by Cala Riley
“What are you thinking?” he whispers as he looks out the window at the garden at Bash’s house.
I turn in his arms. “How blessed I’m to have you in my life.”
He leans down and kisses me. “I am who is blessed.”
I wrap my arms around his neck.
“We are going to have this one day. You know that, right?” He indicates the setup out the window.
Today is Sofia and Bash’s wedding day. I don’t know what spurred it on, but one moment they were engaged and the next they were planning a shotgun wedding.
“We can’t, Lo. I can’t legally get married.”
“You have such little faith in me. I will make it happen, one day. You will have my last name. Mia Esposito. It has a nice ring to it.”
“You just want to claim me.” I slap his cheek gently.
“Maybe, but I know a better way to do it.” He runs his hands down to my ass and squeezes.
“Yeah? How is that, caveman?”
He leans in and kisses my lips. “I can show you better than I can tell you.” He nibbles down my neck, licking and sucking.
“I’m liking where this is going,” I moan out.
His hands slide under my dress and up to my panties. Just as he’s about to slide inside, a voice calls out.
“Mia! Where are you? I need you!”
“Fucking Sofia,” Lo murmurs in my ear. “To be continued?”
I give him a chaste kiss and begin to walk backward out of the room. “You know, Lo. There is one place on my body you haven’t fully claimed yet.” I wink and watch the heat fill his eyes.
“Get out of here before I take you right now, this wedding be damned.”
I giggle and run out of the room.
“Not helping!” he calls after me.
“Mia. Oh, thank God! Sofia is freaking out. She ripped her dress. Come help.” Izzy pulls me down the hall and into a sitting room I’ve never seen before.
“What’s going on?” I look around the room and see chaos.
“Mia! Thank goodness. My dress is ripped. Look!” Sofia brings me over to her dress.
The dress she chose is a beautiful form-fitting, trumpet-style dress. The only problem with it now is the huge gash in the back, effectively cutting the zipper out.
“What happened to it?”
Sofia looks in the direction of three women in the corner.
“Seems as if no one knows. I stepped into bathroom and came back to this.”
I look back to the women. One is an older lady. She’s dressed in a pale white dress with red pumps. I tear my gaze from her and look at the other two. They are sitting down, getting their hair done while they chat animatedly. One looks like she’s still in high school. Young and gorgeous, if I’m being honest. She looks sweet and innocent, but I know better than anyone that looks can be deceiving. The other one is older, but still much younger than the lady in white. She looks a little heavier than the other two, but you can see the resemblance between all three. She looks our way, but quickly diverts her attention.
“Who are they?” I turn back to Sofia and still see her fuming.
“Bash’s mother and sisters. I don’t know which one did it, but I’m sure his mother was the mastermind. Cunt.”
“Whoa. Take a deep breath, Sof. I can fix this. What color is Bash’s tie?”
She looks at me, panicked. “I don’t know.”
I turn to Izzy. “You. Go find the men. Find out what color Bash is wearing. Tell Matt when you find it.”
She lets out a sigh but turns and leaves the room. I pop my head out behind her.
“Matt, I need scissors or a knife right now. Then find me a sewing kit. If you can’t find one, get me the first aid kit. Hurry.”
He reaches into his pocket and hands me a knife before picking up his phone. I shut the door and go back to the dress.
“Let’s make this beautiful, Sof.”
Isabel
Why do I always get stuck with these tasks?
It isn’t really the task bothering me. I’m most likely going to see Giovanni. My heart starts racing at the thought.
Settle down, you stupid little traitor.
I thought I was over this. Over him. Then almost a year ago, he waltzed back into my life.
That’s not entirely true. I always had to see him when the family came into Bello Italiano. It had been easier to ignore him then. He didn’t try to talk to me as much. He respected the boundaries I had set five years ago.
Now, I find him around every corner. It’s like he’s everywhere I go.
I stop outside the door to the library, where I know the men are getting ready. I look down. I’m in a button-up shirt with jeans. I haven’t had a chance to change yet, so I feel frumpy. I mean, my hair is done, falling in curls down my shoulders and back, while being pinned back from my face. My makeup is also done. Sofia wanted us done first so there was enough time, leaving the last minutes for Bash’s family.
I also think she arranged it this way because his mother grates on her nerves. They have had some sort of weird feud going on ever since their engagement was announced. I guess Mama Catalini didn’t take the news well.
I take a deep breath before I knock on the door. Moments later, the door opens.
“Yes?”
I smile, grateful Lo answers the door instead of Giovanni. “I need to know what color tie Bash is wearing.”
He chuckles as he opens the door wider. I kill him a million different ways in my head when my gaze lands on Giovanni. My eyes greedily take in his appearance as my mind screams for them to stop.
Instead my heart stops as a slow smile spreads on his face. A smile I know well. A smile that promises trouble.
You’re fucked, Iz.
Giovanni
I have been counting down the minutes until I get to see Izzy again. In the years we have been separated, I never forgot her. I only gave her the space she claimed she needed. Watching her look at me like I’m a tall glass of water and she’s in a drought suggests maybe space isn’t what she needs at all.
“Isabel, I sure hope that’s not what your planning to wear down the aisle.”
I tear my eyes from her face and look at her body. She’s wearing a plaid button-down shirt with a pair of jeans hugging her curves in all the right places. While her shirt is baggy and hiding her breasts, it doesn’t escape my notice that she has the top two buttons undone, begging me to rip the rest open.
“Of course, Bash. You’re in a couple thousand-dollar tux. The bride is wearing a five-thousand-dollar dress. I figured why try? Nothing will compare. So, I pulled out my oldest shirt and my best jeans and called it a day.” I don’t miss the eye roll and neither does Bash.
“Well, your right about one thing. Isabel.”
“Oh really? What’s that?”
“There is no point in trying to be more beautiful than my tesoro. There is nothing in this universe more beautiful than her.”
“Awww. You’re melting my heart. Save it for the ceremony, Romeo. I just need to know what color tie you plan on wearing,” she answers sarcastically. She looks to his chest, but he has yet to put his tie on.
“Red.”
“Thank you, gentleman. I would say it’s been fun, but then I would be a liar.” She rushes out of the room. I don’t waste a moment. I set my drink down and head after her.
“Where are you going?” Lo chuckles as I fly out of the room.
I run to catch up with Izzy. She stops when she hears my steps but doesn’t turn around.
“I’m not in the mood, Giovanni. I have to get back. Bridal emergency and all.”
I step around her then turn to face her. “I wanted to tell you that, while Sofia might be the most beautiful woman to Bash, you’re the most gorgeous woman to me. Even standing there in a plaid shirt with jeans, you still outdo any other woman I have ever seen in my life.”
She blinks a couple of times before taking a deep breath. “I can’t, Giovanni. I just can’t.” She br
ushes past me.
My heart breaks as I watch her walk away. I wish I knew how to heal her pain. I would take it all from her if I could. If I was only granted one moment in my life to change, I know what it would be. I would go back and unbreak her heart.
Stay tuned for the next installment of the Mafia Royalty series, Mafia Prince.
