Crimson Embrace

Chapter1

Mila's Point of View

"Do you, Mila Dove Morandi, take Dante Ray Gambino to be your lawful-wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"

I stared at the Priest, then glanced at the congregation. My name is Mila Dove Morandi, and I am getting married to my mortal enemy.

I have always looked forward to my wedding. I've always wanted it to be perfect, but here I am, getting married to Dante.

Do I take him as mine, in sickness and health, to love and cherish? What a sick joke, everyone knows it is a sick joke, and yet they sit and watch, I am being made a spectacle of, and the bastard before me is enjoying it.

"I do," I said, looking at Dante's Armani suit, anything but his face.

"Do you, Dante Ray Gambino, take Mila Dove Morandi to be your lawful-wedded wife to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"

I held my breath.

"I do." He says in a bored tone.

"With the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." He says, and my eyes widen. This wasn't part of the plan, we agreed to skip this part.

I am frozen as Dante takes my face in his hands and presses his lips against my cheeks. He just kissed my cheek in front of one thousand wedding guests. Dante just embarrassed me, again.

"Shall we, Wife?" He says, and I finally look at him.

"Burn in hell, husband."

______

"Mila."

My Mother -- Alessandra Morandi, is married to the CEO of Morandi Holdings, who is my father.

"It is Mrs. Gambino, mother, by your doing," I said, glancing away from the mirror, as I stared at her expensive clothes.

"At least you get to enjoy the wedding."

"Mila, everything I do is for you, for our family." She says, her eyes clouded with tears.

"Your Father and I had an arranged marriage too, and it turned into love. Love can bloom from the thorniest of the garden, Tesoro."

I faced her and laughed "Bridgerton?"

"Can you blame me, I'm grasping at straws here." She smiles, and I hug her because, even though I am marrying Dante, I will always have my family.

"I think it's time for Dad and me to dance," I said, kissing her cheeks, then walked out with my head high.

I smile at members of the family. The Morandi Family has roots that cannot be uprooted in society. We go way back, as does the Gambino Family, but we have always been on separate sides, ruling our territory, separately, but today, that changes, as our families align and become one.

"Tesoro," Dad says, as I walk to go home, to our first dance.

"Are you okay?" He asks and I laugh.

"Is that a trick question, Father, you made me a Gambino, you made me Dante's wife, how can I be okay?"

The dance starts, and we move, everyone's eyes on us.

"You are thirty years old, Camila. You are my first daughter. What did you expect? A fairytale love, wake up daughter. Our family and our legacy are built on blood, war, death, and pain. We do not wait for anyone to hand life to us, we take it, Tesoro."

"You might find love with Dante in a couple of years, he could be the apple of your eyes, your whole world, or not. You are a Morandi, Mila. You will not sit and let life happen to you."

I stare at him and say "I deserve more than this, my wedding day should be my happiest day. I deserve better, Father."

"Oh, f**k that." He says, and my eyes widen as we dance.

"You do not deserve anything, you take it, my love. You want a great love story, you want happiness, then take what you've been handed and make it what you want. We are stronger than ever now, the Morandi and Gambino Family are one, and you made that possible, so enjoy your success." He smiles, just as the song ends.

"Shall I have this dance?" I heard and turned in my huge wedding gown to see my friend -- Luca.

"Luca," I said, hugging him.

"You look divine, Mila, the perfect bride. Let's dance." He says, and we do.

"How's Harvard, Luca?" I asked, my hands around his neck, his round my waist.

"I don't want to talk about school, you owe me the gist." He says, as we dance, I look ahead, and there is my husband, sitting with his siblings at his side, but his eyes are on me.

I stare at him, all of him, impossible to believe I am married, forever tied to him. He is seated, and his legs are spread out, with his eyes still on me.

"There's nothing to talk about, at least not now. It's my wedding day, we should be merry and keep dancing." I say, and he laughs.

"You look so good, eatable." He whispers and I burst into laughter, about to respond, but we are cut off by a shadow falling over us.

"Scram, boy," Dante says to Luca, and I straighten.

"What?"

"I would like to dance with my wife." He c****d his head, and I smiled apologetically at Luca, before taking Dante's hand.

Unfortunately for me, the song shuffles to a soft and romantic song, making Dante tug me closer, till there is nothing in between us, except our clothes.

"I don't share," he said, and I frowned.

"You should stay away from that boy, he looks suspicious, and I hate the way he looks at you." He says and I laugh dryly.

"You are just my husband on paper, do not overplay your role," I say, then push back as the song ends.