Page 3 of Family Ties

The offer comes from behind me, a stranger with a deep and husky voice that sends shivers down my spine. It does nothing to soothe my father. If anything, it winds him tighter. Still, he gives Sal a stiff nod of agreement before tightly gripping my arm and whispering into my ear. “Remember your rules.”

Chapter Two- Enzo

“You would think you would be a little more excited about your wedding day.”

“Fuck you, Enzo.”

I let out a wry chuckle as my cousin struggles with his bowtie in the mirror. It shouldn't give him this much difficulty. He’s tied a bowtie hundreds of times, attending the obnoxious events our parents insist we go to for networking. It’s the nerves making his hands shake. That’s why I can’t help but to give him shit.

He might not love Bianca, his future wife, and this might be an arranged marriage, but he can’t deny she has a certain effect on him. He calls it infuriation. I call it infatuation.

If my father had arranged for him to marry someone with less zest, he would find himself bored in no time at all. Andy has always been about the challenge, about the chase. And his wife will certainly give him something to chase. Or maybe something to run from.

“Why, again, does your father insist I marry her? Couldn’t he have chosen someone more likely to suck my dick than bite it off?”

“I don’t think he was taking your dick into account when he was arranging this marriage.”

“Then what was he taking into account?”

“Business. Money.”

It’s the cruel reality of our world. Andy has never been fated for a love marriage. Truthfully, I think my father has done a good job of pairing Andy and Bianca together. I won’t admit it to Andy right now. The two of them could be very good together if only they could get over their pride keeping them from getting to know one another.

If my father allowed Andy to find his own wife, he would never get married. He’s been living the Playboy lifestyle for the past couple of years and isn’t fond of giving it up. It’s ironic. He’s a family man at heart. He just refuses to acknowledge he has a heart.

Despite the collective wealth of our two families, Enzo and Bianca have opted for a smaller garden wedding. If you can call nearly two hundred people in a garden that costs over a million dollars a year to maintain, small. And, after attending one of my father’s associate's weddings last year, I can confirm this is what our social circle would consider an intimate wedding.

Andy surprised me when we went over the details of the wedding. Bianca is a beautiful woman who has grown up with all the luxuries in the world. Surely she would want something more than a simple wedding. But this is her choice. She sees nothing worth celebrating in their union. A garden party is the minimum of what is expected, and so that’s what they’ve agreed to do.

I think it infuriates Andy. We’ve known Bianca for most of our lives, and I know Andy has certain ideas about her built up in his head before my father told him they were to marry. She’s delighted in smashing every perception he has of her.

“She’s a beautiful woman,” I remind him. “It’s not a hardship to be married to a woman as gorgeous as her.”

He lets out a snort. “What about a woman who acts like her? She thinks I’m so far beneath her. I should keep my mouth shut and continue to fund the lifestyle she is used to.”

I don’t remind him that is the expectation for most marriages in our circle. Women keep their mouths closed about our line of work, men keep their mouths closed about their decorating choices. Men fund their lifestyles, women turn a blind eye to the mistresses. Our family is the exception to the rules, but Bianca doesn’t know that yet. It is up to Andy to show her.

“Let’s get this damn thing over with,” he all but growls. I chuckle. At the very least, this marriage will entertain the rest of us. I think my other cousins have set up a betting pool over who is going to attempt to murder the other first.

Much like the wedding, Bianca and Andy have opted to keep their wedding parties simple. Family only. I’m acting as the best man, not only because I’m the future don of the family, but because Andy and I have always been close. I only have my sisters, so Andy has always been like a brother to me. On Bianca’s side, she has her cousin. A young girl, maybe 16 at most, but Bianca is fiercely protective of her.

There are two hundred people here. Not a single person who received an invitation would dare to turn it down. Attending an event at the Lombardi household is an honor. As I take my place next to Andy in front of the audience, I search the familiar faces in the crowd.

And my eyes snag on one.

She’s not familiar. We must have invited her since we don’t allow for plus ones or unknown guests to enter to property. We have enough guards on staff to ensure this. Yet I’ve never seen her before. She’s the exact face I will always remember. Soft, delicate features. A button nose and pouty lips. Fiery red hair that refuses to be tamed. She takes my breath away. I don’t notice when Bianca walks down the aisle, because I can’t tear my eyes away from her.

When I finally get my sense about me, about halfway through their vows, I look to see who she’s attending with.

Eric.

Our family’s corporate lawyers.

The operations my family runs require several lawyers for both the legitimate and illegitimate operations. Eric focuses on our acquiring of businesses that help us launder money. With all our lawyers, I know my father feels loyalty to Eric. Eric pledged himself to our family so he could finish university and attend law school while still providing for his wife and young daughter.

A family man. My father respects him for his priorities.

His wife died ages ago, and I don’t remember hearing about him dating. And this girl is young for him, though that hasn’t stopped other of my father’s friends.

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