Page 22 of The Mafia's Bride
I turn to inspect myself in the mirror, savoring the feel of the red leather against my stomach and the way the dress skims just past mid-thigh, hugging my hips. Versace’s leather corset dress is more fitting for a night out, champagne bottle in hand, but tonight, I’m here to make a statement.
This is a power dress. A clear display to my fiancé that I cannot be controlled, and I plan on being at my absolute worst to prove it.
The dress barely covers my ass and my chest is all but spilling out, but I don’t focus on that. Fluffing my long red locks—expertly curled—I spray on my perfume, making sure my makeup is flawless.
Maeve has her weapons, Collins her books, but I have my sex appeal to fight my battles. It’s worked in the clubs when I wanted to sneak into restricted areas and it’ll work now. I’ll stoop to whatever levels to end this contract before it begins, including looking every bit the sex-depraved devil that no decent made man would want as a wife.
As far as Collins knew, Alessio still hadn’t cancelled, so I was pulling out all the stops.
“I think that’s enough.” Collins gives me a disapproving look, as I take another sip of wine. “I’m not carrying you to your engagement dinner.”
Like the good, obedient sister, she’s come to collect me. Or make sure I don’t run.
I finish the glass, holding it upside down. “Easy, Col. It’s only my second glass.”
She rolls her eyes. “Of which bottle?”
I just wink. My sister knows my tricks better than I do.
Get sloppy drunk before the dinner, let loose and wear a revealing outfit are just a few of the things I’ve been known to do. Collins knows this and she’s watching me like a hawk.
Soon, I’ll be at that dinner, a royal screw up on full display.
Then,freedom.
“Why are you even helping this?” I pull my top up, adjusting my breasts in the mirror. “As my sister, you’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I am on your side.” She rolls her eyes, tugging the bottom of my skirt down. It doesn’t move and her eyes narrow behind her frames. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but this is actually good for you.”
“Good for me?” I snort. “Right. Being kicked out of the family is such a great thing.”
Collins sighs, gathering patience. “Sloaney, all of us got our decrees. I got my decree just like Maeve did. This was yours. We all have roles to play if we want to stay in the clan.” She pulls at my top, my breasts giggling with her effort, but my dress cannot stretch. “You do realize Maeve could have just kicked you out, right?”
Wine sloshes in my gut. “She did.”
“She didn’t. She gave you a purpose.” Her green eyes flash. “What else would you have done? How else can you benefit the clan?”
Biting the inside of my cheek, I refuse to acknowledge the burn behind my eyes.
Obviously, no one thinks I can do anything in this family other than screw up and be caught in the papers while doing it. But Collins is supposed to take my side, she’s supposed to understand how this makes me feel. Instead, she’s pushing me toward the exit, tugging my hair to cover my cleavage.
“Sorry we’re not perfect wannabe doctors, with genius level IQs,” I bite out, bitterness drying my mouth.
“Sloane—”
“She’s selling me to the highest bidder.” I brush a few stray tears away because,not now. “You want to act like this is some benevolent act by our oldest sister, but I’m just a pawn in her game, a liability she shoved off into someone else’s hands. Pops couldn’t wait to get rid of me when I got old enough—Maeve is just doing it now. How can you say this is good for the clan when it’s not good for me?”
Collins shifts, her cream dress standing out against the warm woods and soft reds of my childhood bedroom. “Because living in this world, in this clan, we all have to do things we might not like.”
“Right. And what do you have to do?” I flick my fingers over her. “You get to live out your dream as a doctor. No one’s making you dress up and meet a man accused of killing his former lovers.”
There’s a flash of sorrow but it’s swallowed under the cool clinical gaze of a doctor.
“No one gave me this decree, Sloane, because I can’t have children.” She smooths down her skirt and I internally wince. “I can’t be of benefit to the clan this way, and the only way I can is by being a doctor.”
My mouth snaps shut, rage burning in my gut even as guilt threatens to temper it.
Collins can’t have children—not since she fought childhood cancer and was warned the treatments would reduce her fertility.
