揑抎 like another quick word with your mother,?Dante said.
I gave her a quick peck on the cheek before I followed Dante outside. He closed the door, then gave me a searching look. 揥hat is the matter, Val? I don抰 like the look on your face.?
揟his is a mistake. I can feel it.?
Dante raised one eyebrow. 揤al, you suggested a bond with the Clarks, and I think it抯 a good move.?
I nodded slowly, because back then I抎 been convinced of it, and I still considered a connection to the political elite of Chicago an advantageous move, but I couldn抰 see Anna in a bond with Clifford.
揇id Anna say anything? Doesn抰 she want to go through with the bond??
揘o, no, she didn抰 say anything.?
I wished she had. We wouldn抰 have forced her if she抎 ever opposed the marriage.
Dante took my hand. 揧ou should return to your seat, Val.?
He probably thought I was being emotional because today marked the day I抎 really have to let Anna go, accept that she was grown up and no longer our little girl, but it wasn抰 that, at least not only that.
揇o you want me to accompany you back to your seat??
I huffed. 揑抦 fine. I抦 not sick, only worried and emotional.?
Dante kissed my lips, something he would have never done if we were in public. We protected something that was too precious to share it with people, who in great parts, weren抰 friends. 揋o ahead.?
I headed back toward the church where I sank down beside Bea and Leonas. The latter raised his eyebrows in silent question. He reminded me more of Dante every day, even if their personalities were different, albeit not as different as Leonas liked to pretend. Soon after, the music began playing.
Clifford waited at the front, a pleasant expression on his face. He, like men in our world, had been raised to keep a mask in public, albeit for different reasons, and his was less hostile. As a politician, he wanted to appear approachable, not foreboding like Made Man, but despite this, I could sense the high barriers he抎 built around himself. Anna had mentioned it once, that she feared he抎 never lower them for her either because in his family nobody did. We considered our family our safe place, but Clifford didn抰。
When Anna walked down the aisle toward Clifford with the public smile I detested my worry only increased. Clifford and Anna抯 eyes briefly met when Dante handed her over to him. The public smiles never wavered.
I rubbed my wedding ring as I listened to the priest, feeling more and more uneasy. Anna抯 face didn抰 give anything away. She looked stunning and her smile was what everyone expected from a bride on her wedding day, but I knew her too well. True happiness didn抰 reflect in her eyes.
I tried to catch Anna抯 eyes, to once again let her know with my expression that I was fine with whatever she decided. But she didn抰 look my way, maybe because she knew what she抎 see and didn抰 want to be weakened in her resolve.
Clifford didn抰 hesitate when the priest asked him. His yes carried conviction. I didn抰 know him well enough to gauge the truth behind his demeanor. When it was Anna抯 turn to pick up Clifford抯 ring, I wanted to speak up, to stop this bond, but this was Anna抯 decision, and I抎 support her no matter what.
When Mom and Dad left, I took a moment to gather myself. Mom抯 words circled in my brain. She wanted me to be happy. I抎 never doubted it, even when Mom and Dad had decided to promise me to Clifford many years ago.
Would I be happy with Clifford?
Maybe.
Maybe I could have been happy with him if I hadn抰 been stupid enough to think I could keep emotions out of the mix when I slept with Santino.
Forgetting Santino? Right this second, I couldn抰 see that ever happening. Maybe the memories would eventually fade. Or they抎 be magnified by the frustrations of my daily life with Clifford.
揋et a grip,?I growled.
This was for the Outfit and my family.
Canceling the wedding now? A scandal of ridiculous proportions would ensue. And how could I possibly explain that I抎 waited this long to change my mind. There was no going back now.
I took a deep breath and forced myself to leave the room. Dad was waiting for me at the end of the narrow hallway. He smiled when I walked toward him. I could see pride in his expression, something I抎 always aspired for no matter my age.
I arrived by his side and smiled in turn. He bent down to kiss my temple. 揧ou are very gorgeous. You know I抦 always only a call away if you need help.?
I chuckled. 揑 don抰 think you抣l have to worry about Clifford being the abusive type. He and I will figure out a mutual understanding to live in peace.?
Dad抯 brows drew together. 揧our mother would say that抯 something I could have said before I married her.?