Page 34 of Merciless Queen
“I’m really glad you have Luca.”
“Me too. Now, let's get you down there.”
A month ago, I never thought I would be in a house like this or in a beautiful dress with a diamond ring that didn’t belong to Vincenzo. I never thought I would be free—well, freer than I was with Vincenzo. Caterina didn’t hold me against my will, but I knew the moment I left without her protection, I’d be taken again. Even with her safety, I could be taken again. Vincenzo was a desperate man. He wanted me. He allowed horrible things to be done to me and called me…It didn’t matter now, but it was hard trying to get out of that headspace.
Lizzy took my hand and walked me to the ballroom where we were having this party. Caterina’s house was magnificent, and now that it was decorated with white and champagne accents, it was even more magical. I felt like I was in a storybook. Maybe I could pretend this was my fairytale ending, when in reality I was just a broken Cinderella never meeting her fairy godmother.
Coming downstairs, I felt all eyes on me. I pushed back the bile burning my throat and cascaded downstairs like a princess. I just needed to keep on a façade that everything was okay and hope I didn’t tumble down the stairs and embarrass myself.Waiting at the bottom of the staircase was Caterina. I expected her to be in a suit, but to my surprise, she was in a beautiful scarlet dress that hugged her gorgeous body like a second skin. The strapless, corset bodice made her breasts look magnificent, but also if she moved, I was sure everyone would get a free show. The corset was sheer with sequin embellishments, and a fitted mermaid skirt that hugged her hips and ass.
Her makeup was light. A simple cat eye with a bold red lip that matched the dress, and her hair was curled and pinned on one side while the rest of her hair cascaded down her back and left side. She was looking at me like I was the only person in the room, and right now, I was not sure if it was pretend or real.
I took her hand, and she pulled me into her. “Sei bellissima, principessa.”You look beautiful, princess.
“You know I don’t speak Italian.”
“You look beautiful.”
My cheeks flushed. “T-Thank you. I was…I am nervous about this dress and people looking at me.”
She pushed the stray curl behind my ear. “Don’t worry about them. No one can hurt you here.”
“It’s not them hurting me that I’m worried about,” I admitted. “I have scars, and I’m not that pretty, Caterina. You’re…gorgeous and I’m…I’m damaged. You should b?—”
Caterina gently caressed my face, silencing me momentarily before she leaned into me. “May I kiss you?” It was a whisper, but she was asking for my consent. Something elementary shouldn’t have made my heart flutter like it did, but for years, things as simple as kisses were stolen from me. It was a simple request, but she didn’t realize the magnitude of it.
I should have said no, but I nodded, speechless. Her lips were soft against mine as I melted into her. This was for show, but I was still freaking out. We were in a room full of strangers, and I was failing at pretending. It was a show, and my acting wouldn’twin me any Oscars. A kiss meant nothing, but this kiss felt…My God, how could I describe this kiss? I was drowning in the taste of her, and suddenly, it felt like I could breathe for the first time. And that was when I knew this kiss would be my downfall, because falling for her wasn’t in the picture.
“You talk too much. You are beautiful, Harlow, and if anyone has a problem or says anything to you, I will deal with them.”
All I did was nod. I couldn’t process words as she pulled me deeper into the crowd of people.
CHAPTER 27
Caterina
I would’ve rather beenelbow deep in someone’s bloody guts, torturing, and making them scream instead of being in this dress, in this room, and around these stupid fucking people. I needed to play face. I was the face of the Moretti family. The tabloids talked about the illegal aspects of our world, speculating about what we did without highlighting the good. My father didn’t help with his exploits and various women on his arm, making me answer for everything.
I wished there was a Moretti boy in the family, blood or not. A boy could have taken the spotlight and married a beautiful woman or a handsome man—my father didn’t judge, obviously. I’d rather work away from the public eye with the men, killing sick assholes and saving innocent women and children. The press was a carnivorous vulture, and I was sick of dealing with the lies they spread about me and my family. The media only cared about who I was fucking and how much weight I’d gained. A woman’s place was more than just her looks or who was in her bed. It was one reason Voyage was my favorite magazine. Unbiased. The magazine also helped people unlike the tabloids.
Part of me regretted kissing Harlow to silence her banter, but she would have ruined everything if she didn’t breathe. I asked for her consent and she agreed, or maybe it was the thrill of the moment. Kissing her felt…fuck. It felt like fireworks. I remembered my mom told me how she felt when she kissed my father for the first time. She felt fireworks and butterflies erupting inside her, and the world faded. She said he would be the last man she loved. Their marriage was arranged, but it wasn’t forced. My parents knew each other before they got married. I wished my mother was here. She would’ve been the only one I wanted to talk to about this. I wasn’t falling for her, and I refused to acknowledge such things.
Our faces would be all over the news and papers come Monday, but it was what it was. Some of my people knew the marriage was a farce, but to the public eye and Vincenzo, it needed to be real. He already believed the lie. We had to seem in love. I could already hear the conversation with my father about this. I needed to find him so I could let him know it was fake. Then again, I was his child, and he could read me like a book.
Marriage wasn’t for me. It was not because of commitment issues or because of my parents. My parents were madly in love, spending time together when they had the chance, and my father would always bring her home flowers. They showed me that love was real. After my mother died, I saw what a broken heart did to my father and how he still reacted to this day. Love was a weakness, and in this life, weaknesses led to death.
I took Harlow’s hand and pulled her to the dance floor. She didn’t look like she was enjoying the party, and if I could see it, other people would, too. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t like crowds or eyes on me. I was alone or with a few other girls, but the club had crowds of men. I don’t like men looking at me.”
“Just breathe. If we need to leave, I can make up an excuse.” One she may not have liked, but it would work. “The only person I’m worried about you meeting is my father, but don’t worry, he will know the truth.” She nodded. I wrapped my arms around her waist, and she hesitantly lifted her arms around my neck. “I’m not going to bite. We want this to look real, so dance with me, princess. No one can hurt you here, and even if they try, I will kill them before they ever think about touching you.”
With that, she released some tension and swayed to the music with me. She was very beautiful. Still fragile and frail, but it was something we’d work on at her own pace. But life was coming back to her eyes, and her skin wasn’t as sunken and grey. Harlow looked like a canvas, finally getting life and color added to it.
“Caterina.” I heard my father’s voice. “Oh,mia farfalla, sei bellissima.”Oh, my butterfly, you look beautiful.
“Ciao, Papà. Sei molto bello.”Hi, Daddy, you look very handsome.His eyes fell to Harlow, and she shifted uncomfortably. “Papa, this is my fiancée, Harlow.” His eyes lingered on Harlow for a second, and then he looked back at me, his eyes getting two shades darker.
“Caterina,ne abbiamo parlato. L'amore è una debolezza.”Caterina, we talked about this. Love is a weakness.
