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CHAPTER 4
JULIANA
After the announcement of the engagement, my mother made me go to Confession twice a week. She wanted nothing to jinx this wedding, and she wasn’t going to take any chances.
As if I’d have anything to confess anyway. I was a Mafia daughter—I wasn’t allowed to do or say anything to get into trouble.
In the weeks leading up to the wedding day, my mother relished her role as mother of the bride.
“Mother is in her element making all the wedding preparations,” observed Jessica.
“I know. To be honest, I couldn’t care less about the arrangements, but I guess it’s good that she doesn’t feel the same or nothing would get done,” I said without humor.
Even picking out the wedding dress was not the dream I had thought it would be when I was a little girl. Those were the dreams of an innocent girl, unaware of the harsh realities of the Mafia world.
***
A couple of days before the wedding, my mother was adamant that I get my nails done. I didn’t see what difference it would make, but my mother insisted that everyone would be looking at my every detail. My mother demanded that everything be perfect for this wedding, and it was easier to just go along with her rather than argue.
After lunch, Jacob came to collect me for my appointment at the beauty salon. Jessica and I always had to go everywhere with protection, and Jacob tried as often as possible to be the one to accompany us on such outings. Despite being born into this life, I’d never quite gotten used to the requirement of having bodyguards around us all the time.
I was waiting for him in the dining room and turned when I heard him come in.
“Hey, you,” he greeted me.
“Hey, Jake.”
He slung his arm around my shoulder and pulled me in for a quick hug. “Ready to go?”
“Yeah,” I said, picking up my purse and looking up at him.
We walked out to his car. “How are you doing? Are you feeling okay about the wedding?”
“As okay as I can,” I said quietly.
He looked hard at me. “Don’t worry, Juliana, I’ll be there on the day and I’ll make sure that everything goes right for you.”
“Thanks, Jake,” I gave him a small smile, but as we both knew, it was the part after the wedding that I was worried about.
He held the door open to his Mercedes convertible, waiting for me to get in, before closing the door after me.
I knew he was respected and feared as a Made Man and that our men believed he would make a good Underboss one day; however, he was always careful to hide his darker side when he was at home. He’d make a good catch for some Mafia daughter, I thought to myself.
He was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome, and he had the same piercing blue eyes as me. He was wearing a dark suit, his suit jacket hugging his toned muscles, and a dress shirt without a tie. Girls were always admiring his good looks, and I knew he had no shortage of females throwing themselves at him at the nightclubs owned by the Società.
He got into the driver’s seat and started the ignition. “Got your seatbelt on?” he checked with me before driving off.
“Yes, of course,” I said with an exasperated sigh, although not being able to help a small smile at the same time. He was overprotective like most Mafia men, but thankfully not overbearing.
As he drove, he flicked his gaze over to me as I fiddled with the strap of my purse. “I can’t stand the thought of you being in Chicago after you’re married, Juliana. How the hell am I supposed to protect you when you’re in another organization’s territory?” he growled. “I should have done more to stop Father from agreeing to this madness in the first place.”
“It’s not your fault, Jake. Nothing would have changed Father’s mind. He won’t let anything come between him and the success of the Società, not even the safety and wellbeing of his own daughter.” I couldn’t help the trace of bitterness in my voice.
“Goddamnit,” he cursed furiously. “The only thing we can do now is to pray that the truce between the Società and Fratellanza lasts.”
Because if it didn’t, I would be an outsider left in enemy territory. I shivered at the thought.
Jacob reached across and placed his hand over my cold one, trying to console me, although we both knew that my fate now lay in the hands of a monster.
