Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 102566 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102566 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
"Here." She reaches into her dress and pulls out a simple golden chain with a gold ring dangling from it. "This was my nonna's wedding ring. She gave it to me before she died last year."
"I'm sorry." I can tell talking about it hurts her, because her eyes fill with heavy tears. She nods to acknowledge my words, then pushes the necklace into my hands.
"You can give it back when you come through on your promise."
"Shouldn't I be giving you something then?"
"You already did," she smiles, picking herself up and dusting off her cute dress. "You gave me your heart."
"That's not true!" I'm outraged by this statement, but the girl merely laughs and takes off running toward the office building.
"Catch me if you can!"
I race after her, my heart exhilarated. I already feel something for this girl. Something unusual, something that holds my heart in a grip like nothing I've ever known before. I catch her right before she reaches the office doors, grabbing her hand in mine.
She spins around, still laughing, and our eyes meet. Her smile falls. The air is tense and thick with our promise. She doesn't say a word as I press a clumsy kiss against her full little lips.
"There," I mutter. "Now I gave you something, too."
"What's that?" she asks.
I smirk. "Your first kiss, bambina."
"Adrian!" We turn in the direction of the voice. Papa's coming toward us with a thunderous expression, and there's a couple behind him who seem pissed off for no reason. "Let go of her."
"There you are, Marzia!" the woman behind him calls out. "Where did you go? Ezio has been worried sick trying to find you!"
My father reaches us. He grabs my hand, forcing the girl's palm to slip from mine.
"We're leaving," papa barks at me.
"Yes, you are." The other man grabs Marzia by the shoulders and forces her to stand in front of him and the woman who is now glaring at us. They must be her parents. "You're not welcome here anymore, Bruno."
"I got that," papa hisses at them. "I won't mistake you for an ally anymore, De Luca. But consider this your warning - you've just made a very powerful enemy."
The man glares stoically as papa rushes me down the street to where our driver is waiting.
"Papa, that girl..." I start, realizing he never commented on my disheveled appearance. "I like her."
He spins me around then, kneeling in front of me. I notice for the first time how creased his face is by worry. He's getting older.
"Never think of that girl again," he orders me. "As far as you're concerned, she doesn't exist."
"But I-"
"Listen to me, Adrian," he says, grabbing my shoulders. "I just spent the most humiliating hour of my life with her parents. I tried to get them to agree to a marriage. You and Marzia De Luca."
My heart soars, but papa crushes it the next second.
"They declined," he gets out through gritted teeth. "And some day, Adrian, we'll make them pay."
"Yes," I mutter. "We'll make them pay."
"Not now, though. The time isn't right." Papa stands up and ushers me into the waiting car. "When the right time comes, we will be ready for vengeance."
"Vengeance." I test the word out on my lips as the driver pulls away from the docks. I catch another glimpse of Marzia as we drive away, staring after our car with eyes brimming with tears.
"Vengeance," I repeat thoughtfully, my fingers grazing the golden chain and ring she gave me. "We'll make them pay, papa."
2
Marzia
My life has been spent in a gilded cage. Day and night, the little golden door that leads into freedom is locked, and I'm kept behind the bars, watched but never seen.
I have long since given hope of connecting with my parents. The only person who ever understood me was nonna, but it's been twelve long years since she passed away - a long time to be alone with the overwhelming burden of being the perfect mafia princess.
I have nobody I can trust. No friends except the girls my parents deem worthy, who are all sinfully boring, obedient, and meek. But most of the time, I'm alone, locked up in my quarters. I live a pampered life full of beautiful dresses, expensive everything and privilege most other people cannot even imagine. But I yearn for something else. For life outside this cage they've built for me. I long to have the one thing I can never have - freedom.
Sometimes, I still think about the boy who owes me a favor. Adrian. I've imagined what our life together could be like if my parents had accepted the marriage proposal Adrian's father offered them. But they didn't. They laughed in Bruno Bernardi's face.
Of course, I will be married off anyway. In fact, they're announcing my engagement tonight. And a sinking feeling in my stomach tells me I will not like whoever they pick for me.