Page 6 of Curse of the Bride Assassin

And the sixth prattled on and on about horses. Horse manes. Horse saddles. How to correctly shoe a horse. Why horses make great companions. The merits of dressage versus show jumping. She told me horses are actually more intelligent than toddlers. I put both of us out of our misery and gave her $1K in bills to shut up and pay for her dinner before I left. Maybe she’ll use the change to buy herself some cool accessories for her horses, Majesty and Prudence. I deserve a medal for sitting through the endless photos she insisted on showing me.

Lucky woman number seven is Dana Santino. A twenty-five year old vampire-banshee hybrid that works a desk job for her family’s waste management business. Red hair, red eyes. About 5’7. Melina emailed me her file this morning, and although it’s sparse, it’ll do.

I’ll marry a cardboard cutout at this point—anything it takes to inherit my family’s legacy. Becoming the Don of the Conti mafia has been my fate since the day I was born. My uncle Mario took over after my dad was killed by vampire hunters, but he’s kept the seat warm for me long enough.It’s my time now.

All that stands between the old order and the Vincenzo Conti era is one stipulation—I have to be married before my thirty-fifth birthday.In one month.And despite what you may think, it’s difficult to find a woman who wants to be tied to me. I may be handsome, rich beyond anyone’s wildest dream, and charming as fuck, but I’m a workaholic. Every day since I was five was spent busting my ass to prepare for this moment. There was no time for dating meaningless women I’d inevitably get bored with after a few fucks.

I also come with a vicious albatross around my neck—the Conti namesake. All the television, movies, and books my mom and sister read when I was growing up made me think women would throw themselves at me.

Romance books make love look so…easy. Everyone gets their happy ending. The billionaire bad boy always gets the woman. The crazy stalker actually has a heart of gold and would do anything to protect the woman he obsessed over. The mafia king takes his woman, because he knows they belong together, even if she’s fighting the insane attraction between them.

Yes, I read some of the books, sue me.

But it’s all bullshit, because supernatural women in the twenty-first century have options, and they don’t want to be tied to a criminal who’ll lead the most ruthless, blood thirsty vampire mafia on the east coast.

So even if this woman is a complete dud, I’ll take her. I can’t let some stupid stipulation my father made to ensure our legacy keep me from everything I worked for the past three and a half decades. From what I was fated to become. I have to make my father proud. He’s looking up at me right now, shouting the same mantra he’s always said.

“There’s always a way. Make it happen, Vinny!”

The whole room heats like a sauna, and a prickling sensation creeps up the back of my neck. I snap out of my musings to see the most beautiful woman walking toward me. Her porcelain skin has a faint glimmer in the restaurant’s low lighting that highlights every step she takes. It also draws attention to her little waist, grabbable hips, and a rack that can stop the entire world.

She wears a little black dress that’s modest enough to fit the dress code, but tight enough to leave nothing to the imagination. When I see a tendril of red hair cascading from her bun, I swallow the drool collecting in my mouth.

The draw I feel toward this woman is undeniable. Like nothing I’ve ever felt before.For the love of all things unholy, please be Dana. She has to be.

She stops at my table and lifts her shades to reveal mesmerizing glowing red eyes.

“Vincenzo? Dana Santino. Nice to meet you.”

Yes. The universe is on my side tonight.

She holds her hand out, and I catch sight of a glimmering diamond bracelet on her wrist. Who the fuck bought her a diamond bracelet and where do I find him so I can drive a silver stake through one of his eye sockets?

Fuck, where did that come from? I gotta get my shit together.

“Dana, it’s nice to meet you,” I take her hand, kissing her knuckles before pulling her chair out and helping her settle into it. Right away, I feel how warm her skin is. It’s…different than what I’m used to.

She gives me an unreadable tilt of her lips. Not a smile. Not a frown. An expression that would give the Mona Lisa a run for her money.

What is she thinking?

“So I hear you’re looking for a wife?” she asks in a husky, feminine voice that goes straight to my dick. The glow in her eyes subsides, but it’s still so easy to get lost in them.

The blood rush from my head makes me take a little longer to respond. “Yes. Melina said nothing but positive things about you.”

“Thank you,” her lips tilt up more, into a genuine smile showcasing her sharp, white canines. Combined with her blood red talon nails and impeccable taste, she seems like the perfect woman to have on my arm. A woman every woman wants to be and every man wishes he had.

“Do you know who I am?” I directly ask. It’s better to get this out of the way now, so I don’t waste time.

“I know how to use a search engine,” she laughs, a genuine smile spreading across her heart shaped face. “I can’t imagine it’s easy to find someone when you’re in the mafia.”

Her reply is somewhat sarcastic, but weirdly empathetic. Most women would have at least frowned–it’s not every day you sit at a dining table across from a real life criminal. But her posture is relaxed, like we’re discussing the weather or some innocuous topic.

She already seems so perfect for me, but I don’t want to get my hopes up.

Before I can question her further, the waiter comes to take our orders. She orders first.

“I’ll have a medium filet mignon, with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and balsamic asparagus. I’ll pair that with whatever Syrah you recommend.”

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