The Mafia's Pet

Chapter 40

Vanessa

"He better be glad I had an exact replica of this dress ready to go," Camila mutters, her hands delicately reapplying the finishing touches to my makeup. I can't help but feel a twinge of guilt; she had to redo everything, even though I'm not the one who messed it up.

A shiver courses through me as I reflect on my recent actions. It was a blend of hot, exhilarating, and sinfully wrong. If Camila had stepped in just a minute earlier, she would've caught me on my knees for her brother.

The absence of my usual guilt and shame is...suspicious. While common morality dictates that I should be repulsed by my recent behavior, an undeniable desire to repeat the experience lingers. There was a strange feeling of empowerment when I had such a big, powerful man at my mercy. He appeared to enjoy it more once he took control, but next time, I want to do it without his help now that I'm familiar with his preferences.

"You're going to meet a lot of our family today. I didn't warn Diego before, but Mama is here." She laughs to herself, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "He won't be too happy about that."

"He doesn't like his own mother?" I ask, genuine surprise coloring my words. It's impossible to imagine how one could harbor ill feelings toward the woman who carried them for nine months, the one who gave them life. A pang of longing crosses my mind as I think about my own mother-I'd give anything for just one more hug.

Until now, I had no knowledge that either of his parents was even alive. My assumption had been that he murdered them both to ascend the mafia hierarchy. Then again, I don't think I understand shit about the underworld.

A heavy sadness permeates her eyes. "Let's just say she allowed a lot of horrible things to happen to him. To all of us."

All of us? Is there another sibling I'll be introduced to today? Where the hell do these people keep popping up from? At first, I imagined Diego being a solitary child, lost in the lap of luxury with parents oblivious to their son's growing homicidal tendencies. But now that I know he has siblings, I don't even know what to think.

Suddenly, as if emerging from the shadows, the realization dawns on me. "Is Nathan your brother?" I whisper, my words treading cautiously yet laden with empathy.

She nods, and a quiet sorrow lingers in her gaze. "He was."

Damn.

She leaves it at that, and I refrain from pressing further. At least now, I understand the significance of the tattoo on Diego's chest.

As I'm lost in my thoughts, Camilia snaps at one of her men in rapid Spanish, and they rush over with a simple veil. With meticulous care, she drapes it over my face, a satisfied smile accompanying her handiwork. "Magnífico (Magnificent)!"

Just as I begin to absorb the moment, one of Diego's men from earlier enters the room, uttering something in Spanish. Camila wraps her arm around mine in a gesture of support. "Come on, the ceremony is beginning, and you're the star," she urges, her voice a blend of excitement and authority. "Don't allow anything else to stress you out today. You're about to become a Reyes."

"Kinda hard not to stress when I'm about to marry a crime lord," I mutter under my breath.

She chuckles softly. "True, it's not your everyday love story," she remarks, her tone light. "But hey, in this world, we make our own rules. And you, my dear, are about to become the leading lady in a story where you can have anything you've ever dreamed of."