Arianna's Marriage Contract

1. Prologue

Prologue

Tucker

“You’re sure there’s no way around this?” It wasn’t the first time my mom had asked my dad this question, but I hoped it was the last.

His sigh told me he was as tired of having this conversation as I was hearing it. “Yes, Ashley. I’m one-hundred percent positive this is something we have to go through with. You heard Apollo.”

“It’s fine, Mom. Please stop worrying.” I was nervous as it was, meeting the girl that I’d have to marry one day, but her nerves were making everything worse.

She looked at me over her shoulder, assessing me as her eyes roamed over my suit, tie, and hair, making sure I hadn’t messed it up since leaving the hotel.

Coming to New York for the first time should have been exciting, but so far it had just been stressful since we arrived the night before. Maybe after this meeting was over, it would get better.

Dad cleared his throat as he turned to face me, the gates to the compound we were going to looming in the distance.

“Remember, you only speak to adults if spoken to. This is a completely different world than what you’ve grown up in, so you will have to follow my lead.

When we walk in the house, we will be frisked for weapons, then taken to Lucian.

You will call him Don Vitale and give a slight head bow like we’ve practiced.

He’ll then introduce you to his son, Alessandro.

Because you are seen as his equal, both heirs to your family, you shake his hand.

When he introduces you to his daughter, then and only then do you look at her. Understood?”

I nodded. “Yes. I remember.” It sounded stupid as heck but my dad and Uncle Apollo had been driving this into me for the past couple of weeks since the meeting was set up.

“When he introduces her, I look at her, step forward, hand her the flower, then take her offered hand and place a kiss on the back of it.”

A single red rose sat next to me on the seat of the car. It was supposed to be a symbol of my commitment to this deal.

My dad eyed the rose, then he gave a slight nod. “Good. Have you decided what you’re going to call her?”

Apollo had told us the men in this family always had a nickname for their wives. Typically something Italian, and we’d spent some time looking over ideas. He thought if I came in with one, it would win some bonus points with her dad.

My eyes flicked to my mom as I felt increasingly uncomfortable. Talking about girls in front of her was weird.

Her face softened. “If you haven’t, that’s okay. Typically people don’t give each other pet names until they’ve been together for a while.”

“But they don’t live in our world.” Which is why I’d spent way longer than anyone should, trying to decide.

My dad showed me pictures of her and she was pretty, but calling her bellissima, which means beautiful, felt awkward, especially since I’d have to say it in front of her family.

Amore or Mio Cuore were even worse because I didn’t love her.

I hoped to one day, but I didn't right now.

And Dolcezza was out because she might not be sweet at all. “Vita Mia.”

It means “my life”, and while it still seemed like something an adult should say, not a kid because she definitely wasn’t my life, I was giving my life to her to save my family, so that’s why I ultimately chose it.

My mom smiled. “That’s beautiful.”

The car came to a stop, and both of my parents turned around, facing the front. The driver rolled down the window by my dad so the Vitale security could verify it was him before letting our three cars through.

We always traveled with security around Crestwood, but the amount we brought to New York was way more than normal. There were two with us in the car now. Michael, my dad’s head of security, was driving, and Sean, my personal bodyguard, was in the passenger seat.

Until this deal had been made, I didn’t have a personal bodyguard.

There were a few for us kids that drove us to and from school and went with us when we were out in public, but now, apparently, I needed one specifically for me.

He would stay by my side for the rest of my life.

Or, until someone else took his spot, I guess.

There were two other SUVs with us with four guards each. I didn’t know if this was because outside of Crestwood was dangerous, if my family thought the Vitale’s would actually use this as an attempt to attack us, or if they thought it was a good idea to put on a good show for them.

The gates opened and we made our way up the long drive and around the circle loop in front of the mansion.

As soon as we were out of the vehicle, the guards patted us down for weapons, even my mom. That pissed my dad off, though I don’t think they could tell. He had perfected his mask over the years, but I knew him well enough to be able to see through it.

I hoped my mask was pretty good too because right now, I felt like I might puke.

When we reached the top of the steps, the door opened and a man gave a bow. “Mr. Givenchy. Mr. Givenchy. Mrs. Givenchy. Welcome.” He stood and closed the door behind us once we were inside. “If you’ll follow me, they’re waiting for you in the parlor.”

Rich people had such weird names for rooms. I knew that technically my family was rich too, but our rooms all had normal names.

When we entered the room, the first thing I noticed was a man that was taller than my dad, and looked to have bigger muscles than Uncle Apollo. His hair was black and slicked back, and his eyes were so dark they looked black too.

He reached a hand out to my father. “Zephyr. Nice to finally meet you in person.”

My dad shook his hand. “The honor is all mine, Lucian.” When they released hands, their attention turned to me. “This is my son, Tucker.”

I gave the head bow we’d practiced and repeated the words Apollo made me say until I dreamt about them. “Don Vitale. Thank you for having us in your home and allowing me the opportunity to meet your daughter.”

When my eyes flicked back up to his face, the smile I saw made my stomach more queasy than it had been earlier. “You’ve trained him well, Zephyr. I’m assuming that’s Apollo’s doing?”

My dad smiled, but it wasn’t a real one. “He gave Tucker a crash course on the etiquette of your world.”

“Excellent.” He snapped a finger and a boy about my age appeared. He had black hair like his father, but it didn’t look greasy, instead had an undercut with a long top swooped over to one side. “This is my son, Alessandro.”

Just like Dad and Apollo had said, he extended a hand to me. The handshake was awkward, especially since he looked like he wanted to punch me. I guess I couldn’t really blame him. I’d be pissed if some boy was at our house to meet Leyla, especially knowing he planned to marry her one day.

“Sandro.” His father whisper yelled the word, giving his son a warning.

Alessandro’s jaw clenched, but then he spoke the words his father wanted him to, even if it seemed like he was about to choke on them. “Welcome to our home. Thank you for accepting my sister and forming an alliance with our family that will serve us all for generations to come.”

The boy moved away, probably back to wherever he’d been sitting before we came in, and a girl stepped forward.

I kept my eyes on Don Vitale, remembering that Apollo said looking at her before he introduced her would be a huge offense, but it was hard.

I wanted to look at the girl I was going to have to marry one day.

Her father chuckled, seeing my attention from him didn’t waiver, and he looked at my father.

“I always did like Apollo.” When his attention turned back to me, I felt a drop of sweat roll down my back.

My nerves were starting to get the best of me.

“Tucker, I truly do admire how well you follow directions. I think you were the perfect choice.” He gave me that sickening smile again, and I wasn’t sure being the perfect choice was a good thing anymore. “This is my daughter, Arianna.”

Fucking finally. My attention turned to the girl beside him. Her black hair was straight as could be with some of it pulled back out of her face. She wore a white ribbon in her hair that matched the white dress she wore.

I stepped forward, handing her the rose, then taking the hand she outstretched to me, my eyes never left hers as I placed a kiss to the back of it.

It was weird doing this in front of all of these adults.

Even more so because it was the first time my lips had touched a girl that wasn’t family. “Vita Mia.”

An older woman stepped up to Don Vitale, a hand on her chest as she swooned at my words. “Lucian, he really is perfect.” She reached a hand out to my mom. It was the first time anyone in here had noticed her. “My name is Guilia. It’s so nice to meet you.”

My mom smiled warmly at her. “You as well. My name is Ashley.”

Guilia smiled back and when they released hands, she waved her hand to the sitting area. “Shall we? We should get to know each other a little while the men talk business and the kids spend some time together.”

My mom looked at my dad, and when he gave her a small nod, she agreed.

“Alessandro, take your sister and Tucker to the study. The staff has set up brunch for the three of you.” Don Vitale’s eyes met mine.

“My son will chaperone today, with both Vinny, Ari’s bodyguard, and your security.

You three should get to know each other better, and later, we can talk business.

” Then, his attention was on my dad. “Zephyr, why don’t I show you to my office.

We can break out the good stuff and shoot the shit. ”

Alessandro sneered at me when his fathers attention was elsewhere. “This way.”