Page 15 of Prideful Union
“Yes.”
Oh, that’s just fucking rich.
“No,” I say.
Sabrina frowns. “No?”
“I won’t wear that dress. Help me find a new one. Today.”
“But we have your dress ready to try on.”
“No. I’ll pay for a new one. Don’t worry about that one. But don’t refund it. I don’t want Santino knowing. This is my wedding day. I’ll wear the dressIwant.”
“Do you have a dress in mind?”
Do I? I absolutely do, and Santino will hate it, which only makes me happy. He thinks he gets to boss me around. Think again.
I’m going to surprise him on our wedding day when I walk down the aisle in the dress he didn’t choose. But by then, it will be too late. He won’t be able to stop me.
You wanted a challenge, Santino.
Well, here I am.
CHAPTER 5
Santino
I’m prepared to marry Lucia today.
The wedding has been planned. Everything went according to how I wanted it. Lucia tried to have a say, but she’ll quickly learn my word goes.
I adjust my tie as I look in the mirror. I don’t have any family members, so it’ll just be me and a few of my men attending the wedding. My parents died when I was young, and they didn’t have any siblings. For an Italian family, we were quite small.
Now, it’s just me on my own. Soon, Lucia will join my family and be my bride at my side. I expect her to do well, and when she doesn’t, I’ll spank her for her insolence.
I have hope, though. Lucia caved to all my wedding demands, which means, despite all her bravado, she’ll submit to me.
Just as I like my women to do.
Once I’m pleased with my appearance, I leave my hotel room and head to the church where Lucia will officially become my wife.
Upon arrival, I’m confronted by the sight of Lucia’s family, including all seven of her siblings and her mother. Her siblings’ children are also present. I wanted a child-free wedding, but that was one area Lucia insisted on that I allowed.
“Almost all my sisters have kids. Antonio has kids,” she told me after an hour or so of bickering. “It’s not fair to not let them come. You’re making so many decisions when it comes to this wedding. Let me have this one. Let me have my entire family there.”
So, I relented. I need to show Lucia I can bend, too. That way, she’ll become more pliable to my demands going forward. It’s important to throw her some breadcrumbs here and there.
Her family is seated in the pews when I enter the church. Instead of taking my place at the priest’s side, I walk over to them.
“Thank you all for coming,” I say.
Giulia stands up, taking my hand in hers. “I’m so happy you and Lucia were able to put aside your differences. This makes me so happy.”
I give her a short, simple nod. “Lucia will make a fine wife.”
“Take care of her,” Emilia says. Her son and daughter are messing with each other, which makes their father, Marco, scold them. Emilia keeps her eyes on me. What kind of mother doesn’t discipline her children? When Lucia and I have kids, I’ll expect her to do all the work.
“You better,” Gemma adds. “Or we’ll have to kill you.” I can’t tell if she’s joking or not. Judging by who her husband is, I’m thinking not. Viktor’s darkness has rubbed off on her.
