Page 5 of Vow to Me

I’m not a nice man, I’m not fucking gentle or into love making or whatever the fuck women expect when they lose their virginity. What does she do with her days? I hope to fuck she doesn’t expect to come in and redecorate my space, or move my things, or—

My thought process is cut off as the orchestra starts playing and I turn just in time to see Bianchi come into view, he walks a couple of steps and then his daughter joins him at his side. I take in her long white, silk dress, noticing the curves of her body. She’s not stick thin like I expected and like most Mafia princesses who only eat salad and won’t eat anything with over three hundred calories.

No, she’s got curves in all the right places. My gaze travels higher to see her full breasts, and then I get to her long blonde hair, which of course is perfectly styled and suddenly Bianchi is handing his daughter off to me as she steps up next to me, and I see her face for the first time and, well,fuck.I have to make an effort to keepmy expression indifferent, I don’t want her getting the wrong ideas before we’ve even exchanged rings.

I stare straight into her chocolate brown eyes, getting lost in them. She’s got long, thick lashes and rosy cheeks and goddam, she has to be the most fucking beautiful woman I’ve seen in my life. Still, just because she’s gorgeous doesn’t mean I’m about to like the woman, she could have the personality as prickly as a cactus for all I know. And I hope she doesn’t expect me to end up falling in love with her, because I sure as shit donotdo all that emotional stuff. She’s also tiny, like really fucking small. I tower over the girl.

My brain isn’t even registering the vows we’re repeating back to each other while we stare at each other. She doesn’t seem particularly happy, but she’s not scared either. She’s not afraid to meet my gaze as most people are. No, the little spitfire holds eye contact, where half the men I know would end up looking away.

Finally, the rings are exchanged, and the priest kindly says, “You may now kiss the bride.”

Yeah… no. If I’m ever going to kiss the woman, the first time sure as hell isn’t going to be in front of three hundred fucking people. I give her a quick, chaste kiss on her cheek before turning and extending my hand out to her, ready to escort her back down the aisle.

Chapter Four

Izzy

My new husband is hot, probably a complete asshole, but he’s hot. Thick brown hair that’s styled perfectly, not a hair out of place, piercing brown eyes and a sharp jawline. Not to mention that he’s built like an Adonis and could be on the cover of GQ magazine. I already knew he was handsome from the research I’d done on him, but pictures really fucking did not do him justice.

He's the type of man who can get any girl they want, as though he could just click his fingers and panties would start dropping all around him. He must be at least 6”3, so compared to my 5”4, the man towers over me. Like seriously, if I took off my heels, we’d look fucking ridiculous stood next to each other. And his muscles? I’ve never seen a man fill out a suit the way he does. Luca seems like the type of man who doesn’t leave the house unless he’s perfectly put together, wearing a three piece suit and polished shoes. Whereas I’d be perfectly happy lounging around in oversized sweats and messy hair. We’re complete opposites.

He extends a tattooed hand out to me, and I place my hand in his before he escorts me inside to meet the photographer. The wedding is being held at his family’s estate. The home itself is beautiful alone, but they really have gone all out, decorating thegarden in white roses and peonies. There’s a tent set up for the reception which is more like a work of art. They’ve tried really hard to sell this charade, especially since they’ve invited every important and influential person in New York. But it is what it is, a business event.

We pose for the photographer, who continually has to tell Luca to move closer to me, to smile, and to overall seem happy to be here. It’s clear he’s not happy to be doing any of this, but these pictures will end up in the paper, announcing our nuptials, and they can’t be looking as though he’s secretly got a gun to him just to snap a few shots.

“You need to work on your acting skills,” I gripe as we make our way over to the reception where our guests are waiting. This is the first time I’ve spoken to him other than my vows, and if the scowl he’s wearing is anything to go by, I’m guessing he’d have rather I stayed silent. He shakes his head and stops walking, turning to face me fully.

“Look, you and I both know this wedding shouldn’t be happening, I just didn’t want you to get any ideas about how this marriage is going to be. I’m not going to end up falling in love with you, Isabella, and I think it’s best we get this out the way now before you start coming up with notions of true love and fairytales. You seem like a good girl, I didn’t want to lead you on into thinking this is more than what it is, a business deal,” he says.

I bite the inside of my cheek to stop from laughing, he really thinks I’m cooking up ideas of this shit? Jesus Christ, he really does think I’m a spoilt little girl like most Mafia daughters. Thenagain, I haven’t given him anything to make him think differently. Deciding to have a little fun and run with it, I pout my lips and tug my eyebrows down into a frown.

“I didn’t expect true love, I’m not naïve enough to think a man like you could ever love a girl like me, Luca. But it’s our wedding day, and people will be expecting us to be head over heels in love, they’ll be expecting you to look like a man who just couldn’t wait to make me his wife. We can talk about the rest later, but for now, for tonight, we should at least act as though we’re not complete strangers, don’t you think?” I say with a sweet smile.

He gives me a reluctant nod, takes my hand in his and gives me a show stopping smile, showcasing his dimples before continuing towards the tent. “Show time, princess,” he mutters as we enter the reception and starts to greet our guests.

We parade around the room, listening to the guests tell us what a lovely kids we'd make and how it was such a gorgeous ceremony.Insert eye roll here.My Father is here somewhere, probably cozying up to the city officials or with a woman who’s far too young and far too pretty for him.

Finally, after twenty minutes of Luca showing me off like a prized cow, we sit down for dinner, joining his dad and brothers at the table. Luckily, they had the foresight tonotsit my father with us as well.

Once Luca helps me into my seat, I adjust my dress before refocusing my attention to the table, only to see two sets of eyes on me. His brothers, Marco and Enzo, are both staring at me as if they can see into my soul. I give them a smile, not averting my gaze. If there’sone thing I’ve learned when it comes to men like them is they enjoy inflicting fear, and like fuck am I going to let them intimidate me.

“So, where are you guys planning on going on your honeymoon? Maybe a nice little romantic getaway in the Bahamas? No, no…Hawaii?” Enzo grins. I can already tell he’s the carefree joker out of the three brothers.

“We’re not fucking going anywhere,” Luca grunts from beside me making Marco roll his eyes. Their appearances are all similar, yet Marco is the one who looks the most like Salvatore. Their hair is darker than Lucas and Enzo’s, and their faces are both round, whereas Enzo and Luca both have sharp jawlines. Luca and Enzo both have brown eyes, whereas Salvatore and Marcos are green.

“Please ignore my idiot sons Isabella, they have no manners. I’m Salvatore, it’s nice to officially meet you, welcome to the family,” their dad says while giving me a warm smile. I can immediately tell he’s the complete opposite of my Father, his welcome seems genuine, and he actually seems to care about his children.

Huh, I wonder what it’s like to have a dad who genuinely gives a shit about you.

“Thank you, it’s nice to meet you too. Please, call me Izzy.” I say, returning his smile.

The rest of the evening continues, me and Luca cut the cake, which was awkward as hell, we have our first dance, also awkward as hell. The only part of the night I enjoyed was the factthat our wedding song was also my mother's favorite song. God, I wish she was here today, she always told me stories of how her mother helped her get ready for her wedding to my father. How they laughed and cried when they were getting ready, she always said she would love to be the one to plan my wedding one day.

My mama died when I was eleven, she was shot by one of my father’s rivals at the time, she was only thirty-four, she had so much fucking life left in her. She was a pure soul, one that didn’t deserve the life that she was handed.

After we went around the guests, saying our goodbyes and thanking them for coming, Luca asked me to come and wait in the car while he spoke to his friend Alex or Alec? Something like that. I’m standing leaning against the car, staring up at the night sky and wondering if Mama can see me, is she here with me today? Is she upset with my father for doing this to me? What does she think of who he has become?

He hasn’t always been like this, not completely at least. There were times when I was younger that he really was a semi-decent Dad. He loved my mother more than life itself, and part of him died when she did, turning him into the man he is today. I’m sure he’d rather she was still here instead of me. Hell, there's days when I wish the same.

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