“Ah, look at you. Thinking you can take on the four of us.”
I recognized Sofia’s voice before my vision cleared, and I dropped my hands to my sides. But I couldn’t get rid of the adrenaline coursing through me as easily. I could wake ready to fight, but words would not come until I had coffee.
“Huh.” Em approached, and I closed my eyes and inhaled the heavenly scent of my morning drug as she neared. “I think she’s like the rest of us. Can’t function without her first cup of coffee.”
“Speak for yourself,” Lil said with a snort.
“Please.” Sofia rolled her eyes. “I’ve seen you in the morning, and it’s not pretty. Your words are nothing but lies. You’re a coffee whore. You’d cut me if I tried to keep you from it for too long. Case in point, finals week of our fourth year in college.”
“Oh.” Lil’s laugh floated through the room. “Right. Forgot about that.”
I noted it was still dark outside and way too early to be awake. El laughed then plopped onto my bed. I didn’t react, didn’t say a word, just reached for what Em handed me. My fingers curled around the hot mug, and I inhaled the addictive aromatic scent of roasted beans and caramel. The first sip sang through my body.So good.I swore I felt my synapses come alive. I finished half the cup before details in their expressions filtered in, and I remembered what today was.
My wedding.
Sofia went to the walk-in closet of the guest room where I’d stayed and hung a garment bag that I suddenly realized had been dangling from her fingers and slung over her shoulder. I glanced down at my sleep shorts and cami. I hadn’t given a moment’s thought to what I would wear. It wasn’t like the day was about love. It was a business arrangement. I figured we would stand before a priest with a witness or two and be done with it.
“Chop-chop.” Sofia clapped her hands, and Em snickered. “We have a wedding to get ready for. And lucky for you, I happened to have a dress in my current collection that would look amazing on you.”
Em nudged me toward the huge en suite. “Shower, then we’ll get started on your hair. We’ve only got forty-five minutes, so make it fast.” She shut the door behind me, closing me into the solitude of the bathroom by myself. I couldn’t understand how there was such little time. Nico had said we would get married early, but I didn’t think before the crack of dawn. This was crazy.
With one hand, I turned on the shower, adjusting the temperature. Then I downed the rest of my coffee before stepping under the rainwater showerhead. In under ten minutes, I washed my hair and shaved everything that needed it. I stepped onto the bath mat, quickly dried off, and then wrapped the towel around my head like a turban. A white bathrobe hung on the bathroom door, and I slipped it on, the silk cool against my heated skin.
Then I opened the door, and the girls flooded into the space with me. El leaned a hip against the counter. Em pulled herself up so she could sit on it. Lil was the only one not present.
Sofia pushed me into a chair then got the blow dryer out and started on my hair. El plugged in a curling iron. When Lil returned, another cup of coffee was set in front of me, along with a makeup bag and a spray of tiny white flowers. Her errands done, she settled against the doorframe and watched as Sofia expertly worked on my hair. A sharp pain pierced my heart at all of them in here with me. I’d always wanted a sister, and part of me allowed a sliver of hope that they would accept me and become that.
I wanted to relax in the chair with the soothing feel of the brush’s repetitive motion on my hair, but it was such a foreign experience. I had to keep my wits about me. Several minutes later, the hair dryer turned off, and Sofia met my gaze in the mirror.
But it was Emiliana who spoke. “We’re here for two reasons. To welcome you to the family and to promise you that if you ever betray us, we will end you without hesitation.”
A chill raced over my exposed skin at the steely conviction in her voice. I’d shifted to stare at her when she spoke and saw my potential death in her eyes. I had no doubt she would follow through with her promise. I never wanted to make an enemy of Emiliana.
“We won’t bring this up again,” Lil said.
I bounced my gaze from one to the next as they issued their warnings.
“And if you ever hurt my brother”—Sofia’s expression turned murderous, setting my pounding heart into overdrive—“I’ll personally make sure you wish for death.”
Despite the adrenaline and edge of fear coursing through me from their threats, I fell a little in love with them. I wasn’t a stranger to violence, but such unconditional loyalty and protection of their family… I wanted to be a part of that—badly.
Expectancy hung in the air, thick with a tremor of impending violence. It was my turn to speak, and I didn’t take their warning lightly. “I chose Nico because of his strength, intelligence, and steadfast loyalty.” The fact that he was model-level gorgeous was icing on the cake. And I’d loved his quiet nature from afar, but that wasn’t something they needed to know. Nor was the fact that I’d accessed the video feed at a few places to watch him interact with others. “I’ve already bound myself to him through our oath. I will not betray him”—I met every one of their gazes—“or anyone in the Five Families.”
“Well.” El grinned. “With that settled, we have work to do. And Christ, these eyes.”
Sofia snorted. “Looked in the mirror lately, El?”
I laughed because Sofia was right. El’s eyes were mesmerizing. Mine were just… odd. But Mom’s had been the same violet hue. We could’ve passed for sisters if she’d lived. I looked almost exactly as she had at my age.
El kneeled in front of me, and I closed my eyes as she got to work applying makeup while Sofia curled my hair.
“This is sort of a tradition,” Lil said from behind El. “Several of us have gotten married before sunrise and in secret. Usually, we get ready at the church.”
“Not always.” Sofia winked.
“Ha! Right.” El plucked a rogue eyebrow hair, a sharp sting following in its wake, while a small smile curved her lips. “Good memories.”
“It’ll just be us—of course Nico—and Marco, Enzo, Stefano, and Max. Luc wanted Summer to sleep in, so he might be there, but we’ll have four bosses present. The capo and Marco are enough,” El explained as she finished my makeup with lip liner and a matte deep-crimson lipstick. Then she angled my chair away from the mirror so I couldn’t see my reflection.