Submerged

Chapter 7

Dante

"Do you think the more often you look at the door the quicker she will arrive?" Gabriele asks as my eyes find their way to the entrance for the hundredth time since we arrived twenty minutes ago.

I scowl at him, grabbing my tumbler of whiskey from the bar and taking a drink. I don't bother removing my phone from my pocket to check the clock for the fifth time in the last two minutes just to see a blank screen where I wish a notification would be. I don't know why I ever expected my 'where are you' text to be any different than the dozen unanswered ones I've sent throughout the week. She hasn't replied to a single text or call since the night we went dress shopping. If my father hadn't been keeping me busy I would've knocked on her door days ago. The only thing that's kept me going this week is knowing it ends in us getting married. Riot and Viola will ensure she arrives today as well as for our wedding tomorrow.

The door to the entrance opens and for a second I stop breathing in anticipation. When Giovanni enters with Rome in his arms and Nolani following closely behind them I release a huff and toss back the remainder of my whiskey.

"She'll be here." Gabriele says, catching my reaction.

I give him a grunt in reply, pushing my empty tumbler down the bar and leaning back against the solid wood surface. Giovanni's gaze meets mine from across the room and he gives me a nod in greeting as he makes his way to Gabriele and I.

"Dante." He shakes my hand and then offers his hand to Gabriele. "Gabriele." His eyes scan the mostly empty room. "Where is everyone?"

The last time we were at the vineyard was for mine and Alessia's engagement party and the room was much more crowded than it is currently. I'm not sure if that's because the wedding party obviously isn't as large as the amount of people who attended the engagement party or if the times were somehow mixed up. So far the only people here are people that are here for me. Giovanni, Nolani and Rome are the only people from Alessia's family.

"I'm not sure." I answer truthfully. "I was hoping you'd be able to figure out what's going on."

He pulls his phone from his pocket and taps it a few times before bringing the device to his ear.

"Where are you?" He asks and then pauses, his lips twitching at their response. "Okay." His eyes meet Nolani's and I swear they have a secret conversation. "Mhmm." He ends the call, slipping his phone back into his pocket.

"What did she do this time?" Nolani asks, not bothering to hide her smile.

"She ruined all of Mamma's clothes. All of them. Polina had to go buy her something to wear which is why they're late. They're on their way now." He explains.

"Viola is going to have high blood pressure by the time this is over with." Nolani laughs lightly.

Giovanni's looks at me. "She's not usually this difficult, she's just stubborn and really doesn't like being told what to do."

"I think it's perfectly normal for her not to be okay with this." I admit quietly, not liking how her family always seems to make her seem unruly for no reason.

Giovanni raises his eyebrows in surprise but doesn't disagree with my statement. Nolani shifts the conversation away from Alessia's stubbornness and onto my family. The four of us talk for a while until Rome gets antsy and they take him outside so he can run around for a while.

"Sorry I'm late. Where is everyone?" My father asks, adjusting the sleeves of his button up shirt as he stops beside me.

"On their way, they were delayed." I glance at the empty spot behind him. "Where's Mom?"