21. Serafina
CHAPTER 21
Serafina
C azzo. Fuck. I'm not ready for this. The click of my black Jimmy Choos echoes off the marble floors as I stride into the grand living room, flanked by stern-faced bodyguards in black suits. Mancini soldiers line the walls, hands clasped, jaws set. Across the room, Luciano Fabietti lounges on the plush couch like a lazy lion, all tanned skin, blonde hair, and tailored Armani. His consigliere and caporegimes cluster around him.
And there, in the shadows by the window wearing a black suit to match the rest of the bodyguards … Lucas. My love.
What is he doing here?
My heart stutters, trips, then thunders in my ears. How is no one else unfazed by his presence? I search his achingly handsome face for answers, but he looks away, those storm-grey eyes shuttered.
Bile rises in my throat. I want to scream, to demand what the hell is going on. But with the eyes of both families boring into me, I can only stand there, a brittle porcelain doll in Dolce, hands balled into fists at my sides. The sting of my nails cutting into my palms is a welcome distraction from the knife twisting in my chest.
Lucas, amore mio, look at me.
Nothing. He leans against the wall, arms crossed, silent as a wraith. But I see the tic in his clenched jaw, the crease between his dark brows. He's hurting, too. Dio, why won't he look at me?
My gaze darts around the room, searching for a friendly face, an ally amidst the enemies. Instead, my Mother catches my eye, an elegant brow arched. She inclines her head, almost imperceptibly, towards the empty armchair across from Luciano. An order, not an invitation. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I glide to the seat on wooden legs, spine ramrod straight. The game begins.
Father smiles, flashing perfect white teeth. "Serafina, bella, so good of you to join us. Now that everyone is here, shall we discuss the details of this happy union between our esteemed famiglias?" His oily voice curls around me, a snake's embrace. I nod curtly, not trusting myself to speak. My eyes stray to Lucas once more, drinking him in like a woman dying of thirst.
Amore, what have you done?
As the meeting drones on, talk of guest lists, floral arrangements, and wedding venues fading into a dull buzz, my gaze keeps finding its way back to Lucas. Every glance is a silent plea, a desperate attempt to bridge the chasm between us.
Look at me, cari?o. I want to see those stormy grey eyes that have been haunting my dreams since the night we finally gave in to our desires. But he remains stoic, a statue carved from heartache and regret, his pain mirroring my own.
Mother's voice cuts through the haze, sharp as a stiletto. "Dante, perhaps we should discuss security for the blessed event. I trust we'll both be providing our best men?"
Dante, the Don of the Fabietti mob, grins. "But of course, Isabella. Nothing but the best for our kids' big day."
"Great. We've hand-selected our most trusted men for the job. As a matter of fact, one of them is in this very room."
My heart stutters, a bird trapped in the cage of my ribs. No. It can't be. Not him. Not like this.
Mother's perfectly manicured hand rests on my shoulder, her ruby-red nails a warning against my skin. "I see you've spotted our newest sicario," she purrs, her voice honey-laced with arsenic. It’s picture clear now that her invitation to him was not simply to inform him of my upcoming marriage, but rather a calculated move to assert her control over me.
My vision blurs, hot tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. Lucas, mi amor, what have they done to you? What have we done?
But I blink them away, schooling my features into a mask of cool indifference. I am a Mancini, after all. We don't break. We don't bend. Even when our hearts are shattering like spun glass on marble.
As the Fabiettis take their leave, air kisses and insincere smiles exchanged like counterfeit currency, I seize my chance. I catch Lucas's eye, jerking my head almost imperceptibly towards the hallway. He hesitates, a muscle ticking in his jaw, but follows me out of the room.
The moment we're alone, the dam breaks. "Why, Lucas? Why would you do this? Why would you accept... this?" I gesture helplessly at his tailored suit, the gleaming gun at his hip.
He runs a hand through his hair, his eyes wild and desperate. "Serafina, my angel, you have to understand. I didn't have a choice."
"There's always a choice!" I hiss, my voice cracking like a whip. "You could have stayed away, could have built a life for yourself far from this... this madness!"
He shakes his head, a wry, humorless smile twisting his lips. "A life without you? That's no life at all."
I stare at him, my heart a lead weight in my chest. "What are you saying, Lucas?"
He takes a step closer, his gaze intense, burning. "I'm saying I did this for you, Serafina. To be near you. To breathe the same air as you." His hand comes up to cup my cheek, his touch achingly gentle. "Even if it's all I can ever have."
I lean into his touch, my eyes fluttering closed. "Lucas..."
But he pulls away, his jaw set, his eyes hardening like steel. "I know what I signed up for, Serafina. I know the price I'll pay." He takes a step back, straightening his tie with shaking hands.
"But as long as I can be near you, even like this... it's worth it. You're worth it."
And with that, he turns on his heel and strides away, leaving me alone in the hallway, my heart shattered at my feet like so much broken glass.