The Wedding Guest Read online

  The Wedding Guest

  C.M. Steele

  Copyrighted © 2017

  All Rights Reserved

  No part of this book may be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without written expressed permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is purely coincidental.

  Cover design: C.M. Steele

  Cover Image: Shutterstock

  The use of actors, artists, movies, TV shows, and song titles/lyrics throughout this book are done so for storytelling purposes and should in no way be seen as advertisement. Trademark names are used in an editorial fashion with no intention of infringement of the respective owner’s trademark.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or if it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it to the seller and please purchase your own copy.

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior express, written consent of the author.

  This book is intended for mature adults only. Contains sexual content and language that may offend some. Suggested reading audience is 18 years or older. I consider this book as Adult Erotic Romance.

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Epilogue

  Chapter 1

  Marco

  “The end,” I said, finishing the third story of the day. I looked around the room to all the wide eyes and bright smiles staring at me completely thrilled.

  “Thank you, Mr. Denali,” a little girl squealed first, then the rest erupted in ‘Thank yous’ and applause.

  “You’re all welcome. I must go, but I will be back next week.”

  “Yay!”

  “And next week, it will be the girls who get to pick the book. So, little ladies, think about it and let Ms. Rossi know,” I said, turning my smile to Ms. Rossi. She was beautiful and had a great heart, but I had no interest in her. Everything about her made her a perfect woman to be my wife except there was nothing between us.

  “Thank you, Mr. Denali,” she said, walking with me to the exit. “It really helps them.”

  I didn’t deal with praise as well as I should by now, so I was just honest. “I find that you need a good mental foundation to be successful. I only want our village to prosper and all of these children to have every opportunity.”

  “You’re an amazing man, Mr. Denali. Thank you again for taking the time out of your day.”

  I nodded. “Thank you,” I replied, leaving the school and getting into my truck.

  Turning my phone on, I saw a message from my older brother, Vincenzo. Call me was all it said. I hate messages like that. They didn’t really say anything. Thinking about it, Vincenzo would be a great man for Ms. Rossi and she would be a perfect wife. Maybe I could talk him into it. He needed a good woman to finally start the family our parents want. One day, I’ll meet the woman I am meant to marry, but that wasn’t going to be anytime soon. Being busy with my work, I didn’t have time to find a wife. She would have to fall into my arms and have everything I was looking for in a woman.

  I hit the Bluetooth in my truck and said, “Call Enzo.”

  He picked up after two rings and sounded a bit out of breath. “Hey, um, Marco, I need to tell you something.”

  “Are you okay? Mother and Father?”

  “We’re all fine. It’s just…I’m getting married.”

  “Married?” I questioned, hating the gut feeling that hit me. He’d been on a business trip in New York, Chicago, and Dallas for the past three weeks. Before he left he didn’t have someone to marry. This wasn’t good.

  “Yes, I’m getting married. We met during my trip in Chicago, and well, we’re getting married.”

  “That was, like, less than three weeks ago. Isn’t that a bit too soon to even be considering marriage?” I was trying to comprehend what I was hearing because it wasn’t like Vincenzo to act that way. “When is this wedding supposed to be?”

  “In two weeks.”

  “Why the fucking rush?”

  “She’s pregnant,” he muttered.

  I pulled over to the side of the road because I couldn’t concentrate at the moment. “Wait…what the fuck? You’re marrying a pregnant chick? Are you out of your fucking mind?”

  “With my kid.”

  “Did you hit your damn head, Enzo?” I pissed. He met this chick less than three weeks ago and he thinks the kid is his? Something was going on and I wanted answers.

  “Listen, Marco, I’m not going to argue about this. I’m getting married in two weeks. You can be there as my best man or you can be pissed and don’t show, but this wedding is happening. Mom has already started the planning.”

  “Of course I’ll be there for you, but are you getting a DNA test?”

  “No. I’ll see you at the office tomorrow.” He hung up on me like the shit he was. I couldn’t believe what he was going to do.

  Chapter 2

  Danielle

  I’d just got home from a long day at the office. At twenty-two, I was the assistant district manager of a major department store chain. It was a job I was lucky to land, but hard work was the way I rose to the top in the six years I worked with the company. My eyes were crossing as I picked up the mail and thought about the big meeting I had tomorrow. Flipping through it as I walked to the couch, I flopped down to see a pretty envelope larger than the normal letter size. It was an invitation. I didn’t know anyone that was getting married. Opening it up, I grumbled. It was from my younger cousin and the invitation is from Italy. Looking at the date, I almost cracked up laughing, it was a week away, and according to the postal stamp, it was sent two days ago. She could have called me for that. I knew it was sent out of obligation as family and this card was just a formality, so I tossed it on the table and headed off to bed.

  It didn’t leave my mind all night long. Why was she getting married to an Italian dude? She had been dating another guy a while back, not this guy. I couldn’t keep up with her, but then again, we drifted apart as we got older and I wasn’t into partying and guys. Sleep was all that I wanted because I had a long day ahead of me tomorrow, but it wasn’t coming so easily. Frustrated, I tossed back the covers and went to the bathroom, hoping that I could relax if I took a hot shower. It worked and I was finally able to pass out.

  ~~~~~

  "You have to come. You're the only normal family member I’ve got. Everyone here hates me," Nicole whined on the other end. I wanted to hang up as soon as I picked up the phone. She was slick. After I didn’t answer all day yesterday, she called my office this morning. I tapped my pen impatiently against the desk. We had been close, but she was younger than me and moved away when I was seventeen. After that, we only emailed and spoke on the phone. Over the years, we learned that she had a learning disability, so sh
e masked it with a gregarious attitude. Right now that personality was making my head throb.

  "I wonder why," I muttered away from the phone. It was a bitchy thing to say, and mentally, I was chastising myself for it. Pulling it back to my ear, I said, "They don't all hate you."

  "Yes, they do, especially his brother. That son of a bitch told him to give me a paternity test before he married me. Can you believe it?"

  "That's pretty common of families these days. How did you and Vince meet?" I was wondering why I never heard of him before. She told me everything about her life and it was a bit boring, but she’s pregnant and getting married and didn’t bother to mention it over the past three weeks.

  She took a long time to get started, but when she did, she said it rapidly. "At a club in Chicago and he took me back to his hotel then, well, it was amazing and the condom broke. He told me he'd be there and that was three weeks ago. I'm pregnant and, well, he wants to do the right thing."

  "No plan B?" I asked.

  "No, the pharmacy was out and he said that he didn't care for the world knowing he fucked up, so here we are. He's acting like the perfect loving fiancé around his family, but I know the truth." She sounded so miserable. I already didn't like him and his brother, so decided I was going to the wedding. She wasn't the brightest or the quietest, but she had a good heart.

  "I'll go, Nicole. Don't worry. I'm on vacation starting Friday, so I'll book my flight for afterwards."

  "Don't bother. Your ticket has been ordered already."

  "Really?" So she assumed I was coming anyway. That was typical of her and I suppose that was my fault because I usually caved.

  "Yes, his brother is under the impression that my whole family is poor and dumb, but then again, he hasn't met you yet.”

  “I hope I don’t run into the shithead.”

  “Well, he’s Vincenzo’s best man, so you will.”

  “Fine. I’ll just ignore him.”

  Chapter 3

  Marco

  I poured myself another fucking drink. Her family was going to turn me into an alcoholic with their incessant lack of class and manners. These people were more than vulgar. “Crass,” I grumbled to myself. My brother walked up to me.

  “Lay off the cognac, Marco,” Vincenzo said, putting his glass down.

  “Please, Vincenzo. I could drink this entire decanter and still behave better than them,” I growled, giving them a dirty look. Most of Nicole’s family had arrived and were everything I thought they would be. They laughed loudly and drank excessively while punching each other in the arms.

  The three women that were there kept trying to make advances at me. Her mother, a woman just a decade older than I, was hitting on me and it was a bit disturbing. The other two were less obvious, but the coy glances and laughing at whatever I said grated on my nerves. There was one more coming tomorrow. And, of course, she was going to fall madly in love with me and want to live here with me. I rolled my eyes just considering that this woman would try to attach herself to me all night. Nicole was going to show me a picture of the woman, but I didn’t want to have a mental image of the poor trash that would haunt my dreams.

  I took another drink before Vincenzo stole it away from me. “You’re being a snob, Marco. I never pegged you for being that, but you are. They aren’t going to be here for long, and then you can go about being an asshole without added fodder.”

  That’s because he was uninformed about who was attending. I could handle their antics because I knew I’d never see these people again, but tomorrow’s guests weren’t going to forget her family’s behavior. “Do you know the Duke and Duchess of Marino are coming tomorrow? Several other dignitaries will be here including Duke Malcolm.”

  “Oh, God, really?”

  “Yes, mother thought they would be offended. Since the invitation was last minute, she believed that they wouldn’t show; however, most have accepted.”

  “Shit. Well, I will warn them to be on their best behavior.”

  “Don’t we have one more coming tomorrow? How can we warn her not to act like a slutty wedding guest?”

  “Nicole told me I had nothing to worry about where Dani is concerned.”

  “Dani? I thought she was a girl.”

  He shook his head at me like I was a fool; he may be right, I was a bit drunk. “Yes, you know a shortened version of Danielle. Lay off the liquor. You’re becoming a real tosser. Besides, she’s a few years older than Nicole and had been too busy working to come with the rest of the party.”

  “At least she has a job. I’m retiring for the night,” I grumbled, needing to take some aspirin before passing out. This wedding was going to be a disaster.

  “Please. I will send them back to the hotel right now.” Thank fuck for that. I was going to host the wedding and reception here, but I wasn’t letting these people stay in my home. That wasn’t going to happen. This house was for me and the family I would have one day, hopefully.

  “Thank you, Vincenzo. Goodnight.” I went up to bed after speaking to my housekeeper about final details for tomorrow. There was a lot to do, and although my mother and her staff were doing the majority of it, I wanted it to go smoothly in my home. Certain rooms upstairs were blocked off as well as one or two on the first floor. I wanted the wedding and reception contained because this was the place I would one day raise a family and I wanted it to be pristine.

  I headed off to bed, hoping that the guests would behave and go home. The wedding hadn’t even happened and I was hoping for it to be over with.

  Chapter 4

  Danielle

  Why was there a two-hour layover in London of all places? I would rather stay than travel on to my next destination. The wedding. I breathed deep and headed to the airport lounge. He didn't bother to spring for a meal on the plane. The fucking asshole booked my seat in the economy seating. I tried to upgrade at the airport but was told they were fully booked, so I was stuck in a cramped space with nothing but a snack for eight hours, and now I had a long layover. I was extremely exhausted and just wanted to go to sleep. By the time I’d get there, maybe I’d get two hours of sleep before having to get ready for the wedding.

  On the flight to Sicily, I managed to sleep for about an hour. I wanted more, but the guy across from me couldn’t take his eyes off me and it was getting extremely annoying. He was a handsome man, but he gave off that predator type of vibe. There was no way I was interested in him, but still, he kept staring.

  I was getting off the flight when he said, “You should let me take you around Sicily.”

  “I should do nothing. I don’t know you and I find your arrogance a complete turn off. Have a good day.” I walked right past him and to the man with my name on the sign.

  “Hello, I’m Danielle Downey.”

  “Hello, I am Antonio and I will take you to your cousin. She’s quite anxious for your arrival.”

  “I don’t doubt it,” I piped in, giving the man a smile. He cracked a bit of a smile and I knew not everyone had a stick up their ass. I felt bad that Nicole was going to have to deal with such a snobby brother-in-law.

  What was fucked to me was, I felt the same way he did about most of my family. They were out of control when they drank, becoming rude and obnoxious and even violent. They had no goals or ambitions except for when it came to getting fucked up then they were aiming for the gold. This weekend wasn’t going to be easy for me either.

  “Come, let’s get your luggage and be on our way.”

  “Actually, this is all I brought.” I was able to check two carry-ons, so I filled them and left it at that. I was in Europe, I didn’t want to lose my luggage because that jackass booked me a terrible flight. That would piss me off big time and I’d have some not so nice words for him. My dress for the wedding was short and folded neatly in the luggage. I would just need to press it before slipping it on.

  He helped me into the limo then put my luggage in the trunk. As we headed off from the airport, we started talking about everything a
nd nothing. My man Tony was a family man with three kids almost my age and a wife who he gushed about. I liked that. It was better than that creeper on the plane. So maybe the Italian playboy was like anything else, just a stereotype with many filling the mold and a few outliers.

  We pulled up to this grand estate and I was in awe. I wondered if it was her new home or her soon to be in-laws. Maybe they rented it out for the wedding. Either way, the place was massive and didn’t look like the rest of the homes here. It reminded me of the country estates in England that I’d seen in movies. If this was her home, she was a lucky woman; this was more than any one of us had ever dreamed of having. I hoped this Vincenzo was good to her. I didn’t know what to make of him from her brief mention of him the other day.

  “Ms. Downey, your cousin is waiting for you upstairs on the first door to your left.” I nodded and watched as he began to make his way up the stairs with my luggage. This was truly awkward. I followed behind the gentleman, climbing up the grand staircase on the left. This place was beautiful and classically wonderful. There were paintings on the walls along with ceramic busts. Wow, damn, a part of me wished I hadn’t come here. I felt out of place and at the same time like I was in paradise. I straightened my ponytail, embarrassed that I wasn’t dressed formally.

  As soon as we hit the top of the stairs, I saw a large surly looking man staring at me. He was tall, his hair a dark brown with matching colored eyes that were piercing right through me. He stood there with his broad shoulders evident in his plain white dress shirt that had the first two buttons undone. Whoever he was he had the most handsome face I’d even encountered. I was drawn to him, and I hoped to all hell he just worked here and wasn’t Vincenzo or his brother, whatever his name was. Hell, I’d be okay if he was just a casual relative of theirs.

  “Ms. Downey,” Antonio said, leaving my luggage by the door and making his way back down the stairs. It seemed like forever for me to reach the door because I was staring at him. My eyes were locked onto his and I felt the heat rush up my face, pinking on the spot and making me look like a silly girl. His stare was intense like he wanted to say or do something to me. His jaw was clenched tight, and I could see his Adam’s apple bob. Something about the way it moved slowly sent my panties ablaze.