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“You’re not going?” I pull back. Normally we are the same height, but with my heels on, I stand over her.
“I won’t approve this. Dario is on his way.”
“Thank you,Nonna.” I kiss her cheek, and she helps me get my makeup fixed after crying. I have a mark from my father hitting me earlier, and she tears up when she sees it.
Using one of the three staircases that meet at the bottom, I walk down to the main floor and head for the great room where people are mingling around already. My mother is at my father’s side, but she doesn’t have a smile on her face. She is standing regal and beautiful as always, and just as distant. Her eyes move to mine, and that’s when I finally see the emotion for the first time. Her eyes flare wide, and her mouth opens in an O. She’s scared about something.
She looks over my shoulder and drops her eyes. Before I can turn to see what frightened her, a hand wraps around my waist and holds me tight. I turn to see a dark-skinned, elegantly dressed man in a tuxedo. He has dark close-cropped hair and is handsome with dark-chocolate eyes and full lips. He smiles, and I’m about to smile back at him when he speaks.
“You are much more beautiful than I thought. When your father insisted on a union, I wasn’t so sure. I’m Mustafa Okoye.” His voice is deep, dark, and heavily accented.
I pull away, pushing my hands into his chest just like Luna showed me. “Hello, sir, I’m Vittoria Carbone. I think there is some confusion because I have no intention of marrying you.”I turn and walk away before he can stop me without causing a scene.
I’m almost to the veranda doors when my arm is pulled hard. I swing around and see Dario without Luna.
“What are you doing?” I whisper angrily at him, almost spitting the words.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to grab you so hard, but you didn’t hear me calling your name.”
“Why didn’t you stop him today?”
“F—” A member of the board walks up, stopping my cousin from cussing when he notices the mark on my face. Our family is run by a vote of several families together. But a Revello has held the seat since the corporation was founded. “Just a moment,” he says to the gentleman, and leans into me, kissing my cheek. “In an hour, go to your room.”
I rear back. I’m not sure what he wants, but Dario has always been there for me. I’m not going to stop trusting him now.
I move away from him and watch as he talks to the guy. I’m hoping he’s explaining to him that I won’t marry for the business. As a server walks by, I grab a flute of champagne off the tray and take a large sip.
“Don’t let him see you being so unladylike,” a soft voice says from next to me, and I turn to see my mother. “You need to get out of here as soon as possible.”
“I can’t. He told me he’d hurt you andNonna,” I tell her the truth. My father knows my weakness is my family, and he’s using them against me.
“There is nothing more he can do to me. I’m dead inside already,” she whispers and watches as my father approaches us. “I’ll help you,” she says even softer as she closes herself off to me again.
As soon as my father touches her, I watch as she folds into herself. I look between them, and for the first time ever, I realizethere is more between them than this marriage. It’s a farce. I wonder what he’s done to her. If he’s touched her like he did me today.
“Mustafa said you told him you weren’t marrying him,” my father growls as he grabs my arm with his free hand. His other is still wrapped around my mother’s arm. It’s the same hold. He squeezes me, and she’s watching it.
“Vincenzo, please, no,” she softly begs. It’s the first time my mother has stood up for me.
He whips his head around to face her. He leans down to talk directly in her ear, but I hear every word. “Giada, don’t make me send you to our room. You will not get involved, or there will be more repercussions than just a few bruises.” He nods his head toward the ceiling, indicating the upstairs. I know who he’s talking about.
“Papà, I’ll go talk to him in a moment.”
“Vincenzo, as head of the family, I have not approved this union.” Dario walks up, his voice carrying. The room quiets as several of the heads of family watch him. I notice Mustafa making his way toward us. “Tori,” Dario says with a nod, and I look between him and my father. I drop my head and move off. I don’t want to be here anymore either. These people are all so fake. They came to see me being given away.
As I move toward the stairs, I hear someone following me and turn to see my mother behind me. Her long satin dress swishes against her legs as she moves fast.
“Come,” she says softly to me, and we head upstairs.
“Revello, are you denying my claim to your cousin?” I hear Mustafa say in a booming voice. I pause to turn to see what is happening. I want to have a say in my life, but it’s been this way my whole existence.
“Yes. She’s promised to another.”
My mother grips my arm and pulls me up the stairs as Dario makes the proclamation. I don’t fight her because her hand feels so frail against my arm.
We end up in my room, and I swing on her asNonnafollows us in.
“Gia, you need to leave with her. He’ll kill you this time.”
