Money wasn’t an issue.
There would always be money but if that little princess thought she was going to spend all day giving me lip and just take from me she had another thing coming. I licked my lips as I thought of her on her knees, having to say ‘please’ as I doled out an allowance.
This girl was a witch. A spell put on me that made me unable to keep my head around her.
“Papa, it’s July tomorrow. A summer wedding? No, there is no time for that. Too much to plan and all the venues are booked out for years. Unless you mean next summer, of course.” There was her smile again, her eyes on him as she tried to get her way.
She patted his arm as she looked around, obviously ready to go and have all this talk put on pause. So dismissive of the wedding talk even though she had signed a contact that she had just agreed to marry me.
But my father was looking at her too.
Good.
Let her sweat a little bit.
“We will pick a date before we leave this table. And you will be married by the end of the year.” My father left no room to be argued with and I could see another surge of panic across her pretty features. Just a small splash of emotion she hadn’t checked.
The princess was hiding something.
And now was my time to swoop in and get her out of this situation like the good fiancée I was going to play at.
Before I rang her pretty little neck and got her secrets from her.
“Why don’t we go for a walk? It’s a nice night and I can show you the neighborhood.” I was already standing up, sliding my jacket back on that I had removed for dinner and buttoning it up.
If I was good at anything it was leaving a situation I didn’t want to be in.
She looked at me, eyes shifting to the older men who were trying to see what game I was playing at. But I knew men like them and the way I was coming to her rescue was exactly the sort of white knight expectations they had for a man and a woman.
“Surely we can meet you tomorrow for breakfast. We need a night to get to know each other. Ilaria can stay at my place and we can meet for breakfast at 8AM. By then we should have some plans for the wedding and Mama would want to meet my beautiful fiancée. Right?” I offered to them like making plans right away and adding my mother to the mix was the only logical thing to do.
I looked at her but she didn’t trust me and was glaring at me like I had just spit in her face instead of offering her a way out of this.
She had no reason to trust me and so far we had gotten off completely on the wrong foot. But in this situation it was within her best interest to go along with what I wanted. Make it easier on everyone.
Reaching for the sparkling water I watched her pour herself a glass. Sipping deeply as she thought, looking up after a second and giving me the fakest smile she could muster. Her head nods enough that I sigh in relief.
“Is that okay, papa?” Her voice was sweet and I wondered if she practiced that in her bathroom. The perfect tone to manipulate people.
She is looking at him now, modest and soft, playing her part as a good girl. Someone who takes orders without any sass. The perfect Italian daughter who had both our fathers eating out of her hand.
But she may have them fooled but I didn’t buy her act one bit.
“You will keep my daughter’s honor? There will be a sheet ceremony the morning after your marriage.” Her fathers voice is serious now. No more joking about us and the babies we will make; the baby making needs to be done after we’re officially married.
The sheet test was an old Sicilian tradition that I hadn’t expected anyone to still want to commit to. It was barbaric and another way to control women.
The way that her cheeks pinkened had my head turning as I thought about this minx still being a virgin and feeling my cheeks pull back in a smirk for just a quick second before turning back to her father.
“Her honor will be safe with me until she shares my last name.” My words come out easily knowing that it’s up to me now to keep her intact for my family’s honor as well.
He nodded, satisfied at my answer. As my head spins at the idea of Ilaria being a virgin.
And mine.
Now it’s me that feels like I drank too much wine.
My eyes flicker to my bride-to-be, watching her have anther glass of sparkling water as I move to where she is seated, after shaking her fathers hand.
We would play this game, a gentleman treating her with respect when I really wanted to ring her neck.
I would get her secrets tonight and she would sign the papers for my club. We would manipulate each other which must have been one of the worst ways to start a marriage.
But what choice did she leave me?
Pulling out her chair I offer her my hand, surprised she stands up so easily and isn’t wobbling on her heels. She lets me guide her as we say our goodbyes. Exchanging kisses and promises of an early breakfast with them.
Ilaria is playing the part well enough that for a moment I think marrying her may be an advantage.
The way my father is eating out of her hand when he barely likes anyone and hasn’t smiled this much in years, surprises me. Even the staff of the restaurant comes over to congratulate her and for a moment I am forgetting how she drove me insane earlier and just appreciating her.
She is the type of woman that is an asset to have on your arm and here she is reaching for mine. Slipping her hand through my arm, I’m surprised when she steps closer to me, silently conveying it’s time to leave and making me lead her from the restaurant.
The streets are brick and cobblestone in this section so she keeps her arm linked with mine, leaning against me as I walk with her. Both of us quiet as our feet carry us away from our fathers and somewhere away from the summer crowds that are basking in the beauty of the North End. Taking in the dining al fresco, the shops they are planning to visit tomorrow, and walking around small streets as they oh and ah about different landmarks.
It’s easy to forget how beautiful the neighborhood is. I have taken advantage of it from years of living here.
I grew up with people knowing who my father was and a group of people raising me, looking out for me. I played basketball on the Prince Street courts and did youth hockey at the rink by the water.
