11. Chapter 10
Arianna
There was a quick knock on my door, then it opened and Leyla walked in. I was so relieved to see my bestie.
“So, I hear your mom’s being a cunt and taking over wedding planning.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. She was always so blunt and I loved her lack of filter. “Yes. She’s completely disregarding everything I say I want and getting what she wants instead.”
Ley plopped down on my bed. “That sucks. I’m sorry, Ari.” She propped herself up on one arm. “If it makes things better, Tucker’s been telling my mom everything you wanted but couldn’t get and she’s trying to find a way to make it happen.”
God, I loved this family. “That does make it better. But I’m not sure it’s worth it.” There was a knock on the door, but it didn’t open, telling me it was Vinny. “Come in.”
Sure enough, Vinny’s head popped in the door. “Miss Vitale, your mother is in the foyer ready to leave.”
I gave him a nod. “Thanks, Vin.”
Leyla groaned and sat up. “I guess we’ll go get this nightmare over with. But I swear to God, Ari, if she tries to put me in an ugly dress I’m not biting my tongue.”
Ashley carried most of the conversation to the store. She asked my mom a ton of questions about how the wedding planning was going, getting her talking excitedly about everything she’d picked out. I didn’t mind because it meant she was ignoring me and Ley.
We looked up some dress ideas online, showing them to each other and agreeing on what we liked just before we arrived.
The store was closed except for us. Perks of being from an influential family. “Welcome in.” A brunette with pin straight hair wearing a royal blue sun dress walked towards me. “You must be Arianna. My name’s Monica.”
“Yes.” I took her extended hand in a handshake. “Nice to meet you.”
“Do you have an idea of what you’re looking for?”
My mom jumped in before I could say anything. “We want something very classy and elegant.”
Monica nodded. “Of course. Let me do some measurements and I’ll pull some dresses for you to try.” She led us back to a fitting area and I stood on the pedestal while the woman measured me. “Alright. I’ll be right back.”
I sat down and grabbed a cookie off the plate while we waited.
Leyla used her eyes to communicate with me before she spoke aloud. “I’m going to find the bathroom. Be right back.”
She was going to find Monica so she could show her the pictures we’d found in the car and hope she could find something similar.
Leyla returned a few minutes later and Monica wasn’t far behind. “I have five to start off with, but we can try as many as you want. I want you to leave here today knowing you’ve found the perfect dress.”
I thanked her and headed into the dressing room. Sure enough, there was a dress almost exactly like what I’d wanted. It was white satin in a simple A-line frame with a sweetheart neck. There was a layer of lace over it, and illusion sleeves.
When I stepped on the pedestal in front of the mirrors, I knew immediately that it was exactly what I wanted. This was my dress.
The disappointed sound that came from my mom said she didn’t agree. “I think it’s a bit too much. Less is more, honey. Simplicity is elegance.”
Leyla rolled her eyes, but Ashley was the one to speak. “I think it’s gorgeous. Arianna, you are absolutely stunning. My son is a very lucky man.”
God, I loved that woman.
“Let’s try another.” My mom’s smile was small, but gave no room for argument.
I tried on seven more dresses before my mom decided we’d found the one. It was A-line, but with a full skirt. The strapless neckline was straight, having no personality at all. And that was literally all it was. Boring as fuck.
But I’d come today knowing that it wasn’t worth the fight. My mom was planning the wedding of her dreams and didn’t care in the slightest how I felt about it.
“Let’s find the bridesmaid dress.” Mom showed Monica the color of the flowers and told her she wanted simply classy with it too.
Leyla’s face when she walked out in an A-line satin dress that was one shouldered in light pink showed exactly what she thought about this dress.
“I can’t hold it in anymore. Guilia, I’m sorry, but these dresses are so boring.
They don’t fit Ari’s personality or what she wants for her wedding day.
I understand you’re just doing what you think is best, but don’t you want her to be happy? ”
My mom waved her off. “Don’t be silly. It’s my job as her mother to make sure she understands what looks good. This wedding is a big deal. It’s the only one she’ll get, so it should be perfect.”
“For you, or for her?”
Ashley let out a breath. “Leyla.”
Leyla rolled her eyes and stomped back off to the dressing room. Knowing my bestie, I wouldn’t be surprised if she altered it herself before walking down the aisle. I felt pretty confident she wouldn’t be caught dead in that dress in my wedding pictures.
Monica popped around the corner. “Do we need mothers of the bride and groom dresses too?”
My mom smiled and stood excitedly. “Absolutely!” She followed Monica out of the room.
Ashley stood to follow, but stopped when my mom was out of earshot. “I’m sorry she’s taking over your special day.”
I shrugged. “It’s not like I had a say in who I was marrying. Why should I get a say in how the wedding looks?”
Her smile was sympathetic. She didn’t like the situation any more than I did. The Givenchy family was firmly against marriage contracts and hated that Tucker had had his choice taken from him. Even though we’d fallen in love, this wasn’t something they wanted for him.
She followed my mom out of the room and Leyla returned from the dressing room. “Let’s get out of here.”
My brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, they’re distracted and not listening to you anyway, so let’s ditch and go have some fun. We’re in New York. The city is our oyster.”
I laughed as I grabbed my purse and followed her to sneak out of the back. Our moms were in the showroom and security was littering the front, so if we stood any chance, it was in the alley.
“I think you mean Manhattan is our oyster. We can’t go to any other boroughs because that would be entering enemy territory.”
She looped her arm through mine as we stepped out into the alley, her voice lowering so no one would hear her. “I thought there was a truce between the families.”
“There is, but if I want to go to another borough, they have to be notified of why I’m there. Otherwise, if one of us just shows up in their territory, it’s an act of war. I guess they think if we don’t give prior notice, we’re up to no good.” I mean, it did make sense.
Leyla poked her head around the corner and decided the coast was clear, so we took off at a jog to get around the block as quickly as possible.
“I want to try the New York pizza and gelato you’re always talking about. Game?”
“Hell yes.” Pulling my phone out of my purse, I powered it off. “Turn off your phone so they can’t track us.”
“Good idea.”
I flagged down a taxi and we took off to my favorite pizza place.
Walking back into the house, Leyla and I were on cloud nine. This afternoon together had been exactly what I’d needed. Man, I missed my bestie over the past couple of weeks.
Our laughs cut off immediately as Tucker stormed into the foyer, pissed. “What the fuck were the two of you thinking?!”
Leyla rolled her eyes. “Chill out. We just needed some girl time.”
“This isn’t Crestwood! Anything could have happened to you out there without security. And none of us had any idea where you were. We’ve been worried sick.” Tucker pulled Leyla and I into a hug, not wanting to pick between the two of us.
I did feel a little bad for worrying him. Ashley had probably been worried too, so I’d have to apologize to her later.
A throat clearing behind Tuck had us separating and turning to see Sandro standing there. “Dinner is being served and everyone is expected to head that way. With as pissed as our father is, I wouldn’t suggest wasting any time.”
Sandro turned and walked away as I turned my attention to Tucker. “How pissed is he?”
He ran his tongue across his front teeth as he took my hand in his and led us towards the dining room.
“Mad isn’t an accurate descriptor. He was livid.
He’s been barking orders at everyone, starting searches for you, throwing things.
Sandro tried to calm him down, but that just earned him a fist to the face. ”
Fuck. I’d have to apologize to Sandro later too.
When we walked into the dining room, everyone was in there waiting on us, Apollo whispering in Ashley’s ear. Probably preparing her to sit silently no matter what was said or done.
Several of my dad’s men were in here standing along the wall. There was also a decent amount of Givenchy security. That had to mean that they thought my dad would do something to Leyla.
As Ley took the seat between Apollo and Ashley, obviously put there so that she was kept in line and safe, I leaned down and whispered in her ear. “You have to keep your mouth shut. Don’t react. Please. This may be bad, but remember, my dad isn’t like yours.”
I took my seat beside Tucker, across from my mother and Sandro. Father had the boys sit next to him and the women beside them because we weren’t as important in his eyes. Beside her was my uncle Antonio, Marco, and Elio.
“I’m relieved you’ve found your way home, Arianna.” My fathers eyes flicked to my mother, then Sandro and his jaw clenched. “Your brother has suggested that I let you explain yourself, so please, go ahead.”
If Sandro was pushing for me to have a chance to speak, either he knew what was going on and hoped father would put our mom in check, or… this was going to get ugly and he hoped my explanation would be good enough to lighten the severity a little.