Mob Princess

Chapter Seventeen

Alice

I didn’t move from the bed, just watched him from beneath my eyelashes as he moved around the room, boxers slung low on his hips as he paced phone pressed firmly to his ear. I couldn’t understand a word he was saying but that didn’t matter.

All that mattered was that he kept throwing glances my way, and the look of pure lust in his eyes was enough to make me clench my thighs together with anticipation.

No man had ever looked at me like that.

No man had ever made my body feel so alive.

Yet.

Yet I couldn’t help the niggling doubt that was creeping in. What had I just agreed to?  And why wasn’t he joking about it? That’s what it was wasn’t it, a big joke. He didn’t really expect us to get married, did he?

“I have someone coming up with some dresses for you?” His eyes were shining, though smoldering was probably a better description.  “Why are you frowning?”

I hadn’t even realized I had been. “Dresses?” I plastered my face with a smile, my eyes never leaving his face. The smooth planes had contorted, and he looked pissed. Really really pissed.

“To get married in, I thought” He was standing stock still, arms loose at his side but I could see his fists clenching and unclenching. “I thought girls liked that... I thought you would want a pretty dress to get married in?”

“Luca…”

“Its ok, you will look beautiful in whatever you decide to wear. I just wanted to make it special you know” He gave a s shrug, as if it really didn’t matter to him and guilt washed over me. He was trying, really trying to make this special. Which meant this wasn’t a joke to him. He actually wanted to marry me.

Crazy.

“A dress would be great, I never pictured myself getting married in denim shorts” I tried and failed to keep my tone light and he picked up on it instantly, his eyes narrowed. “Do we have any wine left? I …” I trailed off. If I was going to go through with this and I wasn’t sure if I could get out of it then I was going to need to need some Dutch courage.

Lots of Dutch courage.

“What did you picture your wedding to be like Alice?” His voice was muffled as he busied himself in the adjoining room. When he returned, he held the glass out to me. His fingers r brushing over mine as I greedily took it from him.

“Um” I gulped it down in one, not meeting his eyes. Wine was not meant to be downed liked a shot and I felt bile rise into my throat.  “Not Vegas”

“I know that Alice, its not ideal for me either”

“Luca”

“Are you having second thoughts already?” He was over me in a second, his hands capturing my wrists and bringing them above my head. His lips punishing. “I’ll be a great husband to you Alice I promise. You wont ever want for anything”

I laughed; I couldn’t help it.

“Let me treat you like a princess, let me love you”

“Luca we barely know each other, how can you be talking about love” I scoffed.

“I am not saying I love you Alice, I am saying I want too. That I can’t imagine marrying anyone but you. But if you don’t feel the same”

“Luca, I like you, I feel safe with you but…”

“But what? If you aren’t willing to give this a chance, then just say and ill back off”

I searched his face. I hadn’t known him long, but I knew he wouldn’t back off. He had a pig stubborn expression on his face. 

“We live opposite ends of the world Luca”

“Ever heard of planes? we can make it work long distance for now and then when you are ready, I will have a place ready for us in New York” He had it all figured out it would seem.

“My life is in England”

“We will work it out Alice, I promise, and I will spend my life making you feel like a princess”

I paused for a full five seconds. It wasn’t his promises of being treated like a queen that finally made up my mind, it was the uncensored longing in his eyes.

“Best get me a dress” My voice was quiet. My mother was going to kill me, my friends were going to go ape s**t. Especially Casey.

I had come to Vegas as a kind of single woman and I was going to go home with a husband.

You couldn’t make this stuff up.

“We will do it properly as well” His lips were leaving a trail of heat along my jawline. God he was hot.

And skilled.

Especially with that mouth.

“What ever you want, the full works ok”

“how do I look, bride like?” I smoothed the white lace over my thighs and gave a little curtsy. He had arranged everything. The dress, the makeup artist and hair stylist who had powdered and primped me until I barely recognized myself in the mirror.

But I was finally ready.

On the outside anyway.

“Like an angel” His eyes kept sweeping up and down my body and a frown had appeared on his tan forehead.  Instantly I felt uncomfortable. His words were flattering but his face wasn’t. What the hell was wrong with the way I looked? The smile slipped from my face.

I had chosen what I had thought was a cute and appropriate dress. White lace, sweetheart neckline that fell in a gentle a line to just below my knees. It wasn’t my dream dress by a long shot. But it was cute.

Kind of simple, like me.

“But something is wrong” His hands worked deftly, loosening the pins from my hair and it tumbled down in thick waves over my shoulders. “That’s better” He was smiling now. “Now you look like you” The smoldering looks in his eyes was all I could think of.

“so…” I shuffled from one foot to another. “What happens now?”

“Well we get married, as quick as possible so I can get you out of that sinful dress” He was laughing.

I blew out a breath.

Show time.