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“My father thinks it’s a good idea,” I shrugged, feeling the weight of my father’s expectations pressing down on me once more. “He sees our marriage as a way to strengthen our alliance with the Orsinis.”
“And what do you see it as?” Adriana asked, watching me closely.
I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much to reveal. But then I remembered the haunting expression on her face when I had first seen her from across the room, lost in thought.
“I see it as a way to...protect what’s important,” I said slowly, studying her reaction. “My family, our organization.”
Adriana seemed to be mulling over my words carefully, digesting them before finally replying. “And what about me? What do I get out of this arrangement?”
“You’ll have the protection of the Callahan family and very good genes for your children.”
I couldn’t help the faint smirk that played at the corner of my lips as I added the last part. Adriana let out a soft sigh, her eyes still fixed on mine, studying me intently. It was clear she wasn’t entirely convinced, but something about my words had caught her interest.
“I’ll take your pitch under consideration,” she spoke after a moment, turning away from me to survey the rest of the room once more.
“That wasn’t really a pitch.”
“I don’t know. Felt like one.”
I smiled. “Okay. Well, remember, if the Orsinis and the Callahans aren’t at war, we’ll both stop losing people. That’s worth something, right?”
She paled a little at that.
I took a sip of the campaign. “You know,” I said. “When I first called you, the day my father told me about his plan, I was planning to talk you out of this. Before Silvio had a chance to talk to you.”
“You wanted to talk to me before my dad?”
“I thought that if we both said no to our fathers, it would be easier,” I replied. “But then you never picked up. I mean, I wanted to invite you to this party first. Thought the event was the best way to break the news.”
“Yeah,” she said. “The whole thing didn’t seem like a good idea at the time. And now you’re trying to convince me anyway.”
“I’m trying to convince you to consider it. I thought about it and maybe he's right,” I replied. “I don’t want to force you into anything. But I do believe that, together, we can change things for the better. The Callahans and the Orsinis united could be a powerful force. And with us leading the charge, there’s no limit to what we could achieve.”
Adriana’s gaze met mine once more, her eyes searching for any sign of deceit or ulterior motive. But all she found was sincerity and conviction.
“Okay,” she said after she’d thought it over, her voice low and hesitant. “I’ll think about it. I promise.”
Before I could say anything else, Silvio and my father were walking up to us. “You didn’t give us a chance to reintroduce you!” Silvio said.
My father’s eyes sparkled with amusement as he looked between us. “I see you two have already met.”
Adriana and I exchanged a brief glance before turning back to our fathers, the tension between us crackling in the air.
Silvio and my father were none the wiser, chatting amiably as if this were just another business deal. But for Adriana and me, this was so much more than that.
“Ah, Malachy,” Silvio said, clapping my father on the back. “Your son is quite the catch.”
I glanced over at Adriana, who rolled her eyes at Silvio’s words. It seemed we were both all too aware of what this arrangement truly meant--a merger between two powerful families, with our marriage serving as the glue that held it all together. It was a marriage built on necessity and politics, not love.
As the night wore on, I found myself drawn to Adriana’s side more often than not. Despite our initial mistrust and skepticism towards each other, there was something there that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Perhaps it was the way she held herself, poised and confident, or the intensity in her eyes that captivated me. Whatever it was, I found myself wanting to know her better.
When everyone dispersed, we found ourselves on the balcony, overlooking the city. From the balcony, we could see the city sparkling below us. The lights from the buildings and cars created a dazzling display, a starry night sky on the ground. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a pale glow over the landscape. The cool night air carried the familiar scents of the city–car exhaust, distant restaurants serving up delicious meals, and a hint of rain on the way. From inside, I could smell the smoke of cigars.
“Quite the view,” I said, breaking the silence between us. Adriana looked over at me, her expression softening for a moment before returning to its guarded state.
“It is,” she replied shortly, turning her attention back to the cityscape.
“I brought...” I opened my jacket and produced a bottle of whiskey I’d swiped from one of the buffet tables. “Do you want a drink?”
