Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 58471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 234(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 234(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
She slid the ring on what she’d never thought she’d say in a million years... my husband.
Seventeen
A Twenty-First-Century Arranged Marriage…
There was no ceremonial kiss in a Catholic wedding, thank God, as it would have been one hell of an awkward first kiss. That was what she had been the most grateful for out of this whole day.
The reception was being held in the ballroom at the casino hotel, and only the bravest of the Lucianos had come to be put in a box with the Carusos on their home ground.
You could tell that everyone in the room was on edge as they all sat at their tables eating the full-course meals that had been prepared. Some of the Luciano men even refused to eat, afraid of being poisoned.
Looking around the huge ballroom, she had to give Maria credit, knowing it was all her doing. Everything about the wedding had been breathtaking. The room was a full black and white tie affair, and the only pops of color were the splashes of red roses throughout the room.
“It’s time for the first dance,” Maria told them as she came over after everyone finished their dessert.
Kat quickly looked over at Drago, who didn’t seem interested in it either. “That’s okay. I don’t—”
“I would like to welcome up our bride and groom to the dance floor for their first dance,” the lead singer of the wedding band spoke into the microphone.
The room went silent at first, but when Dante, the Caruso boss, began clapping his hands, everyone else followed.
Drago pushed back his chair and stood, asking for her hand by holding out his.
Taking it, she let him lead her to the open dance floor, and the band began playing while the singer opened his mouth to sing the song What Would It Take.
When his hand reached behind to the small of her back, the two started swaying to the music, and she quickly became shocked since he had the body type of a football player. “You know how to dance?”
“I know how to slow dance without stepping on your toes, yes.”
Kat actually smiled up at him as the words ‘love me’ were sung. Hearing that, she quickly looked away, swearing to herself she was going to kill Maria for the song choice.
Her eyes drifted out to the crowd while they danced, looking for one person in particular.
“I haven’t seen him,” Drago whispered to her.
“How do you know who I’m looking for?”
“You’re looking for Sal, aren’t you?” He hadn’t asked it as a question but a certain statement.
“How did you….”
“You have the same look on your face that you had when I asked you about him.”
“Oh.” She relaxed her face, no longer searching the crowd. She thought she would have finally got to meet him with it being her wedding day, but it didn’t look like it was going to happen.
With the song ending and no one on the dance floor still, they exited as Angel approached.
“May I steal her?” Angel asked, looking at Drago.
“Sure.” He immediately walked away, not even waiting for them to leave first, seeming to be distracted by something else.
Looks like the honeymoon phase of him being nice to me is over. Which was fine by her. She really wasn’t prepared for the nice Drago, not knowing how to act around him.
“I want you to meet someone.” Angel took her to a table full of people her age.
She wasn’t there a second before a brunette practically jumped on her, giving her a hug.
Her brother smiled. “And this is Adalyn.”
The girl just squeezed harder. “It’s so nice to finally meet you, Kat.”
Laughing, she wrapped her arms around her knowing this had to be the Caruso her brother was with. “It’s nice to meet you too.”
“You have to meet my friends,” she said, finally letting her go. “This is my best friend, Lake.”
The much taller brunette smiled. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
Adalyn then pointed to the strawberry blonde beside Lake. “And this is Elle.”
A sweet Elle smiled too. “Hi, Chloe’s told me a lot about you.”
“You know Chloe?” Kat asked, taking an empty seat to get the weight of the dress off her.
Adalyn sat down too while Angel left to go talk with his brothers.
“Yeah, she’s my best friend,” the strawberry blonde told her.
Taking a look around, she saw Lucca but not her, making her realize she hadn’t seen Chloe all night. “Where is she?”
Elle bit her lip clearly trying to think of what to say. “She couldn’t make it.”
“That’s okay.” Kat smiled, reassuring her it was no big deal.
When a seat was scooted back, Maria sat in it before she flipped her glass of champagne back. She seemed to be on edge.
“Something wrong?” Kat was the one to ask while the others just stared at her, watching her down the contents of the glass.
Maria set down the flute and waited a second before answering, “Yeah, no one’s dancing.”