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The Mafia still followed this vulgar tradition of insisting on the virgin sheet—they loved anything to do with blood.
And I would be the victim in this humiliating spectacle tomorrow morning.
It was my duty as a Mafia daughter to consummate my marriage tonight, despite the fact that Lorenzo was practically a stranger to me.
Yes, he was good looking with his tall, dark looks and powerful demeanor. But that didn’t mean I could forget everything that had happened and why this marriage had been insisted upon: to show the Fratellanza that I had been brought to heel by Lorenzo after daring to insult him.
CHAPTER 9
LORENZO
As the music ended, Anni’s papà came over to claim her for the next dance.
I went over to my mother as it was my turn to dance with her now.
“I would love to dance with you, Lorenzo, but my hip is troubling me today,” she said apologetically. “I’m afraid that I will have to sit this one out.”
“No matter, Mother, you rest. The children have been keeping you on your toes. It just means that I will get my dance with Clara even sooner.”
I looked across at Clara. “May I have the pleasure of dancing with my beautiful daughter?” I gave a mock bow and held out my hand to her.
She gave a slight nod, and placing her small hand in mine, I walked her to the center of the dance floor. She was tiny compared to my large frame, so I scooped her up and held her in my arms as I moved around to the music, causing her to giggle.
She had always loved music, and I could feel her small body relaxing into mine as the melody played around us. And then she rested her head on my shoulder, snuggling into the crook of my neck.
It wasn't often that she let me hold her like this. The only real time was at night when she'd wake up crying and would seek comfort from me. But then her cries would tear at my soul and eat away at my conscience, meaning that I couldn't enjoy her closeness.
When she was in my arms like this, I felt that I could protect her from everything—from all the bad things that had happened so far in her short life, to anything else that might threaten her in the future.
The music came to an end too quickly. I wanted to carry on holding her and dancing with her, but I knew I had my duties to fulfill. It was my turn to dance with Ma Veneti, and I could not insult the Imperiosi by ignoring her. I carried Clara back over to her grandmother, setting her in her chair and planting a kiss on the top of her dark curls. “Thank you so much for our dance, Clara. It's been the highlight of my day.”
After Anni and I had danced with the required people, the second course of roast beef was served, along with roast potatoes and a selection of vegetables. This was followed by more dancing and the remaining courses of salad, cheese and fruit, zeppole for dessert, then espresso and limoncello. It was a celebratory feast, and no expense had been spared by Napoleone.
Much of my time at the reception was consumed by business duties. Our alliance with the Imperiosi was in its infancy, and today was the perfect opportunity to talk business with several of Napoleone’s men. Anni may have expected me to spend time with her, but business came first for me, and she would have to get used to that.
When the hour became late, I signaled to Marco and Aloysius that I was ready to make a move. I would be taking Anni to a nearby hotel for our wedding night.
I came up behind her chair and put my hands on her bare shoulders, making her flinch slightly.
“I didn’t hear you come up behind me,” she said in a breathy voice.
I bent my mouth down to her ear. “It’s time for us to make our way to the hotel.”
She avoided my eyes but gave a small nod.
I bent down and kissed the children. They were spending the next couple of days with their grandmother. Aloysius was taking our mother and the kids back to Chicago tonight, meaning that they would miss the brunch tomorrow, but I thought that the children had probably had enough by now. That, and the fact that I didn’t like the children at too many large family gatherings like these: I didn’t like the risk of them hearing salacious gossip about the demise of their mother.
Anni was hugged goodbye by her parents, sister, and various other members of her family, while her two older brothers shot threatening stares at me—silently warning me to treat their sister well tonight. They could go to hell as far as I was concerned. Anni was mine now, and I could do to her whatever I wished.
Once we were in my car, I switched on the radio to fill the silence. The sat-nav directed me to the hotel which Aloysius had hired out for our people. The Fratellanza had turned out in force to attend today’s wedding, and from a security point of view, it was better to have us all staying in the same hotel and for that hotel to be hired out exclusively to us.
I stole a gaze at Anni. I could tell that my virgin bride was nervous.
I had been with a few women since Rita’s death, but no one that I had been attracted to. I was, however, attracted to Anni. Her doe-like eyes, blonde hair, and perfect body, made me long to take her and derive pleasure from her body.
Her mother would have made sure that Anni knew what was expected of her tonight. I was already looking forward to making her submit to me and having her writhing body pinned underneath me in bed.
Arriving at the hotel, I checked us in, and we took the lift up to our room.
