Page 1 of Stolen Union

CHAPTER 1

Gabriella

It’s my wedding day to the most boring man in the universe. Antonio Ricci. He’s tall and handsome and polite. Everything a girl would dream of marrying.

But, my god, is he boring.

Every single sentence out of him is just … blah. I can’t converse with him. I can’t have fun with him—especially with my three older protective brothers always keeping an eye on me.

I can’t believe I have to marry him. Marriage was the last thing I ever wanted for myself. But Rocco, the oldest of us De Luca siblings and leader of the Italian Mafia, insisted I marry to help secure my family’s line of greatness. I think that’s bullshit, but I can’t say that to him because he’ll just scold me for cussing.

Rocco told me only a couple of months ago that I would marry Antonio, and there was no room for discussion.

“You can’t be serious,” I said as we sat in his office, with him all serious and me looking cute in my summer dress. (I always make a point of looking cute. It’s just how I live my life). “You can’t be serious, Rocco. You’re really going to marry me to a man I’ve never met?”

“Yes,” he said bluntly. “Massimo and Emilio married women they’d never met before. It was the same with Lara and me and will be the same with you. Antonio Ricci is a good man. He comes from wealth—wealth I can use to grow our business, which will only help protect you, by the way. I can see the face you’re making, Gabriella.”

I quickly composed my face into a stoic one. “I’m not making any face.”

“You were rolling your eyes and looked like you wanted to stick your tongue out at me.”

That … was true. I often stuck my tongue out at my brother. Sure, it’s immature for a twenty-two-year-old woman. But my brother is annoying sometimes, and I think it’s funny, so I did it then to annoy him further.

Rocco sighed as he steepled his fingers together under his chin. “I know you don’t want this. But you’ll be doing your duty to our family if you do. Meet Antonio. I’m sure you’ll like him.”

“It doesn’t matter if I like him,” I muttered, leaning back in my seat. “I’ll have to marry him whether I like him or not. Am I wrong?”

“You’re not wrong. You will marry him. I’m just giving you the courtesy to meet him before you marry him.”

I snorted. “How kind of you.”

“We can argue about this for days, Gabriella, but it ends only one way. With you?—”

“Giving my life over to a stranger and having no more life of my own,” I said, cutting him off.

Rocco looked like he wanted to bash his head into his desk. “What I was going to say is this ends with you marrying Antonio. He’s a good match for you.”

Of course he is because my brother would never choose a man who was a “bad” match for me. “That’s because he lives under your thumb.”

“Gabriella,” he said in a warning tone.

“Fine.” I got up from the chair. “Since I have no choice, I will meet Antonio, and I will marry him, and I will do it with a smile on my face, but I will hate you for every moment of every day for the rest of my life. How does that sound?”

“It sounds like you’ll get over it.”

I scoffed and left his office, too angry to talk to him.

Now, standing before a mirror in my wedding dress, I realize Rocco and I haven’t fully talked since that day. Sure, we’ve been around each other, but we haven’t really talked. I think Rocco wants to, but I’m still angry with him.

A knock on the hotel door makes me look. “Come in.”

The door opens, and in walks my three sisters. Well, my three sisters-in-law. Lara, Ophelia, and Caterina. A brunette, a redhead, and a blonde. There’s probably a joke in their somewhere, but I’m too upset to make it.

“How are you?” Lara asks, walking over and placing her hands on my shoulders.

“I’m great. Isn’t it obvious?” I roll my eyes.

Lara offers me a kind smile. “I know you’re not happy about this wedding, but if it’s any consolation, you look amazing.”

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