“No, it couldn’t have been.It would have been handled a lot neater.”
There was a knock at the door.
Massimo turned to see Isabella at the door.“Dinner is ready.”
“We’ll be right out,” his father said.
“You surprise me, playing charades as well as Pictionary with Isabella and my wife,” he said.
“Adelina is not what I expected.She is a nice woman.A good woman.It is nice to know you do, to a certain extent, have good taste.”
This made him laugh.“Are you kidding me right now?You’re telling me I have good taste?”
“You can’t always like where you come from.Adelina’s family are shit, but Adelina is a good egg.I like her.”
Coming from his father, that was high praise indeed.
****
“Stop being so nervous,” Massimo said.
“I’m not nervous.”
“You’re shaking,” Isabella said from behind her.
Massimo had insisted on driving them to a cocktail dinner.It was suspected an engagement was going to be announced, but it was a dinner that Vincent had said the family couldn’t miss.Although, he had wanted another round of charades.
It would seem she had found a family who liked board games, question games, and it was a lot of fun to get involved with them.Vincent wasn’t joining them.He had sent them off to enjoy the party.
Adelina didn’t want to go.This was their first party as a married couple.Isabella had helped her choose a dress.She had wanted to wear a giant sweater over the top, but Isabella and Massimo had insisted she go the way she was.The dress was one shoulder, and curved around her breasts, going under her arm on the opposite shoulder.It was a lovely solid deep green color that Massimo had said brought out the color of her eyes.She had always considered herself to have rather dull eyes.There was a slit up the side of the skirt, ending at mid-thigh.She had never left the house in anything quite so revealing.
It also molded to every inch of her body.All her curves were on display.Her long brown hair was curled with a few pieces pinned back, with a diamond butterfly clip for effect.Diamond earrings, along with a necklace and a matching bracelet, completed the outfit.She was stunning.
Massimo had presented her with the jewelry tonight.She had never been in anything quite so beautiful.
She felt a little sick, but they arrived to find a man waiting to take their car.Massimo’s men were traveling behind them.
Massimo got out of the car and helped his sister out of the back.Isabella had opted for a red dress that hugged her slender figure and enhanced her features, complete with spaghetti straps and silver jewelry.Her hair was pinned off her neck, which showed the shiny choker around her neck.
He opened the door for her, and she took his hand, stepping out.She was also in heels.This could be a disaster.She knew how to walk in heels.Back home, being ignored, she had to find ways to entertain herself, and practicing how to walk in heels was one of them.Her stomach was doing flip-flops.
“You don’t need to be nervous,” Massimo said.“I am right here by your side.”
“You’re a Salvatore now,” Isabella said.“You’re a wolf, and do not let any of the vultures think otherwise.”
And with that, they walked up the steps and entered the large building.Usually, engagement functions were a private affair, hosted in the main house.This was a country club, private, set off from the main road, but with lots of parking, and waiters and waitresses wearing the company logo.It was a country club owned by the Russo Mafia, but there were many different clients that came here.There were passing waiters, and Massimo took three flutes of champagne and handed one to his sister, and the other to her.
None of them drank.Some people who were in attendance would get inebriated quickly.Adelina had no intention of doing so.Her family had never been allowed to be members of this country club.With their name connected to the Salvatores, she had no way of knowing if that would change things.This would have been one of the functions they would not be allowed to attend.
She wanted to knock back her drink, but instead she held it in her hand, which is what she noticed Massimo and Isabella did.One of the men talked to Massimo and Isabella came to her side, and slid her arm through hers.
“You’re doing great.The key is to always have a glass of champagne in your hand, never drink it, and if you put it down, get a fresh one.”
“Don’t people notice you’ve got the same glass?”
“There are so many people at places like this, that is impossible for anyone to monitor you for long.However, I don’t know if you have noticed how many people are looking at you.”
“What?Why?”Adelina asked.She did not want to embarrass Massimo.
