Born in Blood Collection Volume 1 - Cora Reilly Page 0,396

my back. But worse than that was the telltale prickling in my eyes. I couldn’t cry now. That would ruin everything. I took a few deep breaths through my nose before I started to redo my makeup. When I left the restroom twenty minutes later, I looked like nothing had happened, but my insides were twisting. I’d thought I’d made peace with my marriage to Benito, had hoped my feelings for Romero had lessened, but now I realized that was far from being true.

The moment I stepped onto the dance floor, Luca was there and asked me for a dance. I knew he wanted more than that. He steered us toward a part of the dance floor where there weren’t as many dancers before he started to talk quietly. “You are still going through with this marriage? You and Romero were gone for a while.”

“Yes. I will marry Benito, don’t worry,” I said tiredly. I couldn’t even blame Luca for being so insensitive. He’d invited me into his home and taken care of me, and I’d paid him back by making one of soldiers break his oath.

“You don’t have to stay married to him forever,” Luca said casually.

“Father would never agree to a divorce.” Father would kill me before that ever happened.

“There are other ways out of a marriage than divorce. Sometimes people die.”

“He’s not that old.”

Luca cocked an eyebrow. “Sometimes people die anyway.”

Was he really suggesting that I should kill Benito? “Why can’t he die before my wedding?”

“That would look suspicious. Wait a few months. The time will pass quickly, trust me.”

I wanted to believe him but months sharing a bed with Benito, of having him inside of me, like Romero had just been, sounded like hell.

“Romero won’t want me anymore then.”

Luca remained silent. He knew it to be true. Why would Romero still want me after I’d spent months sleeping with another guy? I was already disgusted by the thought, how much worse would it be for him? “There are good men in the Outfit too. You’ll find new happiness. You’re doing the right thing by marrying Benito. You’re preventing war and you’re protecting Romero from himself. That’s a brave thing to do.”

I nodded, but I wanted to cry. Luca and I returned to our table. Aria tried to talk to me again but she gave up when I barely said anything. I needed to survive this day somehow and then my wedding, and the months thereafter, and then maybe I’d get another chance at happiness. I searched the room until my eyes settled on Romero. He was pointedly not looking at me. I loved him, loved him so much it hurt. I knew there would be no happiness for me without him.

* * *

Aria and Gianna helped me with my dress. It was white of course, with a veil that trailed after me. I wore my hair down because Benito had wanted me to.

“You look beautiful,” Aria said from behind me.

I checked my reflection but I could only see the look of utter despair in my eyes. I’d need the veil to hide it from the world. Gianna and Aria didn’t know about my last conversation with Father, and it was better that way. If they knew how much he’d scared me, they’d take me away despite the risk for their own lives.

“This is crap,” Gianna muttered. She touched my shoulder. “Lily, get the hell away from here. Let us help you. What’s the use of being married to the Capo and the Consigliere of the Famiglia if we can’t force them to start a war for our little sister? You’re going to be miserable.”

“Luca said I could get rid of Benito in a few months when it won’t look suspicious anymore.”

Gianna snorted. “Oh sure, and what until then? My God, could Luca be any more of a jerk?”

Aria didn’t say anything, which was a sign in itself. She usually always tried to defend Luca.

“Are you and Luca still fighting?” I asked.

She shrugged. “I wouldn’t call it fighting. We’re basically ignoring each other. He’s angry at me for keeping you and Romero a secret from him, and I’m mad at him for making you marry Brasci.”

“He isn’t making me, Aria. Father is. Luca’s acting like a Capo should. I’m not his responsibility but the Famiglia is.”

“Good God, Romero has really rubbed off on you. Please tell me you don’t really believe what you just said,” Gianna said.

“I won’t have you all risk everything for me.”

Gianna touched her