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A blush spread on her cheeks, and it took every ounce of self-control not to throw her over my shoulder and carry her up to our room right away. I couldn’t wait to have her naked body under me, to bury my cock in her. As if she could read my mind, Aria shuddered violently, and my lust evaporated.
I didn’t want to consider the possibility that she might react the same way to my touch tonight. Fuck.
I took her hand and led her down the aisle. The men of the family gave me nods as they clapped. A waiter headed our way at once, balancing a tray with champagne glasses on his palm. I took one for my and one for Aria, handing it to her.
Aria clutched the glass in her delicate fingers but didn’t react otherwise, not even looking my way. Soon our guests crowded around us to offer us their blessings. It was a necessary tradition we couldn’t avoid, even when all I wanted was to fast-forward to my first night with my wife.
Aria’s gaze was distant, her lips a thin line in her pale face. I dipped my head down to her. “Smile. You’re the happy bride, remember?”
As if a switch had been turned, Aria’s face became a mask of happiness, all fake. I took a sip of the champagne, stifling my frustration over her apparent unhappiness. This marriage hadn’t been my idea. I wouldn’t have married at all. My life was devoted to the Famiglia, and a woman had no place in it.
The first guests appeared before us, my father and Nina. She stood a step behind him as he expected.
My father put a hand on my shoulder. He was my height, the only man at the party who was, and his eyes met mine. Gray eyes and dark hair like me. But that was the extent of our similarities, if you disregarded our streak of cruelty. “Luca, my eldest,” he said in a booming voice, drawing the attention of the surrounding guests to us. “Today marks a special day for you and the Famiglia.”
I gave him a tight smile. He leaned closer, lowering his voice so only I could hear him. “I envy you tonight. There’s nothing better than looking into a woman’s eyes when she realizes you can do to her whatever you want, to crush those silly hopes and break their spirit and body. And I must say, your wife has expressive eyes. It’ll be thrilling to see terror in them.”
Something dark and cruel roared in my chest, but it was definitely not directed at the vulnerable woman at my side. I gave my father another smile, not saying anything from fear of revealing my thoughts. Father stepped back, and his gaze settled on Aria as he moved to congratulate her. My entire body erupted with tension as he kissed her hand. Then, Nina appeared before me and leaned up to kiss my cheek, saying in a conspiratorial whisper, “Oh Luca, that girl is petite. Don’t break her your first night together. There will be many more nights for you to savor.”
She had to know. My father enjoyed breaking her almost daily. Nina’s spitefulness made me hate her fiercely, but I knew it was the only armor she had. Finally, my father and his wife excused themselves and allowed other guests to step forward.
As honor dictated, it was Aria’s family. Scuderi looked like he’d won the Nobel prize as he shook my hand then hugged Aria. Her mother Ludevica stepped up to me. She briefly glanced up into my eyes, then lowered her gaze submissively. That was why Aria was like that. For a moment, Ludevica looked as if she wanted to say something, her gaze flickering from Aria to me, her face filling with worry before she managed to mask it. She swallowed hard and surprised me by stepping closer and taking my hands. “Aria is a good girl. She won’t give you any reason to hurt her. She’ll comply with your wishes…” Her voice was barely audible.
“Ludevica, the other guests want their turn,” Scuderi said sharply, and his wife drew back from me at once. With a last pleading glance at me, she stepped up to her husband. It didn’t take a genius to realize what her veiled words had meant. She begged me not to brutalize her daughter tonight because that was what a man like me would do. I didn’t offer her words of assurance. Aria was no longer her responsibility. She was mine. Father stood back like a benevolent patron, but his sharp eyes watched my every move.
He wouldn’t see a sliver of weakness. Not today, not ever.
Dante Cavallaro and his parents were next. It surprised me that Dante was at the front. It was a clear sign that he would soon become the head of the Outfit even when his father was still officially the boss.
