Chapter V

Sunlight irritated my eyes and no matter how much I rolled around bed and despite putting pillow on my face, I just couldn’t come back to sleep. I felt the small poke on my side rushing me to wake up and for a moment I thought it was my mother but then realisation hit me. It wasn’t my room, not even father’s house and it certainly wasn’t Catherine.
I opened my eyes to see Salvatore standing over me, his hair falling around his face, black shirt only half buttoned and pants undid showing off his briefs in the same colour as rest of his outfit. So far I only saw a flash of his tanned stomach and chest last night but he was sleeping in the black long-sleeve and checker pants – something I would never expect from such a man. I was more then sure that he would jump out of the bathroom naked or in briefs. Not that I was complaining. Though he has seen way more of me already.
“It’s late, I figured you would like to get dressed before our lovely family comes to pick up sheets.” He explained before moving away before I had a chance to speak. To my displease before I even got a chance to get out of the comfort of warm sheets there was a knock on the doors. It made my stomach twist in disgust. What kind of sick tradition was this? Displaying and watching a evidence of taken virginity.
“Here.” Salvatore handed me a robe before he opened the doors once I wrapped it around my body. There were ‘oh’ and ‘ah’s and some muttered words coming from the doors and just a moment later whole parade of women marched in. There was both Eleanor and my mother there and I knew right away I couldn’t just face them. My face blushed heavily as I leaned against the wall, trying to keep up my cool but just as Bianca came in somewhere in a back and I got a glimpse of Astrid that followed her I knew I couldn’t do it.
I quickly made my way towards the bathroom and shut the doors closed almost ready to just drop to my knees and get rid of my stomach content. It was all so awful. From the ill idea of arranged marriage, displaying visible evidence of coitus that we ‘had’ and to face my family in such a moment. And there was Astrid. She was a crazy woman, that’s for sure and as much as I tried to convince myself that it wasn’t my case to know weather or not she said the truth – I wanted to believe that she was just mentally ill and that made it up to scare me.
I could hear a loud conversations and some laughter on the other side of the doors from where I sat on the cold tiles. Luckily I managed to keep myself from puking but I had to sit so I could calm down a bit and the coolness of the floor was definitely helping.
Knock on the doors made me startle and it didn’t help that Salvatore just slipped in.
“Are you alright?” He asked quietly, crutching in front of me.
“I-I’m sorry. I haven’t meant to storm out like that but I just got so overwhelmed.” I whispered looking at the floor, not able to face him. Last night we didn’t talk anymore and I haven’t found it in me to ask him about the blood or simply say thank you. And this moment I felt as if I was failing him with acting like a child that couldn’t take the slightest pain or embarassment. It didn’t matter if I wanted him or not – Salvatore was now my husband, the man I would live with ‘till death do us apart’ so it was only reasonable if we tried to work together. So far I was the one messing things up.
“It’s all right. You have all the right to feel this way.” His words surprised me and so did his fingers that lifted my chin so I would look into his blue eyes that seemed a bit less emotionless today. “Your mother said you were always so shy so they don’t suspect anything.”
I let out the most pathetic whimper that was supposed to be just a simple ‘oh’ and for a moment I could see a small smile on Salvatore’s lips. Good, not only I was pathetic but also funny.
“And now we need to get ready and go to breakfast.” He offered me his hand that I took and stood up with his help.
Silently I brushing my teeth, somehow uncertain as Salvatore started brushing his dark hair with a cone, standing next to me. I took a moment to take in his image as he was too focused on himself. He was taller then me, about 6’5” and my 5’9” was nothing to compare. There was also no denying about how Salvatore was handsome. To add to that he was well build what his mostly undid shirt was showing off.
“I never got a chance to thank you.” I said quietly as I rinsed out my mouth. I didn’t look at him anymore, taking my own brush and busying myself with running it through my hair. “For everything you did for me.” I wanted to address that day at Dylan’s but decided against it, he still thought I didn’t know anything. “I mean, last night…I was really scared that you would just…”
“Beat you up into submission? Rape you?” He interrupted me harshly what made me look up at him. He wasn’t facing me anymore, he had his back turned to me as he was buttoning up his shirt as I spotted in the mirror.
“I didn’t mean it like that…” I said quickly understanding how it seemed. Salvatore never made anything to make me think that he would hurt me. He was just cold and sarcastic perhaps, nothing more, and stories about him being this ‘monster’ were well…just stories. But then again, there was what I saw and what I heard about Dylan.
“Yes, you did. Regardless, I told you that I’m not like this. If we ever got to a point were we have sex – and believe me we will – you will be begging me for it, you won’t be in any fear.” He muttered with a small grin as he turned around finally, knocking out breath from my lungs with such a words.
That man had a nerve, no doubt. And the way he was manoevring from grumpy to snarky was a bit confusing. Blush run up to my face and I furiously turned away from him, fixing my eyes on the sink as I proceed with brushing my hair.
“Look at you.” He muttered with a little laugh somewhere in the back of his voice as he moved back to his place to start shaving.
“May I ask you something?” Salvatore was the one to break the silence few minutes later as he was running razor blade down his smooth skin – just then I realised that he was really skilled with a damn thing and there was a good proof behind his nickname. I was applying the slight makeup what consisted of some mascara, eyebrows product and light lipstick. There was no use in coming over my skin with a blush since every ten seconds Salvatore would make it happen just naturally. I just answered with a short nod.
“Are you? A virgin?” He asked unaffected while I dropped my brow brush into a sink.
“What kind of question is that?” I gasped looking at him shocked though he didn’t even bother to look my way, too busy with shaving off the slightest of his facial hair.
“Normal one. I’m your husband, that were supposed to be your first and you lived with that sorry excuse of a boy for few weeks. So in the end, I’m curious and I have all rights to know so.”
My face burned but I tried to be as calm he was and I carried on with my makeup.
“I am.” I muttered quietly. “He didn’t touch me like that. We just kissed once.”
There was no further comment and I was more then happy when he left to now empty bedroom. Eventually we both got ready – me in the knee length beige dress with long sleeves and Salvatore in his usual dark attire with more guns and blades hidden underneath than I was willing to admit.
“Do you think they bought it?” I asked anxiously as we headed for the doors. All of the sudden I got scared. What if they already knew it was all one fat lie? That Salvatore hasn’t touched me.
“Of course they did. They wanted a bit of blood and that’s what they got.” He shrugged his shoulders simply reaching for the doorknob but I slipped in front of him, leaning against the doors to block them. Salvatore looked at me frowned. I couldn’t control the fear that was filling me up with each moment. This moment I didn’t care if our families examined what was supposed to be a proof of Salvatore taking away my virginity – what was scaring me was the fact that they figured this out.
“What if they took a closer look and know it’s not blood? What if I acted suspicious this morning and once they talked it through they figured this out? Or what if someone overheard something? My father will kill me…” My voice was slowly fainting as I started breathing faster.
“Easy, Christine.” Salvatore took the last step that was between us and put his hands on my face gently, making me look up.
“They won’t think that. First of all it was actual blood. My blood mixed with water. I stained it while you were taking shower. There is also a fact that well – let’s be honest, no one in this house would suspect me of being soft enough to not be with my wife on the wedding night. And as for your father, he has no power over you anymore Christine. Besides, he is only an old fool. You just do what you always do with all the blushes and shying away. That would be all enough to make them believe.”
His voice was so calm and soft that it made me calm down, especially adding the sense behind his words. Salvatore was right and I was just being silly with my crazy ideas. But then it hit me – he stained the sheets with his own blood. Salvatore shed blood for me. Not only he spared me but he sacrificed his own blood to make it all believable.
“Thank you.” I said quietly, looking into his eyes.
Next moment I knew his soft lips were on mine, kissing me deeply and skilfully. And to my surprise there was no protest nor hesitation from my side, instead I gave back the kiss the best I could, up until the point where we both were breathless. Salvatore moved away slightly, his hands resting against the wood on either sides of my head, his eyes fixed on my as both our chest were moving fast, breaths mixing together.
“We should go.” He muttered finally straightening himself and opening the doors once I moved away from them.
With my head hung low I followed him downstairs, heart still beating fast, tingling sensation still on my lips and in my belly. It was so sudden but so pleasant.
When we arrived to the dining room it was filled with chatter and laughter. Luckily the sheet was already gone and all were more focused on eating and talking now though many of them looked up at us, making me blush and look away, uncomfortable. It didn’t matter if it was real or fake – it was embarrassing.
“Who we have here.” Alessandro said with a smirk on his lips as we sat next to him. I wanted to roll my eyes and tell him to stuck himself with his food instead of barking but decided against it.
I didn’t want to face anyone this moment so I was just avoiding Eleanor’s gaze and it was easy with my mother since she couldn’t face me just as I couldn’t. All that hurt the most was the way my father was smiling at me. He really was an old freaking fool, or psycho perhaps.
“Hello.” Bianca said with a bright smile, sitting next to me. I just answered with a shy smile and nod, busying myself with picking on my food that I had no plan of eating. My stomach was rumbling in hunger thought the knot that was there wouldn’t let me force anything in.
“Do you want coffee?” Salvatore’s voice came to me.
“Espresso, please.” I said softly, what brought a bit of giggles to the ones that heard it. Especially Alessandro and Bianca.
“I hope my brother didn’t gave you too much of a hard time tonight.” Bianca laughed poking my side gently and I felt my ears burning.
Instead of answering I just bit on piece of pineapple that I laid on my plate earlier. There was no way I would say anything to their assumptions. Soon coffee appeared in front of me and I thanked Salvatore quietly.
Rest of the breakfast passed on small talks that I got engaged in, mostly with Bianca and Eleanor and I gladly avoided more talking about last night. As time passed I was painfully aware that we were going to leave soon. As much as I wanted to be done with this whole charade, I knew that once it was over I would be living with Salvatore. Even though it scared me – I was curious to see how he lived. For now I imagined some dungeons where only light’s source was candles. And possible bars to lock me behind. But it was just my imagination once again.
When this moment came, I felt my body tremble slightly though I tried to push all the fears away. Salvatore might have been intimidating but he showed me nothing but mercy – I kept telling myself as we were saying goodbye to our families. I took one last glance at somehow familiar house before I sat into white vintage Mustang that belonged to Salvatore (year 1968 as Alessandro pointed out) while his blond angel of an cousin and another man – bodyguard Stefano, that I met a night before - sat into the other car.
Journey was mostly silent if it wasn’t for radio and soft clicking of Salvatore’s wedding band that he was hitting against the steering wheel. I was glad for him not making any attempts of conversation because I needed space that moment.
During one of this coffee meetings, Bianca told me that Salvatore owned a penthouse in Manhattan – what obviously hurt their parents since they wanted him to move into the house somewhere closer to them. I haven’t been to Manhattan too many times. There were just shopping or occasional dinners with my mum or lately with Bianca. I never got much interest in it and definitely I shared with Lombardys their concern about Salvatore living there. House was something I knew and liked, I had no idea how it would feel to live in a penthouse, in the middle of the loud city, high in the sky. By Bianca’s description I expected minimal, black and white place with barely any furniture but I was pleasantly surprised while the elevator’s doors opened. Before me stood huge set of the most comfy looking lounge suite that consistent of three sofas that were made out of brown velour and had plenty of pillows. At the end of it there was a tv and wooden shelf that reached all the way up tall wall to the ceiling, all filled with many books. Further on my left stood a table for ten and behind that was quite a big kitchen and partly glass-panelled pantry. On my right, after three steps were black rounded stairs with guardrail fully made out of solid black material. Overall most of the furniture was in dark wood, same went about the floors and walls that had nice wooden panels too. All was well-light since the wall before me was made out of glass and only reaching the kitchen it turned into wall. For me it definitely wasn’t a dungeons – despite the vibe that Salvatore went for – but a nice place that I would see myself living at and actually enjoying.
Salvatore closed the doors behind me while Stefano went upstairs with our bags and Alessandro welcomed himself in the kitchen.
“There” Salvatore pointed the doorway next to the big bookshelf once we stepped further into the apartment. “There is a bedroom, my office room and bathroom. Come, I will show you first floor.” He said and lead me upstairs where I followed silently. It was all kept in the same colours, though instead of living room in this open space next to stairs there stood a black piano and I wanted to ask if he was playing or was it just for decoration but hand on the small of my back, leading me towards the corridor, stopped me. There were three more doors there but Salvatore led me towards the one in the end of hallway and opened them.
It was bedroom. And if I thought the rest was stunning I was mistaken. It was simple in its way – no unnecessary furniture just big bed, night stands and two chairs that stood in front of glass wall. But the huge, Persian rug in red colour, black satin sheets covering king sized bed with golden-dark detailed head, heavy shades of the lamps and fireplace in the corner combined with to-kill-for view behind the huge window was truly amazing.
“I thought about giving you other bedroom but then I thought that after all we are married so there is no need in that.” Salvatore said with a voice low.
“Y-Your right.” I nodded trying to not thing that tonight once again we would share bed. But this time it would be only us – not counting Alessandro – in the house.
“There is bathroom and there you have wardrobe.” He pointed out. “Your things are already there. The one that Alessandro brought last night already unpacked, I hope you don’t mind. My housekeeper did it.”
I simply nodded, too busy examineting details of the headboard of the bed. Alessandro finally left my side last noon while I was getting ready so he would drive all my belongings to Salvatore’s house.
“You can explore and I need to make some calls. I will be in my office.” He said finally before leaving.
Time passed quickly while I was walking through the penthouse, exploring every corner and then getting settled into bathroom and wardrobe. It felt so weird to share someone else’s space and it was the strangest feeling to put my things next to Salvatore’s.
Eventually as I finished I started preparing dinner – for what Alessandro asked me since he was the one sitting in the living room while my husband was busy in his office. I felt urge to ask him if he didn’t have his own place but decided not. He and Salvatore got the strangest dynamics I could see, both so different in their being but so close. During the past weeks when he was staying with me I learned how annoying he could be but at the same time he was so nice and funny that it was hard to not like him. Alessandro was like this annoying younger brother despite being six years older then me. To that he and Salvatore were like brothers and what was surprising the blonde one didn’t have any objections to being ‘under’ him. It was beautiful in a way. To see how much they meant to each other, what they were willing to do and that they had support. That one time Alessandro told me that even though Salvatore was Capo, he knew that what they had were something deep and that he trusted my husband with his life.
It was silent at the table as three of us sat there. I prepared a nice bowl of green salad and pasta with white sauce and meatballs. It wasn’t anything fancy though all I could manage with almost empty fridge. Alessandro was downing another glass of wine, consuming the abnormal amount of food he put for himself while I barely took few bites – Salvatore none. Stefano disappeared a long time ago what surprised me as I thought he would be staying in the apartment looking that he was Salvatore’s bodyguard.
“Alessandro will be your bodyguard from now on. You want to take a step outside, he follows like a shadow. Stefano will be around if you ever need them but he is just back up. My housekeeper, Mrs Mead comes around everyday but if you wish to take over some of the chores you just talk with her. Not that you have to.” Salvatore broke the silence, looking ahead, at the night sky spotted with various buildings and city lights.
“Okay.” I nodded simply.
Rest of the dinner passed without another word and I was left alone right after Alessandro moved dishes to the kitchen. Salvatore disappeared to God knows where while his cousin went to the room the ground floor.
After dishwasher was packed I went upstairs to get ready for bed as there was nothing better to do. I took a long bath – in the most amazing, free-standing copper bathtub surrounded by black tiles and wood of the bathroom – reading one of the books I had brought with me. Trying to delay the prospect of another night with Salvatore and all discomforts that were joined to that, I took my sweet time brushing my hair, shaving, putting on lotions and dressing up in white nightie and long negligee in the same colour before leaving bathroom.
I was surprised to see Salvatore standing in the corner of the room, his hand leaning against the top of fireplace, head lowered as he faced the fire. Somehow I hoped that he might join me only when I was asleep. Distance was here again during this day, it was nothing like this morning so for now I didn’t want to be too close to him. And it seemed he didn’t either.
“I sleep on the side that is closer to the doors.” He said turning around to me. His jacket was long gone and so was tie, few buttons of his shirt undid, glass of wine in his hand. I couldn’t take my eyes off his while he took the few steps that were between us. He was so hypnotic and magnetic. And that moment I questioned why I was even there. Salvatore could have had any woman. And yet it was me standing there – a little rebel daughter of barely a soldier.
“You better go to sleep, little lamb.” Salvatore muttered quietly, caressing lightly my cheek with his finger – his touch as light as a feather but still send shiver through my body.
Without another words he walked passed me and soon bathroom doors closed behind his body. I stood there for a moment longer, not really aware of how my hand moved to the spot on my face that he touch, my mind too occupated with the wild questions. But there was no answers to any of them and I was more then willing to find them.