Forbidden Loyalties (Famiglia Series Book 1)

8

There weren't any more incidents concerning Evelyn. My father gave an order that anyone who stared at her for longer than a second would have their eyes taken out. She saw the bruise on Mario's nose that night and she looked at me with eyes full of gratitude and trust. Since that day, Mario hasn't eaten any meals with us and neither of us has laid eyes on him.

Evelyn and I have been busy going through the wedding planning details. It is more fun than I expected although I know it's because I am doing it with her. She isn't as bad as I would've originally thought. She is actually pretty smart; she just had a whimsical air around her.

We are doing the final thing on our wedding planning list- yes, she actually made a list. We are currently sitting in one of the biggest wedding boutiques in New York. The owner has worked with almost, if not every well placed person in our world.

As soon as we walked in, she ushered us into a special room at the back while she brought out an array of dresses. I took one glance at them on the racks and instantly knew that they were not what I wanted.

"Don't you have anything less white?" I asked and she turned to me as if I had said something blasphemous, "I'd prefer something in a soft blush color."

"We don't have that," she cleared her throat, "But we have some ivory dresses; will that work?"

I shrugged and she rushed out to get them.

She returned with a rack filled with different dresses and handed me one to try. I didn't bother going to a changing room, seeing as it was only me, her and Evelyn here. I took off my clothes there and stepped into the dress.

She led me to the platform that stood in front of a standing mirror. The sight of me in a wedding dress made everything all the more real. The dress was beautiful, I won't deny that.

It is a vintage off the shoulder lace dress. It has intricate patterns all over the torso that bleed into the bottom of the dress. It didn't hug my body in any way; in fact, I looked like a proper capo's daughter; innocent, pure and ready to be led off to the slaughter house.

"I'll take it," I forced the words out of my lips.

"But this is the first dress," Evelyn complained, "You should try on some more."

"When you know, you know," I lied through my teeth, "And this is the one."

I was led out of the dress and she promised to have the adjustments ready before the wedding which is in exactly a week.

I thanked her and when she asked about bridesmaid dresses I gestured to Evelyn, she will be my only bridesmaid. It caused a huge fight with my father when I told him, he hit me and whipped me, but I didn't budge.

It took Evelyn almost an hour to find the perfect dress that she wanted. My only request was that her dress was pink, and she ended up choosing a sleeveless a line dress. It was modest and somehow made her look younger than she already is.

We left the store as soon as we were done and she asked if we could get ice cream. I obliged because I don't want to be home right now.

After we had placed our orders and sat down, she turned to me.

"You don't want this wedding, do you?" she asked and I shrugged, "I know you're not in love with my cousin; I might be young but I'm not stupid. I know how marriages in our world work. But you look like you would rather be doing anything other than planning your own wedding."

"Your cousin is a good husband choice; I could have done worse."

She sighed when she realized she wasn't getting the answer she wanted out of me.