Cara's pov
"She's so beautiful," cried a woman to my left and I rolled my eyes just as another woman scoffed.
"She's nothing but a shameless, penniless gold digger. Look how tacky her shoes are."
"I heard that Manuel didn't contribute a single dime to her wedding dress. It was the final test of her loyalty."
The second woman snorted. "That explains that ill fitting dress."
"Shh! You have to be quiet. Luca is glaring at us."
The mention of my stepbrother's name had me whirling around in the direction the women were trying desperately hard to avoid.
He was glaring alright, but not at the old gossiping women. Luca Salvatore was glaring at me. Molten grey eyes were searing holes into the side of my head as one of his men relayed an information too urgent to wait till the end of the wedding ceremony.
I frowned, a tiny frown so that he couldn't accuse me of blatantly disrespecting him and perforate my skull with well aimed bullets.
What does he want now?
If I were him, I'd happily forget my existence and not make it known to the whole church that something had happened between us.
I was used to people staring at me, sometimes in admiration, most times in horror, but that's not the point. The point is I knew how to live with getting stared at even if they were being unbearingly obvious about it. I knew how to ignore it and continue on my merry way but it was taking a herculean effort fending off Luca's glare.
Thankfully, the ceremony ended without any altercation and I found myself on the lawn of the prestigious Salvatore estate, sipping orange juice and trying to pretend like I was enjoying the reception even though I was sick to my stomach and couldn't to go home.
But Amanda had warned me against leaving before I have officially introduced myself to the family and I knew better than to chase away my misery with alcohol.
Gossip and blatant stares poured out of lips as easily as refreshments and I was becoming more and more miserable with each passing second, second guessing the life choices I made that led up to this point.
The only reason I hadn't lost my stomach yet and braved through the reception was because Luca was no longer a big dark cloud hovering around me. Knowing who he was and the kind of job he does, he was probably off somewhere hacking some poor man to death.
The reality of the kind of family I was now a part of made me scowl in distaste. Hopefully, after today is done, I wouldn't be expected to interact anymore with the Salvatores.
I couldn't look at the wealth dripping off this place without thinking of red, splotchy blood and the loud bangs of gunshots. I'm very sure that if I peeled off the paint on the walls, the blood of their enemies and victims would spill out in its place.
I closed my eyes against the hacking of my heartbeat and sipped more juice.
Really, I couldn't wait for the day to be over. I was already looking forward to heading back to my dingy apartment, climbing into bed in nothing but my underwear and a large tshirt and spending the rest of the holiday binging on The Devil Wears Prada, even though I've rewatched it a million times over.
"Caraaa!" Amanda's shrill call startled me out of my imagination where everything was warm and cozy. "Come here, baby, come and say hi to the family."
I swallowed and plastered on a fake as f u ck smile before turning around to meet my new family.
Manuel was standing tall and proud and imposing, his arm around Amanda's slim waist. He intimidated me, that man. He had very thick eyebrows and dark dark eyes weathered by old age and a thick beard and moustache that made it look like he was constantly glowering at someone.
Despite my good intentions and the blank stare Manuel was currently throwing my way, I couldn't stop my hands from trembling as darkness covered my vision and all I could hear was the bang of a gun going off and red staining my shoes.
"This is my daughter, Cara," Amanda's voice broke through the murky waters as I clenched a hand into fist trying to stop myself from fidgeting like a terrified school girl about to be chastised by her worst teacher.
"It's nice to meet you," I remembered to say, before the awkward silence could bloom into something thicker and heavier.
"This is your daughter?" He asked in a thick and heavily accented voice. "She looks nothing like you, stellina."
Amanda laughed dryly and patted Manuel softly on the chest. "That's because Cara was adopted when Theo was desperate for a girl child."
"Theo. That is your ex-husband."
"Yes. We lost him to a car accident, remember?"
Manuel nodded and kissed Amanda on the forehead. "Of course, I remember, tesoro."
To me, he said, "You are welcome to the family, Cara. I trust that you won't be giving us any problems as you are now part of the family and we Salvatores must uphold a certain image."
I gave him a tight smile, wondering what Amanda must have told him about me. "I won't, sir-"
"Call me Manuel," he cut me short, "we are now family and there is no need for formality with me."
I smiled and nodded, turning my attention to Gina, Manuel's daughter who was typing away on her phone, in a world of her own.
Manuel and Amanda had already left us to entertain the other girls.
"Hi," I prodded, giving her my best 'I got you girl!' smile. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Cara."
She lifted her eyes up from her phone and regarded me like I was stale, bloody meat. Her eyes immediately went cold as she flashed me a sickly sweet smile. "The pleasure is all mine, Cara. Your dress is… interesting."
I looked down at the gold sequin dress I was currently wearing. It was two sizes too small but it was really cute and had been on sale and I had paired it with my favourite boots. "What's wrong with it?"
"Oh nothing," she shrugged, "if your intention is to look like a slut, that is." And she promptly turned back to her phone and walked away.
My left eyes twitched. Old Cara wanted to chase after her and have the last laugh. New Cara knew that there would be hell to pay if our interaction escalated into a full blown fight. I had already fucked up once by ending up in bed with my new stepbrother, I just had to get through today without any altercation.
Suddenly, shouts and screams erupted from one corner of the courtyard and, unable to stop myself, I looked and saw that Luca of all people was holding a poor innocent man at gunpoint.
Silence fell throughout the entire garden until it was quiet enough for the entire guests to hear him say in a deadly whisper. "Repeat what you said about her."
"D- Don, I don't- Please. I can't-"
"Don't waste my time, Rico."
One second. Two seconds. Rico was wasting his time.
BANG.
The explosion of the gun made me shake, slushing orange juice over my hand.
More than one person screamed as Rico's blood and brain matter splattered on the ground.
See? What did I tell you? My new stepbrother was a trigger happy mad man.
I was only fooling myself believing that I could get through today without inebriating myself.
Sighing, I drained the rest of my orange juice and went to look for some alcohol.