I smile at myself in the mirror and I make sure that my dress is on right. Megan opens the door and walks in, "come on Lyla, you look beautiful, there is nothing to worry about." She takes my hand and starts to pull me towards the door.
"Are you sure, what if something goes wrong?" I asked as I feel anxiety overwhelm me.
She stops pulling and turns to me, "Lyla. You look like a badass bitch. There is a very handsome man waiting at the bottom of the stairs, he's waiting for you to make an appearance for him, now don't keep him waiting a second longer." I sigh knowing that she's right.
She kisses my cheek and whispers for me to have tonight. I nod my head and slowly walk out the door and towards the stairs. I look towards the bottom and see him. Easton has all black on, black dress pants, a black long sleeve dress shirt and a black suit jacket that he was holding in his arm. His face was scrunched up as he was looking at his phone.
I started my descent down the stairs watching him, he still hadn't looked up yet, and I was getting very worried. Out of no where I hear Megan yell from the balcony, "Easton, dumbfuck, Look up."
I watch as he looks up at her with anger. He the turns his face in m direction and I instantly see his face soften and his eyes widen, I give him a small smile while standing on the stairs. As I come closer to him, I slip and trip forwards, I let out a small shriek, closing my eyes and feel someone's arms around me.
I open my eyes and I'm in Easton's arms he chuckles and whispers, "falling for me already I see."
He sets me on the ground but holds me by my waist, "You look beautiful Ly." I blush at his words and we start to make our way towards the front door. He holds his arm out once we get to the stairs outside, "don't want you falling for anyone else now." He smirks as I hook my arm onto his and smile at him.
At the bottom of the stairs there is a limo waiting and he opens the door for me, I slip into the limo and he gets in after me. The limo starts driving off while I stare out the window. I look over at Easton and smile as he takes my hand and places it in his. I feel his lips softly kiss my knuckles before he sets our hands back on the seat and caresses mine with his. I can't help but realize how our hands fit together.
After a short drive, I watch as we pull into a courtyard. I smile at Easton and he grips my hand tightly. The limo comes to a stop and Easton's door is opened for him, he gets out and puts his hand out for me. I gratefully take it and he helps me out of the limo.
I look around at the architecture of the outside of the building as we start ascending up the stairs. "Wait until you see the inside L," Easton whispers to me.
Entering the building is like every fairytale I have ever read. The whole place reminds me of the 1900's. As we make our way inside, some men talk to Easton and then we are escorted into a room full of people. There is an upstairs that looks over the floor, and there is at least 500 people.
I feel Easton's arm wrap around my waist and he leans into me, "there is nothing to be nervous about L, I won't let anyone hurt you. But we do have to go talk to some people, just stay close to me."
Before I can answer he guilds me throughout the crowd over to his father and mother. "Lyla it's so good to see you again, you look beautiful daring," his mother compliments me and gives me a big hug, I smile and hug her back and whisper into her ear, "thank you Maria."
She pulls away and smiles at me while Easton and his father are talking, which is short lived. After only a few minutes Easton grabs my hand and once again drag me throughout the crowd, every step he takes someone greets him and he says 'Hello' but we keep moving.
We make it to the other side of the room and a man walks up to us, he looks about mid-forties. He is wearing a blood red dress shirt with a black jacket in his arms. His hair is a dark brown and piercing green eyes. His face is very recognizable, yet I have never met him before. He has a very loud voice when he says, "Easton, my boy, look how much you've grown up." I hear Easton chuckle, and say "And you Damion, you haven't aged a day, since I had the pleasure of meeting you last."
The man then turns to me, "And who shall this be Easton, you didn't tell me you had a girlfriend?"
I go to correct his but Easton cuts in front of my sentence, "Damion Ricci, this is Lyla, Lyla meet Damion."
I smile softly at him as he looks at me. He holds his hand out and I place mine in his, he squeezes my hand and brings it up to his lips, "It's nice to meet you Lyla."
"You as well Mr. Ricci." I say and he laughs, "Please my dear, call me Damion, there is no need to be formal." I smile and nod in response. Him and Easton turn away from me and start their own conversation. I feel like an unknown here, everyone seems to know Easton and yet I know no one, and it seems that the room is full of men and barley any women.
I see a bar serving drink and quietly walk away from Easton and Damion. I sigh and say to the bartender, "could I get a water please." He nods and walks away, moments later setting it in front of me. A man walks up to me and holds out his hand, "Hola hermosa, mi nombre es Seth Rodriguez."
I place my hand in his and he kisses it, what's up with everyone being so fancy. "Hi Seth, I'm Lyla, and I'm sorry but I don't speak Spanish." I look glance at his appearance, he is tall, very tan, with slick black hair, and a very thick accent.
"Well at least you could tell that it was Spanish," he chuckled. You could hear his accent throughout his laugh. "What's a pretty girl like you doing here all alone?"
I smile politely, "I'm just waiting for a friend."
I watch as he takes a seat at the bar, "This place is very intimating, no? Many men here have killed and done worse, yet every year they come together as if it's a wonderful life they are living," He says
He continues, "see him," he points, "That is Michela Guinee, he has never had a prisoner left alive." I watch as he continues to point out people to me.
"Right there, do you see them, the one wearing the red with the blackish brown hair, that's Damion Ricci, he is the Don of the Italian Mafia, he's known as L'uomo dai pericolosi occhi verdi (The man with dangerous green eyes). And the man beside him in all black, that's Easton Salvetti, he is heir to his fathers mafia, around here he's known as the devil in disguise." I hear him continue talking after he tells me about Easton but my mind is somewhere else.
Easton Salvetti, a name in which I never knew was fear, a man who is everything but the devil. I let my thoughts consume me and my eyes flicker around the room.
I look around the room and my eyes land on a familiar man, Trevor. He is staring directly at me. I look around me to see if it's someone else and when I look back up I see him point at me and then he slides his hand across his neck.
My eyes widen and I can see the smirk on his face, as I watch him disappear into the crowd. I feel a hand on my shoulder and I jump back, I am relieved to see that it's Easton but he has a concerned look on his face. "Seth, what are you doing."
I see a smirk form on Seth's lips, "I'm just keeping your very special lady friend company Easton."
"Back the fuck off Seth." I see Seth put his hands up in defense, I feel his lips kiss my hand , " It was a pleasuring meeting you Lyla." He says before he turns and walks away.
Easton then turns to me, "I want you to stay away from him, he's no good Lyla." I see his eyes full of concern as my mind is thinking about Trevor, "L are you feeling okay, you look very pale right now, we can go home if you would like."
I look at him and nod my head. He wraps his arm around my waist and guides me to the exit. Leaving and getting back to his house is a blur.
Once we are back home, it is an instant relief. I rub a hand across my face and yawn, I hear him chuckle. I feel myself being lifted up and seconds later Easton is carrying me bridal style up the stairs. I lean into him and whisper, "The big bad mafia man is carrying a girl up the stairs, what would everyone else think of this."
"They'd think I have gone soft." He replies as he sets me down in the middle of my room. I turn the light on and close the door, "Would they be right?" I ask turning towards him again.
He wraps his arms around me waist, "Only for you L."
I smile and he pulls me closer, "I never got my dance tonight." He says pulling out his phone and putting some music on before throwing it on the bed.
I wrap my arms around his neck, "well I guess now you will." I put my head against his chest and he slowly starts to sway us back and forth to the music. I have my eyes closed, listening to his heartbeat, I feel his thumb go under my chin and he makes me look at him.
I look up at him and he holds my face. He leans his lips towards mine only stopping a couple centimeters away, I don't stop him. I close the gap between us and he kisses me softly. The kiss becomes more intimate as I rub my hand through his hair, I feel his tongue flick against my bottom lip and I part my mouth letting him deepen the kiss.
He pulls away slowly and places his forehead against mine, "you don't know how long I've been waiting to do that Ly, it was worth the wait." I blush and push my face into his chest. I mumble into his chest, "I'm so tired Easton, I'm sorry."
I back away from him and rub my eyes, "Nothing to be sorry about Lyla." I hear him chuckle.
I reach my hand around my back but can't reach the zipper, I bite my lip and look at him, he already has an amused look on his face, "Can you uh-"
Before I know it I can feel the zipper being undone on my dress, I hold it up so it doesn't slip down. I feel his lips on my shoulder before I hear him shut the door behind him, I smile and walk into the closet. I find a bigger plain tee-shirt and put it on. I quickly jump onto the bed and throw the covers over me.
After ten minutes of waiting, Easton never comes back. I sigh heavily and sit up, getting off the bed. I make my way into the hall where it is almost pitch black. All the lights in the house are off except the dim lights on the side of the hall leading the way. I walk to his office, the door is open and no one is inside. The last place I can think is his bedroom, I walk to the doors that I assume is his bedroom. I stand outside of the two black doors, I raise my hand and knock, "Easton," I whisper quietly.
I slowly open the door and look inside, the lights are on but no one is to be seen. The walls are painted black, with a large bed. There are two windows on either side of the bed with blue curtains covering them. I make my way towards his bed and take a seat on it, I could feel just how comfortable the bed was and I decided to lay down to wait.