Page 29 of Tragic Empire

“No,” I bite out. “It shouldn’t have.”

Sensing the strained shift in my mood, Gerard nods, taking a step back. “Let me know if you need anything, Ana. I’ll be here, and I’ll leave with you when it’s time to go home.”

Home.

The word is almost laughable.

Where is my supposed home? In the empty New York penthouse where the ghost of Cole will haunt my every sight? Or the London apartment where my mother’s life ended?

I doubt either location will ever behomeagain.

Nodding mutely, I turn back to the counter. The fruit looks even more unappetizing than before. Scowling at the bowl, I push away from the offensive food and slide off of the upholstered seat.

Determined feet guide me through the Moretti house, desperate to find comfort in the chaos. Being alone with my thoughts is not a good idea.

Fortunately, I don’t have to wander for long.

“Look at all these dresses Armani found!” Jade practically squeals. She’s holding an armful of white fabric, basically hugging it to her chest. The sitting room surrounding her is covered in it. There must be at least ten wedding gowns sprawled all over the space.

The man who Jade credits for the scene is standing nearby, a fond smile on his lips as he watches his sister gush. Armani’s actually one of the Moretti brothers I’ve had more interaction with. He was a weapons instructor at Empire Academy last semester, and he’s been home every time that I’ve come to visit Jade. He’s also one of the easiest brothers to remember, since he’s covered in tattoos and has silky brown hair down to his shoulders.

“Jade said you didn’t want to go shopping yourself, so I grabbed a few options in your size,” he tells me, nodding to the piles of dresses. “If you don’t want to rummage through all of these, I can tell you my top picks.”

Armani cares about fashion unlike any other mobster I’ve ever met. Jade’s closet is filled to the brim with unique pieces because of him, and he’s always dressed in something magnificent. So I have no problem trusting his judgement.

While trying on dress after dress might help to pass the time, I’m in no mood to play dress up. As it is, wedding dress shopping is something that girls tend to do with their mothers. I’d like to avoid the somber reminder that that isn’t an option for me.

“Do you have anything with sleeves and a high back?”

His lips quirk into a grin. “I do indeed. One of my favorites is this classically simple floor-length. It has sleeves, a fully buttoned-up back, but a lower neckline that has some lace peeking out in the middle. Very elegant but understated, which I prefer for someone with your natural beauty.”

Despite my abysmal mood, his compliment makes me flush.

“I’ll try it.”

“Eep!” Jade tosses up her hands in exclamation. “You’re going to look stunning! I can’t wait to see it. Do you want to go to my room to see how it fits?”

I’m glad that Jade is allowing herself to be happy. I like that she isn’t censoring her excitement. Maybe her joy will be infectious enough to seep into me through the air. And if it doesn’t, it’s still keeping me steady.

If I can give even a sliver of that back to her, I’m going to try.

“Do you want to try one on too? It’d be a shame to let all of Armani’s work go to waste.”

Jade gasps. “Really? You wouldn’t mind?”

“I’d like it if you would,” I admit with a shrug. “Neither of us ever went to prom, so we never got dresses then. Maybe doing this will be like that.”

Her responding smile is blinding. “Okay, let’s do it!”

ChapterTen

Ana

Ididn’t need to try on a second dress. The lovely gown Armani suggested fit like a glove and covered my body in all of the ways I prefer. It must have cost a fortune, judging by the quality of stitching and the Italian label I didn’t recognize. But when I asked to pay for it, Armani scoffed and told me not to insult him by asking a second time.

There was no room for further argument as he put a veil in my unstyled hair and asked if I wanted it trimmed shorter. When I told him I didn’t want a veil at all, he took it off to look at me without it for a long moment.

We shouldn’t hide this pretty face, should we?He eventually agreed, tossing the fabric aside. After giving three pairs of short heels to choose from, he left Jade and me to get out of our dresses. She’d tried on this over-the-top, glittery ballgown-style dress that made her look like a sparkly cupcake in the best way.