Chapter 9 Celestina

CELESTINA

Aunt Josephine handled the wedding preparations with Caroline's help. The Grecos didn't seem to show much interest in the details of the celebration. For them it was business, nothing else. It was decided that the wedding was to take place in my parents' mansion in the Hamptons-the place where they had been killed. My mother by my father and my father by Phoenix. It was almost symbolic that this was the place where I would lose my life as well.

On the day of my wedding, I stepped into the foyer of the mansion, a place I hadn't set foot in for years. It had been mostly deserted since then. My brothers had inherited the place-not me since I was a woman-and they had preferred to stay in Atlanta, away from Phoenix and away from me. They were much older, so we never had much in common anyway. They were busy making names for themselves, despite our father's wrongdoings. My marriage to Salvatore was supposed to wash away the blemish of the past, but my secret could ruin us all.

Over the last few days, cleaners and interior designers had awoken the place from its desolate state. The main party would take place in a massive party tent in the garden. It was late April and planning the party outside without any shelter would have been too risky.

I walked up the stairs slowly, and my eyes found the spot where my mother had died. With a shudder, I quickly scurried into my old bedroom. It, too, had been prepared for the day. Fresh flowers had been set up in vases around the room, probably to cover the musty scent of neglect. My aunt was talking to the stylist, who'd do my hair and makeup, at the vanity. A floor-length mirror had been set up for the occasion. My dress was spread out on the four-post bed.

It was a beautiful dress: white, the color of innocence and purity.

I looked at my aunt and considered telling her what had happened to me six years ago. As always, I didn't because I'd be less in her eyes. Something broken, something dirty. Not worthy of that perfect white dress.

Alejandra slipped into the room, already dressed in a beautiful burgundy dress, and hugged me. "I can't believe they chose this place for the celebrations," she muttered.

"It belongs to her closest living relatives, her brothers. It's what honor dictated." Honor dictated so many things in our lives, it hardly left any room for choice.

Alejandra rolled her eyes. "So it had nothing to do with the fact that nobody wanted to risk their mansion for the party because the risk of a bloodshed is too high? After all, that's why this isn't taking place in a hotel."

Aunt Josephine pursed her lips at her daughter. "Alejandra, really, one would think your marriage to Damion would have put a stop to your insolence."

"Damion likes my insolence," she said, her cheeks flushing.

Aunt Josephine sighed then narrowed a nervous glance toward the stylist; she was always worried about leaving a bad impression in front of others. "I think we should start now. With your unruly hair, it'll probably be a while before your bridal hairdo is done."

My aunt proved to be right. The stylist took forever taming my curls into a braid that traveled down my back. A thin strand of gold leaves and pearls that she wound into it adorned the simple style. "You are so very beautiful," Alejandra said quietly.

Josephine clasped her hand in front of her stomach, regarding me with more affection than I'd ever seen before. "You are."

The stylist left the room with a small smile, which I returned even as my facial muscles felt ready to burst from tension.

Josephine smoothed out the veil lining my neckline again before she faced me, touching my shoulders. "As women, we have to fulfill our duty to our husbands ..." she began, and I tensed because I knew where she was going with it. "You don't have to be-" She stopped herself. Don't have to be scared? Those were the words every mother spoke to her daughter on their wedding day. I knew because Alejandra had told me Josephine said the same thing to her on her wedding day. I met Aunt Josephine's gaze and the guilt I'd seen in her eyes before was back. "Make him treat you like a lady."

Alejandra stepped up to Josephine. "Mother, let me talk to Celestina, okay? I think she will feel more comfortable around me."

Aunt Josephine nodded, looking relieved. She patted my shoulder then walked out, leaving me alone with my stepsister.

Alejandra sighed as she regarded me in the mirror. "I don't like this, Celestina. You shouldn't be marrying a Greco. You are the last person who should."

"Why? Better than someone innocent."

Alejandra gripped my hand hard. "Stop it. You aren't dirty or less or whatever you think you are because of what he did to you. And you don't deserve this."

"Who deserves this? I don't wish this fate on any other girl. I will survive."

Alejandra perched on the vanity. "I don't know what to tell you."

"Don't say anything. There's nothing you can tell me that will set me at ease," I told her quickly. I knew what was going to happen tonight, and I had lived through it before. I swallowed. "I won't fight him. I will do what he wants. Then surely it will be endurable. I'm not thirteen anymore." My words were hushed, broken vowels strung together.

Alejandra breathed deeply. "My God, Celestina. Tell Phoenix. He can still find a way out of this for you."

"Cancelling the wedding today? That would be a slap in Cosimo Greco's face. He isn't a man who will turn the other cheek. He will seek revenge, no matter the price." I took a deep breath. "No. I will marry Salvatore. Did you get the pills I asked you for?"

She held out a small package to me. "One should do the trick, but I really don't think you should drug yourself to be calm."

"It's a light sedative. It won't knock me out." Although, I would have preferred that effect, but Salvatore would not appreciate it if I were unconscious when he claimed me. My stomach pinched sharply, and I pressed my palm against it.

"Celestina-"

"No. I'm doing this. Many choices have been taken from me throughout this life, but I choose to salvage my honor, choose to hold my head high no matter what happens. Let this be my choice."

Alejandra nodded and got up. "Because the Grecos are feared, because they rule without mercy,doesn't mean Salvatore won't treat you with kindness. Some men don't bring violence home to their wives. Some men can distinguish between the ones they need to protect and those they need to break. I think Salvatore might be one of them."

I wondered if she really believed her words or if they were just to console me, but I didn't have the courage to ask her. I stuffed the pills into the small white purse that matched my dress. "Can you give it to me at the party? I can't carry it down the aisle."

Alejandra took it and hugged me briefly. "Of course."