For The Famiglia: Arranged Devotion (Complete)

Fia’s Wedding

I just wanted to find Fia and congratulate her then disappear till the party was over however night seemed to dwindle on ridiculously slow and I spent most of it in my seat or having to have an obligation dance with a relative while giving polite smiles but mostly not speaking when I was finally able to see Fia, she truly was a.vision long raven hair falling in perfect curls down her back the same honey-coloured eyes I had. A lot of people said we looked alike our mothers are sisters and perhaps there was some family resemblance but I didn't see it “Fia” I exclaimed approaching her. She faced me with a wide smile on her perfectly red painted lips.

“It's so good to see you, Cat” she took hold of my hands before we embraced. My arms wrapped around her waist tightly noticing easily how much thinner she was from the last time I had seen her.

“Are you okay?” I whispered between placing a kiss on each of her cheeks.

“Don't worry about me, Catarina. I always knew this would be my fate” it wasn't the answer I was looking for and frankly it just made me worry more slowly pulling away I noticed the tight forced smile on her lips.

“Fia...” I couldn't help the sympathy that bubbled in my chest for my cousin. So many of us were married off for convenience rarely out of love but even in relationships of love weren't a guarantee considering my sister's marriage “I am here--”

“I can't run away” she snapped out sharply as though the idea were completely ludicrous and perhaps it was. Our world wasn't one you couldn't simply escape.

Instead, I held her hands firmly, staring at my cousin's nervous eyes. She was older than me though somehow she seemed so much younger at that moment “I'm here...” I whispered.

“Fia! Fia!” her mother called for her interrupting our talk. I had never been close with my aunt though she resembled my mother greatly she was more dutiful and with my loud mouth, she had never been a fan of mine.

“Thank you, Cat” her smile was sincere this time “and thank you for coming” one more tight squeeze of my hands before she left. My heart broke for my cousin but I was thankful to be able to retreat to the balcony. We were on the second floor and there wasn't much to see but the traffic of the busy city was better than being stuck inside, however. My sleeveless arms gained goosebumps from the cool night air but I paid no attention just enjoying the solitude unfortunately that was interrupted when the French glass door opened.

“Apologies I didn't know anyone was out here” the voice was as smooth as silk but caught me by surprise. Glancing over my shoulder to the door I saw a large, heavier set middle-aged man he brushed his hand over the slicked back jet black hair before slipping a cigarette between his lips. He was high up with the amount of expensive jewellery he adorned on his person but I didn't recognise him and assumed he was an underboss from New York considering his more relaxed behaviour.

“Apologies would be necessary if someone caught you out here alone with me” I couldn't help but mutter out “the gossips would have a field day.”

Most men probably would have glared at me very few liked a woman who spoke back but instead, the large man laughed “You’re Rossi’s youngest aren't you?”

“My reputation proceeds me or do I suddenly look like my father?” I knew I should have shut my mouth and usually, I would of in the crowd but alone on the balcony, I was tired, just wanted to leave and my usual facade was slipping.

“No, you definitely look like your mother. She was a beauty too, it’s the mouth I heard the youngest Rossi tended to flap her gums” he chuckled approaching to stand at my side. In a normal world perhaps I would have been tense but standing beside undoubtedly a dangerous man was nothing new.

“People and their relentless gossip” I rolled her eyes.

“That’s what the woman here do” the corner of his lips on his plump face curled in a smirk though his gaze had now turned to the city before us. Something about his smile was disarming perhaps that was why I spoke quite freely. I wasn't naive enough to believe he wasn't capable of snapping my neck without blinking it was just odd how friendly he seemed.

“Me too, not like you lot are much better” I simply shrugged. It wasn't as though it was untrue.

“You’re lucky it isn’t someone else hearing this because most men in there would give you a slap” it wasn’t malicious in tone but merely matter of fact.

“They would have to go through my father” I knew that was true my father would never let that happen.

“Your father wouldn’t have much of a choice if it was his boss, would he? Or someone above him in position” he didn’t seem like he was taunting me, he seemed to genuinely want to know my reactions.

“He would do what he could but no matter the person it isn’t like I would go quietly” I insisted, I was still young and stood tall however with much pride and arrogance.

“I wouldn’t assume you would” taking in a long drawback of his cigarette his almost florescent green eyes seemed to examine me “I know someone who you would get along with quite well” my lips curved to a frown at his words I knew exactly what those words meant and suddenly I felt stupid for not clicking earlier. He was there to suss me out, to check it what he had heard was true, he had cornered me like a cat to a mouse and he was making his move to pounce.

“Oh, I don’t know I’m not easy to get along with” I attempted to gently turn him down but the grin on his face already showed he wasn’t backing down. All those warnings I had been given all day were haunting my mind. My arrogance had gotten me nowhere.

“You seem pretty easy to get along with to me” with the last breath of his cigarette he flicked it out into the street before giving me another smile it was friendly but it was usually misleading in our world “if you will excuse me, Miss Rossi, I need to return to the party” he excused himself and went back inside and I couldn’t take my eyes off the large man who made his way through the crowd my heart was beating rapidly and when the man found his way to my father and The Boss of New Orleans the obvious displeasure appearing on my fathers face I knew it was over.