When the cars arrived at Matteo's villa that stood far along a long driveway much like the one that Alessio's own multi acre estate was though Matteo's home simply rose higher then others around it, just not enough to be considered flamboyant.
Alessio once he got through the gates, slowed along the driveway and stopped in front of a large leveled fountain near a few of Matteo's vehicles that seemed much like him each being a deep metallic grey colour and each being likely even more expensive then Alessio's own taste in vehicles.
Two Mafia bosses who liked cars.
The two brothers never really seemed like they cared much for the luxury around them even if it suited the kind of life they had Alessio never really gave a shit and it was overtly clear Matteo didn't either, they just existed in the bubble of La Cosa Nostra. Ruling the underworld of Europe as the two brothers who could never be beaten.
Once the car was parked, Alessio climbed from it and straightened the shirt he wore, before rounding the vehicle to open my door.
Matteo's house wasn't much less of a view then the surrounding homes though the pale grey colour was definitely one way to stand out amongst the tans and shades of reds and yellows. It also had lush gardens that made the whole home seem like it was owned by some foreign advisor who had never been yo the home. It was a show home though the interior knowing Alessio and knowing that him and Matteo were close, was likely semi traditional.
Getting to the door I watched Alessio knock and a few seconds later Matteo opened the door the calculated grin that he had pulled across his face.
"Alessio thank you for joining me," Matteo remarks and Alessio flicked his eyebrows up for a brief second.
"Fuck off Matteo, we both know that Lorenzo and Vivian Valentino will be here soon with their youngest daughter," Alessio says almost dismissively, but I caught the warning in his voice when he addressed his brother.
"Gabriella will probably only want to see her sister after she finds out that she has to marry me, and be your sister in law," Matteo teases though I noticed that he seemed somewhat nervous.
Being around Alessio made me notice things easier, he was good at what he did about reading people and so I had to learn how to read the micro expressions of his face.
"Gabriella knows that she's marrying you, and Alessio and her will speak, if you get married she said yes, you know that," I state, and Matteo raised his eyebrows as if he was surprised that his brother would have explained that part of marriage traditions.
"He's been open about the truth of marriage to you, that's not usual, maybe you have made Alessio a big old softie," Matteo quips jumping out of range of my fiancé's grip, followed by a click and glancing down Alessio aimed a gun from his hip.
"Enough Matteo, she knows, now move on," Alessio's sharp words cut through the room. They'd never been hostile but I did have the feeling that they did it mostly to push one another, even if neither would harm the other, under any circumstance.
"I'm backing off, still I'm proud to know I hold the honour of being able to piss off the Don of the Familia and still live," Matteo smirks and he was met by Alessio returning his gun to his holster while glowering at his brother.
I'd never seen Alessio lose it at his brother, and I knew Matteo wasn't one to resort to violence prematurely though there was almost what seemed like an understanding that regardless of it the one thing that would separate the Salvatorini brothers was how they dealt with situations. Matteo liked the chance liked creating the fear of being prey in people. Alessio was simply the man that could kill without feeling anything for the future of their family. I also suspected that any fight, if it ever occurred between them, would result in both of them dead.
It was at that moment that the BMW's of my family stopped and Gabriella stepped out of the car dressed in a knee length black dress that would have been better suited for summer then the fall, but none the less she looked beautiful if not a little like me. Like my appearance was somehow better then my sister's.
Glancing to Matteo he looked almost like he'd been caught off guard at her appearance though anyone would've been. In my eyes Gabriella was no less pretty then me, and I thought of her as a perfect match to Matteo simply because she wouldn't let him get away with anything that could be harmful to her or himself. I knew that I could accept Alessio, that I viewed myself as no less guilty to the sins of the world we lived in as him. My sister on the other hand often wished for the normality of standard life without the connection to the mob, so marrying Matteo would prove to be a challenge for both of them as Gabriella would want to run, and Matteo would want to make her happy but never be able to let her go.
"Gabriella Valentino, second daughter of Lorenzo Valentino , meet the Consigliere of the Salvatorini Familia, Matteo Salvatorini," Alessio says gesturing between the two even if they had already met before, my Fiancé was nothing if not formal and traditionalist.
"Gabriella," Matteo smirks extending his hand and playing along while Gabriella gave Matteo her hand which was when he lifted it and kissed it making her blush lightly.
"Matteo," Gabriella says and I glanced over my sister to Alessio who was watching with an impassive expression as he watched the two of them.
I also could understand how much it weighed on him that yet another Valentino daughter was being given to the Familia, while he wasn't even married to me and only families could nullify a wedding up until the moment it was set in stone with both I do's.
Alessio also wasn't ever going to give up on his family and if Gabriella said yes to marrying Matteo, that all but made her a member of the Salvatorini Familia, even if she wouldn't realize it.
"Alessio," dad greets, sounding cheery and like he couldn't be more pleased that both of his daughters would go to the ruling Mob family. My family was always going to be more interested in status, at least that was the case for my mom but for my dad it seemed like he actually liked Alessio, even if my fiancé viewed my father as a good Don but not as capable as needed to be in control over a vast territory.
"Lorenzo, I hope the drive wasn't terrible," Alessio says calmly as he resorted to being civil even if I knew his default was impassive calm.
"It was good, your brother has a beautiful home here," dad says looking around at the home that Matteo lived in with its white walls and stone flooring that made the house seem very uniform and considering that Matteo was known for partying I wouldn't have been surprised if Matteo and my sister's wedding breaks headlines as my sister taking down Matteo's playboy lifestyle.
My mom then entered the home and looked to me and then to Alessio before moving over to me and casting me a fake smile before she turned to Alessio, who with one look made shivers run over my mom like he saw through her, and any expression she might try on him.
"Alessio, I would like to talk to Arianna for a moment is that okay?" she asks and Alessio looked to me and in his eyes I could tell that he was going to be paying attention, and just like that I gave him a small smile or reassurance before he returned his attention to my parents.
"Yes, Vivian you may speak to my fiancé, you have five minutes, I still need to speak with Matteo and then Gabriella," he says smoothly, before looking to my father, "I am going to speak with Matteo, I would suggest telling Gabriella something reassuring, she hides her nervousness well, just not to the trained eye".
Glancing to my sister I caught her fiddling with her fingers before my mother pulled me away from everyone and particularly Alessio's scathing look as he regarded my mom practically pulling me away with a hard grip on my arm.
Taking me into a side room my mom stopped and shut the door before turning to me.
"Have you done what is needed, and use his base thoughts and instinct to control him, it'll make you a better wife and him happy," my mother says and I stared at her with shock. The past two months that had passed I forgot that she was so self oriented and used me as a pawn, sure Alessio had planned to unite Italy under him but it was one thing to do something for peace then power.
"I will not be anyone's whore mother, not even when I'm married, I will not fall to being dishonoured for your pride. I am treated with respect by him, am protected, and honoured, he's protected me in name and body, and I would be a fool if I didn't see through it all. You married me to a supposed monster and it failed for you, Gabriella will get the same treatment from Matteo, as I do from Alessio, and I hope it hurts you when your children are happy, I hope it burns your vindictive heart when Gabriella and I smile on our wedding nights looking at the men we will marry," I say being happy that I stood above my mother by several inches even out of heels though the fact I was wearing heels, and her flats gave me plenty of height advantage.
"I am your mother, young lady, don't you speak to me like that," she says raising her hand all while I stared at her which was when she swung. Immediately bracing for the impact I waited, but it never came. Opening my eyes I noticed the additional shadow in the room and then Alessio's tall figure beside my mother holding her by the wrist with a dark look in his eyes.
"You're lucky Vivian that you are Lorenzo's wife. Arianna is mine, and if I find that you're going to attempt to raise a hand to my woman I will relieve you of it, is that understood," Alessio says his voice like thunder as he looked down at her, releasing her wrist as he stood between me and my horrified mother. Dad then stepped into the room and seeing Alessio's anger, my tense posture and my mothers fear he quickly observed the situation.
"What has happened here?" he asks slowly.
"He...," my mother begins but Alessio's voice boomed through the room.
"Silence," it wasn't usual for a Boss to be able to hold authority over another Boss's family but we were in Alessio's territory so his word was senior. "Your wife attempted to strike my own, two months or not, Arianna will be my wife so I am going to call her as such. I suggest that she remain on the premises but not here in this house while this meeting is conducted, however she is your wife Lorenzo and all I may do is stand between the harm of Aria and the inflictor," Alessio says resorting back to his calm.
"Of course, my apologies Don Salvatorini," my dad says casting me a sorrowful look, like it was me that he had to apologize to, like he was remorseful that mom had even tried to harm me. He was the only reason my own childhood didn't resemble Alessio's, however my brothers were fine, taught to be strong, but for some reason Gabriella and I had always been despised by our mother.
"Now, I'm going to speak with Gabriella, and once that is over with, I am going back to Varazze, maybe by then I'll have forgiven the impeding truth that perhaps Arianna should have been married to me years ago, when she first turned eighteen, maybe she would've been safe from your treatment of her Vivian. Italy will be mine in two months, and I have already dealt with many traitors and plans of humiliation to the Salvatorini Familia, I approve in advance of my brother and your youngest daughter to marry. I see that they already give one another secret smiles even if Gabriella cried when she learned of the marriage," Alessio points out pausing to turn back in the doorway.
"I wonder if the tears were of relief to be free then of fear, perhaps that will be the discussion on the ride back to Vincenza," he added before leaving the room while I watched my father turn to face me as I relaxed.
"I'm going to go now," I say making my way to follow after Alessio.
"Is it true that your mom tried to hit you?" dad asks, and I nodded.
"I feared that I would be married to a man who would harm me dad, I am going to be married to a man who treats me better then anyone else, I feel more loved by him then I did by mom. He's never raised a hand to me, and I see it in his eyes each day that he won't, you should ask mom how many years it had been that she hated Gabriella and I for not being boys, ask her how long it's been that she hit us for minor discretions. Thanks mom, for teaching me how to be fearless, because I wasn't safe in my own home," and with that I left the room wiping the tears that had formed in my eyes as I walked away towards the living room where I knew Alessio would be talking to Matteo and then Gabriella.
"I just ask that I get freedom in my marriage, Matteo, that you don't cage me," Gabriella says softly from the largest sofa in the home.
"I would never, just don't run away, I will find you if you do. If you and I will be together, it will be you and I against the world," Matteo replies with his signature smirk all while Alessio gave a faint smile to his brother while his arms were crossed.
"Thank you for stopping her from hitting me," I whisper to him and he turns his attention from his brother and my sister, to me with a softness I never expected but desired more and more as I saw it.
"Always, no one gets to harm you, even your own family. And I'm sorry I kept part of the marriage agreement a secret from you," Alessio says and I could tell that apologizing wasn't something he did often, but he was making an effort for us, for our future marriage.
"I forgave you not long after you told me," I say before thinking back through what he said and smiling wryly up at him. "So you're going to call me your wife now?".
"I will call you mine, in all the darkness this world has, and in every bright moment," Alessio pledges softly into my ear and I had to press my lips together to stop from smiling more.
"And I will too," I add before he went back to listening to Gabriella and Matteo interact.
So this took longer then I thought it would but it's done, what are your thoughts, comment, vote, and share. Anyways
Peace✌