31. Gabriella
31
Gabriella
“ S o, how does this thing work again?” I ask Dimitri, glancing down at the necklace round my neck. It’s a beautiful piece. Round rose gold with the symbol of the sun in the middle. He surprised me with it after we left the courthouse this morning with our marriage certificate in hand.? We agreed we should be married before meeting my family. My father believes in the sanctity of marriage and, like Dimitri suggested, he's less likely to kill him if we're already married.
“When you touch the center for at least three seconds, it will send a notification to my necklace, making it vibrate,” he explains, while he tugs his matching necklace free from beneath his shirt. Only his is black with a symbol of a crescent moon. “It lets me know that you’re thinking of me. And it works both ways.” He demonstrates by holding his finger to the center of his pendant, and sure enough, my necklace vibrates in response.
“It’s really cool.” A disturbing thought crosses my mind, and I twist in my seat to settle him with a narrowed eyed gaze. “Does it have a GPS feature too, by chance?”
A wicked grin forms on his lips before he takes my hand, raises it to his lips, and plants a kiss on the back. “I can neither confirm nor deny.”
I roll my eyes before huffing under my breath. “That’s a yes, then.”
We’re on our way to my family estate to share the truth with my family, and with every mile we drive closer, the anxiety in the car only increases. Dimitri’s eyes haven’t left the road for longer than a quick second and he keeps shifting in his seat, like he can’t get comfortable. I feel the same, as hard as I try to act like I’m not. I keep imagining different scenarios in my mind, playing them over and over, each one as terrible as the next.
In one, we don’t even make it to the front door before my dad’s men have Dimitri on the ground. In another, Michael shoots Dimitri the moment he reveals we got married this morning at the courthouse. And then, of course, if by some miracle he survives long enough to make into the house, then there’s telling my family how he’s been working for the FBI as an undercover agent in the Bratva.
Yeah. This is going to be a really fun family meeting.
“Is it too late to turn around?” I ask, breaking the silence with a humorless laugh.
Dimitri runs his thumb over the back of my hand, the physical gesture meant to ease both of our worried minds and, says only a single word, “Yes.”
He’s right, and it’s silly to think or hope otherwise.
We stay quiet for the rest of the drive, each of us lost to our imagination and fears of what’s coming. The guards stop us at the gate with a mix of confusion and recognition. I check the mirror to see them calling in our arrival, so it’s no surprise to find my father waiting outside for us when we pull around to the front of the house. I can’t read his face behind his sunglasses, so I’m unable to judge his emotions or thoughts. Which doesn’t bode well for us and leaves me feeling uneasy.
“Last chance to turn and run,” I say, not as a joke this time, but for real.
“Something tells me we won’t get far.” Dimitri takes a deep breath before he releases it slowly. He meets my eyes and I’m not sure what he sees that makes him reach up to trace the curve of my face with the back of his hand. “But know this, angel.” A gleam appears in his blue eyes, like a spark of electricity I feel in my very soul. “Whatever happens in there. It’s you and me. I don’t care if your family disagrees. But if they try to separate us, I will fight for you, for us. Do you understand?”
Without my eyes leaving his, I reach for his hand, twisting my head to place a kiss on his palm and vow, “I’ll fight too.”
The tension in the air as we approach my father is thick enough to cut with a knife. He removes his glasses and slides his eyes down to our joined hands before snapping back up with murderous intent. If he didn’t know before, he knows now. Beside him is Mom, and her demeanor is much more open and welcoming. With a big smile, she steps forward and envelops me in a hug.
“I heard the news,” Mom says as she steps back and glances between Dimitri and I. “But I didn’t want to believe it. How long has this been going on?”
Her question is not of malcontent or judgment, but honest curiosity.
“Off and on since early last year,” I answer and watch the wheels turn in her mind as she puts two and two together.
“Is he?” she trails off, but I know what the rest of her question was going to be.
“Yes.”
Mom’s smile turns a little sad as she looks at Dimitri. He bows his head solemnly, letting my mom know he’s aware of the miscarriage too. I want to wipe the sad smile from my mom’s face, but Dimitri and I agreed to wait until the right moment to tell my family about the twins and standing outside the front door, isn’t it.
“Can we go inside?” I ask, straightening my spine and leveling Dad with a look I inherited from him.
I resemble Mom in every physical way, but I got my attitude and personality from my dad. He raised a mafia princess, but I’m a princess with a backbone. So, he can fume all he likes, but I’m not about to back down. And he can thank himself for that. He matches my challenging stare with an equally intense one. That is until Mom steps in.
“Of course, sweetheart. Isn’t that right, dear?” Mom asks, with heavy sarcasm dripping from her question when she turns on her husband.
To his credit, Dad knows when to pick his battles. “Yes, everyone is waiting inside anyhow.” But he also knows when to be passive aggressive.
Turning around, he saunters off into the house without a backwards glance. Dimitri squeezes my hand, and we share a look before following behind them.
Everyone turns out to be just about everyone. The living room is crowded with Michael, Rose, Raphael, Lily, and Enzo, filling up the large space and making it feel cramped. If the sight concerns or makes Dimitri nervous, he doesn’t show it, but I am. My hand tightens around his as if I can draw on some of his resolve to strengthen mine.
My eyes scan the room. Michael is slouched in an oversized chair, with Rose comfortably nestled against his chest. His arms are spread across the top of the chair, one hand gently caressing her shoulder while she rests a hand on his thigh. On the couch opposite them, Raphael and Lily sit in a similar fashion, though Lily has her legs draped casually over Raphael’s lap. To an outsider, they might appear to be just two sweet couples in love, but I know better. Rose and Lily are subtly working their charm to keep their men anchored to their seats.
Enzo, on the other hand, is sitting on the other side of Raphael and Lily with the largest smirk and most amused look on his face. Like he’s here just to enjoy the show.
Minus the children, Uncle Leo is the only one missing. After his son’s death was avenged by Raphael’s hand, he departed for Italy, unable to stay in the city that took his son from him. I don’t blame him. I just hope he finds peace in the countryside among the rolling hills of our ancestral home.?
Michael’s eyes zero in on Dimitri and I’s joined hands. His gaze darkens, and he actually lifts his lip and growls. Rose notices and immediately runs her hand up and down his thigh in a soothing manner.
“Michael,” she coos. “We talked about this.”
“Doesn’t mean I have to enjoy seeing them holding fucking hands,” he grumbles back.
“Then look elsewhere,” I suggest, not caring a single bit about how much of an ass my brother’s being right off the bat. If this is how he’s going to act over us holding hands, I can only imagine the shit that’s going to hit the fan when they find out about the babies and our little trip to the courthouse.
“Enough you two,” Dad orders loudly, and his words are like ice water being thrown on two cats in the middle of a fight. He stands behind Mom, who took a seat beside Raphael and Lily on the couch. Dad reaches down, placing a single hand on her shoulder and Mom reaches up to hold it when he does.
I tug Dimitri to the only free space left in the living room, which is another oversize chair, and sit. He keeps hold of my hand, pulling it to his lap and covering it with his other, as if afraid I’m going to let go. A ridiculous notion. I need his touch as much as he needs mine right now.
“Now,” Dad starts, giving us both a one over. “Start from the beginning.”
“I was out one night celebrating with some friends, and we went to the Playground —”
“You went fucking where?” Micheal barks.
Before Dad can tell his oldest to shut up, Rose does it for him. “Michael, stop interrupting and let them explain.”
My brother mumbles under his breath but listens, albeit still tense and silently fuming.
“Some guy was being obnoxious, and Dimitri stepped in when the guy wouldn’t stop. After that, we struck up a friendship of sorts that grew into something more. We knew how upset everyone would be about us being together, so we tried to fight it, but ultimately couldn’t in the end.”
“What about when I saw you getting your dick sucked by some girl at Sinners ?” Michael asks with a raised brow and a gleam in his eye like he’s won or something.
Little does he know…
“Oh, you mean me?” I ask, returning my brother’s sarcasm with my own.
“She was blonde.”
“I was wearing a wig,” I snap back. “I was feeling a little daring that night. Going to Sinners was a risk, but well worth it.”
The look on Michael’s face can only be described as someone who just smelled something foul.
“There were a few months where we were not together,” Dimitri says once Michael stays quiet. I meet his eyes and see the question circling in those blue depths.We both agreed, this was my part of the story to tell.
“It was after I suffered a miscarriage in July,” I announce to the room, even as I keep my eyes on Dimitri. His gaze softens from the lingering pain we share.
The room explodes in a chorus of shouts as the first big news of the day is received. Beside me, Dimitri tenses like he’s fighting the urge to jump up and argue our defense against their barrage of questions.
“Did you know about this?” I hear Dad ask Mom and the room quiets at his deep voice. She responds with a sorrowful expression and a solemn nod. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I asked her not to,” I answer for her. “I didn’t even know I was pregnant until it was too late, and I decided not to tell anyone because there was no reason to.”
Dad meets my eyes and for a quick, fleeting second, I see a deep, raw pain in his expression, like he's grieving for his little girl, but then it's gone, replaced by a mask of indifference when he looks to Dimitri. “So, when did this start back up again?”
“After you saved Gabriella and I?” Enzo guesses.
“Yes.”
“Thanks for that, by the way,” Enzo says, shifting in his seat like saying thank you makes him uncomfortable. “If I haven’t said it before.”
Dimitri nods. “Of course.”
“Does Sergei know?” Dad asks.
“No.”
“So, the engagement with Sophia?”
“Is real but one hundred percent undesired on both sides,” Dimitri admits before he glances at me, and I nod. “Not that it matters now.”
“And why’s that?” Michael asks.
No time like the present to share piece number two. “Because as of this morning, Dimitri and I were married.”
Rose can’t stop Michael this time. He flings himself across the room and lands a punch on Dimitri’s face before anyone can stop him. Enzo and Raphael jump up, each grabbing one of Michael’s arms to pull him back.
Dimitri rubs at his jaw, throwing my brother a dark look. “You could have hurt Gabriella, you idiot.”
Of course, Dimitri's more mad about the fact I was in the line of fire than being punched.
“Oh, believe me, I knew where I was aiming,” Michael seethes back. He shoves his brother and friend off before he stomps back to sit by Rose again.
“This is a fun fucking shit show in the making,” Enzo comments with a dry laugh.
Dad shoots the Viking a menacing glare, causing the man to visibly recoil before he shifts his gaze towards Dimitri and me. “You two are married?”
“Yes,” I answer.
“And I’m assuming Sergei does not know about this, either?” Dad ventures with a hint of dark sarcasm.
This time Dimitri answers, “No.”
Dad releases a slew of curse words in Italian before he turns away and runs his hands through his thick hair.
“Congratulations,” Rose says when the room remains quiet, and Lily echoes it.
“Thank you.” I smile and catch Rose’s eyes, snagging on the question in them. I wanted to wait to announce the pregnancy until I was at least out of the window of high risk. But that may not be possible with the way this is going.
“So why get married?” Mom asks, while keeping a watchful eye on her husband, who now leans against the mantle, staring down at the unlit fireplace.
I look at Dimitri, imploring him to see my fears and doubts. Because once this news is shared, there’s no taking it back. Maybe we should wait a little while longer. Maybe we shouldn’t say it at all.
Dimitri leans forward to kiss my forehead and whisper low enough for only me to hear, “I love you, angel.”
I close my eyes at his confession and squeeze them tight, trying to hold back the tears that threaten to spill. I can’t lose him. Because I love him too. But before I can tell him it back, he says to the room, “We got married to protect Gabriella because my name is Dimitri Clark , and I have been working undercover in the Bratva for the FBI.”