Page 33 of Dark Mafia Bride

Dammit.

I don’t have a choice now.

I shoot Luca and his men a quick glare before muttering, “Wait here.” My heart races as I close the door and turn to face my family.

“Who were those men? Mira, I hope you haven’t gotten yourself into trouble,” Nonna says, eyeing me with suspicion.

“I...need to talk to you both,” I mutter, leading them into the small living room. I catch Nonna sneaking a glance at the men through the window.

“Is Mom awake? She should probably hear this, too,” I sigh, bracing myself as they settle around the kitchen table.

“She’s still asleep. Should I wake her?” Giulia asks.

I shake my head, remembering how hard it was for her to drift off even with all the pain meds last night. Nonna and Giulia sit at the tiny kitchen table, their eyes wide with worry and anticipation. My heart feels like it’s going to beat out of my chest as I search for the right words.

“So...I’m getting married,” I finally blurt out. Nonna’s eyebrows shoot up while Giulia just blinks with her mouth open, too shocked to say anything.

The longer they stay without saying anything, the more scared I get.

An exhale leaves my lips. “Please say something.”

“Madonna mia,Mirabella Ricci.” Nonna calls my full name softly. “Tell me this is some kind of joke.”

“It’s not, Nonna.”

Her eyes search mine for any sign that I’m playing, but there’s nothing there. The pause that follows feels like an eternity. She lets out a heavy sigh, crossing her arms over her chest. “Marriage,bambina,it is not like picking out a dress or a flavor of gelato. It is for life, eh? How do you decide something like this so…so fast?”

“I thought about it, Nonna. It wasn’t something I did on a whim.”

“Oh, really?” Her eyes narrow, suspicious. “And this man, who is he?”

I hesitate, and the words catch in my throat. “I…haven’t met him yet.”

Nonna’s mouth parts in shock. Giulia looks at me as if I’ve completely lost it.

“It’s a...beneficial arrangement,” I mutter, twisting my hands together nervously. I can barely bring myself to meet their eyes. “He’ll help us with the debt... and pay for Mom’s treatments and surgery. And in return, I have to marry him.”

Giulia’s head drops, and Nonna’s eyes glisten as tears well up. Quickly, I reach over and take her hand.

“What about Giulia?” My voice cracks as I look at my sister. “Very soon you’ll be applying to different universities. The fact that it’s still a couple of years away doesn’t mean we shouldn’t prepare. I’ll have more than enough to send you anywhere you want—abroad even. You can be anyone you want to be.”

Giulia lifts her gaze to me, a small frown tugging at her lips. “But I don’t want any of that at the expense of your happiness, Mirabella. I won’t be happy if you’re miserable.”

I clench my jaw, trying to keep the tears at bay. “You’ll be even more unhappy if you don’t get to live the life I never had. I’ll be damned before I let you drop out like I did.”

I glance back at Nonna, my hand trembling as I gently rub the side of her face. Her tears have already begun to fall, and I can’t stand seeing her like this.

“It’s okay, Nonna. He’s…he’s a good man.” I try to sound convincing, though I’m not even sure myself. I’ve heard enough from Gio and Abruzzi about my fiancé to know he’s nothing like thenice guyI’m pretending he is.

Giulia scrunches up her nose as she speaks. “So…he’s like, what,vecchio? Like in those movies where the old guys marry young girls for some crazy reason?”

I wince, half wondering the same thing. Before I can answer, Nonna’s face darkens, her eyes flashing.

“Non ti lascerò fare una cosa del genere!I will not let you do this!” she snaps, folding her arms tightly across her chest.

“Nonna…” I sigh, trying to explain. “I already signed a contract…”

She raises her hand to stop me. “Then unsign it! It’s not a do-or-die situation, is it?”

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