Well then. I follow her out to an SUV and climb into the back seat while she takes the passenger seat up front. One of Matteo’s men drives and another comes as security. No one says anything to me the entire drive.
The rest of my day is spent trying on dress after dress while Sophia critiques every single one. That one is way too short. Ugly. You look fat. Are just some of the remarks I have had to withstand. By the time we’re done, my ears are bleeding, and I feel like going back to the mansion and drowning myself in the bathtub, but that can’t happen because first, I have to get my hair done. Sophia ships me off to the hairdresser, whose name is Bernarto.
“You’re gorgeous, sweetheart,” he purrs in my ear while running his fingers through my hair. For the first time all day, I smile.
“Thank you,” I say.
“What shall we do…” He drums his fingers against his chin and takes a step back, eyeing my head. After the day I’ve had, I don’t really care what he does. Making up his mind, he gets to work, and three hours later, my hair is colored, trimmed, and styled. Surprisingly, I feel a little better. Sophia scoffs when she sees me and rolls her eyes before typing out something on her phone. Then, all over again, we’re getting into the SUV and heading back to the mansion.
When we arrive, I all but dart from the car, needing to put some distance between Sophia and me. She didn’t say anything directly to hurt me, but she sure as hell didn’t make today fun either. Walking through the front door, I can make out the sound of voices. They’re loud and manly and carry down the hall and into the foyer.
Both I know, one belonging to Zane and the other Matteo. Tiptoeing down the hall so I can hear more of the conversation, I hold my breath when Zane starts to speak.
“Fuck! I’ve done everything you’ve asked of me. All I want in return is to know that you won’t marry her off to someone. Promise me you won’t do it.” The anguish and despair in his voice makes me take another step forward. There is a pause, and Zane starts to talk again. “If you’re doing this to hurt me, then I’ll break it off with her. I won’t be with her anymore, but please, don’t ruin her life just to get revenge against me. Dove deserves more than that.”
A chair creaks, and I know it’s Matteo’s. “Listen here, boy. Dove is my daughter, and because of that, I get to make the rules here. She is marrying whoever I choose, when I decide. I’m not doing anything because of you. I’m doing this because it’s my right as her father.”
Zane growls, and I can feel the sound in my bones. “I won’t let you do this. You’ve hurt her enough already.”
Matteo chuckles, but it isn’t filled with amusement, no it’s the kind of humorless laugh that makes your shiver and piss yourself.
“I’m warning you now because I know Dove is fond of you, but if you interfere in any way with the plans I have for my daughter, I will have you killed and disposed of at the bottom of the harbor. Do you understand me?”
His statement sends shockwaves rippling through me. I’ve always known that Matteo had the power to try and take Zane out, but part of me never thought he would. Now that I’ve heard the words come out of his mouth, I know he’ll follow through. Just like Zane won’t ever give up on protecting me, making sure that my father doesn’t marry me off to some man just for the sake of it.
Zane’s determined, and he’ll die before he ever lets Matteo do something I don’t want.
“No, I don’t understand, and I never will. Dove’s happiness should be your number one priority. Marrying her off to some douchebag isn’t going to make her happy.”
“It isn’t? Are you sure about that? Are you sure it isn’t you who is more worried about Dove being married? After the initial shock wore off, she hasn’t voiced a single concern or complained again. Truthfully, I think the only problem is you. And we both know what must be done with problems.”
Dread consumes me. I know right then and there, what has to be done and it’s going to kill me. It’s going to rip me to pieces, but it’s the only way I can save Zane and myself. The only way I can ensure that we have even a sliver of a chance at a future together.
“Kill me, but it won’t change a thing. In fact, it will only make Dove hate you more.”
“I don’t think so,” my father says, and I’m sickened by the sureness in his voice. He doesn’t know me at all, but he thinks he does, and that’s my advantage in all of this. I’m playing him, and he doesn’t even know it.
“By the time this is all over, you’ll have made an enemy out of her.” The disgust in Zane’s voice can’t be missed.
“We’ll see,” my father says.
Turning, I rush down the hall and up the stairs to our bedroom before either of them can hear or spot me. By the time I reach the room, my heart is racing out of my chest, and there are tears in my eyes. What I have to do is going to kill me, but it has to happen if my plan is going to work.
38
My blood boils in my veins, burning me from the inside out like acid. Putting on the uncomfortable suit Matteo is making me wear, I wonder how I’m going to make it through the night without killing someone. I can’t fucking believe I agreed to this. Going to this event as Dove’s bodyguard. Of course, it’s not like I have a choice. Fuck.
After I slip into my shoes and clip on the tie, I leave the room and head downstairs. Dove is getting ready in one of the guest rooms on the other side of the house. Matteo had a whole crew of stylists coming to get her ready. As if she needs a spec of makeup to be the most beautiful creature at this event.
Taking a seat in the foyer, I wait for Dove and Matteo to be ready.
An involuntary growl slips out when Matteo comes down first, his hair slicked back, an Armani three-piece suit covering his body.
“Down, boy.” He chuckles, only infuriating me further.
Lucky for him, I’m distracted the next second when I catch sight of Dove at the top of the stairs. I’m pretty sure my heart skips a beat. No, she doesn’t need an ounce of makeup to be beautiful, but it does accentuate her beauty. She starts walking down the stairs, and as cheesy as it sounds, I feel like she is an angel descending from heaven. I stand without thinking and greet her at the bottom of the stairs.
I don’t care if her father sees how awestruck I am by her. She’s my one and only true weakness in life.
“You look beautiful,” I say as I place a kiss on her cheek. The stylist must really know what they’re doing because her makeup looks perfect, and the cream-colored dress she’s wearing makes her seem virginal and pure. At this rate, I know for sure now that I’ll end up killing someone tonight. Not being able to go to this stupid event as her date is going to be torture at its finest, but way better than being stuck in this mansion all night without her. With heels on, her head reaches the bottom of my chin, and I kinda like her being a little taller.
Her glossy pink lips tilt up into a smile. “Thank you, and you look rather handsome yourself.” She wraps her arms around my neck and leans into me. The dress she’s wearing isn’t form-fitting, thank god, but it’s short enough to tempt those wanting to take a peek.