Page 3 of Impenitent Claim

From the smirks of some of the other women, I knew I wasn’t the only one thinking it.

The truth was, Alonzo didn’t have any inclination to ravage me. I expected a clinical wedding night and a very scheduled marriage. It could be worse. He wasn’t a playboy—any affairs he had would be discreet—and it would be a shock if he beat me. Alonzo suffered from a weak constitution, much to his father’s severe disappointment. Ever since I could remember, there had been bruises. Discipline, not abuse, it was called. But despite his father’s best efforts, Alonzo didn’t have a cruel bone in his body. Out of all the famiglia children I grew up with, Alonzo was my favorite friend. Spending my life with him was far from ideal, but it wasn’t unbearable.

“You’re lucky, Isabella,” Caterina sighed. “Alonzo is so handsome.”

Hardly.Sickly was the term whispered throughout the famiglia.

“He is, isn’t he?” I sighed dreamily, playing along.

Signora Rispetto clucked her tongue and said something to old lady Garibaldi. Pursed lips and pointed fingers flicked in my direction.

Thankfully, there weren’t many of these performances left. I was stretched thin by pretending to care. The girls began to animatedly chatter over who would be next. They debated who was the most handsome soldier, now that Alonzo was off the market.

“I’ll throw the bouquet high, so you have time to watch it descend. It will make for better catching,” I promised, fidgeting with the tight bodice.

“You’re still spilling out the sides,” Cecilia scolded, coming up the dais.

Crap!I slid my hair back over the open back, but it was too late. A torture session of unnecessary pinching ensued. Cecilia prodded the skin rolls, muttering about my sweet tooth. My jaw clenched tight, and I drew deep breaths. Lashing out at her would be astronomically stupid.

Something dark slid across the far mirror.

I turned slightly, focusing my attention on the reflection of the archway where the flicker had been. There were other customers in the upscale boutique. Were they here to enjoy their happily ever after? A real partner at the end of the aisle, waiting to catch the first glance at the bride—just like the spicy fairytales I read. My heart pattered.

Quit that.I shook myself. The romantic ideals were barely within my reach when my parents were alive, and now they were painful dreams.

As I stared through the arch, trying to catch a glimpse of a happy bride so that I could steal some of her energy, something prickled along my skin. It was the sensation of being watched. I leaned forward, staring harder. I didn’t see anyone looking into our private area. Still, I couldn’t shake the awareness flooding my veins.

It was highly unlikely danger lurked in the room beyond. Cecilia wasn’t the only one with bodyguards lingering on the sidewalk outside of the boutique. Many of the mob wives brought their muscle. But the strega’s beady eyed pair of brothers made the other bodyguards look like kittens. As if public outings with Cecilia and her charming personality weren’t bad enough, having those meatheads glaring at me made it ten times as bad. Those were the kind of men who inspired the orcs from Lord of the Rings. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’d eaten human flesh before—and that wasn’t my overactive imagination making up ideas. It was something I actually wondered about.

“Isabella!” Cecilia smacked my shoulder.

I swallowed the natural outburst that would be seen as a threat, biting my tongue hard enough that I tasted blood. Growing up as a free-spirited individual meant that most people remembered that I was a silly, imaginative child. Ever since being thrown into this nightmare, I used that memory for everything I was worth, adding the ditzy illusion of a brainless airhead to mask any intelligence. I couldn’t afford these people to feel challenged.

The strega blew out a short huff through her nose. “You only have a short time to cut your calories. This would look amazing if you’d just show a little discipline.”

There’s nothing wrong with my body!I was fit and healthy, and I loved those extra fifteen because they made my boobs and ass look incredible.

“I’m changing,” I informed the don’s sister.

Stomping off the dais, I ducked into the changing room. The shop attendant hurried after me to help me with the hooks and buttons. My fingers yanked on the laces and tugged the knot free.

I closed my eyes and focused on taking shallow breaths as the attendant worked quickly to remove me from the cage. The dress released its viselike hold. I shoved the capped silk sleeves off, and my body shimmied so the material pooled on the floor.Free!Precious air filled my lungs.

“Do you need any more help, miss?” the attendant asked.

“No, thank you.” I waved her away, stepping out of the gown as she gathered the pond of white silk off the floor.

Standing in my pink lace panties, I ran my hands lovingly down the hourglass curves. I wasn’t my own person, not even my body was my own anymore.

“At least I chose who and when,” I breathed, brushing my fingers over the lace hugging my hips.

Thinking about my plans and the hopeful young woman I’d been almost a year ago was painful. I’d told myself my future would be different. My parents even allowed me to attend college out of state, so long as I lived with a half dozen bodyguards. The trajectory of my life had been…perfect. Full of hope and going somewhere.

It only took a well-placed assassination, hired by a rival mob, to pop the dream and turn my brother and me into orphans, fighting for our lives. Not that Gio was old enough to realize the subtle dance we were doing to stay alive. I indulged for a moment in the longing for what could have been had my parents lived, before shaking the terrible ache off and reaching for my clothes.

“What the—”

My fingers hung suspended in the air. On top of the pink pantsuit folded over the chair was a gold box of gourmetchocolates and a flower. A rose, to be exact. It was rich and sensual, the red petals folding out in a beckoning wave. Gently, I picked up the long stem.

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