Sold To Mr. Giordano |Dark Mafia Romance

Chapter 16

“Is that so terrible?” Her voice turns low and soft.

I remind quiet and they both stare at me silently. We reached at the shopping mall and Riccardo opens my door. I whisper a thank you not forgetting my good manner even though I am surrounded by cruel people.

“The boutique we’re going to is run by the Famiglia. Beautiful handcrafted dresses imported from Italy,”  Hazel claps her hands together and seems to be in her own daydream.

“How much are these dresses?”

Arabella reaches into her purse and pulls out a gray credit card. “Antonio gave me his card, it’s limitless. He told me nothing is too expensive.”

Antonio?

“No. I can pay for my own dress. I don’t need one that is a thousand plus dollars,” I shake my head stubbornly.

“He’s paying for it, end of conversation. Do you want me to get in trouble? He wants to pay for your dress and he wants it from this shop.” She points to a tiny shop with beautiful white dresses in the window.

“Like it?” Hazel catches me drooling over the one in the window.

“It’s beautiful.”

The dress has lace sleeves—perfect for a November wedding. There is a sweetheart neckline, that looks like silk mixed with lace design, pearls at the waist, and then it puffs at the hips and I couldn’t see how long the back went, but I know the train is long. Everything about it makes my heart skip a beat.

“Let’s go try it on,” she grabs onto my elbow and pulls me in the store. “Maria, darling!” Arabella calls out and an older woman rushes to greet her with two kisses on the cheek.

“Bella, I am so sorry to hear about Vinny,” Maria has a thick Italian accent.

“Thank you, Maria. We are here for my lovely soon to be cousin. She is infatuated by the dress in the window.”

“Well get her to the fitting room, I’ll grab the dress!” Maria claps her hands together, puts her glasses on and goes for a hunt for my dream dress.

The dress she brought me was too big and long, but it was just to try on and see. She pinned the back with clips—although there was nothing I could do about the length except hold it up with my hands. Before I am able to look at myself in the mirror Arabella lets my hair loose and puts a tiara and veil on my head.

A tear escapes me as I gaze at myself in the mirror. The perfect dress is encompassing my body like a perfect second skin. I never loved any material thing more than this dress. I feel like a princess—the Capo’s wife.

“Beautiful, you look stunning!” Bella grabs my hands and squeezes.

"Wow you look like a queen." Hazel gives me a quick hug.

“I love it,” I say to Maria but continue to stare at myself in the mirror unable to look away.

“He is going to love it.”

.“I will take your measurements and have it ready the day before your wedding.” Maria says.

“Antonio will have one of his men pick it up,” Bella says to Maria.

Taking off the dress itself feels sad. Back in my regular clothes, we met Maria at the counter.

I looked down at the register that rings up the dress for—

“Fifty thousand dollars?! What no way, that’s too much money!” I argue.

“Arielle, you are in love with the dress and Antonio will be fawning over you. The second he sees you he’ll want to rip that dress off you and—”

Panic rushes into my system. “No, I don’t want it anymore. I’ll take the cheapest thing you have,” I sob.

“No, no Arielle. You deserve to be a beautiful bride. Fifty-thousand is nothing to Antonio. Please, let him get this for you.” she sight for a second, "ok! Imagine if it would be your dream wedding instead you would not pick this dress, Arielle!" I simply nodded my head in response.

I watch Bella hand Maria the gray credit card and I am unable to watch that much money being spent so, I step outside for some fresh air.

“You okay?” Riccardo says sitting next to me on the ground.

“How long have you known Antonio?”

“Days ago." I whimper. “He isn’t capable of love, is he?” I wipe my eyes with the sleeve of my shirt.

Riccardo sighs. “He’s Capo.”

That’s all I need.

"He will do everything to make sure you're safe." Riccardo ensures me.

"How long you've known him?"

"He is the one who gave me a shelter when I was kicked out of my home. He the God for me." Riccardo smiles.

"Why can't I see the good on him? He is a devil to me."

"You will see the good at the right time."

"I wish."