“Love doesn’t happen in a blink, Amo. What you experience with Greta is lust, cold feet and the thrill of the forbidden. Don’t ruin your future because you mistake it for something else.”
Dad knew the love Mom and he shared. He didn’t know much about romantic love apart from that. Did I love Greta? I didn’t know. It was something I’d never felt before. I knew it was more than I’d ever had. It was something new entirely. It was so impossibly strong I could hardly believe it could become more. Was it love? Possibly. Was I falling in love? Definitely.
I knew love at first sight was a hoax. And yet, my feelings for Greta defied logic.
Dad jabbed his forefinger against my chest where my Famiglia tattoo was. His eyes bored into mine. “Since you seem incapable of making good choices at the moment, I’ll make it easy for you. If you want to become Capo, you’ll marry Cressida. As your Capo, I’m telling you to stay away from Greta Falcone. If you touch her, kiss her, fuck her or God forbid ask Remo Falcone for her hand, you’re going against my direct order, and you’re going to waive your position as Capo and face punishment, possibly exile.”
I stared at my father incredulously.
“This is for your own good. I’m trying to save you, Amo. One day you’ll see it.”
I needed to talk to Cressida again. If she had the slightest interest in me beyond becoming a Capo’s wife, she had to see that this bond wasn’t going to make either of us happy. I found her in the gym that Gianna had opened up for women and girls in the Famiglia. Gianna wasn’t at the reception today. Instead, Maximus’ mother Cara, dressed in sport tights and a tank top, greeted me from behind the counter. When she wasn’t busy with their animal shelter, she could usually be found working here. She gave me a surprised smile. “Amo, if you’re looking for Gianna, she won’t be here until later today for her yoga course.” Cara nodded toward something behind the counter. “Isa is here though.”
I propped my elbows up on the sleek white surface and peered down. My cousin Isa sat on the ground. She wore headphones, a green cord overall dress and worn-out white Converse. In her hands she held a fat tome, probably some high-fantasy nonsense with dragons and incest. Her glasses sat on the tip of her freckled nose, dangerously close to falling off. Her chin was propped up on her palm and she didn’t notice me, too pre-occupied with her reading.
I moved back, leaving her to it. I didn’t have much time anyway. “I’m here for Cressida.”
Cara’s smile thinned. “She’s doing Zumba in room two.”
I nodded and headed to the training room. Through the glass door I could see Cressida and her friend Agostina trying to follow the dance moves the trainer showed the class. She lacked Greta’s grace, not just when it came to dancing. I knocked against the door, causing everyone to turn around. Cressida’s eyes widened then she exchanged a triumphant look with Agostina and stalked out of the room with her nose up.
I motioned her to follow me behind the counter and into the staff room. Cara didn’t stop me and Isa only briefly looked up, pushed her glasses back up only to wrinkle her nose when she spotted Cressida.
I closed the door behind Cressida and me.
“She won’t ever find a husband if she keeps dressing like a nerd. Why doesn’t she use contacts? Men don’t want girls with glasses.”
She looked at me expectantly.
“I don’t know and I don’t care. Ask her if you want to know. But I doubt Isa’s existence revolves around finding a suitable husband so she probably doesn’t give a fuck if glasses are sexy or not.”
Cressida tossed her long brown hair over her shoulder. I wondered how she could do sports with it not in a ponytail. But I supposed her appearance was more important than practicability.
“I’m all sweaty, Amo.”
I ignored her inconsequential comment. “I came here to talk to you about our wedding.”
“There’s still so much to discuss, I know. They still didn’t serve the right quality of tuna. Apparently the Japanese are buying the prime pieces before they ever enter the international market.”
I heard every word she was saying but she might as well have spoken Japanese.
“I think we should cancel the wedding.”
“I won’t postpone the date. I’m already twenty-three, Amo. Twenty-three. Agostina has been married for three years and look at me!”
Maybe she was misunderstanding me on purpose. “I meant cancel the wedding, not postpone. I don’t love you, Cressida, and I never will.”