I’m too stunned to speak, let alone move, as images of a lamb being flayed from ear to ear invade my mind.
“Please don’t kill an animal. I can’t…” Marco’s eyes are laughing, like he finds my accusation cute.
“No one is dying tonight, Dolcezza.” The grin that follows is pure evil. “Not yet.”
“I do.” Marco takes the knife and lifts his left hand, placing the blade at the base of his forefinger and pushing through diagonally, causing a gash that is soon overflowing with blood.
“Oh my God, Marco. What…?”
Then he grabs my left hand and before I can react or scream or knee him in the balls, his blade is slicing my palm from the base of my thumb diagonally to my pinky finger. So quickly, I don’t have time to feel the pain, he joins our hands and our gashes are perfectly lined up.
“My blood is forever bound to your blood. As I am the son of Alberto Giuseppe Mancini, I will protect you and our destiny, from tonight until forever. By the power of my ancestors, I do swear.” Vicenzo wraps both cloths around our joined hands, squeezes, and bows his head at us.
“Capo. Regina.”
Everyone in attendance lines up like they’re about to receive the blood of Christ, mimicking Enzo’s moves. They come, they hold our cloth covered hands, then bow.
“Capo. Regina.” Then turn to give way to the next person.
I think I’m in shock. Pretty damn sure this is all a fucking dream. Or better yet, a nightmare. Did he say from tonight until forever? That does not sound like three months to me.
Finally, when the line ends, Lina and her mother come to us and bow their heads. “Figlio mio, mio Capo.” Gabriella then turns to me and smiles. “You are family now, River. Your needs are our needs and your fears are ours to destroy. Your joys are ours to share. Welcome, Regina.” What the actual fucking fuck?
I should be pulling away, telling Marco he can go right off and fuck himself with his bloodied palm, but again, the shock is keeping me frozen in place.
The last to stand in front of us is Alberto, repeating Gabriella’s words. He turns to me as he places both of his hands on my cheeks and kisses one then the other. Like the motherfucking Godfather.
Is that what Marco just became? Is he the Marlon Brando of the Upper East Side? Holy shit, am I the wife of the head of a fucking criminal organization? I thought he owned hotels and maybe—maybe—dabbled in some shady shit, but this? Fuck my life.
Marco then turns to me, raises our joined hands as his other hand palms the back of my head, bringing me in for a scorching kiss that, despite this very what-the-fuck moment, has my toes curling in my crystal Jimmy Choo’s.
The shock is slowly wearing off when he releases me, a little tug of my lower lip with his teeth, my hard stare telling him very clearly and without negotiation.
“We need to talk.”
Two minutes later, my new husband dismisses everyone at the party so that, finally, we are alone.
“What the actual fucking fuck was that shit show?”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
RIVER
“I have a wedding present for you, Tesoro.” Marco grabs my hand—the not-slit-open-with-a-knife hand—and starts to lead me down the stairs, the smell of the night air immediately replaced by the unique scent that is Marco’s home.
“Excuse me, Mr. Asshole, none of that blood shit was in our contract. Explain your-fucking-self, right now. I’m not going anywhere with you.” Gripping the banister, I pull back from him, ripping my hand from his.
He stops and turns to face me, looking up at me on a higher step.
“It had to be done. Now come. Why are you always so resistant to my surprises?”
“Getting my hand sliced open is not the kind of surprise a girl dreams about for her wedding day.” I sigh heavily, glaring at him in a way to make him understand I’m pissed about the whole hand slicing thing, which still stings like a bitch, even though it’s now covered with a bandage matching Marco’s. “Do you have any idea how fucking dangerous mixing blood is? How do I know you haven’t infected me with some blood disease or some shit?
“Tesoro, you know I haven’t. We’ve both been tested.” Tugging at my hand, he tries to make me move from the spot I’m frozen on, and I’m dumbfounded that he thinks this was okay.
“I don’t give a fuck that we’ve been tested, Marco. This isn’t something I agreed to, and you damn well know it.”
I’m immediately pushed against the banister, his arms either side of me, caging me in. “That mouth of yours is feral.” A sly smile crosses his face as he leans in and bites my bottom lip, before pulling away and resting his forehead against mine. “As for what happened, it’s in the contract. A contract you signed, and therefore agreed to.”