Faro handed me a flask. “For you.”
I tugged my tie into place before taking the gift. “I won’t drink hard liquor today.”
“I thought you could use it to hit yourself over the head if you consider something as stupid as refusing the bloody sheet tradition again.”
I shoved the flask into the pocket on the inside of my jacket. “Don’t get started again.”
Faro glared. “Just promise you won’t try this faking blood stains bullshit. Luca was baiting you. Trust me, he fucked that wife of his on their wedding night, even if she cried bitter tears. That’s who he is and who he expects you to be. And come on, Cassio, you are that man, so stop trying to be a better man only because you feel guilty over Gaia.”
I gripped his throat. “We are friends, Faro, but I’m also your boss, so show some respect.”
Faro spluttered, his brown eyes watering. “I’m trying to keep you alive. Giulia is a grown woman by age. That’s all that should matter.”
“I’m going to fuck her, so get off my back,” I gritted out, releasing him. I hadn’t seen her since our first and only encounter four months ago, but I knew she still looked young—younger than I preferred. A few months wouldn’t change that. I could only hope that her mother had followed my instructions and put enough makeup on her face to make her look older.
Faro grinned. “Do me a favor and enjoy it, will you? Tonight, you’ll have a tight young pussy around your cock.”
He left the room before I could grab him again.
I waited at the front of the church for Giulia. Faro stood to my right and across from him waited one of Giulia’s friends, who looked awfully young. A reminder of my own future wife’s age.
When the music started, I turned my attention to the entrance of the church where Felix entered with Giulia at his side. She was dressed in an elegant long white dress with a long-sleeved lace top. Her hair was pulled up, except for her bangs.
She was smiling slightly as her father led her toward me, but her tension was unmistakable. When she arrived in front of me, I noticed the small sunflowers woven into her hair and bridal bouquet. Her eyes met mine, and for a moment I caught the hint of defiance in them, surprising me. Then her father handed her to me, and Giulia became tenser, her smile wavering.
She looked marginally older thanks to the makeup and her elegant dress. Still, her fine-boned, clammy hand in mine and the innocence in her eyes reminded me of her age.
Despite her youth, she kept her head high, appearing at ease with the situation. Only I could feel her trembling. Her “I do” was firm, as if this bond was really her choice.
While we exchanged the rings, Giulia kept throwing uncertain glances up at me. I wasn’t sure what she was looking for. Maybe wistfulness or even sadness. I remembered my first wedding. Sadness wasn’t part of my feelings when I thought of Gaia.
“You may kiss the bride,” the priest said.
Giulia’s eyes widened a fraction, as if that part of the ceremony came as a surprise. Hundreds of eyes watched us, one set belonging to my Capo. I cupped the back of her head and bent low. She remained frozen, except for her eyes which fluttered shut a moment before I firmly pressed my mouth against hers. Until this moment, physical closeness with Giulia had seemed like something that I’d have to force myself to allow, a struggle forgetting her age and the baggage I carried with me. Now, as her soft lips touched mine and her sweet scent hit me, a deeply buried desire kindled inside me. Claiming her tonight wouldn’t be a problem. Being a better man definitely wasn’t in my future.
I pulled back, causing Giulia to open her eyes. She held my gaze, a blush creeping up her cheeks. Then she gave me a small, shy smile. So goddamn innocent.
I straightened, looking away from her pretty, young face. From the corner of my eye, I saw her puzzled expression before I led her down the aisle and out of the church for the congratulations.
Faro, of course, was the first to congratulate me. He clapped my shoulder with a challenging smile. “And how was the first taste of your young wife?” he asked in a low voice.
I scowled. He knew very well that I rarely shared information like that. It didn’t stop him from asking, of course. He stepped back and faced Giulia, giving a small bow. Her answering smile was the kind of unguarded friendliness that gave proof of her age. As my wife, she’d have to learn to be more restrained. Gaia had been the perfect hostess and trophy wife, poised and a master of social etiquette, a quick liar, someone who smiled at you one moment only to stab you in the back the next. Giulia wasn’t like that. She’d have to grow up quickly, learn the ins and outs of being an Underboss’s wife.
My eyes lingered on the small sunflowers in her updo. Those would have to go first. Too lighthearted, too quirky. Nothing I appreciated. The sunflower earrings were even worse. She should have worn the jewelry I sent her. I leaned down to her. “Why didn’t you wear the diamond earrings I bought for you?”
Giulia
I jumped at the cold disapproval in his voice.
Mom and Dad headed toward us to congratulate us, which didn’t give me much time for a reply. “They didn’t match the flower arrangement.”
I’d fought Mom for weeks over having sunflowers as part of my bridal flowers. Eventually, Dad had settled the matter in my favor, as he usually did.
“You shouldn’t have chosen sunflowers. Next time I send you something to wear, I expect you to do it.”
I blinked, too stunned for a reply. He straightened. For him, this matter was settled. He’d given an order and naturally expected me to obey. There was no doubt in his mind that I would. His expression was steel when he shook Dad’s hand.
Mom pulled me into an embrace, dragging my eyes away from my husband. A frown appeared on her face. “Look happy, Giulia,” she whispered. “Don’t you realize how lucky you are? I’d have never thought we’d manage to marry you off to an Underboss, considering all of them were already married. This is such a stroke of luck.”
My smile felt stiff. What was a stroke of luck? That Gaia Moretti had died, leaving two small children behind? That I was married to the man who might be responsible for her death?
Mom’s expression pinched. “For God’s sake, try harder to look happy. Don’t ruin this for us.”
Mom didn’t even realize how cruel she was.
Luckily, Dad stepped up to me and hugged me. I sank into him. He and I had always been closer, but recently my resentment had clouded our relationship. “You look beautiful.”
“I don’t think Cassio agrees,” I muttered. Dad pulled back, searching my face. His guilt and worry added another weight to my already heavy heart.
“I’m sure he appreciates your beauty,” Dad said quietly.
I kissed Dad’s cheek, and he reluctantly moved away to make room for Cassio’s parents. I’d never talked to them and had only seen them from afar at a couple of social functions. Mr. Moretti shared Cassio’s dark blue eyes, but his were clouded and his impressive size was diminished by the fact that he supported his weight on a cane. Cassio’s mother was elegant and beautiful with dark blond hair pulled up into a perfect chignon. Behind her, Cassio’s sisters waited, no less graceful and poised. That was how I was supposed to be. Cassio didn’t want me for myself. He wanted me to become someone he required. Accessories in his life.
I could hardly force food down my tight throat during dinner. Cassio didn’t talk to me, only to his father and Luca. I sat beside him like arm candy.
Maybe it was for the best. Every time he’d talked to me so far, he ordered me around and intimidated me only more. Considering that I’d have to share a bed with him tonight, I preferred his silence. The chances of me passing out were high anyway.
I slanted a look at Cassio. His facial features were attractive in an edgy way. Sharp cheekbones, a strong jaw, and the dark stubble. I’d never seen him in less than a three-piece suit, but his muscles were unmistakable.
“My brother played football in high school,” Mia whispered, surprising me. I hadn’t said much to her yet. We were strangers, despite being sisters-in-law, not to mention she was ten years older than me.
Heat rose into my cheeks, realizing she must have noticed me staring at Cassio. I couldn’t even imagine Cassio going to high school.
“You finished this summer, right?” Mia asked.
I nodded with a small smile. “Yes. I thought I’d go to college, but…”
“But you had to marry my brother.”
“I would have had to marry either way, but as a wife of an Underboss, going to college is out of the question,” I said quietly. My mother would have had a heart attack if she’d heard me being this honest with Cassio’s sister, but I was tired of trying to pretend.
“That’s true. You’ll be busy raising his kids, so you won’t be bored.”
My heart sped up like it always did thinking of being responsible for two tiny humans. I had absolutely no clue about kids. I’d read countless articles about raising kids in the last four months, but reading and doing were two very different things. Most of the time I felt like a girl, not a woman, much less a mother.
Mia touched my hand. “You’ll be fine. I live close by. I can help if you don’t know what to do.”
Cassio must have heard because he frowned. “You have two small kids of your own with a third on the way. You’ll have your hands full. Giulia can handle everything.”
He seemed to know me better than I did. Or maybe he’d just order me to be a good mother?
Mia sighed, but she didn’t talk back to him. My stomach knotted even more.
I was wound so tightly when it was time for the first dance, I hardly noticed Cassio leading me to the center of the ballroom. The guests gathered around it, watching. My smile was in place. If I’d learned one thing from my mother, it was to smile in the face of adversity.
With our difference in height, dancing wasn’t easy. If we’d been a real couple, I could have rested my cheek against his sternum. Right now we were casual acquaintances at best. Cassio led me over the dance floor without a hitch, sure in his leadership like in every other aspect of our life. My mind was spinning a hundred miles an hour, imagining our future, imagining tonight.
“Why are you trembling?” Cassio asked, startling me.
I regarded his emotionless eyes. Did he really not know? “Why don’t you order me to stop? Maybe my body obeys your command.”
Cassio’s expression hardened. “I expect you to choose your words more carefully in public. I’m your husband and you’ll respect me.”
I lowered my eyes to his chest, the smile still frozen on my face.
Cassio’s mouth pressed to my ear as the dance ended. “Understood?”
“Understood, sir.”
Cassio’s grip on me tightened, but he didn’t get the chance to say more because it was Dad’s turn to dance with me. He kept asking what was wrong, but I really didn’t see any reason to tell him. There was nothing he could do, nothing he would do. Mom’s lips were moving nonstop during her dance with my husband. From her delighted expression, you’d think she was the happy bride.
“It’s my turn,” Christian said.
My smile became less stiff as my brother took over. He gave me a quick smile as we began to dance. I rarely saw him anymore since he’d moved out five years ago at eighteen. Unlike many sons from Underbosses, he’d chosen not to work under Dad in Baltimore until he inherited the title himself. Christian had wanted to make a name for himself and had gone to work under the Morettis.
“It’s so good to see you,” I said, hugging him tighter.
He gave a terse nod. “It is.”
“You don’t look happy that I’ll live in the same city as you soon.”
Christian shook his head. “Not at this price.”
“You mean me being married to Cassio?”
Christian looked around, but Cassio was dancing with one of his sisters a good distance away. “He’s not the right man for you.”
“Because he’s too old.”
Christian let out a derisive laugh. “That’s only a small part of why.”
“Do you know what happened to Gaia?” I hadn’t seen my brother since I’d found out I’d marry Cassio. Asking that kind of question over the phone was too dangerous. You never knew if the FBI was listening.
“Only Luca, Mansueto, and Cassio know.” He hesitated.
“And?”
“The clean-up crew. Both of them died shortly after in a tragic car accident.”
For a moment I was sure I hadn’t heard him right. My vision was starting to tunnel. “Dad said Cassio didn’t have a hand in his wife’s death.”
Anger flashed across Christian’s face. “Dad needs Cassio’s support to stay in power. Dad’s a weak boss. It’s only a matter of time before others will try to have him removed. With Cassio in the family, people will hesitate. If I already were in power, I wouldn’t have given you to him. I would have controlled our men myself.”
Power plays. It wasn’t something I wanted to be part of, but without my own doing, I’d become the pawn in this deadly game.
“You’ve worked under Cassio the last few years. Is he really that bad?”
Christian’s expression flickered with regret. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”
I dug my fingers into his arm. “Tell me, please. I need to prepare myself.” Though, how could you prepare for that?
“He’s effective and brutal. He doesn’t tolerate disobedience. He’s got his men under control. Few men in our circles are as well respected as him. He’s the best Underboss that the Famiglia has at the moment.” Christian shook his head. “I should talk to him.”
“No,” I whispered, terrified. If what Christian had said was true, Cassio wouldn’t allow my brother to get involved. Christian was a brave man, and he’d be a good Underboss one day, but risking his life for me? I wouldn’t allow it. “Promise, you won’t say anything. Swear it.”
“I want to help you.”
“Then tell me what to do to make this marriage with him work.”
He laughed mirthlessly. “How would I know?” Our dance ended, and he fell silent, his mouth twisting in disgust. “Obey him.”
Despair weighed down on me. Four months ago, my main concern was what kind of Pilates course I’d do and if I’d find time to finish a painting. Today, I had to worry about how to please a husband, who might have killed his wife and probably the men who’d cleaned up the scene afterward.
