At dinner, something is distracting Luci, but I can’t put my finger on what it is. Marco and Geno are laughing and drinking and I take the time to ask her what it is.
“Luci.” Nothing. “Luci.” Still nothing. She’s fiddling with her engagement ring when I touch her arm, catching her off guard as she startles. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just keep thinking that our wedding is happening tomorrow.” She’s lying, but it’s not the right time to address it.
“Are you going to try to leave? You know I will drag you down that aisle handcuffed to me if I have to.”
She smiles shyly, knowing in the beginning that would have been the only way she was getting down the aisle. Hazel eyes meet mine, the flash of blue behind the green shining as she touches my face. “I know. It’s nerves, I promise.”
Luci isn’t lying, but she’s also not telling me the truth either. Here isn’t the right space to hammer her on it. I’ll pry it out of her later when my head is in between her thighs, feasting on her one more time before I can call her my wife.
Geno stands, clearing his throat as he gets everyone’s attention in the process. “As a man of tradition, Alessandro, you cannot see Luciana from the night before the wedding until she walks down the aisle.”
My expression must say everything my mouth wants to because Geno cuts me off before I get a chance to argue with him.
“No, Alessandro. You two have already broken many traditions and rules. This one will stay. Now, Marco has informed me that Eleanora has everything Luciana needs for tonight and tomorrow in the extra bedroom upstairs, and Eleanora will bring anything missing tomorrow. If you will excuse us, I will escort Luciana to her room.”
Geno brings out his hand, and as Luci places her hand in his, she turns to me and whispers, “Will he ever call me Luci?”
“Unlikely.” I kiss her engagement ring and let go, her ring shining in the light as she walks away from me. I watch herdisappear, anxiety sitting in my chest. Everything has to be perfect tomorrow. There’s no room for error.
Chapter 43
Luci
1 Day Until The Wedding
I’m guilt-ridden over lying to Alessandro. What’s worse is I’m hiding my worries from him. My period still hasn’t come and the pregnancy test El bought me is forefront in my thoughts. Would it be the best time to take it tonight when I’m alone? What if it’s positive? Will it affect how Alessandro acts around me?
Instead of freaking out, I decide to converse with Geno as he walks me upstairs. What do I say, though? Apparently, the first thing that pops up in my head.
“Do you ever intend on calling me Luci?” Seriously? I have to ask him that now?
A laugh escapes him as he turns to me. “Oh, Luciana. No. Luci is not your name and I will not be calling you that.”
“Everyone calls me Luci. Even my grandparents and Mamma, and they’re the ones who named me.”
“I don’t do that nickname stuff. Luciana is the name that was given to you and it will be the name I use.” After a brief pause, Geno genuinely asks. “How are you feeling?”
That’s something I wasn’t expecting, but I can only think to answer truthfully. “I’m nervous. In a different way than I thought I would.”
“If you weren’t aware, Alessandro and I can tell when someone is lying or withholding information from us.” He’s giving me the chance to expand on what I said. Instead, we walk in silence.
Thankfully, Geno and I reach the door before our silent walk becomes too awkward. Immediately Enzo unlocks it, waiting for me to walk in.
Geno turns his head, giving me a second to explain. When I’m silent, he decides to give up on this battle for the time being. “I will see you tomorrow, Luciana. Get some rest.”
I’m left alone in the bedroom, the bedroom that was a prison when I first got here. Now it’s just another room.
I scan around the bedroom, taking in my surroundings. The things El brought for tomorrow, minus my wedding dress, plus the pregnancy tests. My heart hammers in my chest and I swear everyone else can hear it as I grab the tests from their hiding spot and disappear into the bathroom. I take off my ring and set it on the counter to keep anything from happening to it as I sit on the toilet.
I read the directions while I take one and with shaky hands, place it upside down on the ground while freaking out for the next three minutes. When I assume the time has passed, I reachfor the test like it’ll burn the second I touch it with shaky hands and a racing heart.
Positive. It’s faint and I try to convince myself I may be hallucinating, but it’s there.
“Fuck. Oh fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. No. Shit. Fuck.” Apparently, I can’t connect any sort of sentence as I panic at the results of the test.
In the middle of my freakout, a faint sound comes from outside the bathroom door and I question if I even hear it.
