CHAPTER 13
VICTORIA
Victoria stretched across the foot of her crowded bed and listened to Tammy go on and on about the inadequacies of her wedding planner. Tracy, Tammy, and Natasha had piled into her bed for some girl talk, but all they'd talked about so far were dresses, cakes, and menus. Tammy was becoming quite the “bridezilla.” She glanced over at Tracy. Three weeks after her attack, her bruises had healed; at least the bruises that were visible to the naked eye. Though Tracy seemed fine, Victoria worried. Painful memories of the trauma that Tracy endured wouldn't easily go away. They left behind a residue. And as she watched Tracy pretend to be interested in anything that they were talking about, Victoria knew this to be true.
“So what are you doing today, Tracy?” Victoria asked, changing the subject.
Tracy blinked a few times when she realized that it was she that had been addressed.
“Oh… Um… Francis is taking me on a picnic in about an hour.”
“Awwwww… Ain't that sweet,” Tammy teased.
“Yep. It is,” Tracy responded, ignoring Tammy’s sugary tone.
“What are you guys doing today?” Tracy asked.
“I’m gonna go beat the shit out of my wedding coordinator,” Tammy responded.
“Yeah, we heard,” Natasha muttered under her breath, before saying, “Vic and I are getting ready to go to Walmart.”
“Walmart?” Tracy marveled. “It’s like ten billion dollars between the two of you, and you're going to Walmart?”
Tammy and Tracy laughed and exchanged high-fives.
“So…you think we go to Saks Fifth Ave for fucking paper towels?” Victoria questioned, drawing more laughter from her friends. “Besides, that’s Tasha’s favorite store. She loves that place.”
“This is true,” Natasha confirmed.
A knock at her bedroom door had Victoria yelling, “Come in.”
Luca entered and narrowed his eyes at them. “What are you hens cackling about?”
“Your annoying ass wedding,” Tracy chuckled.
“Be nice, donnas. My Bella will have the wedding of her dreams.”
“Thank you, baby,” Tammy chimed.
“Whatever,” Victoria scoffed. “What’s up, Luca?”
“Francis is looking for you,” he said to Tracy.
“Thaaaaanks,” Tracy sang.
She hopped out of the bed and practically skipped out of the room. The girl was damn near giddy. After everything that Tracy had been through, between losing Steve, worrying about her and her family, and being brutally attacked, it was great to see Tracy smile again. And Victoria had to admit that she was even happier that it was Francis putting that smile on her face. And judging by Tammy and Natasha’s smiles, they were thinking the same thing. The Storm and Savelli men had a hold on them. Then again, their gene pool was like no other.
Men. That was what they were...realmen.
Jack, Gianni, Luca, and even Francis had no problem killing or dying for the women they loved. Victoria was more than fortunate to be connected to them all, and she would give her own life protecting either of them.
Thoughts of real men had Victoria thinking about her own of dad. She was truly blessed. She had the kind of dad that would stand by his child no matter what. He loved her and her siblings. Victoria didn't have “daddy issues”. Her dad backed her every play. But, Victoria was well aware that her friends weren't as fortunate. Tammy had an amazing dad, but her mother had abandoned her when she was a child. Both of Tracy’s parents were present but super critical of her. Natasha’s parents had died when she was young, subjecting her to a drug-addicted aunt that treated her like shit.
These were the dynamic women in her life. They were Victoria’s lifeline, and she was thankful for them—the cop that saved her life, the model turned executive, and the stripper who became a famous designer. This was Vic’s family, and she loved them all.
