulders and gave us a smile. “I hope we can expect little Vitiello soon.”
I managed not to let my shock show. Hadn’t Luca said I was taking birth control?
“I want to enjoy Aria alone for a long time. And with Bratva coming up, I wouldn’t want to have children to worry about,” Luca said in a tense tone. There were no words to describe how relieved I was by Luca’s words. I really wasn’t ready for children. I had already had enough change without the added benefit of a child.
His father nodded, “Yes, yes, of course. Understandable.”
After that they began a conversation about Bratva and it became quite clear that I had been fired. I slipped from Luca’s grasp and headed toward the women. Gianna met me halfway.
“Disgusting,” she muttered with a frown toward the sheets.
“I know.”
I looked around, but could not see Fabiano or Lily. “Where are they…” “Upstairs, in their room with Umberto. Mother did not want them to be present at the discovery of the sheets. She leaned in conspiratorially. “I’m so glad you’re finally here. Those women have been sharing their bloody stories for hours. What the fuck is wrong with the New York Familia? If I hear one more word about it, I will give them a real bloodbath.
“Now that they’re here, I doubt they’ll talk about anything but the goddamn sheets over there,” I muttered . It turned out I was right. Almost every woman felt the need to hug me and offer advice that only made me nervous. It will get better. Sometimes it takes a while for a woman to get comfortable. And the best thing: believe me, it took me years to enjoy it.
Mother kept her distance. I wasn’t sure why. V alentina said nothing as she wrapped her arms around me, simply touched my cheek with the palm of her hand and smiled, before stepping back to make room for another woman. Mother stood with her hands clasped in front of her, disapproval written on her face. I was glad she was not sharing stories of her wedding night with Dad. I approached her and she pulled me into a tight hug. Like my father she was not an overly affectionate person but I was happy for her closeness. “”I wish I could have protected you from all this,” she whispered before pulling back. There was a shadow of guilt on his face. I nodded my head. I didn’t blame her. What could she have done? Her father would not let her talk him out of the deal.
“Luca can’t stop looking at you. You must have left quite an impression on him,” Luca’s stepmother said jokingly.
I turned to her and smiled politely. Luca probably just wanted to make sure I didn’t accidentally reveal our secret. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the back door open and Lily sneak in, followed by Fabiano. They had probably taken advantage of Umberto’s bathroom break to escape. Gianna winced when our brother stopped in front of the sheets.
I excused myself and approached them with Gianna at my heels. Mom was engaged in an overly polite conversation with Luca’s stepmother.
“What are you doing here, you little monster?” asked Gianna, grabbing Fabiano’s shoulders.
“Why is there blood on the sheets?” she almost shouted. “Has someone been killed?”
Gianna burst out laughing as Lily appeared genuinely distressed at the sight of the sheets. I supposed she was bursting her bubble of fairy tale princes and making love under the stars. The men sitting at the table behind us also began to laugh, and Fabiano’s face contracted in anger. Although he was only eight years old, he had a short temper. I hoped he would calm down soon, otherwise he would get into trouble once he started.
Gianna ruffled his hair.
“Are you going to New York with Luca?” asked Fabiano suddenly.
I bit my lip. “Yes.”
“But I want you to come home with us.”
I blinked, trying to hide my distress at hearing him say that. “I know.”
Lily took her eyes off the sheets for a moment. “You’re not going on a honeymoon?”
“Not right now. The Russians and Taiwanese give Luca a hard time.”
Fabiano nodded as if he understood, and perhaps he did. With each passing year he would learn more about the dark world he lived in.
“Stop staring at the sheets,” Gianna said in a low voice, but Lily seemed too caught up in the sight.
Her face wrinkled. “I think I’m going to be sick.” I put my arm around her shoulders and led her out. She trembled in my grip.
“Hold,” I ordered as we ran out of the room, everyone’s eyes following us. We stumbled down the hallway. “Where is the bathroom?” This mansion had too many rooms.
Romero pointed to the end of the hallway and opened a door, then closed it again when we were inside. I held Lily’s hair as she vomited into the toilet, then sat her on the floor. I dried her face with a wet towel and some soap. “I still feel funny.”
“Put your head between your knees.” I squatted down in front of her. “What’s the problem?”
She lifted her shoulders slightly.
“I’ll make you some tea.” I straightened up.
“Don’t let Romero see me like this.”
“Romero is not-” I interrupted. Evidently Lily had a crush on him. It was useless, but I could at least allow her that little fantasy, when the sight of the sheets had already distressed her so much.
“I’ll keep him out,” I promised instead and slipped out of the bathroom.
Romero and Luca were waiting out front.
“Is your sister okay?” asked Luca. Was he really worried or just being polite?
“The sheets were making her nauseous.”
Romero’s expression darkened. “They shouldn’t allow the girls to witness something like that. It would only scare them.” He cast a glance at Luca as if recovering. But Luca nodded dismissively.
“You’re right.”
“Lily needs some tea.”
“I can get it for her and stay with her so you can go back to your guests,” Romero suggested.
I smiled. “That’s nice, but Lily doesn’t want you to see her.”
Romero frowned. “Is she afraid of me?”
“Apparently that’s not an option,” I said with a laugh. “You’re a soldier of the mob.
What is there not to be afraid of?” I decided not to play with him anymore and lowered my voice. “But that’s not it. Lily has a huge crush on you and she doesn’t want you to see her that way.” That, and I didn’t want any of Luca’s men to be alone with Lily until I got to know them better.
Luca smiled. “Romero, you still get it. Capturing the hearts of 14-year-old girls left and right. Then he turned his attention to me. “But we have to come back. The women will be mortally offended if you don’t give them your full attention.
“I’ll take care of Lily,” Gianna said, introducing herself and Fabiano in the room.
I smiled. “Thank you,” I said as I brushed her hand. The moment I returned to the dining room, the women crowded around me again, trying to extort more details from me. I pretended to be too embarrassed to talk about it-which I would have been-and gave them only vague answers. Eventually the guests began to leave, and I knew it would soon be time to say goodbye to my family and leave for my new life.