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“Last night, one of my men came to me and told me that Nicolas had been lying low at his place, he’d left his holdall there the night he got jumped and this was inside it.”
He pulls out a Jefferson 9mm from his top drawer and places it on his desk.
“This is a?—”
“I know what it is.”
My chest starts to thud from the anger it’s containing.
“There's only been five of these made in the whole world, and the bullets from it match the one that was lodged inside Lucian’s skull,” he explains looking down at the gun. “Nicolas tried to kill his sister, Dario, and I suspect he’s the one blackmailing me over his father’s death.”
“No, you’ve got it wrong.” I keep shaking my head.
“When the wedding is over my men will bring him hereand we will make him pay for what he did to Lucian, and what could have happened to your wife.”
“It wasn’t Nicolas that did this.” I keep my eyes focused on the gun.
“Did you not just hear me?” My father loses all the calm in his voice.
“I have to go.” I back toward the door, knowing I have to get to the chapel fast. That gun was planted on Nicolas as a distraction, and I know exactly who that gun belongs to. I know because it was a gift from me.
“Do not spoil this day, Dario, we have much to make up to the Fabrianos”
“Then you should have told me after!” I spit back at him, racing out to the car and heading back to the chapel.
MADALINA
“Can I come in?” I knock on the door to the bridal quarters and when it opens, the girl in the awful peach-coloured dress looks me up and down as if I’m a piece of shit.
“I was hoping I could get a word with Gabriella.” I offer the five bridesmaids she has circled around her a friendly smile and yet none of them reciprocate.
“You can leave us,” Gabriella tells them, turning around and letting me see her in all her glory. Nic’s wrong, she doesn’t look like a troll at all, in fact, she’s very beautiful.
“Sit, you shouldn’t stand for too long in your condition.” She sniggers at me as her hand rests on her narrow hips to emphasize how lean her figure is.
“Thank you.” I take her up on her offer because as much as I hate to admit it Dario was right, these heels are far too high.
“I wanted to properly introduce myself. I couldn’t come to the bridal shower because well...” I look down at my oversized stomach and laugh awkwardly. “But I’d very much like us to be friends. Now that Cassio and Dario are closer, I guess we’ll be like sisters.” I notice how she looks bored with my conversation so I get right to mypoint.
“Look, I’ll just clear the elephant in the room. I know you were supposed to marry Dario and it didn’t work out.”
“I’m sorry, do you think I care about that?” She laughs at me. “Sister, I never wanted to marry that man. If anything, I was grateful to be spared from a life of misery.” The way she looks at me like I’m pathetic gets my back up.
“I can assure you my life is far from miserable.” I shift myself into a better position when one of the babies kicks against my bladder.
“In fact, that's another reason why I came to see you. I’ve been where you are and I know how scary it can be. I wanted to let you know that the DeMarco men aren’t who you think they are. They can be kind, thoughtful, and even loving.”
“I don’t need Cassio to love me, he just needs to fuck his heir into me so my family gets back the power they deserve.” She spins back around to look at her reflection, making it clear it’s time for me to leave. At least I tried to make the effort.
I head out the door and smile at Vito as I head down the corridor to get seated with everyone else. Something about him doesn’t seem right, he’s cagey and on edge. I wonder if he knows why Dario got called away so urgently by his father.
I walk past the room where Dario is getting ready and suddenly stop. Despite him acting like a tough guy I know he has a sensitive side. He must be nervous and since his brother isn’t here to show him some reassurance, I’ll step up.
“Wait for me here.” I turn to Vito and smile, before letting myself into the room.
I find Cassio pacing the floor and looking very nervous. I was going to tell him the reason why Dario has been held up, but I decide against it. Pre-wedding jitters should be the only thing he has to suffer today.
“Madalina,” he looks up at me in shock.
