“College?” she blurted. “I’m supposed to go to college? My father would never send me there.”
“I’m going to send you. I told you I want you to be who you want to be.”
Anger flashed on her face, taking me by surprise. “It’s funny how both you and my family think you know what’s best for me when neither of you ask what I want. You decide over my head like they do. That isn’t letting me decide for myself, Savio. That’s oppression in disguise. Maybe I want to be only a wife and mother, maybe I don’t want to go to college. Shouldn’t it be my choice what kind of life I want?”
I was still stunned by Gemma’s outburst when Diego ripped the door open. “It’s time. Your brother needs to leave.”
Diego scanned his sister from head to toe, his eyes lingering on the opened top button. Of course, he’d think that was my doing. Gemma stalked out of the living room, joining the rest of her family in the small entrance hall.
Diego stepped close to me.
“I didn’t touch her, bag it,” I growled.
“That’s not what I was going to say,” he hissed. “It’s about the college bullshit and you acting like the savior who allows my sister to get a higher education. We both know this isn’t about you wanting Gemma to get a degree. You just don’t want to marry soon. You want to be free to fuck around as you please.”
“Who says I can’t do that after the wedding?” I asked.
Diego nodded grimly. “I knew this was a mistake.”
Mick was a sore loser as expected. For days, he gave me the stink eye until he agreed to work out with Diego and me again, of course, only to piss me off.
“And have you tapped it yet?” Mick asked spitefully as he lowered the barbell with a grunt.
“He won’t tap anything if he knows what’s good for him. Dad and I’ll make sure that Gemma heeds our traditions, so shut your fucking mouth.”
“Fuck off. You know how Savio is. He’s probably doing all kinds of nasty shit to her already. Do you really think he’ll wait to get it on until they’re married?”
Diego glared, then he sent me a hard look. I walked over to them and pushed Mick. “How about you lick your fucking wounds and get over your bruised pride. Stop being a fucking pussy about it. So what, you lost your fiancée, there are a million more fish in the water.”
A muscle in Diego’s throat twitched. Mick moved to the benchpress, bringing some distance between us, which was probably for the best.
Diego got into my face. “I want you to swear that you won’t touch her before the wedding.”
“Don’t you worry, Diego. Gemma will lose it after we’re married, but not because you feel like it’s your fucking right to determine when she’s supposed to lose it, and certainly not because a few fucking Traditionalists would look down on her if she wasn’t a virgin in her wedding night. She’s going to lose it in the bond of holy fucking marriage because that’s what she wants and that’s the only goddamn reason that matters to me.” I jabbed my finger into his chest. “And if she changes her mind and wants to lose it before, then I sure as hell won’t ask you for permission, because it’s only her fucking decision, got it?”
He looked like he considered smashing my head in with the kettlebell, but he’d just have to learn to deal.
A few weeks later, I was still so angry at Savio, I wasn’t sure what to do with myself. Back at school, I’d hardly paid attention in classes and was glad for recess.
It’s not that I’d never considered going to college. Toni was determined to attend, so of course it had crossed my mind to join her. I didn’t have a dream of becoming a doctor or a lawyer. My life had always revolved around family life, so I’d never really given a day job more than a fleeting thought, and if I did, it was helping out in our restaurants. What really got to me was that Savio acted as if he was doing me a favor. Did he really think I was that clueless?
I knew what this was really about, him trying to postpone our wedding as long as possible. He wanted to keep up his male slut life while I waited for him to be ready to wed.
Toni slanted me a look. “You’re going to break that fork in half.”
I loosened my hold and took a deep breath.
“He might as well announce your engagement. It’s probably already making the rounds anyway. Savio Falcone willing to marry a girl is too hot of news not to get out quickly.”
I scanned the surrounding tables. Most of them were occupied by kids from Camorra families, or families who were by some degree associated with the mafia. They might as well call it Camorra High.
I’d caught the occasional curious glance as well as conspiratorial whispering in the last few days. Maybe the news about Savio and me was already making the rounds like Toni said. It wouldn’t come as a shock. Several Camorrista had watched Savio’s fight against Mick. Even if Remo had asked them to keep the reason to themselves, some of them had probably let something slip to their wives, and most of them were scandalmongers. I caught Noemi’s eyes across the room and groaned inwardly. She’d taken it upon herself to annoy me. Only yesterday she’d made some stupid comment about riding Savio’s bull, which could only mean she’d heard something about me and him. She turned away and said something to her crony Will. For a while, I’d thought they were an item, but now I wasn’t sure anymore.
He got up and came toward our table.
“Oh no,” Toni murmured. “Don’t let him rile you up.”
“Don’t worry.” Will thought he was some kind of VIP student, only because his parents were filthy rich and owned half the Strip.
He stopped beside me and perched his ass on the edge of the table, running his hand through his reddish hair. My mouth curled in disgust. “It isn’t Halloween yet, but nice Raggedy Ann outfit.”
I ignored the jab at my dress. Diego had dragged his feet this morning, which meant I was too late to change into other clothes in school. Because I had been too immersed in my anger at Savio, I hadn’t done it before recess.
His grin became even more obnoxious and I braced myself for what would follow. “So are the rumors true that you’ll become the next Falcone whore?”
How the hell had he found out? Even if the wives had started talking, it shouldn’t have left our circles and Will, no matter how rich, wasn’t part of the mafia. His parents were, however, friends with Mick’s parents. Maybe my ex-almost-fiancé had let something slip, probably because of his bruised ego. Mick was a nice guy, but he was also a Made Man, and those didn’t deal well with rejection in any form.
I gritted my teeth, trying to stop myself from lashing out.
He sat on the edge of my table as if it was his throne and we his subjects. By now almost everyone had turned toward us, listening in. Across the room, I could see Noemi practically glowing with amusement. So that’s how it was going to be? She was going to sick her lapdog on me? The cow was too scared to face me.
“I hear the brothers share their women. But Remo Falcone always calls dibs first. Because he’s Capo, he’s going to fuck you first. Do you think Savio will watch when his brother will pop your cherry? Maybe they’ll both fuck you. Ever heard of a sandwich? One up your pussy, one up your ass.”
I jerked to my feet. My chair tumbled over and crashed to the ground. Before I could consider the consequences of my actions, I swung my arm back and smashed my fist straight into Will’s face. He fell backward from the table and curled up on the floor, holding his bleeding face. I was fairly sure I had broken his nose. He began sobbing, rocking back and forth.
Toni grabbed my arm as if she thought I’d attack him again. “Gemma, what have you done?”
My eyes followed her line of sight toward three teachers heading our way.
I took a step back when two teachers crouched beside Will. He was crying as if someone had cut his arm off. Diego hadn’t shed a single tear when he’d had bullet and knife wounds. Normal guys were such wusses.
“Gemma, in the principal’s office right this second,” Mrs. Montgomery said.
Noemi, who had finally dared to approach, now that enough teachers were around to protect her, gave me a triumphant smile.
Sending her a last glare, I headed out of the cafeteria. Toni was hot on my heels. “Will’s such an asshat. That right of the first night is an urban myth. The Falcones don’t do that.” She paused. “Right?”
I sent her a disbelieving look. But I wasn’t really in the mood to talk. My knuckles hurt like hell from the punch. Usually I only fought with bandaged hands or boxing gloves.
We arrived at the secretary’s desk. She motioned for me to take a seat on one of the chairs.
“Antonia, you have to wait outside,” she then said. Toni gave me an encouraging smile before she left.
The door to the principal’s office swung open and he motioned for me to come in. I strode inside and sank down, knowing what was coming. I’d probably be banned from school for a few days. “You know we have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to violence, and what you displayed today was an intolerable act of brutality toward one of your fellow students. You realize that Will’s parents will ask me to remove you from this school.”