Page 17 of Velvet Chains

“So, tell me more about how you met. I must say, I've never seen our Don Vincenzo like this before.” He said, as he took a sip of his coffee.

Right on cue, I blushed before I started telling the story again. I could feel Elia's sharp eyes on me as I spoke.

The story Vincenzo and I had agreed on was as close to the truth as possible. I talked about how we bumped into each other at the airport and everything that happened from then on. The only difference between the story I told and the reality was that we both fell in love with each other sometime before the incident at the wedding.

From there, he moved on to asking me about my work back in America.

“How do you like Palermo? I've met a lot of Americans who prefer life back home.” He suddenly asked.

“Everything is so beautiful, and the city has so much history. However, it is true that there is no place like home,” I answered cautiously.

I began to regret my last words, wondering if I had gone too far. A sharp burst of laughter stopped those thoughts. Elia seemed amused and thought feeling somewhat relieved, I still felt nervous.

Vincenzo must have sensed my unease because he started talking too.

“I haven't gotten around to showing Isabelle our beautiful beaches, but I'm sure one visit to the beach would make her forget about ever going back to America.” He said, and this launched the talk about the stunning places in Palermo compared to America. I finally breathed a sigh of relief since the attention was off me.

Unfortunately, Elia’s attention was not easily diverted.

“So, when can I expect my invite to your engagement party?”

CHAPTER NINE

VINCENZO

In the heartbeat of tense silence that followed, I could hear the sounds of the sea crashing on the shore. Elia was one of the most powerful, but also one of the most unpredictable, bosses I had ever met. He could be smiling at you one moment and slitting your throat the next.

However, his unpredictability was one of the reasons he was so powerful. It was also one of the reasons why I respected him.

I knew that this moment would eventually come, I just wished I had had more time to prepare for it. Every other boss in Palermo was waiting for me to say those words, but getting them out was no easy feat. I wasn’t scared of them, but I knew that it would bite me in the ass if they all turned against me because of something as simple as a misplaced wedding invitation.

My mind was racing to come up with a suitable answer; an answer that would ensure that we all left the cafe satisfied with the outcome of our conversation.

“We’re still making arrangements,” I simply said, placing my hand over Isabelle’s. I knew that going into too much detail would make him suspicious. I also knew she was not expecting me to answer affirmatively to the question about our engagement. Placing my hand on Isabelle’s calmed her down, and I could hear her breathe a sigh of relief as soon as I squeezed her hand in mine.

Elia’s face relaxed and he grinned mischievously as his gaze fell onto Isabelle’s hand in mine.

Though I knew that my answer would only buy us little time, it was enough to plan everything I needed to. I hadn’t really thought about an engagement until I came face to face with Elia’s question. It was a lot to plan, even if it was just for appearances.

I realized that the need to act quickly. The façade of the engagement had to be solidified, and that meant getting Isabelle a ring as soon as possible.

We also had to get our stories straight. What if people asked us how I proposed? I wouldn’t know what to say, and I’ve never been found at a loss for words in my entire life. We had to really sell this thing, if we wanted it to work.

During our meeting, despite her evident discomfort, Isabelle handled herself with grace and poise, answering Elia's each and every question. I could see her courage and resourcefulness shining through, traits I initially dismissed but now deeply respected.

Her stubbornness and courage were traits that had initially irritated me, but now I was glad they were a part of her. Elia was a very intimidating man, and it took a bold woman like Isabella to stand up to him. As I watched the back and forth between them, I couldn’t help but feel pride. Some animalistic, possessive part of me couldn’t help but see Isabelle as something I could call mine.

“Then, I’m looking forward to receiving my invite,” Elia finally responded, giving me a nod. He stood up in one swift motion, and walked away. Once he was gone, I could see the confusion on Isabelle's face, but I ignored it. I was not in the mood to explain anything to her.

"What are you waiting for? Meeting's over, it's time to go," I said.

The atmosphere in the car was very different from the one at the cafe. With the driver in front, we were both in the backseat but on opposite sides of the car. Isabelle was now leaning on the window, her arms folded across her chest defiantly. I knew that she was upset at me, I knew that she wanted to ask a thousand questions about the man that we had just seen, but there were more important matters. Now that Elia had seen us together, there was a new urgency attached to my plans.

I cleared my throat, facing Isabelle with a serious expression. I wanted her to understand the urgency of the situation, but since I still needed her cooperation, I also wanted her to know that I wasn’t being forceful with her. I tried to portray that in my tone. I found myself in an impossible situation, I had never wanted to be like my father, I never wanted to use a woman in my plans, but it was too late. All I could do was give her an option that was never made available to my mother, the option to leave it all behind after this and live a normal life.

“Isabelle,” I began, my voice firm yet gentle, “we need to talk.”

“About?”

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