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“I figured since my wedding dress wasn’t white, I’d give Mama some kind of traditional look.” Viv eyed the box in Sofia’s hand. “What’s that?”
“A courier just dropped it off for you.”
Sofia held out the small, neatly wrapped package and Viv looked at it warily. Who the hell would send her gifts at this hour? Tearing away the paper and letting it flutter to the floor, she lifted the lid, eyebrows raising at the small velvet jewelry box nestled among white tissue paper.
“More jewelry from the family vault?” Sofia wondered, stepping closer. “I hope it’s not as heavy as that thing they want you to wear for the wedding.”
“Seems too small for another chandelier necklace,” Viv said, popping open the lid.
Secured to a satin cushion was a delicate pair of pearl and diamond drop earrings. Simple but beautiful and perfectly to her taste. She ran a fingertip gently over the bauble, making it sparkle in the overhead light. Had Aidan sent her jewelry to wear tonight? And was it a gift or a command?
Sofia let out a low whistle. “Those are gorgeous. Is there a note?”
Passing the earrings to her sister for closer inspection, Viv dug under the tissue paper in the box and found a carefully folded slip of paper. Pulling it out, she tossed the box on the edge of the bed and unfolded it, smoothing the creases with her fingers.
You don’t have to wear these tonight, but I thought they might go with your dress, and I wanted you to have them. -Evie.
Viv couldn’t explain the swift feeling of disappointment that flooded her knowing the gift was from Evie and not Aidan, but she shrugged it off. Aidan had no reason to send her gifts of any kind, let alone earrings as beautiful as these. It was a sweet gesture from her future sister-in-law. That was enough.
Sofia was lifting them out of the box when Viv reached up to unhook the earrings she’d already fastened in her ears. She replaced them with the pearls and moved closer to the mirror to study them.
“They are exactly the kind of thing you’d pick out for yourself,” Sofia said.
They danced when Viv turned to slip on her heels, and she smiled. “They are.” She took a deep breath, reaching out to stop Sofia’s retreat with a hand on her arm. “Sof…tell me this is going to be okay and I’m not going to crash and burn tonight.”
Her sister reached out to grip her elbows, giving them a reassuring squeeze. “Of course you’re not going to crash and burn. If you can get the two of you to mostly stick together throughout the night, you can make up the story as you go along. It’ll be fine.”
Viv nodded and followed her sister into the hallway and down the stairs on legs she willed to stop shaking. Her parents, Nico, and Sofia’s husband, Tim, were waiting for them at the bottom.
“How do you feel?" her mother asked, concern knitting her brows.
“Like I might throw up everything I've eaten for the last three days at any moment. But...”
“But?”
Viv slid her gaze to her father and forced herself to smile. “I'm sure it'll be fine.”
For the first time since he’d asked this of her, Viv saw guilt in her father’s gaze. She didn’t think she’d get through the night in one piece if he said whatever he was about to say.
“It’s fine, Papa. Really. Let’s go so we’re not late.”
They took two separate cars, and Viv was glad she wasn't the one navigating the snarl of Saturday traffic in Center City. Evie had insisted on neutral territory for tonight's party, neither Callahan nor Mafia owned. A place with no bad blood, signifying a fresh start. After all, they were making history.
The guest list had been carefully curated with representatives of the syndicate’s original five families and their wives invited. Well, original four now that Evie’s father was dead and she had no brothers. Plus the men who had shown the most loyalty to her father since he’d stepped up as Don. If criminals were going to rub elbows with the city’s elite, they needed to be ones they could trust.
The event staff was still putting the finishing touches on the room when they arrived, but Viv found herself impressed that Evie had pulled together a party this fast. Then again, the woman didn’t really take no for an answer—about anything.
“God, you look incredible,” Evie said from behind them, spinning her finger in the air to indicate Viv should twirl. “Very bridal.” When her eyes caught on Viv’s earrings, her gaze softened and she smiled. “You wore them.”
Viv reached up to finger one of the pearls. Something in Evie’s tone sounded sad. “They’re stunning. Something I’d have picked out for myself. Are they from the family vault?”
Evie reached out to squeeze Viv’s arm. “They were my mother’s.”
Viv’s eyes went wide. “Oh. Well, I’ll make sure I get them back to you at the end of the night.”
“Of course not.” Evie waved the offer away as if it was an insult. “They were a gift. I want you to have them.”
Emotion tightened Viv’s throat, and she nodded. “Thank you. That’s very sweet.”
