Page 60 of His Vicious Vow
I haven’t slept more than five hours since we got back. Going home felt…empty. Carina hid from me, Bianca had an attitude, and I was in a constant state of need that had me worried I’d break the promise I made Carina that she would choose when we had sex.
People are already arriving for our wedding in two days, Luca and Bella tonight and a handful of capos from Chicago who are taking it as a long weekend of fun. Dealing with capos who believe they should take precedence for any needs of business and guests is beginning to piss me off. Almost everyone has rooms here while one or two were in the property in old Vegas.
Carlo, Cassandra, and Celia will be arriving tomorrow. But not together. Celia refused to travel with Carlo and Cassandra. From Natasha I was told Carina had no desire to meet with her parents until the last moment she had to. Carina also hated the idea of Carlo walking her down the aisle but was aware there was no getting out of it. I spent a solid twenty minutes on the phone with Tony discussing if Carlo walking her down the aisle could be avoided. He told me the offense Carlo would take wouldn’t be worth it to me or Carina.
I arrive at our armory. My men are moving like a well-oiled machine. It’s now less than twenty minutes since I received the call a shipment of women is due to come through Vegas and all eight men are suited up in SWAT tactical gear. Once I look them over they pile into the two SUVs marked as SWAT. I get into the only unmarked SUV and follow behind them.
For the first time ever I look forward to the blood pulling over a truck full of women will bring. Luca made it a priority to ensure no trafficking came through Vegas. He cut off the cocks of men and left them bleeding while we took the women to shelters Luca created either here in Vegas or Los Angeles, whichever the women preferred. Tonight, I don’t think cutting off anyone’s cock is going to be enough for the destruction I feel like inflicting. Better the trash of the drivers than my wife.
* * *
Carina
“You okay?” Celia’s eyes run over me with concern.
I nod, forcing a smile. “I’m not looking forward to having to smile and pretend I don’t hate Carlo.”
Celia sighs. “Yeah, I felt the same way. He’s a dick while he’s at it. I swear it’s like he tries to get us to hate him. Mom isn’t any better.”
My eyes go to my mother on the end of the table. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen them out together anywhere in public. Then again it’s not open to the general public. The restaurant in the hotel closed for us to have dinner in. Dominic and Luca are here as well. Luca as Sandro’s best man and Dominic as underboss to Carlo to pay his respects. Tony Sabatini stayed behind in Chicago as neither Christy or Regina felt well enough to travel Gaetano who Sandro introduced as his second is a dark shadow at the table so not surprisingly is getting along with Milos as if they were long-lost friends.
Bianca is acting weird but since she’s not hissing and spitting at me I don’t question it. Although I feel bad it’s mainly been Bella trying to draw Bianca out of her mood while Celia and I were talking.
Milos and Celia are staying in the hotel only one floor down from the penthouse, the same as the rest of the people at the table.
Heat hits me, I look toward the source to find Sandro studying me. I see the question in his eyes, am I all right? I nod and smile. My reward is a smile. I’m so pathetic, the same way I almost melted when he told me I was beautiful, laid his hand on my lower back and kept it there until we were separated by sitting down for dinner I melt a little at his smile.
The night is long, too long. I get up to use the restroom as a way of getting up and moving around to stay awake. Celia asks if I want her to come with me, I shake my head she’s in deep in discussion with Bella about their pregnancies.
I barely manage not throw the water on my face when I wash my hands. Yawning I walk out of the restroom and right into Carlo.
His beady gray eyes run over me. “I won’t abide you treating your mother with disrespect. Knock that shit off.”
When my mother saw me she tried to hug me, I sidestepped her without acknowledging her. Rolling my eyes I attempt to go around him.
He moves to block me. “Look you little brat, your mother has done her best by you and your sister. Just because she wasn’t picture perfect mother doesn’t mean you were abused or some shit. She did right by you both.”
I try to go around him on the other side.
The god-awful chuckle with no ounce of humor grates on every nerve I have. “You think you’re better than your mother? You think Sandro is better than me? He haggled you down from five hundred thousand to one hundred thousand—didn’t think you were worth it. That’s after he saw your file from Valdez. He’s marrying you because it benefits him not because he wants to. You might have hated the way you grew up but my mother and yours raised you to be a perfect mafia wife to someone in power. He wants you for how good you’ll make him look and how you bring him closer to me. Watch tomorrow at how people treat him differently from at Celia’s engagement party. He has a higher standing because he married you. You and Celia were never destined for a low-level capo. Why do you think I waited so long to marry you both off?”
Closing my eyes I wish like hell he would shut his stupid fucking mouth and leave me alone. The words are digging beneath my skin. My question of why Sandro wanted me when Carlo told him he didn’t have to take me come back to me. He got used to me, I’ll do.
“That’s right. Close your eyes, practice for how you’ll spend your marriage. He might want you now but in a few years after a couple of kids you’ll be lucky if he comes home at night. And you won’t say a word about it because your mother and nonna made sure you never would. You’ll be a good little wife and you won’t bitch when he flirts with women in front of you. You’ll smile and compliment her. Those kids of yours will grow up looking at you the same way you look at your mother. Show your mother some respect, she isn’t just your past she will be your future.” He says with a grimace of a smile before he finally moves.
I almost run from him.
“Run from me but you can’t run from the future.” Carlo calls after me.
Schooling my features into a semblance of a smile is painful. The moment I sit back down Celia’s eyes narrow on me. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Just tired.” I yawn to cover the maelstrom of emotion within me. Only minutes later Sandro is up and at my side with his large hand on my shoulder. “Thank you for joining us tonight. I need to get my dear wife to bed so she gets all the rest she will need for tomorrow.”
With everyone watching I don’t hesitate to take the hand he offers me and stand. His hand is once again at my back guiding me to the private elevator. I want to push him, to scream at him not to touch me. Only I don’t dare.
He doesn’t say anything until the doors close. Letting go of me he steps against the wall and studies me. “Are you all right? Do you need anything?”
Shaking my head I step out of the elevator into the foyer. “I’m just really tired. I stayed up too late last night catching up with Celia. I need an early night. It will be a long day tomorrow. You don’t have to stay or anything if you want to go back downstairs and talk to Luca or whatever.”