The Mafia Princess's Arranged Marriage

A Red Wedding

MILENE

I pulled out a tiny white nightgown that was almost entirely see-through. It was so short it wouldn’t even cover my thighs. Beneath it were lace panties, held together with a bow in the back, that barely covered anything.

There were murmurs of approval from the women around me. I stared at the outfit, speechless. Rina discreetly tapped her finger to her temple.

“This is for your wedding night,” Nina said with a sly smile. “Liam will love unwrapping you. It’s important to please our husbands. Liam will expect something bold like this.”

I forced myself to nod. “Thank you.” I couldn’t shake the feeling that Liam had planned for her to give me that. After all, he had already insisted on birth control.

I grew agitated, and it only got worse when the women began talking about their wedding nights.

“I was so embarrassed during the presentation of the sheets!” Liam’s cousin, Cosima whispered loudly.

“The presentation of the sheets?” I asked, confused.

Nina’s smile was patronizing. “Your mother didn’t tell you?”

I glanced at my mother. She pressed her lips together, her cheeks turning red.

“It’s an old Sicilian tradition,” Nina said but I could see the malice and envy in her eyes. I didn't understand why she was pretending to be happy or even upset about me marrying Liam. Everyone knows that she's his step mother except there's something I'm missing and they have a different type of relationship.

I kept those thoughts to myself and looked up and saw that Nina was still babbling. “After the wedding night, the groom’s family takes the sheets from your bed to show proof that the marriage was consummated and that the bride was pure.”

“It’s also called the bloody sheets tradition,” Cosima giggled.

I froze. “That’s barbaric!” Rina hissed. “Mother, you can’t allow this.”

“It’s not up to me,” my mother said quietly.

“That’s right,” Nina said. “We don’t abandon our traditions. And from what I’ve heard, you’ve been well protected, so you have nothing to worry about. The sheets will prove your honor.”

Rina glared, but I could only think about what this meant was that I had to have s*x with Liam and that made me very scared.

****

The afternoon before the wedding, my family left the hotel and went to the Abelli mansion in the Hamptons. The house was massive, built to look like an Italian palace, and it was surrounded by almost three acres of beautiful grounds.

The long driveway wound past four large garages and two guesthouses before ending in front of the mansion, which had a white exterior and a red-shingled roof. Marble statues stood at the base of the wide double staircase leading to the front door.

Inside, the mansion was even more breathtaking. It had high, decorated ceilings, white marble columns, and floors that gleamed. Huge windows gave a clear view of the bay and a long pool. Liam’s father and stepmother led us upstairs to the left wing, where our rooms were located.

Rina and I insisted on sharing a room. I didn’t care if it made us seem childish. I needed her with me. From our window, we could see workers setting up the large pavilion where the ceremony would take place tomorrow. Beyond it, the ocean waves churned.

Liam wasn’t arriving until the next day to avoid bad luck from seeing me before the wedding. Honestly, I didn’t think my luck could get any worse than it already was.

“Today’s the day!” my mother said, forcing a cheerful tone.

I dragged myself out of bed. Rina groaned and pulled the blankets over her head. “It’s too early,” she grumbled.

Mother sighed. “I can’t believe you two shared a room, like little kids.”

“Someone had to make sure Liam didn’t sneak in,” Rina muttered from under the blanket.

“Jackson was guarding the hallway,” Mother said.

“As if he’d protect Milene from Liam,” Rina mumbled, finally sitting up. Her red hair was a tangled mess.

Mother pressed her lips together. “Your sister doesn’t need protection from her husband.”

Rina snorted but said nothing more. Mother ignored her and pulled me into the bathroom. “We need to start getting you ready. The beautician will be here any moment. Go take a quick shower.”

As the warm water poured over me, reality hit hard. This was it—the day I had dreaded for so long. By tonight, I would be Milene Abelli, wife to Liam Abelli, the future leader of the mafia. I leaned against the shower wall.

I wished I could feel happy about this day, like other brides. I wished I wasn’t dreading the wedding night so much. But I’d learned long ago that wishes didn’t change anything.

When I got out of the shower, I couldn’t stop shivering, even in my fluffy bathrobe. I heard a knock at the door, and Rina entered holding a cup and a bowl. “Coffee and fruit salad.

Apparently, you’re not allowed pancakes because they might make you bloat. Total nonsense.”

I took the coffee but shook my head at the food. “I’m not hungry.”

“You need to eat something. If you don’t, you might faint walking down the aisle,” she said with a smirk. “Though I’d love to see Liam’s reaction if that happened.”

I managed a small sip of coffee, then took the bowl and ate a few pieces of fruit. Fainting in front of everyone would just make things worse.

“The beautician’s here with her team,” Rina said. “You’d think they were prepping a whole army.”

I gave a weak smile. “Let’s not keep them waiting.”

When I entered the bedroom, Amelia and my mother were already there with the beauticians. They got to work right away, starting with waxing.

I thought the worst was over when the beautician asked, “Do you know what your husband prefers for the bikini area?”

I felt my face turn red because I was embarrassed.

Mother looked at me, waiting for an answer, but I had no idea what Liam liked or wanted.

“Maybe we should call one of his mistresses and ask,” Rina mumbled.

“Rina!” Mother gasped, horrified. Amelia looked confused, not understanding what was going on.

“I’ll remove most of it but leave a small triangle, okay?” the beautician said gently. I nodded, grateful for her professionalism.

The preparations seemed endless. After hours of waxing, makeup, and hairstyling, I was finally ready. My hair was styled in an elaborate updo, ready to hold my veil and diamond headpiece.

My aunts, Livia and Ornatella, arrived with the wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses for Rina and Amelia.

****

I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection. The dress was stunning. The long train spread out behind me, and the platinum embroidery sparkled in the sunlight. The empire waist was tied with a satin ribbon, and the sweetheart neckline gave me a flattering shape.

“Liam will love it,” Aunt Ornatella said.

My mother must have noticed my growing panic because she quickly ushered the aunts out, saying, “Let the girls have a moment.”

Rina joined me in the mirror. Her mint bridesmaid dress looked lovely with her red hair. She opened a box containing a necklace—diamonds and pearls surrounded by white gold.

“Liam doesn’t hold back, does he? This necklace and your headpiece probably cost more than most people’s homes.”

From the open window, we could hear the voices of guests arriving outside. Every now and then, there was a clunking sound.

“What’s that noise?” I asked, needing a distraction.

Rina went to the window and peeked out. “The men are taking off their guns and putting them in plastic boxes.”

“How many?” I asked.

“One each,” she said, frowning. Then she understood, and I nodded grimly. “No one leaves home with just one gun.”

“Then why bother?”

“It’s symbolic,” I said. Just like this wedding.

“If they want peace, why bring guns at all? It’s a wedding,” Rina said.

“There have been red weddings before,” I said. “I saw pictures of a bride whose dress was soaked in blood. You couldn’t even tell it was white.”

Amelia shivered. “That kind of thing won’t happen today, right?”