Chapter Twenty-Nine
(Sabrina)
Cesare Sr., quite simply, was acting like the grandpa Sabrina had never had.
Sabrina’s paternal grandparents had moved to Florida before she was born and had rarely visited.
They had made up for it with a yearly postcard and a hundred-dollar bill on each birthday and Christmas.
Her parent’s funeral was the last time she’d seen her grandparents on the Hamilton side, and the time before that she’d still been in middle school.
Her mother’s parents had died when she was a toddler. Her grandmother had slipped away in her sleep after a brief but vicious battle with leukemia, and her grandfather had died of a heart attack the day after the funeral. Doctors had called it broken heart syndrome.
So when Cesare Lombardi the Second, head of the Lombardi family at large, wrapped an arm around Sabrina and listed all the aunties and uncles and cousins and in-laws, and all the things they would do to celebrate her joining their family, Sabrina had a difficult time imagining why she should say no.
“I’ll be honest.” He leaned in conspiratorially.
“Don’t tell any of my boys, but sometimes my memory isn’t what it always was.
So sometimes I lose track of a name or two.
But they’re going to love you, bella ragazza, and if you have any problems, any problems at all, you just tell me and I’ll straighten them out. ”
Sabrina hugged Cesare Sr. and wiped away a tear as she pulled back. “That’s very kind of you to say. I’m more worried about Cesare, to be honest.” She sighed. “I don’t think this is happening the way he would have planned it.”
Cesare Sr. gave a deep, rich laugh in response.
“Oh, my dear.” His eyes twinkled. “I may forget what was for breakfast some days, but I know my boys. Cesare Lombardi is his father’s son.
He does nothing he doesn’t want to do. He’s a pain in the ass, but he knows his mind, I’ll give him that.
You have nothing to be afraid of. My boy wants to marry you.
He never would have called the priest otherwise.
” Cesare grinned, taking Sabrina’s hand in his.
“He just needed an excuse. I gave him one.” He shrugged nonchalantly.
“Mr. Lombardi!” Sabrina’s eyes widened.
“No, mio ragazza, you are marrying my Cesare. You can call me Papa.”
Sabrina blinked, unsure how to respond, when Papa Lombardi’s smile widened once more. “Bella, Stefano, you’re here! Look who I have. It’s Cesare’s bride!”
Maribella Lucrezia Romano Lombardi was a fierce sight to behold.
She was tall and lithe, and impeccably dressed in a sleek black Armani dress with Louis Vuitton heels.
Her mouth was pursed in a resting frown as dark eyes evaluated Sabrina.
Long lashes batted as she looked from Sabrina to Cesare Sr., and back to Sabrina.
Sabrina sensed more than heard Enzo step forward from behind as he put a hand on her shoulder. “Auntie, this is Sabrina. Sabrina, this is Auntie Maribella and our brother Stefano.”
Maribella batted her impossibly long lashes once before her face broke out into a warm grin, and she stepped forward, wrapping Sabrina in a luxuriously perfumed hug. “Welcome to the family, Sabrina!” She greeted.
Sabrina looked up as more movement began, and noticed the middle brother, Stefano. Good heavens. Sabrina didn’t know what Eva Lombardi had done whilst pregnant with the Lombardi boys, but whatever it was, it had worked.
Stefano, like the rest of his brothers, was tall with dark hair that curled just slightly. He had olive skin, the same bright blue eyes as her Cesare, and a firm jaw. To her amusement, unlike the rest of his brothers, he had a smattering of freckles across his face and wore glasses.
Stefano looked like he belonged in a library tucked away somewhere in the mountains of Northern Italy. He also seemed to smile much easier than any Lombardi she had met, and she instantly liked him.
“I brought you Eva’s dress. It’s turned more of an ivory color from age, but it’s beautiful and I think it may fit you if you want to try it on.” She offered kindly.
Sabrina sucked in a breath, finally able to identify the feeling that had been slowly unfurling all afternoon and wrapping itself around her; Belonging.
Sabrina soon found herself in a waiting room to a back office, dressing for a wedding with a woman she’d just met.
Auntie Maribella chatted away as she tucked and fluffed at bits of the skirting, before pulling the waist of the dress up Sabrina’s body and carefully cinching up the corset.
Sabrina looked at her reflection in the mirror as it came together.
The sleeves of the dress were long and made of a delicate Italian lace.
The bodice was made of silk with a lacy button up over lay that turned into a delicate ruffle collar.
A beautiful silk skirt flowed into a beautiful, elegant train.
Sabrina didn’t think she’d ever seen anything so breathtaking.
“I look like Grace Kelly.” Sabrina gasped, lips parted in awe.
“You look like a Lombardi.” Maribella grinned approvingly.
“You have a beautiful complexion. I don’t think you need much makeup.
With your features, I think less is more.
” She mused. “I should have some mascara somewhere. We’ll put a hint of color on your lips.
Just enough to look freshly kissed.” She grinned mischievously.
Sabrina picked up a sheer silk veil, and a delicate golden crown encrusted with crystals that shone under the light filtering in from the stained glass window behind them. “This is incredible.” Sabrina murmured.
Maribella pursed her lips with a thoughtful expression.
“You are about to marry the heir to the Lombardi family fortune, and everything that comes with it.” The older woman remarked matter-of-factly.
“This crown is a reminder of the responsibility, weight, and the power that comes with it. You will wear it well, I think.”
Sabrina nodded, her throat feeling tight with emotion. “I’d really like to speak with Cesare before we join everyone else.”
Maribella clicked her tongue. “It’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding.”
Sabrina pursed her lips, mulling over her response carefully before looking up to meet Maribella’s gaze. “It’s also bad luck for the bride to leave before the ceremony begins.”
Maribella’s eyes lit up with amused delight before giving the slightest nod of approval. “You’ll fit in just fine.”
Maribella left the room to find Sabrina’s Cesare, and Sabrina remained where she was; carefully picking up Eva Lombardi’s original wedding veil, brainstorming different ways to style it.
Standing alone in the quiet room, her chest gave a deep pang at the absence of her mother. She sniffed, closing her eyes in an attempt to prevent tears from starting.
What the hell was she doing? Was she really going to go through with this? What she felt for Cesare was deep and profound, and real. But in all reality, they hardly knew each other.
Was she doing this out of loneliness, or because it was the right thing to do? How she wished her parents were alive to talk to; to ask for their advice; alive to be there.
It occured to Sabrina the wedding was so sudden her parents wouldn’t have been physically present even if they had been alive. Somehow, this thought helped her feel a little less orphaned and a little more spontaneous.
Sabrina swallowed thickly, composing herself once more, and opened her eyes as the door to the room opened with a quiet knock.
Cesare stepped in, dressed in a fine tuxedo. He looked her over with a hunger and a tenderness that left her feeling warm, seen, and known.
“You look…” He paused mid sentence, working his jaw as he swallowed thickly. “Can I touch you?” He asked, with a hesitance Sabrina hadn’t seen in him before.
Sabrina immediately reached her arms out to him, and he crossed the room, pulling her into his arms. She returned the embrace, letting out a gasp of delight when he lifted her a few inches and spun her around the room.
“My beautiful, beautiful girl.” He murmured, kissing her forehead. He flashed a smile as he took a step back, just enough to look her over again. “This was my mother’s dress. I had no idea Auntie Mari still had it.” He shook his head. “Do you like it?” His brow furrowed.
“I love it.” Sabrina quietly answered, with a genuine smile.
She watched as Cesare’s shoulders relaxed, and his expression softened. He swallowed thickly before taking her hand in his. “I’m not going to pretend I don’t want this, because I do. I want everything you’ll give me, Sabrina. But I need you to want it too.”
Sabrina was silent for a moment before standing up on her tiptoes to press a kiss against his lips. “I want you.” She murmured against his lips. She pulled back, her brows furrowing slightly as she continued.
“My only concern is you’re going to wake up a month from now and realize this is the stupidest thing you’ve ever done, and be stuck with me.” She gave a rueful shrug.
“I’ll be honest, I’m an adrenaline junkie. So the diving part, I can do. But worrying someone is with me because they want me versus if they’re just stuck next to me; I could never do that.”
Cesare listened, his expression open but serious. “I don’t suppose you have a pen, do you?” He asked after a moment.
Sabrina looked around them for anything that looked like a pen.
Cesare walked to a small in-table in the corner and opened it, rifling around its contents. He pulled out a box of Mike-and-Ike’s, and a black Sharpie.
He opened the bright green candy box and looked inside. “Hold out your hand.” He instructed.
Sabrina immediately followed the instruction, her nervous system already primed to follow his command out of pure instinct. Did he realize how much she trusted him? How much that meant? Cesare poured out what was left of the multicolored candies into her palm with a grin.
“Cesare, this belongs to the priest!” She gasped.
“Pops has been hinting left and right that he’s dropping an obscene amount of money on the parish for today’s last-minute accommodations. Father Patrick will be able to buy several thousands of these when we’re done.” Cesare answered smugly.
He methodically opened the box and tore off the side tab. He then flattened out the thick cardstock box, and effectively turned the Mike-and-Ike’s box into a thick piece of cardstock paper. What had once been the beige inside of the box was now a writable surface.
“It’s going to be a long evening, tesoro, you should eat something anyway.” Cesare added.
Sabrina considered this before putting one of the brightly colored candies in her mouth.
Cesare opened the Sharpie and gave Sabrina an evaluating look. “If you wake up one day, and want to start over, what amount of money would you need to walk away and be comfortable?” He asked.
Sabrina blinked, stunned. “I’m not worried about that.” She frowned. “I’m worried about the opposite of that, Cesare.”
Cesare’s gaze softened as he stared at Sabrina, looking like a redheaded queen in his mother's wedding dress, standing in his childhood church. “Sabrina, I wanted you the moment I saw you. I will die an old man, still wanting you. Any one of the people waiting out there will tell you I’m a stubborn ass.” He murmured with a wry grin. “Once I make a decision, it’s made.”
Sabrina swallowed thickly, her heart in her throat.
Unsure of what to say, she held his gaze.
Her shoulders slowly relaxed as words unspoken hovered in the air.
Something inside urged her to trust him just a little more; that this was undoubtably highly unusual, but it was right for her, and everything was going to be okay.
After a long moment, Cesare reluctantly looked away, and pressed the box-candy paper against the wall beside the mirror; carefully writing out the date.
Cesare proceeded to scrawl out legal jargon on the makeshift paper in a long but elegant script.
“We may both be afraid of the same thing.” He murmured.
“One day you’re going to sit at a table, surrounded by women that haven’t gone without a spray tan since high school.
And they’re going to talk about prenups they signed in exchange for a life they are now trapped in.
You will realize you jumped into a world you knew nothing about before you ever learned the questions you should have asked. ”
Sabrina frowned. She was willing to take a risks in life, but she wasn’t stupid.
Cesare signed the bottom of the legal document with a flourish before turning to her.
“I will not have you in a position of weakness with those women. I will not wonder if you sleep beside me because life has taken away any other options. My wife will always be taken care of, no matter what happens, and everyone is going to know it.”
Sabrina read over the phrasing with a disbelieving scoff. “Five million, no stipulations? Additional amounts to be negotiated upon request?” She gaped. “This is insane.”
Cesare shook his head. “Before we left the airport, I made you a promise. I will not have you trapped, tesoro.” He continued. “Naked, fully submitting, and addicted to my cock, yes. But never trapped.”
Sabrina flushed red and her breath hitched at his words, and the heat in his eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a needy kiss against his lips.
“Alright. I’ll sign your candy box.” Sabrina relented, pulling back with a smile.
Cesare immediately pulled her back against him, pressing his body against hers. “And you’ll marry me for real.” He insisted.
Sabrina blushed. Why was she blushing over this? “I’ll marry you for real.” She whispered thickly.
“This is good.” Cesare nodded, bringing his hands up to cradle her head. She was going to be his in every fucking way there was. “If you said no, I’d have to kidnap you.”
Sabrina arched a brow, amusement coloring her features. “Those are my only options?”
Cesare ran his hands down the length of the gown, palming the back of her ass and pulling her flush against him. “Mine.” He muttered against her lips.
Sabrina hummed. “Almost.” She teased with a sultry tone and a twinkle in her eye.