Chapter Sixteen
I stare at the three outfits on the bed, trying to decide what to wear at this family dinner.
I shouldn't be nervous; they shouldn't make me feel like that. I've been pretending my whole life. For Mom. For Keres.
Sometimes I wonder if the fake version of myself became the real me.
I don't know how to let out a normal laugh. I don't know what received affection feels like. I don't know how to be myself. And after all these years, I realize that this is the way it should be.
I can't see myself as a normal twenty-three year old woman. The kind who has a stable job, who meets with her friends to gossip. Maybe care about her manners and imagine.
I've never been that. Not even when Mamma was here. I was born like this.
A normal life is too boring for me. I can't see myself without my brutal art, my psychopath best friend.
My abusive father.
He hit me many times during my childhood. He still thinks that the only way to teach a child manners and
respect is by beating them. But he never touched Keres and Vincent.
I can still feel his hard palm smacking my face. He loved hitting me in the face. Sometimes he grabbed a belt, saying that this method will make me a good girl. He would slap that belt on my back until I faint and the blood would stain the floor. And if he wasn't satisfied, he put me in a bathtub with hot water.
My screams were useless. My throat was always hoarse and dry.
He would do this when Mamma was sleeping. My wounds healed because of Keres's care, but the scars that I still have will never disappear.
And when Mamma left, the real chaos came.
I sigh at the memory of him. It's the longest me and my father haven't talked. I don't have to talk with him to know that he's angry because Vincent stays at Venus's place.
Venus somehow convinced Hanibal to let Vincent stay with her. This helps me sleep at night. Knowing that my little brother is safe and happy.
The steps outside of the door makes me focus again on the outfits.
I need to get through this dinner with a green flag in my hands. This is the first step in getting Vincent to move in Chicago.
That's the reason I'm staring at the clothes in front of me. I have no idea what to wear. Should I dress casual, or elegant? Bit of both?
This is stressing me the fuck out.
I grab the dark blue flare jeans and the black blouse that sits on the shoulders and pray that outside is not that hot.
It's the beginning of August, but the nights in Chicago are sometimes a little cold.
I dress with the outfit that looks casual and a little elegant and pair it with a high black heels and a belt.
I grab all my hair and tie it in a messy ponytail and I put a basic base of make-up on my face.
I look at my figure in the mirror and I can't believe I did this myself. I love my normal baggy clothes and the dirty painting apron.
The bathroom door opens and Keaton lets himself out. My eyes widen when I see the outline of his big body through the slim black T-shirt and the black jeans.
His hair is styled and a few straps are falling on his forehead. His beard is perfectly arranged, making his jaw more prominent and the gold neckless makes him look royal.
His eyes meet mine and my breathing stops for a few seconds. He gets closer to me and even with the high heels, I look up at him. His smell is intoxicating, but a wave of wetness gathers on my thong.
"You clean up nice." His low voice creates bugs in my belly. A feeling of proudness takes over my body at his praise.
"I didn't make it for you." I try to not show him how affected I am by his presence.
After the fight we had a week ago, we haven't spoken a word to each other. Until yesterday.
The corner of his mouth perks up a little and the dimple forms in his cheek.
"I missed this sassy mouth of yours." My lips fall apart and his finger traces their form.
Why is he making me feel these weird things in my chest?
“We should go." The coward in me says. "We'll be
late if we don't leave now." I move out of his touch and I lick my lips.
He moves his body to one side and motions for me to go first. I grab my black purse and exit the bedroom.
In front of the house is a black shiny Bugatti Chiron that waits for us.
I feel Everette's hand on my waist and he's leading me to the passenger seat.
I almost freeze at the thought I just had.
I called him Everette.
My heart beats faster and it feels like it's going to burst.
He opens the car door and I enter without a second thought.
I called him Everette.
Everette enters his seat and starts the engine. I look in the car in awe. The upholstery is blood red leather and the dashboard is a large dark screen.
And I just realize that we're alone. Ivan and two other bodyguards are behind us in another car.
I feel Everette's eyes on me and I see him smile.
"This is my favorite car that I own." He speaks at a normal tone. "I hunt it down for almost a year."
"It's beautiful." I let all the lies leave my head. He moves him head to look at me, but I don't move my eyes from the car.
"Yeah, she's very beautiful." I swallow the nod from my throat.
The car ride is silent. But not an awkward silence, one in which we stare at the black lights of Chicago in the night time.
After twenty minutes I see Everette pull onto a hill. In the middle of the hill is a large, white house with black windows. The house has two levels and the
ground one has all the lights open.
Everette stops the car in front of the mansion and a man dressed in a black suit opens my door. I exit the car and let the cool air invade my body.
My husband throws the key to the man and comes next to me.
He takes my left hand in his big one and entwines our fingers.
He leads me into the house and the bright lights are hurting my eyes. In the hall, I see a girl that looks younger than me, with black hair and green eyes.
The resemblance between her and my husband is immaculate.
Emmeline Moretti. My sister-in-law.
Her smile takes over her beautiful face and she comes with big steps toward us.
Emmeline hugs her brother tightly and says something in his ear. I try to untie my fingers from his hand to let them have their brotherly moment, but Everette doesn't let go.
He keeps our hands together as he rubs his sister's back with the other one.
They break up couple of second later and her emerald eyes meets my brown ones.
"It's so nice to finally meet you." My muscles relax at her soft voice. I didn't had the time to meet Emmeline properly at the wedding, because the chaos kept me away from everybody.
"Hi, Emmeline." I say with a smile back. I hope my ability to smile is still there. But when her own smile gets bigger, I know I did a great job.
"Come this way, Mom just finished the meat." And she leads us to the kitchen.
I look around the house and see different kinds of
plants and painting around the walls and corners.
We enter the kitchen and I see my parents-in-law smiling at each other. They look at us and Vivian's smile gets even bigger when she sees her son.
She comes with open arms and hugs her son as tight as Emmeline.
"Good evening, Ma." Everette kisses her cheek.
"Hi, dear." She takes her time hugging him.
This time I managed to get my hand out of his grip.
"Hello, Seth." I smile at him too.
"You look beautiful, Althea." He caresses my hair, but he's not hugging me. I let out an internal sigh. I don't feel comfortable enough to hug him yet.
After Vivian attack on Everette, I can see her turning to me and I already know that the attack is coming back at me.
I let her squeeze the shit out of me and then she releases me.
"I hope we didn't make you wait." I say.
"Oh, don't worry honey. It's so good to have you both here."
Everyone sits at the table and we wait for the maids to put the food on our plates.
When I receive the plate with the pork ribs and the red wine sauce, I feel my stomach growling.
I take a first bite and I roll my eyes at the taste. It's the best thing I've had since I moved in Chicago. I taste the sauce too and this time, a full moan escapes my mouth.
I hear laughs and I open my eyes to see the Moretti family with amusement in their eyes.
"Excuse me, but I love pork ribs." I take a napkin and wipe my mouth.
"Yeah, we've heard." Vivian says with a kind smile. I
look confused at her.
From who?
But then, I give my husband a side-eye and let it aside.
The rest of the dinner is passing by in a good atmosphere. Emmeline is talking about her competitions, Vivian about her plants and Everette and his father are talking about Outfit business.
I take a sip of champagne and I resist the urge to moan again.
I see Everette not drinking his own glass and I lean over him.
"If champagne is not your thing, I can drink that for you." I say with raised eyebrows. His soft laugh makes his parents and sister look at us.
"I'm driving." He simply says.
"Oh, right. We don't want anything to happen to the Bugatti." I take another sip and see Vivian with sparks in her eyes.
"Why don't you stay here overnight?" She asks and I look at Everette.
"Ma-"
"You can stay in your old room." The sappy faces she's making makes me laugh. Everette looks at his father, but he's raising his arms in surrender.
Then, Everette looks at me and locks eyes with me.
Is this a scene to make his parents believe we stand each other?
His silence question is there though.
If we stay overnight, it might be a plus to show them that we're a real married couple.
I look at them and force out a smile.
"We'd love to." Vivian almost squeaks with happiness as she informs one of the maids to prepare
our room.
Everette leans over me and whisper in my ear, "Are you sure you want to share a bed?"
His hand is on my thigh making circles and I squeeze my legs closer. He feels my move and he rests his hand between my legs.
A hand appears out of nowhere and I see that dessert is served.
I try to not look flushed and I try to ignore the warmth of Everette's palm between my thighs.
I can feel Seth's eyes on me and his son. What will make him believe that we're so in love?
Making out on the dine table?
Being clingy to each other?
"Are you coming to the Senator's party?" Seth asks.
"What party?" I look at him confused.
"The Senator's charity party." Everette explains to me. Before I can say something, he adds. "I wanted to make sure Hanibal is not coming before telling you."
Well, I can't say anything now.
"The elections are coming and he wants to maintain his position." Seth says and lets out a snort. "He invited almost all the mafias to make sure he wins."
"We'll see about that." Everette murmurs to his father.
A loud yawn suddenly takes over my body. Everette takes my hand in his and helps me get up.
"We should go to bed." He says without anything else.
"How rude." I say and I turn around and meet the smiling faces. "Good night, and thank you for the delicious food."
"Good night, honey." Vivian says with a small wave.
"Where did the manners appear?" My husband asks.
"Oh, shush." I smack my palm over his face.
I had two glasses of champagne, but I didn't eat anything until the dinner so I can feel the dizziness.
He rolls his eyes at me and before I can blink he puts a hand on my back and other under my knees and he lifts me up in his arms.
I put my head on his shoulder and murmur, "You're very good at pretending."
He puffs and walks up the stairs to go in his old room.
He enters it and place me on the bed. It looks small. How are we going to fit in?
A knock on the door is heard and we both look at Emmeline who has a pile of cloths in her hands.
"I bring this. You'd be uncomfortable in your jeans." She smiles and looks at Everette.
"I could've slept naked." I say and I raised my shoulders. Emmeline laughs at that.
"You want to sleep naked?"
God no.
"And what are you still doing here? Let the girl change." Emmeline roasts her brother.
"She's my wife." Everette says with a raised eyebrow.
"Okay." Emmeline says back and I bite a smile.
He looks at me and sighs. He leaves the room and closes the door.
Emmeline looks at me playfully.
"Are you okay?" She asks me with a soft tone.
"Yeah." I say with a small voice. I stand up and took out my heels and breathe in relief when my legs are out of them. I do the same with the jeans and shirt.
"Is he treating you well?" Her question makes me frown. I guess she knows more than her parents do.
"We're at each other’s throats every time, but he's not crossing the line." I say and I look in her eyes. "And he makes me feel these stupid bugs in my stomach, it's weird." I scrunch my nose up.
Emmeline laughs makes me frown again.
What did I say so funny?
"Oh, Althea. Those are butterflies." She answers me with gentleness in her eyes.
"Butterflies?" I ask again.
"Yeah, when someone creates butterflies in your stomach it means you lo-like them." She says quickly.
I'm not stupid. She wanted to say love.
My heart tighten in a painful mode. It can't happen.
"Nah, I think they're meant to piss me more off." I try to convince her and myself.
I get under the duvet and put my head on the pillow, exhausted. I feel Emmeline patting my knee and then leaving the room.
I let out a sign. What a fucking day.
I think I feel asleep because I feel a huge body hugging my body to something hard. I look behind me and I see Everette looking at me with his dark eyes.
He puts his hand on my cheek and brings my face closer.
"What are you doing?" I ask and I feel my body trembling.
"Something I should've done earlier." His hoarse voice makes me frown.
I feel his hand tighten around my cheek and he slams his lips on mine.