Roses & Ruin

Chapter 33 (Anthony)

        I won't lie, we were all extremely curious to meet this Russian mafia princess meant to be wed off to one of us Italian bosses. It's all the guys have been talking about in the last two days. The five families obviously knew about these negotiations so all my buddies in the Bianchi, Romano, and Lombardi crime families were gossiping like fucking girls about it.

Not the De Luca's though. This was serious business for them. And for us. The Rizzo's I mean.

        Domani wasn't telling anyone anything about what he was thinking in all this. Our last sit down with the Russian's was a bit tense and not overly productive, and I know that got under Dom's skin.

But whatever idea he has to make this all work, he hasn't shared it with us yet, which leaves me feeling unprepared. Maybe it's because he has no fucking idea what to do, but let's hope not.

      We decided to host this sit down in the private cards room inside the Velvet Lounge. We weren't accepting any members tonight. The whole room was cleared out for this sit down only. That means one bartender behind the wet bar towards the back of the room, the security on their side and ours, and us men.

Oh, and her. Whoever the girl is. Aleksandra I think they said her name was. Poor chick. She's fucked.

         Our star players tonight were all sitting around the cards table waiting for the Russian's to arrive. We weren't playing a game or nothing, but it was a place to sit and wait. My uncle, my cousin Enzo, me, Elio, Alessandro, and Dom. 

Domani wasn't sitting though. He was pacing around, and once he stopped in front of the bar Elio stood up and went over to him. Muttering something to him.

I don't know how Elio can be best friends with Dom, but he is. If anyone can talk him down it's him. Not when it comes to Mia, but for everything else.

     Everyone got to their feet and straightened their suit coats out when they heard the turning of the lock and door handle. I smoothed out my hair and fixed the lapels of my fine tailored suit, waiting.

First to come in was one of our goons and he promptly widened the door and held it for our entering guests. First Vitaly, then his eldest Dmitriy, his second son Andrei, then her.

At first glance I couldn't see much more than long, pale blonde hair and a gorgeous dress. As the people moved further inside my eyes connected with striking blue ones. Familiar blue ones.

        It was like the floor fell out from under me. I couldn't fucking believe what I was seeing. Lexi. Fucking Lexi?! My world stopped for a minute. Holy fuck...I fucked Vitaly Petrov's daughter. Oh fuck...he'll kill me. Literally kill me. 

He can't know. He definitely doesn't know. Why would Lexi tell him when she's supposed to be a virgin. The little liar.

Was she a virgin when we...? I'm so confused right now. And freaking out if I'm being honest. She can't even hint to knowing me even in a friendly way. She has to pretend she never met me and I hope she knows that.

        When our eyes caught I could see the subtle panic set behind them. I thought for a moment that maybe she sought me out on purpose and knew who I was all along, but by her expression I can tell she's just as shocked as I am.

She hid it well after that. She smoothed her face out and so did I. She also shared no more eye contact with me. She looked anywhere but at me.

         So the interesting, intelligent, funny and clever sexy model I met is actually Mob royalty. I would've never guessed. The way she carries herself, it's nothing like our mafia princesses.