Page 4 of Desire and Revenge

“Good.”

After that, I allow myself to enjoy my reception party and not think about my impending wedding night. I’m sure Carlotta has only been trying to terrify me with her whole speech about how excruciating and humiliating it is.

Sebastian won’t hurt me.

I suddenly wish that we could be done with the guests and finally consummate the marriage. The wait is only serving to make me anxious.

“Take her to bed! Take her to bed!” The chants begin hours later, and I duck my head to hide my flaming cheeks.

“Now, calm down, everyone. You’re making my bride anxious,” Sebastian says with a laugh. “If you want us out of your faces, then just say so.” His jesting is met with laughter and cheers as he indulges the crowd with stories of our new, blissful union.

At that moment, I feel a shiver run down my spine and I hurriedly look up. Even from where he’s leaning casually againsta pillar, Nero Castello’s gaze is still like a spear, stabbing into me and pinning me in place.

In a space full of dangerous mafiosos, there is something about him that makes the other men look like harmless kittens.

A hand rests on my bare shoulder, and I flinch, startled. “You look tired, Sofia. Go on up; I’ll join you in a few minutes,” comes Sebastian’s calm voice.

My hands get clammy, and my throat feels constricted. “Of course,” I croak, and rise to my feet, earning me cheers and whistles from the inebriated guests.

I follow the hallway back into the house and, to my surprise, a girl about my age with pale blonde hair and a servant uniform is waiting for me just inside.

“If you’ll follow me, Mrs. Lucchese,” she says, “I’ll help you out of your dress and get you ready for your husband.”

We weave through hallway upon hallway, and I marvel at how large the house is. I can already predict a future of me getting lost in these maze-like hallways.

Finally, she pushes open the door of a gorgeous room and we walk in.

“What’s your name?” I ask the girl as she begins to undo the complicated ribbons holding the back of my dress together.

“Alba,” she replies. “You’re very pretty. I’m glad you’re the one who’s going to be our mistress. You and Mr. Lucchese make a beautiful couple. I saw you walk in together.”

“Hmm,” I hum happily.

“Would you like me to take off the dress entirely or just loosen the laces, ma’am?”

“The dress, please.”

“The lacing is way too tight anyway,” she remarks. “Not that you need it. I can tell you have a lovely figure beneath the dress.” She suddenly freezes, realizing what she’s said. “Oh no, was thatoffensive? Please don’t be offended.Mannaggia, Alba! You and your big mouth. Ma always says I don’t know when to shut up.”

I laugh, shaking my head, eager to put her at ease. “It’s fine, Alba. I don’t mind at all.”

Her smile grows a little wider, and I can tell she’s not used to such kindness. We continue to chat as she helps me out of the dress, carefully removing the pins holding my blonde-brown hair in place.

And it helps my tense muscles relax at the normalcy of her incessant, one-sided conversation. I’m not really paying attention to her, just allowing the words to drift over me and distract me from my wedding night.

The door swings open as she’s telling me all about how soundproof the room is, but I don’t turn around. I’m too nervous to face Sebastian in just my white lingerie set.

When the door clicks shut a moment later, I know that we are alone. Only then do I face him. I shoot him a small, nervous smile. “Hi.”

He doesn’t return the smile. Instead, he slowly approaches me and cradles my face in his hands. The strong smell of alcohol on him indicates he must have had much more to drink since I left.

He gazes at me with a piercing intensity, as if he’s trying to confirm that I’m truly standing before him. To show him that I am not afraid of him, I raise my hand and place it over his, trying to bridge the distance between us.

This is the moment I’ve been waiting for, the one that was always coming. Maybe he’s not the man I imagined, but he’s still strikingly handsome. If this is how it has to be, I’m going to enjoy it.

I rise onto my toes, leaning in for a kiss, but his grip tightens around my face, halting me mid-motion.

“What? Don’t you want to kiss me?”

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