Page 2 of Till Death Do Us Part

“Rocco is right,” Giorgia said. “The way those two were looking at us gave me the creeps. I should tell Antonio.”

Telling my husband that the drug lord’s sons were leering at Giorgia and me like we were for sale would, one, result in my husband punishing me for being at the pool at the time of the cartel’s arrival, and two, create a showdown between my husband, Vincent’s son-in-law, and Jorge Roríguez’s sons.

“I think we should keep it to ourselves. Over half of the famiglia is upset enough about this alliance.” I shook my head. “Telling Rocco and Antonio about the Roríguezes would just add fuel to that fire.” After leaving our now-empty glasses on a table, we went up the stairs toward our rooms. Lowering my voice, I said, “We’ll be lucky if we get through Dario’s wedding without bloodshed.”

Despite everyone’s concerns, the marriage ceremony came to a successful conclusion. The Luciano and Roríguez alliance was official, and my eldest brother was finally a married man. I almost felt sorry for Catalina. Every now and then throughout the wedding and now during the reception, she’d turn to Dario with a look of terror.

Part of me wanted to tell her that she’d survive. Despite Dario’s reputation as The Blade, a man capable of killing without remorse, he had a kinder heart when it came to women, kinder than others in our famiglia, such as our father or my husband.

The men who arranged these marriages as if they were nothing more than business deals had no concept of the horror and anguish the new bride was forced to endure. To them, it was all about transactions, benefits, and cementing their roles. The fact that most women weren’t even aware that their wedding was being planned until the deal was done went completely over the men’s heads.

“You kind of want to give her a pep talk,” Giorgia whispered in my ear during the reception, speaking of Catalina.

“She’s probably thinking about her wedding gown.”

My cousin covered her lips with her fingertips as she laughed. “I thought she was going to faint this morning when we told her about that tradition.”

We hadn’t realized that Catalina was unaware that tonight Dario would cut her wedding dress from her body. The sheer fright in her eyes let us know of our mistake.

An expression of sympathy washed away Giorgia’s smile. “It’s not fair. Even if she isn’t one of us, Catalina is nothing more than a sacrificial lamb.”

“She’s no different than you and me. We didn’t have a say in who we married.”

“But at least we married within the famiglia.” My cousin shook her head. “I can’t imagine being told I had to marry one of them.”

It wasn’t a concern we needed to worry about. Giorgia and I had done as we were told and married within the famiglia. There was no getting out of our vows except by death. My gaze landed on one of the cartel men across the room. I recalled he was one of Jorge’s sons. Taller than Rocco, Aléjandro had wavy dark hair, a muscular build, and an arrogance about him as if he had the audacity to think of the famiglia the way we thought of the cartel.

He was talking with his brother and others from Catalina’s family when he turned.

My heart beat in double time as his dark gaze landed on me, scanning me as if I were still wearing my bathing suit from yesterday.

Giorgia followed my line of vision. “Don’t let Rocco see you checking out Jorge’s son.”

“I’m not checking him out. If anything, he gives me a weird feeling, like he thinks he’s better than the famiglia.”

Aléjandro’s lips curled into a grin as he whispered something to his brother, and they both looked in our direction.

Giorgia reached for my arm. “Come on. I need more champagne if I’m going to survive this reception.”

As Dario and Catalina took to the dance floor, Giorgia and I made our way to one of the many bars set up throughout the reception. The young redheaded woman in line in front of us didn’t need an introduction. She also wasn’t supposed to be at the wedding.

“Oh, Mia,” she said as she turned with her drink in hand. “Hi.”

“Jasmine. What are you doing here?” I was relatively certain my father had forbidden her presence.

“I didn’t want to miss Dario’s wedding.”

“You weren’t invited.”

Aléjandro appeared from the crowd, placing his arm around Jasmine’s waist. “Jasmine is my guest.”

I sucked in a breath at his presence and predatory gaze.

“Surely, there isn’t a problem with my guest.”

Straightening my neck, I met his stare. “I shouldn’t be surprised that the two of you found one another.”

“Mia,” Jasmine said pleadingly.

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