Page 10 of Enzo's Vow
All the blood drained from my face.
He’d slashed a line through Matthew’s name and, in its place, scrawled his own.Enzo. The crude calligraphy in no way matched the poster’s elegant design.
“Have you lost your mind?” I choked out. A dream. I remained trapped in a dream, and once I awoke, I’d tell Willow and Harper. We’d laugh it all off as nothing more than an overactive imagination from wedding jitters.
He closed the space between us, the woodsy spice of his cologne overwhelming my senses. A harsh reminder this was no dream. “Don’t you remember last night, Gemma?” He tsked, the sharp click bouncing in the silent room. “When I told you I looked forward toourwedding, that wasn’t a casual remark. You’re mine.”
Chapter 4
Enzo
“You’re insane.” She stamped a thumb to her lips. “Am I right? You’re one hundred percent deranged!”
I shrugged, not at all offended by her words. “Maybe, but you’re still marrying me tomorrow.”
Mock humor evaporated from her face as she bared perfect white teeth. “Never! You hear me? I’ll never marry you!” Her cheeks reddened, and she gestured to the door with a pointed finger. “Get out!”
My jaw tightened. The urge to remind her whose house, whose bedroom she occupied—and how she in no way wielded the right to tell me what to do—surged through me when she huffed her way off the bed.
“I said get out!” She stomped her foot and grew redder if possible.
She needed time to adjust to the sudden news. Best to let her simmer… for now.Va bene, I’d cover a few errands before our big day. “I’ll have the maid bring you a bite to eat.”
Another strike of her determined foot. “Out!” She screeched, her voice raw and raspy.
At this rate, she’d lose her voice by tomorrow. I almost smirked. Maybe a little enforced silence wouldn’t be so bad because another day of this screeching wouldn’t be good for either of us. I raised my hands, encouraging her to calm down asI retreated to the entry. Shutting the door quickly, I twisted the lock, as if escaping a caged lion.
The guards shot me a puzzled look, and I responded with a swift nod. Their jaws clenched in silent agreement, understanding she was not to leave this room under any circumstances. My steps faltered as I passed. I bet she had a bigger migraine now than when first awakening. “Bring her some aspirin.”
“Yes, Sir,” one replied, while the other nodded.
???
I parked along the curb in front of the boutique store. As I cut the engine, my fingers brushed the leather of the steering wheel, a sensation reminding me of the smoothness of Gemma’s skin. Her soft wrists teased my palms even now. The way she’d peered into my eyes, both wary and curious, tensed my body. Indeed, her head all but exploded once I revealed my name written on the novelty board—
“Aren’t you going to switch off the indicator?” Carina’s voice puffed through the image of Gemma floating in my head, evaporating the memory like smoke. “You’ve left it running since the traffic lights.”
I flicked off the indicator, silencing its clicking. Carina stepped out onto the paved path, the boutique’s window display catching the afternoon sun. Three mannequins, all in different shades of green silk, stood frozen in poses of effortless elegance. She finger-combed her burgundy bob before slipping on her sunglasses. “Back in a minute.”
A tinkling bell chimed as Carina pushed open the boutique door, momentarily cutting through the drone of traffic. Several cars hummed past my window as I scrolled through my phone to check the latest financial report.
My phone dinged, a reminder popping up:video conference. Of course, the board of directors this afternoon. Those snobby old men insisted on frequent meetings ever since my brother and I inherited our Grandfather’s global manufacturing company, skeptical of the new blood running the show. We’d at last gained respect from the old hands and won their trust after five long years. We worked hard to grow the company and increase our clientele through our social media marketing campaigns, which those long-timers knew nothing about. Our efforts paid off in spades, and in the end we showed them all. My father would be proud.
I’d left every detail in his old office intact, a frozen memorial. His sense of family and commitment might have been… complicated, but in the family company, he’d created a legacy where my brother and I held our heads high. I’d never considered myself more Cammarata than when running the family business. Eager to revisit said office in Lombardy, I planned on traveling home once Gemma and I exchangedI do’s. Sicily comprised too many enemies, bad memories, and horrible history.
Carina opened the passenger door, but paused. I adjusted the gun in my pocket. A problem? She slipped her sunglasses down her straight nose and confronted the road. Clearing her throat, she sidled inside the car and laid the garment bag across her lap.
“Do we need to go elsewhere?” I sure hoped not. The impulse to see Gemma grated me to no end.
“No, other than collecting the dress for the ceremony, I’m done here.” She peeled off her sunglasses and tossed them into her handbag. Nose tilted in the air, she swiveled my way. “Are you set for tomorrow?”
Not much to do. I owned a suit, the rings… now the bride. Rather than confirm her question, I chose this moment to dropthe bomb. “I’m leaving for Lombardy once the ceremony is over.”
She cleared her throat. “Not so fast. My brother invited us to his sixtieth in a few weeks. I agreed we’d go.”
My grasp on the wheel tightened. “We?” Oh, how I loathed when she organized events without consulting us first. “Lucio and I have a company to run.”
“Forget the company.” She examined the side-view mirror. “I haven’t seen my family in thirty years, Enzo. My brother’s more forgiving than my Father… always has been.”
