Chapter 29 Bad Luck for the Bride
A hand landed on my shoulder, and squeezed. I looked up to find Enzo watching me with something that might have been sympathy.
I almost smiled at the look. And here I thought, he was completely supportive of Giovanni’s narcissistic tendencies.
"Don't worry about it," he said gently. "Just... try not to piss him off, and you'll be fine."
That was enough to shatter the feeling in my chest and I scoffed
"Someone should tell him the same thing," I muttered under my breath.
"I'm done!" Claire announced brightly, stepping back to admire her work.
"I'll wait outside," Enzo said, heading for the door. "Take your time."
Once he was gone, the maids helped me change into a floral sundress that made me look like I was about to attend a garden party rather than meet with the man who had thrown me in a pool.
They styled my hair to fall over one shoulder in loose waves and applied a touch of lip gloss that made my lips look fuller.
I stared at myself in the mirror and frowned.
"Do you not like it?" Claire asked, her voice tight with concern.
"No, I love it," I said quickly. "I just... I don't want that jerk to think I'm dressing up for him."
Claire smiled. It was a small, secret sort of smile. "Come on, miss."
They walked me outside where Enzo was leaning against the wall, scrolling through his phone. I cleared her throat and he looked up.
His eyes went wide, traveling from my hair to my dress and down to the beach sandals on my feet, proudly displaying my rose-pink polish.
He smirked, that familiar cocky expression sliding back into place.
"That," he said appreciatively, "will definitely not piss him off."
I rolled my eyes. "Just lead the way."
We walked through the hallways with Enzo trying to make small talk, and me responding in monosyllables. My mind was too cluttered with anxiety to engage properly.
The wedding was tomorrow.
This wasn't a prank or a nightmare I could wake up from. It was actually happening, and I felt sick to my stomach.
When we finally reached Giovanni's office, Enzo knocked twice. "Boss, Arya is here."
"Enter," came Giovanni's voice from inside.
Enzo pulled the door open and gestured for me to go in.
My eyes went wide. "You're not following me in?"
"Unfortunately not, princess," Enzo said with an apologetic shrug.
I grumbled something unintelligible and stepped through the doorway. The door closed behind me with a soft click that sounded ominous in the sudden silence.
The room felt heavy, like walking into the den of a big bad wolf. Except I wasn't little red riding hood.
I was more like the forbidden cookie, about to be devoured.
I stalked forward, my sandals shuffling on the carpet. "You're not supposed to see the bride before the wedding day."
I dropped into the chair opposite his desk with forced casualness, crossing my legs. "It's going to bring bad luck."
Giovanni didn't look up from whatever document he was reviewing, his pen moving across the page. "Does that apply if the bride is bad luck already?"
I glared at him, my fingers curling into fists on the armrests, while imagining what it would feel like to punch that smug expression off his face.
Instead, I rolled my eyes and looked away, forcing my voice to remain steady. "Why did you call me here?"
"To remind you-" He paused mid-sentence.
She felt it before she saw it. The weight of his eyes burning into the side of my face.
I looked back at him, my throat tightening.
Giovanni was staring at me like he'd been struck. His eyes had gone wide, and his lips were slightly parted.
His jaw tightened, a muscle jumping there as he seemed to struggle with something. His gaze traveled over my face, down to the sundress, back up to my hair, and something flickered in his expression
It looked like awe but I couldn’t be sure.
He cleared his throat roughly and leaned back in his chair, breaking eye contact. "Tomorrow is our wedding."
"I know," I said, my voice coming out more breathless than I’d intended.
Giovanni nodded, still not quite looking at me. "Right. Of course you know."
I raised an eyebrow. "Is that why you called me here? To tell me something I already know?"
He blinked, then shook his head as if clearing it. "No. I called you here to remind you that you need to be on your best behavior tomorrow. There will be important people there. I expect you to conduct yourself appropriately."
"I know," I repeated.
His eyes narrowed. "Don't get sassy with me."
I stood abruptly, irritation flaring in my chest. "Is that all?"
He waved a hand dismissively, already turning his attention back to his papers. "Yes. You can go."
The casual dismissal made my blood boil. I forced myself to smile. "Have a good day, husband-to-be."
I turned on my heel and strode toward the door, feeling his gaze burning into my back with every step. When I reached the door, I pulled it open and stepped through, closing it firmly behind me.
Then I leaned against it, one hand pressed to my chest where my heart was thundering.
That look on his face when he'd seen me. It was almost like I’d stolen the air from his lungs.
Was that... was that attraction?
I closed my eyes, trying to steady my breathing but it was nearly impossible.
"You okay?
I jumped, my eyes flying open to find Enzo watching me with concern.
"Fine," I said quickly, pushing off the door. "I'm fine. Just... tomorrow. It's a lot."
Enzo studied me for a moment, clearly not buying it, but he didn't push. "Come on. Let's get you back to your room. You should rest before the big day."
I followed him down the hallway, my mind still replaying that moment in the office for some reason I didn’t want to admit aloud.