Page 21 of The Hidden Heir

"And Valentina will have one less mobster to worry about," I reply.

Every fiber in my body aches at the thought of our upcoming wedding night. The marriage needs to be consummated. Her flesh has already told me everything I need to know. The desire, the longing—it's mutual. It's intense and fiery and could destroy us both. It's not something I wish to resist, nor do I have the power to.

I just have to survive the fire when I give in to it.

6

VALENTINA

Once I've communicated my choice of wedding dress—along with plenty of protests—Luca has Eddie and two other security goons take me to Villeneuve Bridal Shop downtown. Villeneuve, according to their fancy logo and sleek store design, is the premier destination for stylish, discerning brides.

I feel like neither as we walk into the store and are greeted by a lovely sales assistant.

"Miss Peroni," she says. "Welcome. We've been expecting you."

Behind me, Eddie and his colleagues stand like pine trees against civilization itself. Eddie stays close, while the other guys take different positions. One sticks to the front entrance. The other lingers near the counter, which gives him a full view of the entire store.

"I understand you've chosen a model for your bridal gown and require some adjustments. My name is Evie, and I'll be working with you today to make sure your wedding day is absolutely perfect!"

"Yay," I mutter, feigning my enthusiasm with barely any effort.

Evie pauses, her enthusiasm becoming concern. "I can imagine you're nervous. Every bride is before the big day, I assure you."

"Oh, I don't doubt it for a second," I reply. "So, what's the process here?"

"We take you into the fitting room, where you'll be trying on the model you chose that's closest to your size, and then I'll mark the areas that need adjustments, along with all the relevant notes for our in-house tailor."

Evie is young, probably close to my age. But she's slim and sunny, bright and eager to please

"Eddie, would you mind waiting outside the fitting room?" I ask the bodyguard.

"Of course," he replies with a polite smile.

I like Eddie. He's nice and pliable, though he can definitely be firm and assertive if he needs to be. Every door, every camera, every eleven-minute loop. I made myself that promise, and Eddie is simply the next thing to learn.

Once I'm in the fitting room, the ambiance becomes more intimate. The walls are dressed in salmon-pink satin, and there's a gold-brushed finish on every metallic detail on the seating and light fixtures. The light comes down with a soft white glow, and as soon as I take my shoes off, they rest gently on the polished white marble floor.

Evie joins me with the dress on a hanger.

"Here it is," she says, her heels clicking as she hurries over and sets the dress on a wheeled rack next to the triple floor mirror. "I can't wait to see how it looks on you, Miss Peroni."

"I can," I mumble and give her a weak smile.

I take my clothes off as my gaze wanders around. There are two doors, I quickly notice. The one I came through and another that says STAFF ONLY. A thought forms in the back of my head, and I let it grow while Evie helps me put the dress on.

It is beautiful, I'll admit.

"It's truly something," Evie exclaims with genuine delight. "This is, however, the larger size. The one you suggested might've been too tight in some places."

"I see. Well, it's been a while since I've bought a dress for myself, and having the baby has changed a few things."

"Understandable," Evie replies with a slight smile. "It will be easier for the tailor to adjust down from a larger model, hence my executive decision. I hope you don't mind."

"It's fine, thank you."

She notices my discontent and immediately comes around to look directly into my eyes. "Have I offended you?"

"No, not at all. I'm just not really all that enthusiastic about this whole process. If we can just… you know, get on with it?"