GRIFFIN
I stand towards the side of the hall, looking at her laughing and talking. She's definitely slightly drunk.
I won't let this get to our wedding day.
Her threat wasn't lost on me, and I was expecting some resistance from her. But I could handle whatever she threw at me.
"Is Ariel a little.. tipsy?" Aaron asks, coming up beside me.
"She is." I sip my scotch.
"Well should you take away that glass of," he squints his eyes in her direction. "Merlot?" He guesses.
"I tried. She wasn't open to the idea." I drawl. Alana gets pulled away by Ares, then her friend Avalynn walks off leaving her standing alone in the middle if the room. She's just staring off into no where. "Excuse me." I walk towards her, but as I near her back, I see that she is infact not staring at nothing, but directly at Damon.
"Ariel." I try to get her attention. She hums, still staring at him. My jaw clenches.
"Do you think Damon kind of gives Damon Salvatore vibes?" She asks.
"The Salvatores don't have anyone named Damon in their family." I inform.
My chest warms with the soft laugh she lets out.
"Ofcourse you know someone named the Salvatores. I'm talking about a tv show." She informs. "Look at him." She says. I glance to where Damon is openly flirting with multiple women stood around him. "He's like a younger, sexy 007." she says.
All humor leaves my body.
"Look at him a little longer, darling. I dare you." I growl, close to her hair. She turns, finding my face so close to hers, I can feel her small puffs of breath on my lips. Her pupils are dilated against their gray background and her cheeks are flushed and puffy. She looks fucking adorable.
"You can't be jealous." she whispers.
"And why not?" I ask, maintaining our proximity. She smells like rain and a hint of cherries from the wine.
"Because you don't even like me." She says.
"I can be jealous, micetta."
And I do like you, more than you know.
Her lips quirk into a smile before her intoxicated eyes drop to my mouth. She leans in, her lips ghost over mine before I quickly straighten.
No matter how much it fucking pains me to have done that, she would hate me if I let her kiss me while she's drunk.
"Oh sorry. I forgot you hate me." She smiles.
"No--" She turns and walks away, before any more words can leave my mouth fuck.
I follow behind her but slow down when she walks up to her father.
"Dad? Can we go home now?" her voice is small, sad almost.
"Of course principessa. Are you okay?" She pats her head.
"Yes. Just tired." Her voice cracks. My heart cracks along with it.
"Okay, let me find your mom." He pats her hair again, walking away. She turns, sucking in a breath when she sees me. I catch the building moisture in those big gray eyes but before I can get closer, her dad comes back and takes her away.
My chest squeezes. I don't hate her, even when I should.
ARIEL
My alarm blares from where my phone rests on the nightstand, and I groan at the piercing headache, telltale of my sad, crying my eyes type of out night.
I shut it off, slowly getting out of bed, and walking into my bathroom to splash cold water on my face. I wipe my face with a tissue, the shiny glint of my newest accessory catches my eye.
I can't believe how much I love and hate this ring at the same time.
I finish up in the bathroom, then pick up my phone to dial Ava.
I am planning on flying back to California in a few days. My leave from work was only 10 days, I still have a few days but I want to get back and reel in all the drama from Rome before I go back to work.
But before I reel it in, I have to stir it up. Right?
"Hi!" Ava picks up the phone in a chirpy tone.
"You sound happy." I comment.
"Well, I've been shopping with Papa's black card all morning. I forgot how fun it is." She laughs, almost obnoxiously. Like she was covering something up. Maybe it's my hangover.
"I'm glad you're having fun." I hum. "Can we do something fun tonight? Im feeling a little... rambunctious." I ask her. She laughs.
"I love when you ask me to go wild. I'm always the fun one." She says.
"I just want my fiancé to suffer a little while I'm still here. Regret ever making me do anything I didn't want to do."
"Ofcourse! We have to go to Armano before you leave, I went the last time I was in Rome it was all the vibes." She gushes.
"Okay, but it can't be a dive bar where we get drugged." I warn.
"It won't be. I'm sorry about that." She says, demurred.
"It's okay, so it's a classy club? What should I wear?"
We chat for a couple more minutes before I hang up and head downstairs for food to help my headache.
"Morning." My mom says when I step into the kitchen.
"Morning." I smile with a wave.
"Oh, look at you. My daughter's engaged." She holds my hands in hers, looking down at my ring. "It's a beautiful choice, exactly what you like." Her eyes glint. I give her a weak smile.
"I am so glad you are marrying someone you want Ariel. It is all I have ever wanted for you. Love truly is a beautiful gift." She takes a deep breath before leaving me in kitchen with final squeeze of my hands.
I feel tears sting my eyes at her enthusiasm.
How I wish it was true. Marrying for love was never important to me. I thought it would come along the way and I would cross the bridge when it came.
But after Griffin, I simply didn't see myself with anyone, not to marry or date. Our arrangement was so complicated and confusing, I don't even know how to feel about it.
