Page 80 of Bene

“Just finishing up, and I will be on my way,” she added.

On the other end of her call, Mario continued muttering on about the fact she wouldn’t let him send a car to pick her up, and how that would look on him. His voice droning on in her ear was beginning to get tiring, and she just wanted to get him off the phone as soon as possible. Especially considering her other guest would be there soon.

“The engagement has been announced already,” he continued bitching as though he was going to get a real response from her. “You don’t think someone might assume things based on the fact you don’t have a chaperone, or—”

“Never had one before now.”

“Yes, but because I talked to my father.”

“And you can say that now.”

“Doesn’t mean it looks good, okay?”

Right. Because it was all about fucking appearances in their life. It seemed to now be the most important thing on Mario’s mind, but especially where she was concerned, and this ridiculous engagement. She wished she cared to listen to him, but vanity was one of her flaws, and she would willingly admit it. So, instead of paying attention to his nonsense, she found more pleasure in admiring her reflection in the mirror.

Besides, regardless of what she told him, she wouldn’t be going to the dinner with his mother and father in the city at one of their favorite restaurants because she had better things to do. And yes, it was absolutely going to get her in a world of shit, but she couldn’t find a single ounce of her that gave a damn at this point.

Her life had been decided.

Her future, written in stone.

Vanna didn’t get a say.

She wasn’t afraid of what they might do next. At worst, he would kill her for the things she was doing behind his back. At best, they would continue down the same path they were already on with her being forced into a marriage with him that she didn’t want. At this fucking point, Vanna had nothing left to lose. She didn’t even know how to protect herself, hell.

“Listen,” Vanna said when a familiar ding sounded through the apartment, letting her know someone was coming up the private elevator to her hallway for the penthouse, “I need to finish up here, and then I’ll be in a car on my way to you, okay?”

“Don’t make me wait, Vanna. You know how much I hate that.”

Mario’s warning went right over her head.

Oh, well.

“You won’t,” she lied smoothly. “And besides, I am always worth the wait.”

He cleared his throat on the other end. “Sometimes, yes.”

All the time, you fucking asshole.

Not that it would matter to him if she said that out loud, or not. He didn’t give a shit about pleasing her, making her happy, or giving her the things she wanted to make what would eventually be their life better for her. To him, her only purpose now was for her to look good on his arm, act appropriately, and give him whatever he wanted.

Vanna had no intention of doing any of those things, but she had yet to figure a way out of this goddamn situation she found herself in. So, for now, she had to do what she had to do. And tonight, she was doing what she wanted.

The ding sounded again. Someone was in the hallway, coming down to her penthouse. Now, she really needed to get Mario off the goddamn phone. There was no way in hell he would appreciate hearing a man on the other end of the line when she went to answer her door. That would really mess with her plans, too.

“Okay, you’re keeping me from finishing up here,” she said.

Mario sighed harshly. “Fine, but you’re using drivers after this, Vanna. I can’t have the future wife of the next Camorra boss going around unattended. That will never be acceptable to the clan, and you know it.”

Of course.

“Sure, whatever. Revisit it later, okay?”

“You know we will.”

If it let him sleep at night …

Vanna waited just long enough for Mario to say goodbye before she hung up the phone on him without saying the same in kind. She didn’t have the time, or give a damn for pleasantries with him, and she was just about done pretending like she did.