“Oh… you didn’t have to follow me out here. I just needed some air.”
Someone’s perfume inside of the main salon was making me nauseous, and the thought of why that could be makes me want to be sick even more. I haven’t had the opportunity to tell Alessandro that I think I’m pregnant. Well, I definitely could have… I’ve just chosen to exist in denial until it’s impossible. I clutch the railing tighter as the impending reality of becoming a mother within the year crashes down on me. Holy shit, I’m not ready.
“You okay?” Aurora says so quietly I can barely hear her.
“I’m good. Seasick, I think.”
“Hmm, Giorgia has some pills for that. You should ask her.”
“Thanks.”
I can smell the cigar smoke before hearing the men approach, their feet stomping against the deck. Alessandro is leading the group, his eyes fixed on me and nothing else. My heart flutters when he simply looks at me.
“Go on.” He nods at his capos, instructing them to go inside to their wives. Aurora says goodbye and hurries over to Elio, who smiles down at her endearingly. They’re really cute together. It’s a shame he and Alessandro don’t get along.
He leans against the railing next to me. His right hand nursing his whiskey. He smells of cigar smoke, something that didn’t bother me early on, but now that I assume that I’m pregnant, I’m going to ask him to stop.
“You look beautiful.” I can tell by the look in his eyes that he means it with every bone in his body. And he looks handsome too. He always does, especially when he wears a suit like today.
I feel myself blush as he puts his arm around me.
“Getting along with Aurora?”
“Yeah. She’s really nice. Shy, but that’s fine with me.”
He chuckles. “I think she’s only said a handful of words to me since I’ve known her. But it’s not like I’m that talkative either. I was worried about you having a bad time when Elena pulled out of the trip at the last minute, so I’m glad you have Aurora to talk to.”
“Did she ever tell you why she didn’t come?”
“Not directly, but I’m assuming the fact that I killed her father is still a sore spot.”
“Right.”
He’s trying to hide it, but I can tell this is really bothering him. Even though I’ve been living with Elena for a bit, I can’t get a read on that woman if my life depended on it. Marco was so awful, and I thought they were estranged, but… family dynamicsare complicated. Everyone has trouble seeing faults in their parents. She’s probably working through so much right now.
Alessandro takes a step back, extending his arm to me and shooting a glance towards the rowdy group in the main salon. “Come, it’s okay if we disappear for a bit. Let them have their fun, and we’ll make a final appearance at the end of the night.”
I take his arm with one hand and slide my dress to the side with the other so I can walk easier. He gave this to me as a gift for the trip; it’s white with mirrored mosaic embroidery. It was so beautiful that it took my breath away when he showed it to me. But I can’t help feeling a tad self-conscious in it. I’m over-dressed compared to other wives, and I’m still getting used to wearing more formal dresses in general.
Alessandro chuckles to himself as we get farther away from the sound of his men and their wives laughing and having a good time. “Did you ever think you’d end up in this position? A queen?”
“I’m still getting used to not being a prisoner.” I joke, but those days feel long gone by now, and I’ve settled into being comfortable around him.
His eyes trail down my body. “It suits you though, no? You look the part tonight.” A wolfish smile forms on his face. “I hope you weren’t planning on sleeping a lot on this trip.”
I bite my lip, anticipation fluttering in my core.
He plays with my hair, but I can tell that something is bothering him.
“What are you thinking?” I ask.
“About how much I wish we were on this trip alone. It’s what I would have preferred, obviously. But it would have been too risky leaving everyone like that to openly plot against me behind my back.”
I stroke my thumb against the stubble on his cheek. “Are you a better leader than Marco?”
“I’m so offended by that question that it makes me want to jump off the side of this boat.”
“Exactly,” I laugh. “Being underneath you is an improvement for everyone. Why would they want to change anything?”
