I watch Vienna finish fastening the earrings to her lobes and slipping the ring onto her finger with satisfaction. “I’ve never owned jewelry before. Thank you,” she murmurs quietly.
I scoff. “Well, those boys aren’t doing their job right. With your pale skin, you are the perfect canvas for it.”
“Mario keeps a very close eye on our finances. Frivolous spending is punished.”
“Yet another good reason to kill him,” I say lightly, digging around for a sky-high pair of heels to go with my outfit. I find my favorite pair of red-soled shoes and slip them onto my feet.
“Let me just do my hair and makeup, and we’ll be good to go. Are the boys ready?” I ask her, spritzing some perfume onto my skin before offering her the bottle. She takes it with a smile and does the same thing.
“You know our guys. They only have to put on a suit and they look amazing. Stacey’s grubby hands are going to be all over Tristan, and you’re going to have to stop me from slamming her head into the ice sculpture.”
I chuckle. “Don’t rely on me. I’m a bad influence, I might assist. Come on, keep me company while I finish up.” I grab her hand and drag her to my bathroom. She takes a seat on the closed lid of the toilet, and we chat about random things as I apply my makeup and dry my hair, leaving it tousled.
A knock on the door just as I turn off the hair dryer has us scrambling. Vienna rushes to open it as I toss the dryer into the bathroom cabinet and smooth my hands over my dress, checking my reflection one last time.
I look good, and I can’t wait to see Stacey’s face when Vienna and I outshine her in her stupid pale pink dress.
I follow Vienna and find the three boys standing in the corridor. Tristan is wearing a light gray suit with a pale pink shirt that matches Stacey’s dress. Xavier is wearing black on black, and Colton’s suit is charcoal with a black T-shirt beneath it.
“Don’t you look sharp?” I tell them as I run my gaze over each of them. “But I think you’re missing something. Hang on.” I hurry to Gio’s room and push the door open. The air is slightly musty from being unlived in, but I flick on the light and move to his closet. Pulling open a top drawer, I select what I want before returning to the others. I hand out three pairs of cufflinks—rubies for Xavier, emeralds for Colton, and diamonds for Tristan. “These were my dad’s. I’m sure he won’t mind if you three wear them tonight.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” Colton mumbles but takes them, and Vienna and I help them fasten them in place.
“Pfft. Once he finds out you did everything for your daughter, he will have the utmost respect for you. Remember the Russo motto. Family and blood are everything. One thing I can tell you about my dad is that he does everything for his children.”
I tuck matching cloth squares into their suit pockets and step back, admiring the four of them together. “Damn, we definitely need to take a photo and send it to Sage. I’m sure he will appreciate new material for his spank bank.”
“Come on,” Tristan grumbles. “If we’re any later, Stacey will never let me hear the end of it. I’m going to need copious amounts of champagne to get through tonight.”
We start walking toward the staircase. “Do you think drinking around Stacey is such a good idea? I wouldn’t want her to slip anything into your drink,” I caution him, speaking from experience.
All four of their expressions turn dark. “Tori is right. Best stick to nonalcoholic tonight, and don’t drink anything you haven’t seen poured in front of you. I wouldn’t put it past her to slip you something so she can finally have her way with you,” Xavier agrees, sounding pissed.
Tristan groans but accepts that he’s going to stay sober tonight. He shudders. “I’d rather fuck a cactus than put my dick anywhere near her.”
The murmur from the ballroom reaches our ears, and we all put on our game faces. As soon as we enter, Stacey pounces on Tristan, hissing, “About fucking time. You made me look stupid. Come on, the priest is waiting.” She drags him away.
“Come on, we’re in the wedding party, so we need to be up there too.” Vienna tucks her arm into Colton’s, and Xavier holds his out for me. We trail after them, and I glare daggers into the back of Stacey’s head the whole time.
Once the rehearsal is over, the four of us stand off to the side and watch helplessly as Stacey drags Tristan around, simpering and smiling at all the invited guests. Mario catches sight of us and looks annoyed at the fact that we are attempting to hide in the corner. He waves us over, and we reach him at the same time Stacey and Tristan do.
“Ah, here they are. Mayor Steel, have you met my children?” The Mayor of Banebridge is with his wife and daughter Nikki. Nikki looks lovely in a sapphire blue mini with her hair tied up in a high ponytail. She gives us a playful wink as Mario does the introductions.
“Good to see you all again. You look stunning,” she tells me and Vienna.
“Yes, your sons are very lucky men, Mario,” her dad chimes in. “I hear congratulations are in order, Victoria.” He looks at my hand tucked into the crook of Xavier’s arm and the ring on my finger. “I’m sure your dad would be very proud.”
I can hear the censure in his voice, but he keeps a fake smile plastered on his face, and Mario doesn’t even notice.
“Yes, I’m sure my father would love his new son-in-law as much as I do,” I reply brightly and feel Xavier stiffen next to me.
“You didn’t want a big wedding like this?” his wife asks, gesturing around the room.
I shake my head. “Xavier and I didn’t need a big display to prove our love to one another,” I reply and watch with pleasure as Stacey’s smug smile turns to a scowl.
“That’s a gorgeous ring set,” Nikki gushes before turning to Stacey and looking at her bare fingers. “Oh, where’s your engagement ring?”
Stacey replies with her teeth clenched. “I needed to have it sized before the wedding.”
