Page 56 of Soulmate of the Mafia King
A thick blanket of emotion fell over the room. Olivia would have more time because Killian and Sera were leaving, and no one knew for how long.
“This is a bachelorette party!” I said to try to break the tension. “We can’t get sad now. Sera, tell me what you’re most excited for. You’re about to be the only wife in the room.”
“Oh, like Tommaso is going to wait much longer,” she said.
Butterflies filled my stomach. Forever with Tom didn’t sound too bad, but we had so much going on all the time that I didn’t want to pressure him. We’d spend forever together no matter what. It was really just a formality and a big party.
A party I’d actually started wanting recently.
“Well…” Sera pulled half of her hair up and looked at either side of her face in the mirror as if deciding. “I actually asked him about kids recently. Today, recently.”
I zipped up the side of my dress. “I can’t imagineMano Della Mortewith kids.”
Sera giggled. “Apparently, neither could he.” She paused dramatically. “Until me!”
Olivia squealed. I raced out from behind the divider to hug Sera. The Sera Bianchi—soon to be Ricci—I’d come to know over the past year deserved to be a mom.
“I can already picture you on the floor playing with them,” I said as I wrapped my arms around her.
“Oh, and I’m sure all their teachers willloveyou.” Olivia joined the hug with a laugh.
“I’m so excited,” Sera admitted. “I’ve wanted kids for a while, but I was scared to ask.”
“It is weird to think of this spooky old place filled with the pitter-patter of little feet,” I said.
That quiet descended over us again. There wouldn’t be any little feet here. Hell, I didn’t even know if there would be any teachers on their private island.
“We’re leaving the day after the wedding,” Sera said. “And we’re going to visit all the time, but?—”
Olivia squeezed tight enough I thought I might bruise. “It won’t be the same!”
“No, it won’t.” Sera exhaled slowly. “But you guys can visit too. It’s really beautiful there. And I think Killian needs to step away to stand any chance of getting out of this world.”
I understood that. As long as there were women who needed my help, I couldn’t imagine leaving my work. Bizarrely, it was something Killian and I shared.
Olivia sniffled, and abruptly, I realized tears stung my eyes. I was going to miss Sera too. She was nothing like the pampered princess I’d left behind so many years ago. She was a genuine friend.
Joyce bustled into the room and clicked her tongue. “So sad! This is a bachelorette party, Miss Sera. You can be sad later.”
We disentangled ourselves from the hug, and Olivia and Sera both wiped their eyes.
“No problem.” Joyce pulled a gilded cart studded with chocolate and pink beverages. “I brought drinks!”
We all laughed and tried to forget that this wedding might be the last time we were all together for a really long time.
CHAPTER 43
SERA
Ispun into the middle of the dance floor with a glittering drink in my hand and laughter on my lips. My tight, fitted white minidress caught the light and shone. The rest of my bachelorette party flocked to me like moths to a flame as the beat rattled through my towering heels.
Paige glowed in a deep purple number she admitted to buying for the occasion to complement my dress, several-hundred-dollar proof we were actually friends, and she hadn’t said yes to joining the bridal party because she felt bad or something. Olivia danced slightly off rhythm because she kept glancing over her shoulder at Patrick against the wall, who could barely look away from her. Fiona and Joyce grabbed each other’s hands and swayed like cousins at a family wedding, but their brilliant smiles nearly outshone the strobe lights. Penny, in one of the most scandalous dresses I’d ever seen her wear, shimmied like I didn’t know part of her mind was worrying about Michael at home. And at the edge of the group, Lauren moved to the rhythm like she wasn’t quite sure she was supposed to join in with the rest of us. I leaned forward, parting the crowd of my loved ones, and pulled her in. A grin lit her face, and she started dancing in earnest. Over the past months at the shelter, I’dgrown close to the bubbly blonde, and tonight wouldn’t have felt right without her.
Just like Emma, who wore one of the only non-designer dresses and had been quiet most of the ride to the club Killian set aside for us tonight. After a few moments with Lauren, I pushed her over to Paige and grabbed my old friend, the only woman here who knew me in the brief time I hadn’t been part of the life. She laughed and tried to keep up with my furious dancing.
“Should I be scared of the men in the corner?” she asked after a few moves.
I followed her line of sight to Patrick and the other two men Killian sent along.
