AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hey, pretty girl.” A heavy arm is held stiffly and awkwardly around my shoulders. Momentarily, I freeze, not recognizing my fiancé’s touch before my body relaxes. His arm is slung unnaturally, and his presence feels withdrawn.
I tilt my head up, smiling into his deep blue eyes. Alfonso and I have been engaged since the day I was born. I’m one of the lucky ones. He’s my best friend, and I have always loved him.
My life is perfect. I’m the youngest daughter of Nicoli Rossi, the most powerful, ruthless Don in the Cosa Nostra. I can do whatever I please. No one tells me no, because of who my father is. If anyone causes me problems, they have to deal with my father and Alfonso. While my older sisters get stipulations placed on them, I’m forgotten about, allowed freedoms they never had the luxury of.
“Hi, yourself, handsome.” Going up on my tippy toes, I brush my lips over his, only to have him pull away. “What’s wrong?” Hesitation and unease settle in my stomach.
“Your father is watching us out the window.” Alfonso tilts his head toward my father before brushing my dark hair behind my ears. It might look like a sweet and loving gesture, but it sends a chill down my spine.
Alfonso has a telling sign when he lies. He brushes my hair with his fingers, or he winks. My heart does a double beat before it calms. I can’t figure out what he’s hiding. What would make him lie to me? He’s never been one for public displays of affection, but this has nothing to do with it. Alfonso has always been a gentleman, making sure I’m comfortable. I’ve always been the one pushing for us to do more. He’s that sweet and has always cared about taking things slow.
The thing is, Alfonso and I get along so well we never fight. We’re that gut-sickening couple who are always on the same page. We can read each other’s thoughts with a single look. I find it frustrating when he hides what he’s thinking from me. And right now, he’s doing just that. I can’t get a read on him like I normally do.
He’s been trying to pick arguments. Yes, everyone fights; it’s human nature. But we don’t. I’m worried about what it all means.
“My father has been talking about us setting a wedding date,” I casually add. I turned eighteen six months ago. I’ve been pushing for us to set a date. Once we’re married, I’ll be able to relax. I won’t have silly thoughts that Alfonso is hiding something from me. Marriage will make us go back to our normal.
“You’re still so young, Gia. We have our entire lives.” He kisses my lips and gives me a wink.
Before this year, we talked about our future all the time. We both wanted to get married sooner rather than later. When I was sixteen, we tried to convince my father to allow us to. But our mothers decided we should wait until I was eighteen. Well, I’m nearing nineteen, and Alfonso no longer talks about marrying me.
“Do you love me?” I study him. My pulse speeds up as he considers my question.
“I’ve always loved you.” He’s telling the truth. But why do I feel like crying?
“What are you hiding from me?” It comes out more like a plea. My blood whooshes in my ears, blocking out all sounds but him.
He sighs deeply, running his fingers through his thick hair. “I don’t want to fight with you today, Gia.”
“Alfonso, I know every part of you. Why can’t you trust me with what you’re keeping secret?”
“Can’t my love be enough?”
I’m weak. I don’t want to fight either. Or maybe I fear the truth. Like every other time we’ve had this conversation lately, I give my rehearsed answer. “For today it is.”
Alfonso glances back up to the window my father was looking through. “I need to speak with your father.” He places a kiss on my cheek.
He removes his hand from my shoulder, and a deep coldness sweeps into my heart. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m not this insecure girl. But why am I acting like one? I watch Alfonso’s back as he walks farther away from me and into the house.
I hear laughter behind me, and I turn around to see my sister Katrina is standing right there. She’s chuckling so hard, tears run down her face. Glaring at her, I cross my arms over my chest. “What’s your problem?”
Katrina has been fighting off a drug addiction. She’s always had a wild streak in her, but lately, she’s become plain old mean. It wasn’t long ago she thought she loved my oldest sister’s fiancé. Could she be fixated on mine now?
“You can’t see it, can you?”
My heartbeat ricochets through my chest. I glance around, trying not to let her get to me. She and I are the only ones on our lawn. I frown, unsure where she’s going with this conversation. It feels anything but friendly. “Katrina, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Are you high?”
She laughs more, and I’m left standing awkwardly.
“Gia, you’re so caught up in yourself you refuse to see anything that doesn’t fit into your perfect life.”
“Stop talking in riddles.” We eye each other. My sister is looking like she hates me. No one hates me. I make an effort to be nice to everyone. My fist curls, and I can feel my nails digging into my skin. I keep my face expressionless, even though I’m hurting on the inside.
“Oh no. This will be more fun to watch it play out.”
The sad part is I believe something is up. And I’m terrified of what it is. “You know, if you weren’t such a bitch, you might have a marriage proposal.”
“I can see tears in your eyes. Deep down, you know what I’m talking about.” She gives me an evil smile. “Trust me, you couldn’t pay me to have a relationship like yours.”
