Rolling my lips together, I had to stop my laugh as I watched Nico's face as he processed everything that his sister had blurred out. His expression went from confused to horrified to furious in the span of seconds. I could tell he was trying to figure out what part of this discussion he wanted to tackle first.
"Trix, I don't want to know, and Emilia, what's she talking about?" He turned to look at me and frowned when I burst out laughing.
"It's so stupid, not even worth discussing." I waved it off and rolled my eyes.
"Did you just roll your eyes at me?" His frown deepened. "Whatever it is made my mother so mad she closed down our party."
"This is so embarrassing." I covered my face with my hands because I couldn't look at him. "Apparently, there's a Carminatti tradition to prove the marriage was consummated and the bride a virgin. The bed sheet is hung for people to observe. What do people walk by and stare at it like it's Michelangelo's David?" Gently, Nico wrapped his hands around my wrists and pulled them away from my face.
"It's not happening, so don't worry about it." His eyes softened, and fuck it, wouldn't you know my heart fluttered.
"I made her very aware it wasn't happening." His mother firmly stated, before raising her glass to take a drink of wine.
"Very aware and told her she was a shit mother all while keeping her perfect smile on her face," Trixie said before downing the last of her wine. "I wanna be you when I grow up, Mom."
"Me too." I giggled, suddenly feeling the effects of the wine I'd consumed this evening. The room was warm, everything soft around the edges.
"Thank you, mother. Emilia, Trix, both of you to bed now." He commanded.
"Wanna have a sleepover?" Trixie said as she jumped up from the table.
"I've never had one," I said, looking around the table.
"You're shitting me. Well, this party's just getting started." Trixie grabbed three bottles of wine from the tables. "Grab the glasses, we've been ordered to bed." She pointed at the clean wine glasses, and I did as I was told.
Standing too fast, the room spun slightly, and Nico grabbed my waist. His hands were warm, steadying. "See you in the morning, fiancé." This time, I gently placed a light kiss on his lips, and even that felt like too much in front of his family. But the taste of him lingered, making me want more.
"See you tomorrow." He let his hand drift from my hip to my thigh, squeezing gently. Straightening up, I bolted out of the room after Trixie, my heart racing and my body humming with anticipation for tomorrow. For better or worse, Niccolò Venosa would be mine.
CHAPTER 10
EMILIA
"How isit you've never had a slumber party?" Trixie asked as she grabbed the pillows off my bed and tossed them on the sofa. The expensive silk pillows landed with soft thuds, creating a mountain of cushions. I shrugged before I spoke.
"It wasn't allowed, I didn't go to any either. Not many parents in school wanted a mafia princess in their homes." Grabbing the corkscrew off the table, I opened the first bottle of wine. The cork came out with a satisfying pop. A knock at the door made us both freeze. "Come in," I called.
The door opened, and Letty's smiling face greeted us. "Nico called and said there was a party, so I grabbed my dress for tomorrow and came back. I hope that's okay." She closed the door and set her garment bag on the bed, the white fabric shining in the lamplight.
"This is more than okay!" I said, hugging her, pulling her into our little circle. We giggled, got into our pyjamas, and flopped down on the pillow bed Trixie said we needed. The makeshift nest was ridiculously comfortable, silk and down surrounding us like clouds.
Our laughter almost drowned out a quick rap on the door. We were well through the first bottle of wine, our cheeks flushed and warm. "I'm not getting up, open the door yourself if you're coming in." This made my friends roll on the floor laughing harder.
"I figured you'd be needing some food, but I'm rethinking the wine I brought with me." Nico's voice startled me, and it was like I'd instantly sobered up. My spine straightened, my heart rate picking up.
"Nico, what are you doing here? Don't answer that you just told me." Leaning on the sofa, I propped myself up. "You shouldn't be here, it's after midnight, now it's bad luck. But I suppose my luck's already bad, so it can't get any worse." I couldn't stop my lips from moving. The wine had loosened my tongue, words tumbling out before I could filter them.
"I'm pretty sure we've already messed up the wedding superstitions, so I'm not too worried." He smiled at me and winked. "See you in the morning." And with that, he turned and walked out of my room.
Would tonight be the last night I spend in this room? Oh god, I'd be spending tomorrow night with a man. A man that I'd be married to, but still. "Em, you look a little pale, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm good." I flipped over to face the television on the wall. Some ridiculous romantic comedy was playing, the kind where everything worked out perfectly in the end.
"Did you know about the secret passageways in this house?" Trixie said as she flopped over and stared at the ceiling. I looked over to Letty, and we both looked at my soon-to-be sister-in-law.
"I think I need to know this stuff," I scoffed and stood. The floor shifted slightly under my feet. "What are we waiting for?" The room spun, but I focused on a spot on the wall, and it stopped. Damn, I'm such a lightweight. I thought to myself, butreally, I'd been sipping wine all night, and then we hit the bottles when we got back up here.
Ok, that's it, I'm done for the night. I can't be hungover or still drunk on my own wedding day. But would that make it easier to get through?
