Page 159 of Carnal

My chest tightens. If I choose wrong, who knows what Jacopo will do to me. Several moments pass as I assess each dress she holds up. I finally question, "What do you think Jacopo would like?"

Her smile falls. She gives me a knowing look, as if she understands how he is and why I'm asking what I am. She takes a sleek, strapless, black cocktail dress off the rack. A gold zipper runs up the front. She holds it up to me, smiling. She claims, "I think this will work perfectly. It's classy. But not too much. Sexy. But you won't look slutty. And Jacopo tends to like black."

Relief that she knows what he likes and his style fills me. I blow out an anxious breath. "Okay, if you think this is it, then this is fine."

"Great!" She claps again, then adds, "Let's try it on. Get your clothes off."

I reach for the dress. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going, dear?"

"In the closet."

"Nonsense!" She turns to the two men who rolled in the rack and haven't left. "You two. Out."

They don't question her and step into the hallway.

"Come on now. We don't have all day."

I slowly get out of my dress and try on the black one. Frida moves me in front of the full-length mirror. She frowns, "Oh, this is a little big."

My anxiety reignites. I blurt out, "Can you take it in? Jacopo has me on a strict diet. I-I must have lost too much."

She stands taller, pursing her lips. "I see. Grapefruit and chicken?"

It strikes me that she knows what I'm going through. Did Jacopo starve her, too?

I nod. "How—"

"A woman without fat is a woman worthy to stand next to an Abruzzo," she gushes.

My pulse skyrockets. Everything about her statement makes me feel ill.

She gathers the excess material in her hands, saying, "I think we need a couple tweaks. Right around the waist here." She pinches the sides of the fabric, releases it, then goes over to her bag. She pulls out a little case of pins and returns.

For several minutes, she slides them through the fabric before standing back. Her eyes sparkle, and she proclaims, "There you go. You're going to be one knockout in this dress. Look out, Biagio!"

It's a comment that I should respond well to, but reminding me I'm engaged to Biagio doesn't excite me. I still don't even understand how I ever accepted a date with him, never mind agreed to marry him.

As if on cue, the door flies open. Biagio saunters into the room. "Wow, you lost a lot of weight."

His statement pisses me off. I sneer, "I've been on your father's starvation diet."

He shrugs. "Well, you've done well. You look good."

I glance at myself in the mirror again. My curves are almost gone. I look like a strung-out runway model.

Biagio comes over to me and pulls me into his arms. My skin crawls. It's the same reaction I always get, but I hug him back because the last time I didn't was right before he left. He told me if I didn't return his affection, there would be consequences to pay.

Frida chirps, "Look at you lovebirds."

I want to roll my eyes and slap her. Her chipper little attitude was nice at first, but now it's just annoying me. She seems to understand what goes on in this house, yet she still seems happy. That doesn't sit right with me.

Biagio asks, "Frida, are you finished with Pina?"

She drags her eyes over my body. "Yes. I need the dress though."

Biagio crosses his arms and stares at me.

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