Chapter 24
GAbrIELA
My day at school passes in a blur, and midway through classes, news breaks that more members of Imperium have been arrested. Mixed reactions ripple through campus, but it’s obvious the loyalists to the accused far outweigh the critics.
I’ve been the recipient of unwanted attention lately, and every day grows progressively worse.
I suspect members of Imperium have been spreading the word that I was with Nate and the others the night he disappeared. Now, everyone’s looking at me like I did something wrong, rather than the guys who have been assaulting women.
Everywhere I go, they’re staring at me and whispering. Even my classes aren’t safe. Bethany and her friends are more obnoxious than usual, and today I opened my cubby to find someone had stolen my supplies before studio. The only thing left behind was a sketchbook that didn’t belong to me.
I took it to the bathroom to open it, knowing whatever it was, it couldn’t be good.
But it was even worse than I thought. Inside, there were hundreds of photos they’d secretly taken of me—each one with my eyes scratched out.
They wanted me to know they’d been watching, and the scribbled observations in the margins confirmed it was meant to scare me.
We know you were there.
Your guard can’t watch you 24/7.
This isn’t over.
You should be more careful. Never know what might be waiting for you.
Nobody wants you here.
Everybody hates you.
I couldn’t read anymore, so I tossed it into the trash and cried, only to hear some of my classmates snickering outside the stall.
I felt sick for the rest of the day, and it doesn’t help that I haven’t heard from Eros either.
Usually, he’d leave me a note or send me a message before I wake up, but today, I got nothing.
When I texted him at lunch, he didn’t respond, and the feeling that I’m being ignored leaves a quiet ache in my chest.
I said this was supposed to be casual, but I’ve been lying to myself.
When he’s not with me, I feel his absence more than I care to admit.
But there are things I’ve conveniently ignored that only complicate my feelings, like the fact that he feels too familiar.
I’ve tried to write it off as paranoia or coincidence, but at some point, I’ll have to ask the questions I’ve been putting off.
Part of me feels like I should just ask Eros to reveal himself, but the other part of me is terrified. I’ve been happy with him, and once I know, it will change everything.
When Julian and I arrive home after school, my mood doesn’t improve when I find Michael waiting for me in the lobby.
He looks terrible, with shadowed eyes and a bruise on his cheek, and it sets me on edge. He never comes to see me in person, so whatever he has to tell me must be important.
Julian stiffens when he sees him, inching closer like he’s ready to protect me from my own stepfather. In the past, all my guards have been quick to show their respect to Michael. After all, he’s the one who’s supposed to hire them. But now I’m wondering if he actually did?
I’m trying to remember if he ever paid attention to who my last guard was. Would he even notice if they’d been switched? Honestly, probably not. Michael doesn’t concern himself with me unless he has to.
“Gabi.” He nods at me. “I need to talk to you for a minute.”
“Okay,” I answer nervously.
Julian hesitates like he doesn’t even want him here, but ultimately, we all pile into the elevator together and ride up in stilted silence. When the doors open and we step into the penthouse, Michael lets out a low whistle.
“Pays to have friends in high places, huh?”
He sounds bitter, and I don’t know why he cares as long as he doesn’t have to deal with me.
“I need a few minutes with Gabriela,” Michael tells Julian.
Julian seems reluctant to leave, and he glances at me as if to silently communicate he’ll be there if I need him. It’s strange that he’s so wary of Michael, but I suppose he’s probably picked up that he’s not a very nice man.
When I nod at Julian, he heads to his bedroom, and I let Beppe out of his tote and turn my attention to Michael.
“What happened to your face?” I ask.
“Your mom’s pissed at me,” he groans. “She doesn’t get that a man has needs beyond what a wife can provide sometimes. That’s something you should remember, Gabriela. It will make your marriage much easier.”
That bit of information makes me feel queasy, but of course, he doesn’t notice. Michael has always been an oversharer, and the last thing I want to hear about is what he does in his free time.
“Men like variety,” he explains, like I’m not getting the concept. “The wife is the home base. She keeps the house clean, cooks dinner, and raises the children. The man works hard to provide. Sometimes he wants something different than the same home-cooked meal every night. You get me?”
“Is this what you came to talk to me about?”
“No, but it will do you good to understand. No man wants a wife who nags about what he’s doing outside the house. You mind your business, and that’s all you have to worry about. Trust me, you’ll be much happier for it.”
Even though my mom has never liked me, I can’t help feeling a bit sorry for her. But if I don’t find a way out of my marriage contract, I’ll be doomed to the same fate.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I tell Michael, hoping he’ll get to the point.
He drags a hand through his hair and sighs. “Well, anyway, the reason I’m here is because I spoke to Riccardo today.”
I swallow my nerves, wondering if Riccardo said something to Michael about last weekend.
“He wants you to submit to a virginity test,” Michael informs me. “He’ll set it up and let you know the date.”
“What?” I stare at him, horrified.
“It’s standard practice in the higher echelons,” Michael says. “It’ll be quick.”
Dread settles in my gut as I consider the fallout when they discover I’m not a virgin. I’m imagining an exile far away from everyone I know, or a rushed engagement to someone even worse than Riccardo.
They’ll definitely yank me out of school, and I’ll never be allowed to go back.
The world around me blurs, and it feels like my life is flashing before my eyes.
I always knew having sex would be a risk, but I never thought Riccardo would stoop this low. The man showed up to our last family dinner covered in lipstick and perfume, and no one said a word about it.
This might be the world we live in, but I know the only reason he’s doing this is because his pride was wounded when he was on the island. He didn’t like that I defended Romeo, or that I was dancing with him.
“He also wants to move the wedding up to the end of June,” Michael announces.
“But that’s right after graduation,” I wheeze.
“Yeah, well, that’s his prerogative.” Michael shrugs. “Just be glad he’s letting you finish school. These high society types like to have their women educated so they can brag about it. It’s a waste of money if you ask me.”
“Is that all you wanted to tell me?” I swallow.
I’m about two seconds away from breaking down, and I don’t want Michael to see it. He’ll just yell at me and tell me what a disappointment I am.
“Yeah, that’s it. Don’t forget you have dance practice with Riccardo this weekend, and your cousin Val will go over wedding plans with both of you.”
I give him a stiff nod, and Michael presses the button for the elevator.
“Riccardo also wants weekly dinners with you from here on out,” he says as he steps inside the carriage. “I’ll let you two figure out the details.”
I stare through him as the elevator doors close, and only once he’s gone do I let the hot tears burning my eyes leak free.
“Miss Bianchi.” Julian appears a minute later as I’m still standing there, frozen. “Can I get you anything?”
“No,” I choke out. “Thank you, but I just want to go lie down.”
He nods, and I walk to my room in a daze, Beppe trailing after me. I scoop him up into my arms and crawl into bed, holding him as I cry it out. We stay like that for a long time, until all my tears have dried, and numbness settles in.
When I reach for my phone and check my messages, Eros still hasn’t texted me back. I really wish I could talk to him right now.
As I’m thinking about it, my phone rings, and I’m hopeful—until I see Riccardo’s name on the screen. He never calls me, but I’m assuming this must be about the weekly dinners. I don’t want to talk to him, but I know it will only make things worse if I don’t answer.
Against every instinct in my body, I accept his call.
“Hello?”
My voice sounds awful, but Riccardo doesn’t seem to notice, as usual.
“Hey. What are you doing?”
“Umm…nothing.”
An awkward silence follows before he sighs.
“Did Michael talk to you today?”
“Yes.” I close my eyes, trying to suppress my growing hatred for this man.
“I’m sure you can understand after last weekend’s performance why this is necessary.”
“What do you mean?”
“You embarrassed me,” he sneers.
I’m tempted to tell him I wasn’t the one who shit my pants, but I refrain.
“I didn’t realize,” I answer numbly.
“I get that you’re socially inept or whatever, but you need to learn how to talk to your man in a public setting.”
I’m not sure what disgusts me more—him calling himself my man, or the fact that he’s so insecure he has to cut me down to make himself feel better.
“I don’t want you dancing with other men again either,” he decrees. “It makes you look like a slut.”
I don’t respond, and it only grates on him further.
“Hello? Are you fucking listening?”
“Yes,” I force out. “I understand.”
As I say it, I’m wondering if there’s a way Abella can help me get out of this marriage.
She offered to talk to Angelo before, but realistically, I’m not sure what he can do.
He’s the don, but this has always been the way of the Cosa Nostra.
Women are married off to whoever their fathers see fit.
I’ve never heard of a don interfering with that tradition.