Giovanni POV:
It was one thing to be haunting Arianna, it was another to barge in on our day out. I was quite enjoying the game we were playing, the fact that her hand was on my arm.
I was looking forward to a meal where she would no doubt ask Luca every question under the sun and ignore me. Instead her overly bubbly and highly poisonous sister had to interrupt.
She had insisted on joining us and if she wanted to ruin this moment I'd let her. Guilia thought she was far smarter than she really was. If she wanted to attempt to play us that was fine I typically got something out of it. Besides, I wanted to see how Arianna fared against her sister.
So far she was the coldest I had seen her, I found myself quite proud of her strength. I know she had been affected by the realization that her sister was part of the plot.
We sat down and I crossed my arms as her sister rattled off a list of what she wanted, how she wanted it, and when she wanted it served. The waiter looked at her puzzled and confused looking back over to me, not writing down her flamboyant instructions.
It seems Guilia Caputo forgot what part of town she was in.
"And for you sir," the man then came over to me.
"We will start with the sashimi platter, include the Kama toro. And the red snapper. Do you enjoy gyoza?" I turned to her.
"Oh well-" Guilia began but Arianna cut her off with a stare.
"I do," she smiled brightly at me.
"Then we will do the freshest catch for nigiri and the chef's choice of maki. And can you please bring the Uni Gunkan Maki for the lady," I explained.
Guilia seemed haughty that I had rearranged the order but pissing her off was one of my favorite activities.
"Well since we finally have a hold of you, let's talk wedding details," Guilia ordered.
Arianna rolled her eyes and shifted in her seat. I sat there looking at Marco, same blank face as ever, never giving anything away as to what was going on inside his mind.
I called the waiter over whispering in his ear for some saki the man nodded. I noticed the wait staff looking at the younger sister with disdain and shock.
Guilia was going on about the color scheme and how unfair it was that the cream brick of the mansion she had selected didn't suit the shade of gold she had selected. She had gotten around to how that gold suited her better but the champagne might look better in photos when the saki came around.
As I had suspected Arianna didn't let the waiter set it on the table before taking her shot. Regrettably, Arianna had been exposed to her sister's true colors and now had to suffer through this as everyone else did. I wonder how she had seen her sister before as I had always found her ridiculous.
"Keep them coming I beg of you," she asked the waiter with a pleading gaze. The man chuckled and nodded.
By the time we had gotten to the difference between garden roses and tea roses and whether or not to mix them in with spray roses, Arianna had been served enough to have her tongue loosened. Significantly.
"You know I don't think it matters on the flowers when you have to worry about someone hiding a Tommy gun in the band," Arianna snipped interrupting the bride's rant.
Guilia stopped talking and stared at her sister in disdain. True disdain. There was something visceral about the loathing that was in her eyes as she zeroed in on her elder sister. It made me well aware of where she stood when it came to family relations.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Guilias voice went cold. It appeared the warmth she had for her flower selection didn't apply to the interruption.
"You know when the bride and groom's side are both gangsters it does seem that perhaps white roses aren't the best choice. The red might be better," she glared back at her sister.
I knew I shouldn't but I was wondering where this would go. Arianna was tipsy but not drunk and I had never seen Guilia thrown off her game like this. For whatever reason she hated her sister enough to throw the plan her father had sent her with out the window.
"I don't know what you are talking about," Guilia ground out.
"No no I know you don't you are so blissfully unaware of everything aren't you," Arianna's voice went high and mocking. "Daddy's perfect little distraction smile bright enough to fool anyone," she turned to Marco.
"I'm surprised the muscle man here can stand it. It must take all his strength or a lot of sake…Thank you, Nathan!" She took another sip of the sake as it came in front of us.
I covered my mouth to hide the laughter and signaled to the wait staff to stop the drinks. Though I was enjoying this, I didn't want to get her into too much trouble.
"Just because I was smart enough to play along," Guilia squinted at her.
"Oh," Arianna chuckled and covered her mouth as she burped a little. "Yes. Smart,"
Guilia slammed her hand down on the table in a fist. "Sorry, I did have mommy dearest watching over me like you did. Such a shame you know that I never got the same love and devotion you did before it was too late,"
Arianna seemed hung up on that sentence for a second before she found her train of thought. "No no, you just throw yourself into the firing line sticking your nose into the air arrogant enough to think everyone will fall for you instead of pulling the trigger. I do hope your wedding dress doesn't stain,"
"You bit-"
I stood up and Marco grabbed his bride.
"That's enough for one afternoon. You two should go," I ordered.
"I'll go when I'm ready," Guilia screeched.
"You'll go now, or not at all," I told her, my men standing and the waiters scurried away. She seemed to have not realized the restaurant was now empty beside us. Being the owner of the building had its perks.
She went red and marched off into the street shouting for Marco to follow her. He begrudgingly did. I would have to pay him handsomely for his troubles.
I turned back to Arianna who was eating the remaining sushi with her fingers at an impressive rate. The sake must be hitting her harder now. I scolded myself for letting it get this far. I had however found what I was looking for.
I ordered Luca to pull at the string and find any evidence he could. This wouldn't be pretty but if there was one thing that could take down Domenico it would be this.
"Come on darling," I told her, picking her up fireman style. She whooped and giggled in my arms.
Far too much to drink.
I will be hearing about this in the morning for sure. Or perhaps when she woke up, as I set her in the car she was asleep.
I took her home and settled her into my bed, where I knew she'd be safe. The house went on lockdown if what had happened had gotten back to Domenico, he would come knocking.
"Don't worry, you'll be safe, and if the cards fall how I think they will I'll pick up the pieces," I promised her.
I went downstairs lighting a cigar and dreading what could be coming next.