Cesare swallowed thickly, looking from his own reflection to Raffi’s, and simply stared.
“Alright.” Raffi nodded. “It’s okay, we’ll take care of her. We’ll treat her like family.”
Cesare gave a snort. “Yeah. That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
(Sabrina)
Cesare Sr., quite simply, was acting like the grandpa Sabrina had never had.
Sabrina’s paternal grandparents had moved to Florida before she was born and had rarely visited. They had made up for it with a yearly postcard and a hundred-dollar bill on each birthday and Christmas. Her parent’s funeral was the last time she’d seen her grandparents on the Hamilton side, and the time before that she’d still been in middle school.
Her mother’s parents had died when she was a toddler. Her grandmother had slipped away in her sleep after a brief but vicious battle with leukemia, and her grandfather had died of a heart attack the day after the funeral. Doctors had called it broken heart syndrome.
So when Cesare Lombardi the Second, head of the Lombardi family at large, wrapped an arm around Sabrina and listed all the aunties and uncles and cousins and in-laws, and all the things they would do to celebrate her joining their family, Sabrina had a difficult time imagining why she should say no.
“I’ll be honest.” He leaned in conspiratorially. “Don’t tell any of my boys, but sometimes my memory isn’t what it always was. So sometimes I lose track of a name or two. But they’re going to love you, bella ragazza, and if you have any problems, any problems at all, you just tell me and I’ll straighten them out.”
Sabrina hugged Cesare Sr. and wiped away a tear as she pulled back. “That’s very kind of you to say. I’m more worried about Cesare, to be honest.” She sighed. “I don’t think this is happening the way he would have planned it.”
Cesare Sr. gave a deep, rich laugh in response. “Oh, my dear.” His eyes twinkled. “I may forget what was for breakfast some days, but I know my boys. Cesare Lombardi is his father’s son. He does nothing he doesn’t want to do. He’s a pain in the ass, but he knows his mind, I’ll give him that. You have nothing to be afraid of. My boy wants to marry you. He never would have called the priest otherwise.” Cesare grinned, taking Sabrina’s hand in his. “He just needed an excuse. I gave him one.” He shrugged nonchalantly.
“Mr. Lombardi!” Sabrina’s eyes widened.
“No, mio ragazza, you are marrying my Cesare. You can call me Papa.”
Sabrina blinked, unsure how to respond, when Papa Lombardi’s smile widened once more. “Bella, Stefano, you’re here! Look who I have. It’s Cesare’s bride!”
Maribella Lucrezia Romano Lombardi was a fierce sight to behold. She was tall and lithe, and impeccably dressed in a sleek black Armani dress with Louis Vuitton heels. Her mouth was pursed in a resting frown as dark eyes evaluated Sabrina. Long lashes batted as she looked from Sabrina to Cesare Sr., and back to Sabrina.
Sabrina sensed more than heard Enzo step forward from behind as he put a hand on her shoulder. “Auntie, this is Sabrina. Sabrina, this is Auntie Maribella and our brother Stefano.”
Maribella batted her impossibly long lashes once before her face broke out into a warm grin, and she stepped forward, wrapping Sabrina in a luxuriously perfumed hug. “Welcome to the family, Sabrina!” She greeted.
Sabrina looked up as more movement began, and noticed the middle brother, Stefano. Good heavens. Sabrina didn’t know what Eva Lombardi had done whilst pregnant with the Lombardi boys, but whatever it was,it had worked.
Stefano, like the rest of his brothers, was tall with dark hair that curled just slightly. He had olive skin, the same bright blue eyes as her Cesare, and a firm jaw. To her amusement, unlike the rest of his brothers, he had a smattering of freckles across his face and wore glasses.
Stefano looked like he belonged in a library tucked away somewhere in the mountains of Northern Italy. He also seemed to smile much easier than any Lombardi she had met, and she instantly liked him.
“I brought you Eva’s dress. It’s turned more of an ivory color from age, but it’s beautiful and I think it may fit you if you want to try it on.” She offered kindly.
Sabrina sucked in a breath, finally able to identify the feeling that had been slowly unfurling all afternoon and wrapping itself around her; Belonging.
Sabrina soon found herself in a waiting room to a back office, dressing for a wedding with a woman she’d just met.
Auntie Maribella chatted away as she tucked and fluffed at bits of the skirting, before pulling the waist of the dress up Sabrina’s body and carefully cinching up the corset.
Sabrina looked at her reflection in the mirror as it came together. The sleeves of the dress were long and made of adelicate Italian lace. The bodice was made of silk with a lacy button up over lay that turned into a delicate ruffle collar. A beautiful silk skirt flowed into a beautiful, elegant train. Sabrina didn’t think she’d ever seen anything so breathtaking.
“I look like Grace Kelly.” Sabrina gasped, lips parted in awe.
“You look like a Lombardi.” Maribella grinned approvingly. “You have a beautiful complexion. I don’t think you need much makeup. With your features, I think less is more.” She mused. “I should have some mascara somewhere. We’ll put a hint of color on your lips. Just enough to look freshly kissed.” She grinned mischievously.
Sabrina picked up a sheer silk veil, and a delicate golden crown encrusted with crystals that shone under the light filtering in from the stained glass window behind them. “This is incredible.” Sabrina murmured.
Maribella pursed her lips with a thoughtful expression. “You are about to marry the heir to the Lombardi family fortune, and everything that comes with it.” The older woman remarked matter-of-factly. “This crown is a reminder of the responsibility, weight, and the power that comes with it. You will wear it well, I think.”
