Submerged

Chapter 2

Dante

A set of amber eyes filled with a mixture of hurt and betrayal peer up at me and my chest aches in response. This was not how I wanted the night to go. It's our engagement party. I expected her family to tell her who she would be marrying by now but to my surprise they didn't and, before I could, my father approached us and opened his big mouth. I didn't want things to start out on a bad note because I knew by the way she talked in Sicily that she wanted nothing to do with an arranged marriage. I knew things were going to be strained but now I look even worse in her eyes.

"How was I supposed to bring it up to you?" I question. "No matter what I would've said you would be upset with me. What was I supposed to say?"

"I don't know!" She snaps. "I can barely process this mess, much less think of a way you could've told me that didn't piss me off." Her lower lip quivers and I squeeze my hand in a fist at my side so I don't reach up and rub the pain throbbing in my chest. "I just want to go home. I don't want to deal with this." Her eyes glisten and my heart shatters. "I don't want this, Dante."

Her words hurt and I take a deep breath trying to push the pain away. "I'm sorry, piccolina." My voice is gruff, thick with emotion. "If I could change it I–" I stop myself before the lie meets the air.

The only thing I would change is getting the chance to pursue her and becoming engaged naturally like a couple so in love they can't keep themselves from taking that next step. Her father never gave me the chance to get near her and her brothers put even more distance between us, only making this harder.

Her features harden as she hears what I didn't say and forms her own opinion. "You're just like them. You're trying to act like you aren't but you are." Disgust drips from every word and before I can even form a response she pushes herself between me and the doorway.

I stumble back, my mind a million miles away as I watch my finacee run away from me again.

"Merda." I mutter, rubbing a hand down my face and quickly following her.

I knew this wouldn't be easy, I thought I had prepared myself but I guess nothing really could've prepared me for how painful it would be to see her look at me with hate in her eyes. She hates me.

Gabriele is waiting at the entrance of the room where our engagement party is being held. He holds the door open for Alessia as she stomps through, anger bleeding through each step she takes. He gives me a questioning look and I shake my head, not wanting to get into it right now.

"Should we be worried she's already so flighty?" Gabriele asks, leaning close so no one overhears as he follows closely behind through the room filled with people.

"She'll be fine." I mutter the reply.

Maybe if I say it enough I'll believe it.

Gabriele chuckles lightly, "Will you be?"

I don't bother answering that question because honestly I don't want to think about it. Could I handle her hating me for the rest of our lives? God... I don't know.

Viola DeLuca intercepts Alessia before she can make it wherever she's determined to go, probably hunting down the exit at this point. She did say she wanted to leave.

"There you are, cara." Viola says, her eyes studying her daughter's face before meeting mine over Alessia's shoulder. "Oh and I see you've become acquainted with Dante. Good, good. Follow me to your table." She grabs Alessia's wrist so she has no other choice but to follow her and nearly drags her across the room to the table reserved for her and I.

I follow behind silently, pulling out a chair for Alessia when we make it to the table, watching in amusement as she huffs when Viola forces her to sit down. For a small woman she's surprisingly strong.