39. Alessia
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
ALESSIA
I t’s the day before my wedding and we’ve been running around nonstop since 7:00 a.m. Justin and Caro stayed over last night and that made me happy. Us all together made me feel like my relationship was a normal one, was a real one. But no matter how happy I feel right now, this all is only happening because our parents made it happen.
We sat with our attorneys this morning who insisted on us signing a prenup, making Astor threaten his life if he suggested it again. We both signed the contract stating that in two months, if I weren’t happy, I could leave. We also signed a contract saying that we wouldn’t file for divorce until we’d been married for a year. Ever since then, Astor has been silent. He hasn’t touched me or even acknowledged me. I signed because he did. If he had put up any ounce of a fight, I wouldn’t have signed.
Because we’re different. We’re different from that night at the family dinner and we’re different from how we have been over the last six years. We’re happy and I feel like us again.
Our parents are sampling the appetizers for tomorrow, something of which I truly do not care about. I care about getting to the bottom of why my soon to be husband feels miles away from me on the eve of our wedding. I sigh and push away from the table, walking out onto the balcony the restaurant has. It’s a beautiful view that shows you almost all of New York.
How do I tell him that it’s just a paper? That we didn’t have to sign it and we can get rid of it?
“ Figlia , everything ok?” I look up and see my father approaching me. I give him a small smile and turn back to the view.
“I think I did something. I feel like I did something, but I don’t know what. He’s been off for the last few days, since the incident at my party. But he was still himself in a sense, but since this morning; he’s been cold.” My father turns me to him, tucking my hair behind my ear.
“Sweetheart, Astor is battling loving you, and making you do what he says, and loving you, and letting you make decisions on your own. A man who has his amount of power…it’s hard to let things just happen. It’s hard to let something feel unknown.” I’m dumbfounded, because all I can hear coming from my father’s mouth is Astor loving me.
“Astor does not love me.”
Does he?
He chuckles and then full on laughs.
“Alessia, that man loves you so much he’d put himself through emotional and destructive turmoil to keep you happy. Trust me, I was him with your mother; he may not have said it yet, but he loves you. And this two-month trial business is eating him alive.”
“Yeah, or it’s the secret that you, him, or anyone for that matter, will not bother telling me.” He freezes and slowly turns away from me, heading for the door.
“Let me grab you a jacket, its cold out here,” he says before ducking in the restaurant and out of the fucking conversation. I fold my arms and lean against the rails again. I am so over this shit. I should go in there and demand they tell me the truth or call off the wedding.
I’m talking myself up, heading for the door, when Astor slides it open and steps out onto the balcony.
He shuts the door and strides over to me, opening his arms for me to step into. I shake my head, but he takes his jacket off and wraps it around me.
“You’ve been so distant today…did I do something?”
He sighs and leans over the balcony. “Why’d you sign it, Alessia?”
“You signed, too…” I respond, leaning against the wall.
He turns to me and grunts, “We’re getting married tomorrow. And the only thing I can think about is the fact that I need to enjoy it while I can, because my wife already doesn’t want to be married to me.” He goes to walk past me, but I grab his arm, yanking him to me.
“Astor...” I whisper, gathering my courage to make this confession. He needs to hear this and I need to say it. He’s going to be my husband in less than twenty-four hours and I need to start acting like it. “I’ve wanted to marry you since we were kids.”
He opens his mouth and I slam my lips against his, silencing him. I don’t need him to respond, I just need him to listen. Today was a lot, and instead of spending it being excited, I spent it being scared that I did something to hurt him. I need him to feel how in this I am with him.
“You don’t have to say anything, I just wanted you to know. We can call them, we can get rid of the contract, I don’t care. I didn’t want this at first, but I do now. I’m sorry.”
“Fuck, Alessia,” he moans into my mouth, pushing his way in with his tongue. His hands tangle in my hair, our bodies mold together, and the kiss is full of need and reassurance. We’re lost in each other so lost that we don’t even hear the door when it slides open.
My father clears his throat and Caroline appears behind him, chuckling.
“Came to sweep the bride away, sorry. Say bye, she’ll be all yours tomorrow,” Caroline says, yanking me away. Astor groans and follows after us. I push away from Caroline and walk backwards to him. He engulfs me in his arms and walks us to her car. Justin and Teagan are there—it’s still weird between us. Mainly because I want to understand why he disappeared and he can’t tell me. I know him and Astor are close, and as angry as I am, I can’t take it away from Astor to not have him at the wedding.
“Go easy on him,” Astor whispers in my ear as Teagan walks to me. I give a small smile and nod.
“Lessia,” he says, approaching.
“I didn’t mean it, you know? Of course, you’re still invited to the wedding. I’m still angry with you, but you’re important to him.” I nod my head upward toward Astor. “So you’re important to me.” Teagan gives me an appreciative smile before abandoning us and climbing in the car. Astor turns me to him and kisses my forehead.
“Thank you, little devil. See you tomorrow?”
“I don’t know…I’m thinking I’ll still run,” I joke. He grits his teeth and I burst out in laughter. “Just kidding, baby. See you tomorrow.”
“You called me baby . Don’t tell me you’re starting to fall in love with me, malyshka .” I roll my eyes and give him a kiss so quickly he doesn’t see it coming.
“Jesus Christ, she needs her beauty sleep. Goodbye,” Caro says, stuffing me into the car.
She turns to me, her eyes full of suspicion, and she shakes her head.
“You’ve went and fell in love with the fucker.” I put my head down to hide a smile, because fuck, she’s right. I’m in love with the man that’ll be my husband in less than twenty-four hours.
“Where is she?”
“You can’t see her, it's bad luck,” I hear Caro say to someone. I step out of the bathroom because I know it has to be Astor.
“Caro, let him in. You know he’s not going to leave.”
“No, your mom and his would fucking murder me. You get married in four hours.”
I nudge her and she throws her hands up before walking out of my room. Astor steps in and I smile at him.
“Hi.” I say shyly. I’m in my robe, my hair is done in big, loose curls, and my makeup is perfect and natural.
“You look beautiful.” I blush and look down until he tilts my face to his. “Can I kiss you?”
“You can do whatever you want,” I reply. He walks closer to me and my feet feel like they are glued to the ground. I don’t move an inch as he wraps his hand gently around the back of my neck and pulls me to him. He hovers his mouth over mine before planting a soft kiss on my lips. I moan in the satisfaction of feeling him after spending last night away from him. The whole night I listened to Caro talk about how good her speech was and how she couldn’t wait to whoop everyone’s ass in the bouquet toss. I missed him. I was so close to sneaking out to go home to him. Again, I don’t know when he made me so dependent on him, but it’s too late to stop it.
“I came to give you something.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small, black, velvet box. When he opens it, my eyes widen, flickering from him to the huge fucking ring staring back at me. “I never gave you an engagement ring.” He takes it out and flips his palm out for me. I slide my hand into his as he slides the emerald cut ring onto my finger. I actually think my hand dropped at the weight of the thing; I don’t even try to gauge the carats because I know I’d be drastically wrong.
“Astor…this is beautiful.” He kisses me again and turns for the door, but I grab him.
“You have to let me leave, because if I don’t, I’m going to fuck you over that balcony again.”
“Promises, promises.”