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The hotel room, or I should probably call it a suite, was an expensive looking combination of cream and gold and was possibly bigger than my apartment. Although I quite liked my small apartment, it had always suited my needs and meant that my hard-earned money could be spent on the luxuries that I get pleasure from, like shoes and guns.
Lorenzo had booked this hotel in the city centre for the entire weekend. Not that it would be used for the duration, but I let him do it. In the morning two separate cars would come to collect us and take us across the city and up into the mountain side to the church. Lorenzo would travel with Don, and I’d be travelling with Coop, something that had taken a lot of persuading to make happen, but I played the whole ‘I don’t have a father to walk me down the aisle’ card and Lorenzo caved.
I was slightly on edge, the reality of what would happen in the next twenty-four hours was finally sinking in. I paced the room and stopped next to a console table by the main door. Sitting on it was a chilled bottle of champagne. I presumed it was complimentary and not there for any specific reason, so I snatched it up out of the ice bucket and pulled a knife from the holster on my thigh. Opening a bottle with a knife had been one of those party tricks that I’d seen someone do when I was younger and knew instantly that I had to master. I picked it up quickly and ended up having someone convince me to do it at almost every social event since.
Once it was open, I slipped the blade back beneath my dress and took a long swig from the bottle. The bubbles fizzed and I wrinkled my nose. Champagne was never my go to choice of drink. But needs must.
I sank half of the bottle before Lorenzo came to get me. He was stood outside my door wearing a crisp royal blue suit. His smile dropped as he took in my appearance and his brows pulled together.
“Why do you insist on being so fucking defiant?” he hissed.
“Why doyouinsist on being so controlling?” I said with a smirk.
“Sometimes I love your smart mouth amore mio, but tonight I’d like you to keep the comments to a minimum.” he warned and held his arm out for me to take, “As our guests are very patiently waiting, I’ll let your appearance slide.”
Like you had any choice.
I raised the half empty bottle to my lips and took a slow sip before taking his arm.
“Leave that behind.” he commanded.
“I don’t want to waste it. I’m sure it was very expensive.” I said with an obviously fake smile.
“Put the bottle down Megan.”
Oh, he’s Megan-ing me very early tonight. Maybe the big day nerves are getting to him.
I slammed the bottle onto the table by the door and picked up the key card next to it and slipped it into my bra. Lorenzo rolled his eyes at me. Drawing attention to my chest would have got him all worked up not so long ago. I wondered when his view of me changed. When did he stop wanting the fun, sexy, badass woman? Would he be happy if I did actually act the way he wanted? It’s a shame he’ll never find out.
I closed the door and allowed him to lead me to the elevator. When we stepped inside, I attempted to pull my hand out of the crook of his elbow, he noticed and pulled me closer.
“Tomorrow marks the beginning of the rest of our life together. I would appreciate it if we started married life with a change of your attitude amore mio.”
He glared down at me, and I swallowed hard at the dangerous look in his eyes. His smooth jaw was clenched tightly as he awaited my response. I considered biting back with a threat, I still had the Selene card up my sleeve. I could tell him to accept my shitty attitude otherwise I’d tell Donand Salthe truth – even though Don already knew -, but really, what was the point anymore.
One meal, it’s one meal.
“Consider it changed.” I said softly, plastering a saccharine smile on my face.
I could manage this for one meal. I could put on an act. It may actually work in my favour if I do. I’d be lulling Lorenzo into a false sense of security. He’d never suspect that I was up to anything if I played nice. The man would be too blinded by the fact he was getting his own way to notice how fake it all was.
His jaw relaxed and he sighed in satisfaction. This would be too easy. It was laughable how dumb he could be sometimes.
The elevator doors opened, and we stepped into the lobby. Lorenzo’s grip on me loosened enough to allow me to walk comfortably beside him. We made our way across to the double doors that opened up into the restaurant. To anyone watching us we must have looked like an incredible power couple, all shiny and perfect. How wrong they would be.
Lorenzo paused in the doorway, taking in the scene before us. Our party had taken over the entire restaurant. I didn’t even know that we knew that many people. My guess was what Lorenzo was using this evening to make up for the fact that I’d demanded an exclusively small guest list to our big day.
A flash startled me, and I turned my head to see where it had come from. A reporter was stood to one side with a photographer at her side. She approached us and held her hand out to Lorenzo.
“Mr D’Angelo, what a fantastic turn out, thank you for the invite. Can we get some snaps of the happy couple and later on a few minutes of your time?” She asked, and the photographer held up his camera and waited.
Lorenzo nodded and pulled me tight to his side, flashing the photographer a wide smile. I hesitated for a moment but played along and pulled on my best ‘I’m so happy with this man’ face. I may have been thinking about two other men to make it happen though.
“Good start.” he said through his teeth before releasing me and striding across the room to our table. I followed behind, taking in the sea of faces that I didn’t recognise until a bright pink blur caught my eye and a girly squeal assaulted my ears. Eden jumped on me then held me at arms-length as she checked me out.
“Girl, look at you!” she sang, “I cannot wait for tomorrow.”
I smiled at her. “Me too.” I agreed.
