A Bond by Marriage

Chapter 3

Gia's POV-

Dino walked to me, stretching his hand and for a split second, the reality of the moment dawned upon me once again. No amount of preparation could’ve prepared me for this. I had hidden away from people too much to stay calm in front of him, but a tight squeeze from Riccardo made me snap out of my madness. Riccardo let go of my hand which I took as my cue to place it in Dino’s hand. He placed a soft kiss in a greeting, his lips kissing away the pain from Riccardo’s tight hold. For a moment IT hit me again– the wretched hope, painting the picture of a future I didn’t recognize.

“Gia,” his voice gave away nothing just like his face, a mask of rock hard exterior. I nodded but the silence stretched as if everyone expected me to say more, but Vittorio— Dino’s brother— saved any more awkward seconds by lifting both my hands and pressing a kiss which made my nerves freeze. He was looking at me with the same brown eyes, only his filled with amusement that made me uneasy and I just nodded. Next, I met Corrado Accomazzi’s eyes. I had always feared him as a kid. He didn’t come forward to greet me though. His greeting came as a short yet sharp nod. The only person missing was Dino's youngest brother. Marco was his name, I believe. I knew, now that the former Boss was dead, Dino had brought him home. Marco was his brother from another woman who worked at one of their many brothels. Many people couldn't understand his decision.

“I would like to talk to Gia alone,” Dino said, just as I was following my uncle’s instruction to stand by him. I didn't dare move my eyes from the table ahead, waiting.

“Sure. Gia, why don’t you take him somewhere where you can both talk?” Despite the smile on my uncle’s face, I could see the doubt in his eyes. He feared I'd mess it all up in some way. But if he couldn’t refuse Dino, how could I? I took one glance at Dino before stepping ahead of him and moving out of everyone's sight. His footsteps fell behind me soon and I didn’t even know where to direct him. I just knew I had to keep moving, to continue maintaining that slight distance between us. Ten different places emerged in my head while I walked and before I could decide, we had already arrived at one of them. I opened the library’s door slowly and walked straight ahead. Did he think I was weird to bring him here? Was the place too quiet?

I kept moving until I reached my dark corner. Turning around, I found Dino still standing at the entrance of the library room, as if observing how far I would go before stopping. My cheeks warmed with the sudden embarrassment and I found myself suddenly interested in the floor. Watching the hem of my dress dance around, I didn’t look up even as his feet pressed closer.

“I hope you are not uncomfortable here alone with me. I assure you I won’t take more than a few minutes."

"It's alright.” I answered the only way I was taught. The loving niece of Umberto Fabbri.

"Your family seems pleased with the marriage."

"It is very pleasing indeed," I gulped.

"Would you look at me, Gia?" I lifted my throbbing neck and I swear it ached as I did. "I wanted to speak to you alone because asking this otherwise would be an insult to your family. So, answer me truthfully. Did you agree to the marriage of your own free will?” That wasn’t the question I was expecting from the man who looked as cold as him. I didn't expect him to even care for my uncle's feelings but he did.

“Yes,” I uttered without thinking. Thinking would grow his suspicions and my troubles.

“I would’ve believed you if you were a little more confident in your answer, Gia. And would you look at me when you talk to me?” Apparently, my eyes had gone astray again.

“I really said, ‘yes’ to the marriage proposal.” I finally said looking in his eyes fighting the urge to look away yet again. I could feel his gaze pinning me into position, solely focused on me.

“Why?” I frowned at his question and my eyes betrayed me again. How could I look in his eyes when he asked such unanswerable and baffling questions?

“Why did you wish to marry me? Even when there are a lot of other potential girls,” I asked instead.

“I wish to marry a woman closest to my age. So, you are far more potential bride to me than any other girl.” His response took me aback yet again. Me and the potential bride even after what people thought of me. “It’s another thing that you and I still have seven years between us but it’s better than ten.” I got where he was going. Almost every girl in Famiglia Prescelta was married by the age of nineteen.

“Okay.”

“Now you answer me, Gia.”

“I… is there a reason why any woman says ‘yes’ to any marriage proposal in our world?” I quietly asked with a newfound courage, since he had answered my first question.

“They don’t, but you are different.”

“How?” Of course, I knew how. But I was an outcast, not different. ‘Different’ was unique in a good way. ‘Different’ was a compliment. On the other hand, I was an example of utter shamelessness. I was the prime example of ‘what not to be’.

“Because you are my potential bride. And I want you to be my wife willingly,” he said everything with such calm as if marriage was an affair every Sunday. But it was also proof of his nonchalance and my unacceptance of our awaited future.

“I’m willing. I don’t exactly have a reason but I just want… to marry you.” My heart thudded, and I felt like swallowing my tongue. I just had to get this over with. Who in the world just wanted to marry someone they didn't know?

Dino gave me a terse nod and pulled a box out of his suit pocket. Opening it, I didn’t even have the time to register that it was a ring before he was already pulling my hand between us. One second, the sparkling diamond was between his fingers and in another, it was already perched on mine, dazzling on its own. A soundless gasp left my lips at this abrupt engagement.

It was done. It was confirmed. Nothing and nobody could do otherwise.

“I… I don’t have a ring for you.”

“Your uncle does. We should go now,” he stretched his palm out and I took it with my firm hand, without hesitating. It was a miracle because my heart was thundering and my mind was buzzing thinking about what he must be thinking about me. What had he expected when he came to meet me? What did he expect from me now that he had met me? Was he counting down the minutes he could get this over with? I had no way to know and no courage to ask, so I let it be.

When we returned, everyone noticed the big, fat diamond sitting on my finger. My uncle had a broad grin. Not wanting to but out of habit, my eyes found Riccardo’s and contrary to what I expected he had his face void of any expression. Vittorio was smirking at Dino while Aldo and Corrado shared an ‘uninterested but pleased’ look.

“I see that part of the ceremony is already done,” my uncle said, pulling out another square box and handing it to me. And just like that, I was again under the spotlight I was not used to. So, I decided to get over it quickly. Pulling out the ring, I hurriedly turned around and I only took a second to ready myself to hold Dino’s hand, to touch him before literally grabbing his hand roughly and pushing the ring on his finger.

“Someone’s eager,” Vittorio said humorously with a light chuckle, and I knew I had once again managed to embarrass myself. On instinct, I looked at Dino helplessly, who was already giving his brother a stern look. Grateful, I took a step back as everyone else shook hands together. I only knew that because I had my eyes latched on Dino.

“So—” I jumped at the sudden proximity of Vittorio. “Alright scaredy cat, no need to jump.” I looked at him in astonishment. “You are my soon-to-be sister, I am not gonna kill you,” he smirked, his eyes shining with mirth making it no better. I wanted to leave now, and go back to my room to hide, but I knew it’d look bad, especially when Vittorio was talking to me. “So, excited to marry my brother?” I said nothing. “Okay, not excited per se, but at least you are pleased, right?” I nodded. “You know I’d be pleased if you actually talked to me?” He asked, his eyebrows raised and all this felt overwhelming too. His interest to talk, to know me. The Accomazzi Brothers demanded attention and they knew how to reciprocate it too.

“Oh, yeah.”

“I think that’s good progress for now, but we definitely need to work more on that,” he winked before moving back beside Dino, who was already looking at me through those cold brown eyes. The eyes that kept my weary self awake for the rest of the night as I laid on my bed in utter silence.