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Wedding dress?
What wedding dress?
A nervous laugh bursts from my mouth before I can stop it. Valentina frowns, which somehow makesmefeel guilty. Sobering, I clear my throat. “I’m sorry. I don’t understand what’s going on?” I ask it as a question though really, it’s a statement.
Valentina’s face softens. Taking a step toward me, she cups my face. “Nico wanted it to be a surprise. I think it is so romantic,” she says dreamily. I don’t want to burst her bubble, but the reality is it’s not romantic. It’s Nico asserting even more control over me. His way of showing me that he has all the power. Not that he needs to. I’m already very aware of that fact.
“Where is he?” I try to keep my voice even, but know I haven’t succeeded when Valentina’s face falls.
Her hands drop from my cheeks, and she takes a step back. “He was in his office. Do you want me to go get him?”
I shake my head, moving past her and the two women who I realize I haven’t even said hello to. I am being rude, but all this… this talk of weddings has been thrust upon me and quite frankly, I’m in shock. Surely, they can understand that?
“No. Give me ten minutes. I will be back.” It’s a lie. At this point I don’t know what I will do. It’s not like I can run again. And though I am acting brave, I get the feeling there is only one way this conversation is going to go and that is withmein afucking weddingdress. Do I want to marry Nico? Maybe. But he hasn’t even asked me, presented me with a ring or given me a choice in the matter. He just expects it to be a given. Well, screw him. He is going to get a piece of my mind.
Storming out of the room, I make my way down to his office. Without knocking I push the door open. His head snaps up, eyes narrowing when he spots me. My gaze drops to Romeo, who he rocks in his strong arm. I nearly melt into a puddle at the sight of such a powerful man, gently cradling our son, but I can’t let him disarm me so quickly. Shaking my head, I remind myself why I’m here and that I can’t let this image distract me. My eyes shift back to Nico, stomach tightening at the smirk curving his lips.
“What can I do for you,Tesoro?” his voice is a caress across my skin and has a direct line to my sex. His arrogant smile tells me he knows exactly what he is doing to me and why I am here.
“Why are there two women up inyourbedroom with a rack of wedding dresses in tow?” I demand.
He glances at our son who makes a little noise before his cold blue orbs come back to me. He pins me with a look. My muscles lock, heart pounds and I know I am going to lose this war before it’s even started.
“It isourbedroom, Ocean. And because we are getting married. I thought that would have been obvious.” His brow arches condescendingly.
I grit my teeth, wanting to go off on him but knowing that it won’t get me anywhere. Exhaling, I shake my head. “I can’t marry you, Nico, I don’t even have a ring. We–”
His hand rises, cutting me off and he glares. “You can and you will. And you don’t need a ring to know that you’re mine. Nonetheless, I have the family jeweler visiting this evening. We can pick an engagement ring for you and wedding bands for the both of us. Now I don’t want to hear another word out of your mouth. Go try on the dresses. On Sunday you will become my wife. So smile, be happy, grateful. I am giving you my name. You are in a position that many women would kill for, so stop acting as if marrying me is beneath you.” The arrogance in his tone makes me want to punch him in his beautiful face.
“Nic–”
“Don’t say another word, Ocean. If you do, I will have no choice but to stuff your mouth full of my cock and fuck your throat until you can’t speak for a week. Is that what you want? Hmm?” His head cocks, challenge sparking in his eyes. It amazes me how he can go from nice to asshole in mere seconds. I’m beginning to think he has a split personality. Jekyll and Hyde. It would make sense. I swallow. I knew coming in here was a lost cause, but I didn’t think he would be so dismissive. My shoulders slump, fists balling when I see the satisfaction on his face at my resignation.
“Good girl. Now go pick out your dress. Sunday you will become Mrs. Marchetti.”
***
“You look beautiful,” Valentina whispers, with tears running down her cheeks.
“You really do,” Allegra, who showed up around twenty minutes ago for the fitting, adds on a soft sigh. My gaze bounces to Mia and Theresa who are both nodding their agreement.
Glancing at the floor-length mirror, my heart rate picks up and my lips part. With my long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, I really do look like bridalBarbie. I never really thought about my wedding day or the dress I would wear - there was no point because I knew everything would be picked out for me, just like my future husband – but the gown I have chosen is perfect and exactly what I would choose for myself.
The strapless, sweetheart neckline molds to my breasts perfectly. The simple but elegant lace bodice highlights my waist and the mermaid skirt. It is exquisite. My chest tightens, tears pooling in my eyes. For the first time in my life, I feel like I am good enough. Not only do I feel secure in my skin, but I finally feel confident enough to stand beside a man like Nico.
“So stunning.” Valentina steps up beside me, a big grin on her face. Taking my hand in hers, she gives me a comforting squeeze. “I don’t know anything about your mother but just know, I am sure she would be so proud of you right now.”
Emotion tightens my throat. The tears I was trying so hard to hold in run down my cheeks. My mom. This is usually the type of thing a girl would do with her mother. Yet mine is absent. Had she stood up to my father, things would have been completely different, but she chose her path. Conspiring with my dad. Allowing him to beat me. A stronger woman would have protected her child, not allowed the abuse to continue.
Being a mom myself, I know with everything in me, I would protect Romeo with my life. Yet Catherine Caldwell decided to turn a blind eye to everything that happened to me. If that wasn’t bad enough, she decided my dad’s torment wasn’t sufficient and mentally abused me herself. I didn’t understand it at first, didn’t know what she was doing. But being away from her for so long, I can see it clearly now. See that both my parents were narcissistic abusers, but that my mother, though not physical toward me, was worse. Bruises disappear. But the mind? It carries the hurtful words she spat at me every day, and for a long time I believed them to be true. Though her voice is still there, it is not as loud. It’s a process, but it gets quieter and is more of a whisper when I am feeling insecure. With every day that passes I grow more confident in who I am, fighting her words of hatred off with a metaphorical shield.
Wiping the tears away with my free hand, I shake my head. “She wouldn’t. But that’s okay. I have a new, better, family now.”
Chapter32
Nico
Sighing, I lean back in my chair, happy that I have finally finalized the details of Ocean’s wedding present. It took a lot of convincing on my part, but there is no doubt in my mind that she is going to love my gift. I have gone above and beyond to make it happen, but Ocean is worth it. I want to see her smile. See the way her ocean blue eyes light up in joy, hope and excitement, the way they always do when I do something nice for her. She tries to hide her emotions from me but fails every time. Though I pretend otherwise, I want to be the man she needs. I don’t know if I can fully give that to her. But I’m going to try. That much I know.
