Chapter 8 Salvatore

SALVATORE

We pulled up in front of the massive stone and stucco Romano villa in Baltimore, where the engagement party would take place. With only two days before the actual wedding, there was no logical reason to get officially engaged at all, but logical decisions weren't the Famiglia's forte. Saverio, Augusto, and Simone remained in Las Vegas to make sure things went smoothly over there. They would only fly over for the actual wedding. It wasn't as if any of us cared for the festivities. It wouldn't be a huge affair like Caroline and Phoenix's wedding had been many years ago. Our Underbosses and Captains would stay in their territory. Cosimo wouldn't risk anything after the Outfit attack.

"If they've invited that fucker Puma, I will paint their walls bright red with his fucking blood and that of any Famiglia fucker who gets in my way," Cosimo growled.

"He won't be invited, Cosimo. Phoenix won't risk it. He knows you and Puma will tear into each other."

"What about you? You'd fucking stand by and watch that fucker prancing around when he killed our father before we could?"

"Of course not. I'd slice him open ear to ear."

The moment we got out of the rental car, the door to the house opened, and Altair and Josephine Casella appeared in the doorway. Cosimo shot me a look, one corner of his mouth curling up. "Someone kept an eye on the window, it seems," he muttered as we walked up to my future wife's aunt and uncle. The engagement wouldn't be a grand feast, only held to appease the traditionalists in the Famiglia who required an official engagement before the wedding, but the Casellas were dressed up in a tuxedo and a long evening dress anyway.

"I think we are underdressed," I said quietly. I had put on a black turtleneck and black dress pants with black wingtip shoes. Cosimo was dressed in a similar fashion, minus the turtleneck, which he'd swapped for a black dress shirt.

Cosimo shrugged.

"All in black," Mrs. Casella said with raised eyebrows after I kissed her hand. "What a curious choice for the occasion."

"It's the choice color for our profession. Blood is so very difficult to wash out," Cosimo drawled in his best Oxford English as he kissed her hand. That was pretty much the only thing he'd learned during our time in England. Of course, he only used it to unsettle people.

Mrs. Casella took a small step back from Cosimo, tugging her hand out of his grasp.

I shook hands with Mr. Casella, and he squeezed harder than was necessary. I tilted my head, eyes narrowing. If he tried this with Cosimo, the black shirt would prove its worth. "We are honored to give you Celestina in marriage," he said, releasing my hand. "Please call me Altair, and this is my wife Josephine."

I sent Cosimo a warning glance before he shook the man's hand.

"Come in," Altair said, stepping back. Cosimo and I followed him inside. It was a large old house with lots of dark wood and rugs in the entrance hall.

"The guests have already gathered in the living room and on the patio, but you and Celestina should enter together," Altair said then turned to Cosimo. "Perhaps you can join the guests. My wife will lead the way."

Josephine gave a tense smile and motioned for Cosimo to follow, but he made no move to do so. "I think for now my brother and I will stay together."

Altair blinked then nodded slowly. "Very well. Come on. I chose the library for your first meeting. It's the place Celestina spends most of her time."

I cocked an eyebrow. "She likes to read?"

Altair hesitated. "She does, but she is also very beautiful and demure. The perfect wife despite her intelligence."

Cosimo rolled his eyes behind the man's back. We stepped into a wide room that was filled with dark wooden bookcases. A book lay opened on the small table beside the reading chair. I walked toward it as Altair frowned. "She should be here."

"Perhaps she decided to run off," Cosimo offered helpfully.

"She wouldn't," Altair said quickly, but I caught the hint of worry on his face-and so had Cosimo.

I picked up the book. It was about the history of Las Vegas. It pleased me that she made an effort to learn about my hometown's history.

"There she is," Altair said loudly.

I put the book back down, and my eyes moved toward the doorway.

Celestina Romano was a fine-boned woman, shorter than I'd expected, almost breakable in appearance, but her hips curved nicely under her dress, and she had above-average-sized breasts. She wore a dress the color of light rose, almost white, but it made her look even more fragile. Clearly it was to emphasize her innocence, but I would have preferred bolder colors. Her dark eyes settled on my face-not my eyes, though-lower, perhaps on my nose, and her shoulders tensed ever so slightly. She hadn't moved from the doorway, appearing almost frozen. Her palm pressed up to the doorframe, and I knew it was to steady herself.

Cosimo looked at me, gauging my reaction, which was a futile effort on his part.

Her uncle motioned for her to come closer. "Come on, Celestina. Greet your future husband and brother-in-law."

A second passed before she pulled herself away from the doorway and walked toward us. Her movements were elegant and purposeful but underplayed with a hint of a tremor she couldn't suppress.

She stopped beside her uncle.

Even wearing heels, she only reached my chin. "It's a pleasure to meet you," she said in a soft voice. Her eyes darted from my face to Cosimo's then quickly back to her uncle.

"The pleasure is mine," I replied, and Cosimo's smile pulled wider. Celestina flinched slightly, almost imperceptible, but Cosimo had noticed, twitching his lip, and so had I.

Her uncle cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"I would like a few minutes alone with her to give her the ring and get to know each other," I said, never taking my eyes off her.

"Well," her uncle said, his eyes flitting between Cosimo and me and then to Celestina. "I'm not sure -"

Cosimo flashed him a twisted smile. "They will be married in two days. Then she will come to Las Vegas with us, but you are worried about her being alone for a couple of moments with my brother? She will be subject to his will for the rest of her life."

Celestina's shoulders rounded, caving in, and she swallowed hard.

Altair paled, his eyes hardening. "This is for peace. Don't forget that."

I spoke up before Cosimo could because he looked like he would have used his knife instead of words, and I wanted this annoying power play to end quickly. "You shouldn't forget it either. Celestina isn't your concern anymore. She is mine." I showed him the ring, and her eyes flitted toward it briefly.

"Today, I will put this ring on her finger, and then my word is the law, not yours."

Resignation filled her face, and her shoulders slumped, but she caught herself quickly and straightened again.

"What do you say, Celestina?" her uncle asked. "Do you agree to talk to Salvatore?"

She met his gaze, her lips tense. "This is the first time you've asked me if I agree. As Mr. Greco pointed out, I will be under my future husband's rule soon enough, so I don't see how it matters now."

Her uncle stared at her, a blank look on his face. Obviously he was not used to any objection from her. He gave a jerky nod and turned on his heel, rushing out of the room.

Before Cosimo moved to follow, he turned to Celestina. "Never call me Mr. Greco again. That was my father, and I would have burned the fucker alive if I had been given the chance."

He stalked past Celestina, and she shied away from him so his arm wouldn't brush hers. Cosimo threw the door shut, and Celestina jumped. She wasn't naturally submissive, even if she acted that way.

I held out my hand, a silent order, and wondered if she'd comply. She stepped up to me and put her palm in mine, not meeting my eyes. I wrapped my fingers around her wrist, my thumb pressing against her veins. She shivered, goose bumps rising on her skin.

Dilated pupils, accelerated breathing, racing pulse, trembling, Celestina had the telltale signs of terror. I kept my thumb on her pulse point as I regarded her. She finally raised her gaze to mine, and her pulse sped up further. Her body's reactions could have been a sign for arousal as well, but I knew they weren't.

"So you didn't agree to marry me," I pointed out.

Her cheeks flushed, and her gaze returned to my chin. "I did agree when Phoenix asked me, but my uncle never asked when he made the offer."

"Why did you agree when Phoenix asked, then?"

Her brows drew together. "Because it wasn't really a choice; it was disguised as one. In this life women aren't given choices."

I regarded her for a few moments. She seemed angry. Her anger suited me better than the submissive terror she'd displayed before. I lifted her hand, and she tensed again as if she'd forgotten about my touch. Her pulse raced against my fingertips. I showed her the ring. "I won't tell you that you have a choice to accept this or not. We both know you will accept it like you will say yes in two days."

She blanched and gave a small nod. "Otherwise there won't be peace." "Indeed."

Her fingers shook as I put the engagement ring on. The jeweler had recommended it after I told her money wasn't an issue. A simple gold band with a big diamond in the middle. I never understood the reason for engagement rings. She swallowed again, and I realized it was to contain some of her terror. "You realize this isn't a death sentence."

Dark brown eyes rose to meet mine. "Death isn't the worst that can happen."

"You will be my wife," I told her. Whatever she'd heard about my brothers and me, and what was going on in Vegas, she didn't have to fear that kind of thing.

The door opened and Celestina quickly pulled her hand from mine, swallowing again, but she didn't manage to erase the fear on her face. A woman with long brown hair, a lighter shade than Celestina's, poked her head in, eyes roving between Celestina and me. She narrowed her eyes then stepped into the room. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

I recognized her from photos of the Famiglia Underbosses and Captains I'd studied. Alejandra Mancini, wife to Damion Mancini, Underboss of Philadelphia. "I think that was the purpose of your appearance, wasn't it?" I drawled.

She didn't look guilty as she moved to Celestina's side and gave me a haughty expression. "It's not proper for you to be alone with her yet. I don't know how you handle things in Las Vegas, but here we handle them like this."

I gave her a cold smile. "Don't worry, I'm very aware of your traditions, as peculiar as they may be with the presentation of the sheets."

If I'd thought, Celestina had been scared before, my mentioning of that tradition upped her fright.

I held out my hand but looked at Alejandra. "Celestina and I are supposed to make an appearance together, Mrs. Mancini ... unless that tradition has been changed recently?"

She glanced at Celestina, who gave her a firm smile. "He's right, Alejandra. We don't want to disappoint the guests."

She slipped her hand back in mine and lifted her chin. My thumb found her wrist again, and she shivered.

Thud-thud. Thud.

An erratic rhythm.

Thud-thud. Thud.

Alejandra left, but she didn't close the door.

Without another word, I led Celestina into the living room, where the guests were waiting for our appearance. They began clapping when we entered. What a display of fake excitement. Cosimo stood beside Phoenix, his brother Warren, and Romero. The women of the family were gathered on the other side of the room, probably because of my brother. Cosimo's expression didn't bode well. Maybe he was pissed that he didn't get the chance to spill our half-brother's blood, but I had told him Phoenix wouldn't dare invite him.

Phoenix and Celestina's uncle spoke a few words as was expected. After that, I released Celestina, so she could show off her ring to the women.

"And what do you think? Are you satisfied with your future bride?" Cosimo asked with a grin as I stopped beside him. Phoenix tossed us a hard look. Cosimo being his usual provocative self hadn't bothered to lower his voice.

"It's too early to assess my level of satisfaction yet," I said, considering her again. Her face was evenly shaped with the right proportions, pleasant to look at, and her dark eyes and hair contrasted in a pleasing way with her pale skin. Her body fulfilled all the requirements to attract male attention: narrow waist, slender legs, round ass, and bigger than average breasts. I would have no trouble claiming her on our wedding night.

"Done with your assessment?" Cosimo said as he followed me toward the spread of delicacies on the dining table. "You will definitely enjoy fucking her. I wish I could get a taste." "But you won't," I said plainly.

Cosimo tilted his head. "In the past, the king had the right of the first night."

"Ius primae noctis."

"Maybe I should establish something like that in Vegas." Cosimo chuckled, his eyes scanning the crowd for suitable women. "Bring all your virgins so I can break them."

I shook my head. At least this time he had the sense to speak quietly. Phoenix needed peace as much as we did, but his patience certainly had its limits. "You aren't king, Cosimo. And you don't have a right to the first night with Celestina."

"Jealous isn't like you," Cosimo said with a hint of ... was that curiosity?

"I'm not jealous, but there are a few things I don't want to share with you and Celestina is one of them."

Cosimo waved me off. "She is all yours. Don't worry." I wasn't worried. Cosimo was unpredictable, twisted, and brutal, but he was my brother and he would never lay hand on someone who was mine. "But I will have to give this ... what did you call it?" "Ius primae noctis," I provided.

"Yeah, that. Maybe I will have to give it another thought."

I regarded my brother, trying to figure out if he was being serious. It was often hard to tell with Cosimo, and my lack of understanding human emotions had little to do with it. "You realize that most men won't find the idea of you fucking their women very appealing. There is a limit to what people will take, even from you. Fear has its limits. At some point, humans revolt."

Cosimo rolled his eyes. "You realize you are human too, right?"

"I always got the impression that you and I had little humanity left."

Cosimo clapped my shoulder. "True." His smile turned dangerous. "Who needs emotions and morals when they can fuck and maim and kill as they please?" I had never seen the appeal of having emotions.

Celestina glanced at me from across the room again but quickly looked away when I met her gaze. She was trying to hide her emotions, but I could sense her terror even from the distance. Emotions were always a weakness.