Page 209

A door slammed from a distance, and my heart hammered. Shoes clicked on the tiled floor in the hallway, and when I glanced over my shoulder, my heart sank to my stomach. Luca stood in the entryway, with his eyes fixed on me, dressed in his usual bespoke suit that hugged every inch of his muscular body like a glove.
A cocky smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth as he entered the room. “Gentleman,” Luca said as he stood behind me, sliding his hand to my hip to pull me into his hard chest. “Sorry to keep you waiting. I see you’ve met my beautiful bride.”
“We’re ready, Domenica,” Arlo called out.
A woman with long, dark hair appeared in the entryway. I smiled at Caio Bella's owner, who wore a knee-length green dress that fit her curvy frame.
“Alex,” she said with a tight-lipped smile. “Nice to see you. If you can follow me, we can get started.”
I lifted a curious eyebrow. “Started on what?”
“Your dress fitting.”
Luca gave me a look that said not to challenge him in mixed company. Without a word, I followed Domenica out of the sitting room. We walked down the long hall into a room filled with couches and full-length mirrors.
I followed her to the opposite side of the room, where racks of wedding gowns waited for me. Over a dozen gowns, some lacy with long skirts, others with short skirts and low-cut bodices, sat on silk hangers. I lifted a chiffon mermaid dress from the rack and held it up, admiring its simplistic beauty.
Domenica took the hanger from me. “Excellent choice.”
She walked over to an ornate dressing screen and hung the dress on a hook on the wall. I stood there, unable to move or breathe, feeling like a weight was crushing my chest.
“Do you need help?” Domenica lilted.
“No, I’m fine.”
I undressed and put on the mermaid gown. The soft fabric felt amazing against my skin.
“Can you zip me?”
Domenica flung out her hand, gesturing for me to turn around. “You look incredible in this gown.”
Staring in the mirror, I smoothed a hand down the front of the dress.
Domenica waved her hand at a table with white shoes on top of the designer boxes. She lifted a pair from the table. “These will look amazing with this dress.”
When we entered the sitting room, the men were busy talking and drinking glasses of amber liquid. A plume of cigar smoke wafted through the air, and the overwhelming stench made my stomach churn.
Domenica cleared her throat. “Gentleman, if I can have your attention.”
Their heads snapped in our direction. Five pairs of eyes raked over my body.
Luca stood from the couch, a drink in one hand and a cigar in the other. “Next dress. I don’t want everyone staring at her tits.”
The top was low cut, my big boobs spilling out from it.
“Something more traditional,” Arlo added. “Less revealing.”
Domenica lowered her head. “Of course, Mr. Salvatore.”
Once inside the dressing room, Domenica worked without speaking to me, moving the revealing dresses to one rack so we could focus on the other. A few gowns had long, lacy sleeves, some with long trains. One, in particular, caught my attention. The dress had cap sleeves, a modest train, and a lace bodice that would cover my breasts. It was traditional, though it still had enough modern flair, and I could see myself wearing it.
I lifted the last dress from the rack and smiled. “This one,” I told Domenica.
She beamed with delight. “I think Mr. Salvatore will be happy with this gown.”
After I changed, I gained a much different reaction from Luca. He rolled the pad of his thumb along his bottom lip, studying me with genuine curiosity like he couldn’t wait to find out what was beneath the layers.
Marcello sat in a comfy chair in the corner. He took a sip from his glass and set it on the table, leaning forward with his eyes fixed on me. Every man burned a hole through me with their eyes.