by Bree Porter
Alessandro watched me silently as I cleaned up the rest of the kitchen. When I made a move to go past him, he easily stepped to the side. I felt like I was living with a wild animal, moving slowly so as not to catch its attention. He did have a panther’s grace to him.
“The Gallagher’s will be dealt with.”
I snapped my head up to his.
Alessandro stared at me. “You can tell the families that revenge will be served.”
“I shall do so.” I murmured.
“Cesco tells me you dislike the security measures in place. I hope this doesn’t lead to you doing something stupid and reckless.”
“I know nothing of security.” I said, giving him an empty but bright look. One I had given to Papa and Cat and the people around me so many times. Cat use to say it was my I’m Just A Stupid Girl, What Do I Know Look. “I trust the measures you have taken.”
Alessandro accessed me. “I’m glad.” I could hear a tinge of suspicion in his voice. But like everyone I knew, he bought my feigned innocence and nodded sharply. “Dr. Li Fonti will be here tomorrow to review your wound.”
Mentioning the wound brought a sharp pain to my side. I gently pressed a hand against it.
“Don’t make him wait. Get up early.” Said Alessandro. “He is a busy man.”
Alessandro’s rudeness both interested and annoyed me. If I had dared to speak to anyone the way he spoke to me, I would be dead already. But you caught more flies with honey than vinegar.
So I just smiled drily, took my phone and disappeared upstairs. Clearly he had nothing left to say because he beelined for his office.
On the second story, I watched from over the balcony as he disappeared into his study. A small part of wondered what it was like behind there. What secrets had those walls heard? What plans had been formed there? I bet that room knew more about the Gallagher’s then I did—and they had tried to kill me.
As the sun set on my first day of being a Rocchetti wife, I congratulated myself on surviving. However, I stayed awake most of the night, staring at my bedroom door. Waiting in half fear and anticipation for it to open and my husband to walk in.
He did not come.
Chapter Four
I dreamt of Cat that night.
When I woke up, I could hear her joyous voice in my ear and smell the scent of her lavender-smelling perfume in my nose. In my dream, she had been peering down at me, golden hair flying all around. Her mouth had been open in a laugh before it had turned to screams. Run, she had been screaming. Run!
I shook my head, trying to clear the thoughts of my nightmare.
Sunlight poured into my room, brightening it up to the day. I could make out snowflakes whispering past the window.
As soon as I ripped the blanket off, freezing cold air hit me and I quickly pulled the blanket back on top of me. Why was it so cold inside my room? So far the apartment had been relatively warm to fight off the chill.
I wrapped my blanket around me and went in search for the heater.
Downstairs was quiet and cold. I tip-toed down the stairs and looked for the Thermostat. I found it near the front door, and off.
“No wonder it’s so cold.” I muttered, turning on the damn thing. Who’s bright idea was it to turn off the Thermostat?
“You’re up early.”
I spun around.
Alessandro stood before me. He was dressed in a handsome suit, paired with a thick coat, gloves and a scarf. Making him look like he had walked out of an expensive magazine. He had obviously been on his way to leave, or perhaps he just liked walking around the house in his coats.
I realised suddenly how I looked in comparison. My hair was not brushed and I clutched my blanket around me like a wife sending her sailor husband out to sea. Even worse, I didn’t have on a lick of makeup.
Even when we had been attacked by the Gallagher’s and I was covered in blood, I had been wearing a full face of makeup. Even when he had come to me on our wedding night and I had been scared out of my skin, I had been wearing mascara.
Everyone single one of my stepmothers use to come down to dinner with her hair and face done. As a child, I had thought it a bit strange, but as I had grown older, Papa had also expected Cat and I to look our best whenever we saw him. Papa hadn’t seen me without makeup since I was fifteen.
“Oh, sorry, I—It was cold—“ I tried to look back to the Thermostat to hide my face.
Alessandro strode forward. I tensed.
He reached a long arm over me and clicked a few things on the Thermostat. A few seconds later I heard hot air begin to blow through the vents.
“Thank you.” I murmured.
“The doctor will be here soon, so don’t go back to sleep.” Alessandro said. His voice was hard yet his warm breath tickled my cheek. He was so close, so much taller than I. So easily he could crush me in half. My heart began to pick up. I felt claustrophobic, overwhelmed.
“Of course.” I stepped away from him. “Thank you.”
He didn’t move from where he stood but lowered his head to meet my eyes. “You’re in my way.”
I realised with horror that I was blocking the exit. I stumbled back a few steps, blushing to the roots of my hair.
Alessandro stepped past me, heading to the elevator. “You are now a Rocchetti. Dr. Li Fonti will conduct himself differently around you, and if he doesn’t, you will tell me so.” He was gone before I could really process his words.
What did he meant that Dr. Li Fonti would act differently around me? I had known him since I was a child. He use to clean out Cat’s cuts and scraps.
Now, said a voice in my head ruefully, he’s cleaning out yours.
I parted my blanket, lifted my sleep shirt and looked down at the wound. It was covered with a dressing. I hadn’t forgotten it was there, the constant itching wouldn’t let me, but it had been at the back of my mind. Whenever I twisted to the side or laid down, I could feel a sharp pain from that area, reminding me.
The blood had made the wound look worse than it was.
After all, it was just a scrape.
Dr. Li Fonti arrived shortly after that.
I took his coat from him and ushered him to the couch. I had gotten presentable in record time, donning a simple cream blouse and doing my makeup.
“Can I get you anything, doctor? Tea, coffee?”
“No, thank you, Mrs. Rocchetti.” He smiled in thanks.
“Mrs. Rocchetti?” I laughed. “How long have you known me, doctor? You can call me Sophia.”
Dr. Li Fonti thinned his lips. “I don’t think that’s wise.”
Alessandro’s words rang through my head.
You are now a Rocchetti. Dr. Li Fonti will conduct himself differently around you.
It seemed even the doctor of the Outfit feared the Rocchetti’s. Despite healers being usually exempt from violence. And he was calling me Mrs. Rocchetti? I had known this man since I was a child and had never been called anything but my name by him.
“Of course.” I murmured, slightly hurt and slightly amazed.
The warmth in his expression calmed me. “Come and sit down, dear. You shouldn’t be moving around so much in your condition.” I did as I was told. “There’s too much to do, unfortunately.” “Yes. The aftermath of the wedding can sometimes be more work than the pre-nuptials.” He opened his bag. “How are you feeling?”
“As well as can be expected.” I said. “We suffered many losses.”
“I know.” Dr. Li Fonti shook his head. “To attack a wedding. It is a shameful thing. Something that would’ve never happened in my time.”
“And you, doctor? How are you feeling? I know you must have your hands full.”
“Indeed. Lucky the wounds are not all quite so severe and everyone is expected to make a full recovery.” He gestured to me. “If you wouldn’t mind, dear, I need to check the wound.”
I quickly untucked my shirt from my pants, revealing the dressing. Some blood had soaked through, bright red and chilling.
Dr. Li Fonti frowned. “I am going to redress it. Has it been causing you a lot of pain?”
“It is just a graze. But yes. Whenever I move or sneeze, the wound hurts.”
“It is in a very tricky spot.” With careful fingers, he pried the gauze off and eyed the bloody wound. “Yes,” he murmured. “I am going to clean it, again. Then redress it. Do you have any paracetamol?”
“I’ve been taking Tylenol.” He nodded. “Good, good. Keep taking that. The wound will continue to hurt for a while, though hopefully by next week, it will begin to scar.” Dr. Li Fonti redressed the wound carefully, and he was very careful not to touch me. When he was done, he coughed uncomfortably. “There is another matter to discuss, my dear.”
I had a feeling I already knew what it was. Dr. Li Fonti seemed to regain his professional composure as soon as he started talking. “As you are now engaging in sexual activity, you will need to get a pap smear every three years. However, many women in the Outfit choose to have them more frequently.” Because who knew what their husbands were bringing home. “I can recommend many doctors that come highly regarded and are ranked-highly in their field.”
I felt my cheeks warming. “Thank you, doc. I will take those recommendations.” I winked at him. “If you recommend them, they must be made of true talent.”
He gave me a pleased smile. “I’m glad to see marriage has not dimmed your charm, my dear.” Dr. Li Fonti caught the words and paled slightly. “I did not mean—“
“It’s okay.” I said gently. “I know what you meant and you meant no offence.”
He nodded, looking relieved.
Dr. Li Fonti stayed for a cup of tea at my insistence before taking his leave. As he grabbed his coat, he paused by the elevator.
“I hope I am not being to forward, Mrs. Rocchetti.” Curiosity gripped me. What could he possibly have on his mind? I hoped it was nothing against the Rocchetti’s. I think my fear of them trumped my like for the doctor.
“Impossible. What is on your mind?” I made my tone bright.
Dr. Li Fonti dug through his bag and pulled out a handful of long boxes. Each of them read Pregnancy Test.
My stomach twisted.
“You should take these, my dear. So if the time comes when you do have to do a pregnancy test, you can have more privacy than you would if you were to buy it yourself.”
I met his wise eyes. We stared briefly at each other before I took the tests from him. “Thank you, doctor.”
He nodded and left.
I ran my fingers over the pregnancy tests. What had he meant? Did he mean I had more privacy from our enemies who could be lurking in the pharmacy? Or from the Rocchetti’s, who would surely be interested in the tests result?
Pregnancy hadn’t occurred to me yet. I had only been married for two days and other things had occupied my mind, but it was a topic I needed to have a serious think about.
I knew to survive this marriage I would have to get pregnant. A barren wife was prone to accidents. Especially since I imagined the Rocchetti’s only purpose behind binding me to Alessandro was so they could continue their infamous bloodline.
I hid the pregnancy tests in my room. Not in the bathroom—that felt a bit obvious. But tucked between the bed frame and mattress.
Despite the pain in my side, I despised the idea of being cooped up in the apartment all day. So I texted Oscuro and quickly wrapped myself up in a thick coat and scarf. I was pulling on my beanie, with a little pompom on the top, when Oscuro stepped out of the elevator.
“How are you?” I asked as I walked towards him.
“Good, ma’am.” Oscuro was in his usual black, but paired with his winter coat. I knew he hid a impressive amount of ammunition beneath it. “Has the doctor left?”
“He did. Poor man has so much on his plate.” I gestured to the elevator. “Shall we?”
Oscuro followed me as we headed down to the lobby, silent and stoic as ever. His silence grated on me, and caused me to talk much more than I usually would. The entire ride down I gave him an in depth review of the itinerary for the day. We would go out to lunch with Elena and Beatrice, before driving to my Papa’s place.
“Not as much to do today as yesterday.” I said as we bustled through the streets. “I’ll have you out of the cold in no time.”
“I do not mind the cold, ma’am.”
I threw him a smile. “You’re an annoyingly good sport. Has any ever told you that?”
A hint of a smile crossed over his face. Or perhaps he was just twitching. “Yes, ma’am.”
My friends and I decided to have lunch at a small restaurant that overlooked the river. Wooden tables were spread along the windows and it was already busy. Inside was almost too warm and I hurried to peel off my layers. Oscuro just stared at the waitress when she offered to take his coat.
“Do you want to sit with the girls and I? I can’t promise we won’t tease you.” I asked Oscuro.
“No, ma’am. I shall wait for you by the front.” He gestured to a small seating area.
I cringed. “Are you sure you don’t want something to eat?”
“I do not eat on the job.”
“Of course.” I gave him a smile. “I’ll try to be quick.”
I spotted my cousin, Beatrice, sitting at a table in the middle of the room. Beatrice noticed me and waved in greeting. Beatrice was so lovely that she could only be compared to flowers and tea parties. I didn’t know a single person who could utter a bad word about her.
Beatrice had a dolls-face, sweet and unblemished. Her light brown hair was twisted into a loose bun behind her hair, with sweet curls caressing her round cheeks. She had eyes like a does, round and kind and light brown.
When she had been married off, I remember feeling so nauseous from anxiety that I couldn’t sleep until I knew she was alright.
“Hello, hello.” I sung.
Beatrice stood up and kissed me on the cheek. She smelt like fresh-cut flowers.
“How are you?” I asked as we sat back down.
“How are you?” She pressed a gentle hand to my wrist.
I gave her a reassuring smile. “I’m fine.”
We stared at each other for a moment, neither of us willing to give up information to the other.
“It’s so lovely that you live so close to me now.” Beatrice said.
“I know.” I agreed. “When life settles down, Pietro and you will have to come for dinner.”
Her eyes widened slightly.
“Or we could go out.” I added.
Beatrice nodding, flushing slightly with relief. “That sounds lovely.”
Before anymore could be said, Elena Agostino came bustling into the restaurant. She spotted us instantly, waving her hand in greeting. A moment later, she was at the table and cursing the roads. Elena lived on the outskirts of the city with her family, so her travel had been much worse than Beatrice’s and I’s.
“I can’t believe I am the last single lady standing.” Elena muttered as she tossed her straight dark brown hair over her shoulder. It had gotten incredibly long lately, making it seem more like a curtain than hair.
Unlike Beatrice, Elena had a much sharper face. Less like a doll and more like one of those elves from those movies Cat use to love. Elena did look like she had formed from the forest, so willowy, with lovely olive skin and dark green eyes. Elena did have the right wild temperament to survive out in the woods, if she willed it.
“That’s hardly accurate.” Mused Beatrice.
I scanned the menu, trying not to laugh. “Yeah, Elena, we’re sitting.”
She pushed my shoulder jokingly. Her eyes flickered over my shoulder. “Is the muscle man yours?”
All three of us turned to check on Oscuro. He was sitting on a couch, looking like he was ready to strike at any moment. With his tattoos and size, it was easy to see why the other patrons were avoiding him. When Oscuro noticed us looking we all quickly turned away.
“A necessary precaution.” I said tight
ly. “Whenever I leave the residence, I am to have a bodyguard with me.”
“That makes sense.” Beatrice murmured. “You are a Rocchetti now.”
Elena thinned her lips and eyed me. I wondered if she was looking for the Rocchetti on me.
“Pietro does not send you out with a bodyguard.” I said to Beatrice. Then to Elena, “And your uncle does not send you out with one.”
“You knew life as a Rocchetti would be different.” Elena said. “Don’t be bratty.”
“Elena,” warned Beatrice.
I smiled it off. “I’m merely adjusting. It’s been two days.”
The mention of the wedding darkened the mood. Beatrice glanced down at the table whereas Elena frowned.
“Have you heard anything?” Elena asked. “About who attacked?”
This made Beatrice look up. “That’s none of our business, Elena.”
“No, I haven’t.” I gave Beatrice a comforting smile. “But I know the Outfit will seek retribution, so there is no need to worry any longer.”
Elena poured herself some water. She gave me an accessing look. “When do the funerals start?”
“In two weeks.”
“Are you sure you’re going to be okay going to a funeral?”
I paused. The last funeral I had attended had been my sister’s. It had gone past in a blur, but not fast enough that I didn’t remember the sullen silence. The salty tears. Watching the coffin going into the ground and thinking: She’s really gone. She’s not coming back.
She left me.
“Sophia?” Murmured Elena.
Hearing my name brought me back. “Sorry.” I muttered.
“It’s okay.” Soothed Beatrice.
Talking about funerals wouldn’t bring back my sister and I felt restless with the conversation. I picked up my menu. “What are you two thinking of ordering? I’m torn between the Club Sandwich and the fish.”
Both of them took the cue and the topic changed.
A part of me wanted to gush about the past few days. About the fear of Alessandro, the terror of my wedding and wedding night. But the words remained in my throat and did not move.
I didn’t need to burden them with all my stuff, I told myself. Both Elena and Beatrice have enough going on in their lives.