Chapter 9
ARIA
There are many days when I wish I hadn’t been born into this life. Nothing good has ever come from being Bernardo Bellucci’s daughter. I’m always in survival mode.
I always have to do as I’m told or risk my father's punishment. If I’m disobedient, as he sees it, then I’m always in for a beating.
Even if I didn’t do what he wanted and took the beating from him, he’d still end up making me do what he wanted in the first place.
So I’m just here like some obedient puppet just to avoid all the drama that is my father and his mood swings.
Honestly, I’m just living in constant terror.
I fear the day that he’ll get super pissed, lose control, and kill me.
That’s why I toe the line even though most days I just want to rebel.
It’s gotten to the point where I’m thinking that death would be more merciful.
It would be better than living through this pathetic existence I’m currently living through, since my life has never been my own.
All I want is the freedom to just be. But as long as my father is alive, that is never going to happen.
I can’t believe he expects me to be happy that I’m marrying Salvatore Rossi as if he’s some great catch.
He’s nothing but an old and disgusting man.
It’s at times like these when I miss Luca the most. There’s still no word on him.
It’s like he just vanished into thin air.
I wish he were here right now. If I could have taken his place, wherever that is, even if it’s in death, then I would have gladly done so in a heartbeat.
He’s the one who deserves to be here instead of me.
I wish I had answers. I wish I had his body at least, so then I’d know for sure whether he’s dead or alive.
I let out a sigh. I’ve been doing a lot of wishing these days for things that seem impossible.
I just feel so guilty because I can’t help but blame myself.
It’s my fault he’s gone. He made sure he protected me that night, and maybe if he hadn’t been worrying about me, he wouldn’t have been distracted.
Now I’ll never see him again. That pains me more than my father’s fist ever could.
Getting up, trying to end the pity party I have going on in my head, I walk into my bathroom to take a shower and get ready for tonight.
I wish I could fake being ill, but Father would see right through that.
As a matter of fact, he’d still make me go anyway, even if I was as sick as a dog and dying at his feet.
He’s making me go out on a date with Salvatore because we need to be seen together. He said I have to keep up appearances before the wedding. I would rather die than go out with him, but I guess I have to do what I have to, saving the beating I’d get for not going another time.
As the hot water cascades down my body, I grab the loofah and pour a generous amount of body wash onto it, then gently lather it onto my skin.
As I’m washing between my legs, my mind goes back to Enzo.
I haven’t been able to get him out of my mind ever since we met.
God, that man is so hot it should be illegal to be that good-looking.
My mind goes straight back to two weeks ago when he snuck into my room, and we had sex pretty much all night. I can still feel his phantom touch on my skin. I loved everything that he did to me.
The way he kissed me, touched me, and the way he absolutely fucked me like a man possessed.
My pussy was sore for days after he had his way with me, but I loved the ache.
It was definitely the good kind of ache that makes you want it all over again.
My cheeks heat just thinking of all the things I did to him and all the things I let him do to me.
I’m not even conscious of what I’m doing at first until my hand makes its way down to my pussy. I’m not surprised to feel that I’m already wet and leaking when my fingers slip between my soaked lips.
I mean, just thinking about Enzo would get anyone wet.
I can imagine how much attention he must get whenever he’s out anywhere.
A twinge of jealousy flits through my mind as I think about him with other women.
I know I shouldn’t feel that way. The only thing we’ll ever have between us is hot-as-fuck sex, especially since I’m being forced to marry Salvatore.
There could never be anything more serious between us.
Forgetting about everything else for the moment, I let my mind stray back to us in bed together as I continue to touch myself. I’m all keyed up, and the only thing that will release all this tension is having an orgasm.
I want him to give me more, but I have no idea when, or if, he’ll show up again.
Apparently, he just appears when he feels like it, without any prior communication between us.
Then again, it’s a good thing we can’t really talk, because if my father ever found out I was speaking to him, let alone fucking him, I’d be dead in an instant.
I push my fingers inside my pussy. I’m so slick with arousal that it slips inside me with no resistance at all. I pull them out and rub them over my bud before rubbing up and down my slit and then going back to my clit again.
Fuck! That feels so damn good. I have to stifle my moans just in case anyone comes into my room.
I rub the little button faster and a bit rougher, chasing after the feeling of ecstasy that’s filling my belly.
I use my other hand and push two fingers inside me, while continuing to rub my sensitive clit.
In no time, I’m coming on my fingers. My legs twitch as the orgasm rolls over me in waves, and I have to bite my lips to keep from screaming.
I’m panting by the time I’m done coming and take a few minutes to calm my breath before I finish washing myself.
My body still feels like a live wire, and I’m not completely satisfied.
I think the only thing that would satisfy me right now is Enzo’s huge cock.
Not sure when that’ll happen again, though. I guess a girl can dream.
I step out of the shower, dry off, then lather on some lotion before stepping into my room again and heading straight to my closet.
I grab a pair of lace panties and put them on, but ditch the bra since I can’t wear one with the outfit I’m wearing tonight.
I grab the dress as well since I’m in here and then walk back out into my room, laying it on my bed for the time being.
I take a seat in front of my vanity just as the door to my room quietly opens. Giana walks in and closes it behind her. She walks up to where I’m sitting as she gets to work helping me with my makeup.
“Where’s Father?”
“In his study. He’s waiting for Salvatore to show up. How are you feeling about the date tonight?”
“Like I’m going to vomit in my mouth,” I tell her and fake gag.
“I’m sorry you have to go through this. Just remember to go with the flow and try to get along with him tonight. You’ve heard about his temper, and I don’t want to see you getting hurt.”
I let out a sigh as she works her magic on my face. “Yeah, I know. I just wish I didn’t have to marry that old bastard.”
“I wish you didn’t have to go through with it either, babe.
But I’d rather have you alive than dead,” she says with a sigh.
We’ve been friends for long enough that I know she cares for me, even though she’s working here.
We both know that if I don’t follow through with his plans, Father would more than likely kill me.
“I know… I wish Luca was here. He would have never let Father marry me off to Salvatore, given how old he is. Luca would have saved me from this farce of an alliance.”
“He loved you more than anything in this world. Just hold on to that for as long as you can,” she tells me as she finishes up with my makeup.
She did a light and natural look with red lips. She then walks over to my bed and grabs my dress before walking back to where I’m now standing. She unzips the back and helps me get into it.
I’m wearing a long black dress with a slit on the right side that reaches mid-thigh, with a long sleeve on the left side and the right sleeveless and bare. I pair it with black high heels, grab my clutch, and head out the door and down the stairs with Giana following behind me.
I hear my father and Salvatore’s voices coming from his office as I make my way down the stairs. I stand in the foyer as Giana goes to my father’s office to let them know that I’m ready.
A few minutes later, they both walk into the foyer, and I can instantly feel their eyes on me, perusing me from head to toe.
My father’s gaze, no doubt, was to make sure I’m dressed properly so as not to embarrass him, and Salvatore’s, I can only describe it as lecherous.
The way his eyes roam over my body makes my skin crawl, and I have to keep my face in a neutral expression so as not to show the disgust I’m really feeling for this man.
“Ah, Aria, my dear. You look absolutely amazing tonight,” Salvatore says with a greasy smile on his face.
“Thank you,” I say politely. “You look very nice as well.”
“Are you ready to go, my dear? Dinner awaits.”
“Yes. I’m ready to go whenever you are,” I say, pasting a smile on my face.
“Excellent,” he says to me, and then turns to my father. “I’ll see you later in the week, Bernardo.”
“Yes. We can go golfing or to the casino.”
“See you then,” he tells Father, and then walks over to me and lifts his elbow for me to link my arm through his. I do because I don’t want to cause a scene.
He leads us outside to his car that’s parked in the driveway, letting go of my hand to walk to the driver’s side without bothering to open the door for me. Hasn’t this asshole ever heard of being polite and opening doors for his date?