Chapter 45 - Forty-five.

Her feet ached. Like period cramps ache, it was that bad and as it turned out, Vera Wang's store did not have the dress that she wanted so they all had to go to another one. Ralph Lauren to be exact, as Isobel chose.

And there is was. Her perfect, satin silk, full coverage, beautiful church wedding dress. All of them had tears in their eyes looking at it, especially Alexis. She never thought that she could ever get over her fears and get married in a beautiful dress, nope, two beautiful dresses that she paid did for. Yes, Alexis ended up paying for her dresses and accepting the situation that she was dealing with. Plus, it was the least she could do, after all, Angelo was paying for every wedding expense. And to be fair, she did go all out, Alexis had liquidated one of her many fixed deposits.

"Anything else, Madam?" Agatha asked from the door. She wanted to rest as well but did not say anything. Her tired face said it all. They didn't only do the shopping for the wedding dresses but lingerie, shoes, casuals and outwear with lots of accessories.

"Yes Agatha, I'm good. What about the dresses?" She drowsily asked with her eyes half-open. Her hot bath was easing her muscles.

"Given for alteration. We would constantly check on them to avoid any complications for the wedding. Can't afford those." She giggled a bit.

"True," she chuckled. "What's with the elders? Who are they?"

"The elders are like..the elders of the family or organisation. The thing is they guide us through the difficulties and in return, we make sure that the traditions are carried through our generations."

"So they helped Angelo and his father.."

"Not really. The former Don stopped taking their suggestions as they were rigid. Don's father understood what it meant when the times and trends changed. They had to change too." She shrugged her shoulders. "You have to change with the trend and preserve your original self, the Don did just that. He respected the necessary traditions and changed a few things."

"Such as?"

"Freedom for a woman. As women gained rights and freedom, the Don had given our women such privileges and necessities too. They worked if wanted or did business. Daughters studied more than their fathers and worked after marriages. For people of the older generation, it seemed like a bigger change. They didn't accept it but we moved on."

"Seems like a .... revolution," Alexis commented. 

"It was for many." Agatha smiled.

Alexis then noticed how tired Agatha looked. She felt bad about starting an unnecessary conversation. This topic was something that Alexis could have talked about tomorrow.

"Agatha, why don't you go and rest as well?" She offered.

"Yes, Madam. Thank you." She breathed deeply and walked out, her steps were slow and it indicated how she was dead tired after the day they had had.

Alexis leaned back into the back of the tub. The water was hot and it had bubbles in it. Agatha had kept wine on the side table that she had ordered to be put and the candles gave the bathroom a good soft glow.

'It's my wedding,' she thought. 'Should I talk to mum? But Thomas and Aston would be there too. What if they spoil the wedding? Would our marriage even be successful? Or happy?'

'Am I having second thoughts?' She concluded where the chain of her thoughts was running. If she said that she was not happy with the wedding she would be lying. With buying the wedding dresses, she had accepted the fact that she was marrying him willingly, there was no denying it any longer. If she was not marrying for love, she sure as hell could marry for herself. She could be selfish.

She opened her eyes and sighed. Why was she having second thoughts after draining her savings? She picked the glass of wine and drank all of it. She picked up the bottle and poured herself some more. More than usual and necessary. Marriage was a big thing and Alexis knew that she was not going to go fall in love whatever. So maybe, going with the flow was the better option.

Her head rolled back and to the side of the door when she saw Angelo standing there with a slight smile.

"How long, you creep?" She teased.

He chuckled a bit, "Too long to have you enjoying on your own. Mind if I join? It'll just be a bath." He assured her as soon as he saw the frown appearing on her face. He was tired as well. For the honeymoon, he was going to take some time off and for that, he had to get the work completed earlier. So that he won't be needed and his brother could handle everything.

Be bold, Lex. For once be bold. She thought how it didn't matter when after marriage they were going to have sex anyway.

"Okay," she was wearing underwear and as for the boobs, he had practically seen them when she took off her bra and was wearing a white blouse.

Angelo wasted no time in taking off his clothes having Alexis shyly lower her eyes and look away. Her cheeks blushed red making Angelo feel something but he didn't dwell on it much. Sitting down in the tub opposite to her, he looked at her beautiful body exposed to him till the starting of her cleavage.

"How was today's shopping?" He started.

"Ah! Don't ask me that!" She immediately perked up a little making Angelo feel more invested in the conversation.

"We found a dress but couldn't wear it because of some elders and whatnot and then I did but then I wanted a ball gown dress so that one was cancelled-"

Angelo chuckled at her babbling. Her hands went flying as she spoke what came to her mind. Sometimes in between she lightly splashed the water but after muttering a cute sorry she continued to talk.

"Then Ralph Lauren's store was the next stop and the thing was, again, we did not have anything in mind for the wedding dress which I don't tell you anything about-"

"That's cute," he chuckled but immediately stopped smiling. 'Fuck what did I just say?!'

"What?" She immediately questioned him, stopping her rambling in the middle. She didn't catch whatever he said in the middle of her talking. Which seemed pretty rude.

"Uh. I meant it's cute how-what you had to..go through to find a wedding dress. I mean not cute but thought. Also, can I have a bit of wine?" Without waiting for an answer, he leaned forward and took her glass, sipped the wine and found relief.

"Oh," she mumbled. That's a bit weird.

"How was your day?" She tried to continue the conversation even after his weird behaviour.

"Good, no, busy actually. I had to round up some deals early to take a few days off work. They were hectic, given we wanted to complete them in half the time that they were supposed to be completed in." He decided to be honest with her. 

"Wow, sounds busy." 

"Was busy." 

"So you are like dead tired," she smiled with sympathy. He seemed tired too. This day was not good for anyone. 

Finishing off the wine, he placed the glass outside the tub, on the floor and looked back at Alexis. She immediately looked into his eyes as well. The intense grey eyes were staring into her brown ones. Those grey orbs now seemed to be holding so much more that she wanted to know.

She lowered her gaze into the water, shying away. The water was clearing away. 'Should I make the bubbles again? Would he find that weird? Wait a minute I'm in a bathtub with him!'

Fingers gently raised her chin and there she saw them, those beautiful grey orbs. Those intense grey eyes.

He lowered his lips to hers meeting them with vigour and lust. Passion, an emotion that she felt for the first time and not just lust. Caressing his hair lightly, her other hand was on his chest and God, the muscles she felt had her feel tingles down. He was gripping her butt, squeezing it and kneading it like soft dough.

She felt moans coming up her throat and only a moment away from slipping past her mouth.

"I think," Angelo pulled apart as she tried to lean in for more, "We should stop. We're going to get married in a matter of days, sweetheart. I think we can manage till them." He gently coaxed her.

Alexis was still looking up at him with doe eyes that he could die for at the moment. "Good night sweetheart. Rest well, you're tired." Kissing her forehead, he got up without covering himself making her bashfully look away as he walked out of the tub. Grabbing a towel on his way out.

Snapping out of it, she immediately questioned him before he could walk out, "What about my mother?"