Page 63 of Sworn to My Heart
Shit. If he sees it, I won’t be leaving the house tonight at all. “Let me get ready,” I command, pushing him back out of the room and quickly locking the door.
I hear his chuckle fade as he walks away, and I breathe a sigh of relief. I don’t think he’ll be laughing when he sees that dress. I don’t have time to consider his thoughts right now, it’s late. I shower quickly and dry my hair in front of the mirror, wondering if Cora knows everything that happened today. Does Mariano know? I wouldn’t be surprised.
I hope Cora doesn’t know that I planned to run away. Today has been long without me finding the time to explain everything to her. We’ll drink together tonight, dance a little, unwind, and I’ll find the time tomorrow to tell her. I owe her at least that.
Will she react better than the brothers? Will she be afraid of me? She might live within the mafia, but she doesn’t have blood on her hands like they do. Only monsters could accept another monster. But I have to take the risk this time. This might be my last chance before Luca suddenly changes his mind, and I’ll have to run away again without explanations.
I look at the clock and see that I’ve spent too much time wondering. I quickly do my makeup and regret starting with eyeliner. It takes me ten minutes just to get a straight line on both eyes and I curse quietly when the line still isn’t straight. In the ocean, I never needed these silly things. Although painting scales for ceremonies was a whole other story. But even then, I had servants who would do it for me. Yes, painting scales is preferable to mastering eyeliner.
When it’s perfect. I look in the mirror, satisfied with the final result. I take the dress off the mirror, unzip the low back zipper, and struggle to get into it, pulling it up with great effort. It feels like I’m stretching a condom over my body. What size is this dress that you bought, Cora?
I breathe a sigh of relief when the dress finally settles in place. Now I know for sure that Luca can’t see me like this before I leave the apartment, or he’ll lock me in the room.
The black mini dress clings to my skin like a second layer of it, fitting snugly from the waist up, with a deep neckline plunging sharply down to my navel, leaving little to the imagination in the chest area that peeks out. It’s a dress that would be more appropriate for a dancer at Q, I chuckle to myself imagining it.
The back of the dress is as exposed as the front, allowing me a bit of breathability within this tight fabric. Thinking about it now, I can understand why Mariano started doing Cora’s shopping online. There’s no way he would let her leave the house dressed like this. A real laugh now escapes my lips as I realize this. I add my simple black sandal heels, which, despite their simplicity, look like jewelry with this dress.
I glance at myself in the mirror, proud of the perfect look I’ve managed to create. Now, all that’s left is to take a deep breath and get through the evening successfully. We’ll unload the heaviness of this day, and tomorrow is a new day where I can explain everything to her.
Before opening the door, I put on a long, thin black coat, tying it with a belt and praying that Luca won’t want to check what I’m wearing underneath. It’s the only way I’ll be able to leave the apartment like this. It’s still chilly in the evenings, so I don’t think he will suspect anything.
I glance at the clock again and see it’s already ten past ten. My phone is on silent, and I missed a call from Cora. I call her back and rush downstairs as quickly as possible, given the heels and the stairs, and hang up when I hear her phone ringing from the living room.
I immediately find Cora sitting there, smiling at me, also dressed in a long, thin coat. I try to stifle a laugh, realizing itwasn’t easy for her to sneak out from Mariano either. I can’t even imagine what she’s wearing underneath, and a small giggle escapes me that I quickly suppress.
Lucawatches us from the sofa, with Mariano sitting beside him, both looking very displeased with our decision to go out. I approach Luca, lightly kissing his lips as a gesture of peace and callfor Abert to take us. “See?I’m being a good girl, Abert’s taking us,” I say, batting my lashes in exaggerated sweetness.
He bites his lip and growls, looking at me, “You better leave now before I change my mind and keep you here to have those eyes on me,” he says suggestively.
How did I not foresee his lewd comment? I blush slightly as Cora and Mariano laugh behind me.
I glare at them with annoyance, but when my eyes meet Mariano’s, he immediately lowers his gaze to my legs. Why does this suddenly feel awkward?
I look at him questioningly, and he quickly sends me an apologetic glance.
Cora is still here, I better not ask unnecessary questions, or this evening will become much more exhausting. Luckily, Abertentersjust in time, saving the situation. IgrabCora’s hand and pull her out before the crazy brothers change their minds.
Abertstarts the car, and only when we reach the main road do I look at Cora, and as if we had planned it, we both sigh in relief and burst into laughter as the realization hits. We had the same plan to escape the house like this. Abert looks at us through the front mirror, sending us a puzzled glance. For a few moments, I forget about my crazy life and laugh with Cora like a merschool girl that successfully snuck out of her house.
We arrive at Q quickly, Abert parks and escorts us through the VIP entrance. Luca insists we stay within this area, but Abert sticks close to us even here.
Cora wastes no time and heads to the bar, ordering drinks for our table. I sit down, waiting for her eagerly, the fashion show is about to start. I chuckle to myself as she returns and sits next to me, carefully placing a tray of shots and two extra glasses of vodka-Red Bull on the table. Without words, we look at each other, almost reading each other’s minds, “Ready?” we ask simultaneously, and giggle, shedding our coats on a count of three.
“Three... two... one... ,” I count down slowly.
“Wow!” I exclaim quickly as the dress she was hiding is revealed to me, a broad smile spreading across her face.
She’s wearing a pink leather mini dress that hugs her body and rises up to her neck like a choker, her back completely exposed. The dress accentuates her figure perfectly, and I am certain that modeling is a career she is definitely missing out on. She could knock people off their feet.
“Wow! Alin! You look... I don’t even have words. Even I’m jealous of Luca right now,” Cora says, grabbing my hand enthusiastically and turning me around to inspect the entire dress clearly. A sense of relief washes over me, confirming that she doesn’t know anything about what happened today.
“I know how to pick my dresses,” she declares proudly, and I raise a shot in agreement, “To your dresses.”
She laughs and raises a shot as well, “To our courage for leaving the house like this,” I join in her laughter, and we both take the first shot, Cora already preparing the second one in her hand.
Either my friend is an alcoholic, or she’s just really thirsty, but I won’t lie, it’s justified by the occasion.
“I know you didn’t grow up in our world,” she suddenly begins, and my body tenses. Did Mariano tell her? I see red, gripping the small shot glass tightly in my hand.
