Marcus only seemed to grow more pleased as the hours ticked down. Like a child counting down the hours till Christmas, Marcus couldn't keep his eyes off the watch on his wrist.

Lena had yet to show her face despite it being high afternoon. Maybe the gods were finally starting to shine down in him for once.

A few more hours and he would be able to call off the engagement.

Once that happened, everything could finally start moving the way he wanted to.

"I don't think that you should be getting yourself so pleased yet. You don't know her well enough." Jovani leaned against the Bannister of the stairs that lead back up to the second floor as he faced the ones that lead to the front door.

One of the few design flaws that he couldn't be blamed for. That would've been his father who made the poor design choice.

"And you think you know her enough to sat the she will be here? Wasn't she the one who sent Sam away?" Jovani's suggestion didn't take away from Marcus's current manic state. His fingers thummed a happy tune against the side of the wall. His eyes shifting between his watch and the door. Just a little more...

"I do think I know her more than you. I've been the one dealing with her all this time. Enough to say I know the she won't love the way your expected. My prediction is in fact that in two minutes she'll come through the door. "

Much to Marcus's annoyance, as always was the case with his cousin, Jovani turned out to not be the wrong. Although it could have been anyone coming through the door, the one person Marcus didn't want to see stepped. Much smaller and more professionally dressed than he'd imagined her to be.

Lena didn't know what possessed her to not being her gun but the choice was one she was already regretting.

In-laws didn't feel like the right reason to do something like that. The princess didn't think there would be time she would see Marcus as family.

Marcus gave off the vibes of a mad man ready to take over the world. His tone of voice over the phone didn't do justice to the feral emotions dancing behind his eyes. Neither had their brief encounters. The reminder of which made her ribs ache.

Eyes that reminded the princess far too much of Jovani's.

Speaking of the devil....

"Ah. It is so good to see you here princess. I knew that you'd find the time to join us on such an important day." One look told Lena that despite the cocky smirk on his face, Jovani hadn't been having the best time either.

"Is there any reason that I should miss a day add important as this one?" Lena questioned as her eyes scanned over all the faces in the room.

He wasn't there.

Lena didn't know if it was the sudden bout if vertigo or not seeing Samuel in the crowd that made get grab the stair well so tight that her knuckles turned white.

"Don't worry princess, you will be able to see your boy soon enough. Once the ceremony starts, he'll be front and certain. Isn't that right, cousin?" A low grunt was the only sound Marcus offered to indicate that he'd heard the other.

He was far too fixed on Lena to say or do anything. His had gaze told her he was appraising her. If the narrowing of his eyes were anything to go by, he didn't seem to like what he saw."Well now. It seems that neither one of was what the other expected." Marcus spoke while closing the gap between the two of them.

Despite standing three steps up from the bottom of the stairs, Marcus still stood a few inches taller than her.

"What makes you think that I find you to be different from what I imagine?" Lena tilted her had slightly as Marcus's eyes narrowed. Much like a demon, vile intent poured off the other Vedova Nera cousin but the princess refused to back down. She'd faced off against much worse men than him before.

Just... None that belonged to a family she would soon be entwined with.

"The only difference I find is that you look too much like Jovani yet you two sound nothing alike. You're also definitely aren't anywhere near as honorable." Lena's gaze slipped over to the other cousin who was beaming at the site of her.

What did he have to be so happy about?

"Jovani, stop standing over there like a proud puppy. You and I still have yet to talk." The Vedova Nera's boss's beam didn't dim even in the slightest as he agreed with those words.

"Indeed. There will be plenty of time for that." Not right at the moment though. Marcus had a timeline. One he wouldn't deal with being disrupted. Even if the princess had shown up and messed with his original plan.

"You two can find time to talk later. Since the last, perhaps most important present has shown up now, we can resume." Marcus snapped his fingers and indicated for Jovani to come along with him.

The other Vedova Nera cousin didn't move without giving Lena one more challenging stare. Did he think that she would be the one to make the first move and start something? As if she would be that much of a fool.

"It is a pressure to be here on such an important night." Lena extended her hand. Her hand was met with a look of disdain. She knew he wouldn't shake it but that didn't stop her from playing her part and keeping things cool and professional.

"We will see about that later once everything else is said and done." Shooting her one more hateful look, Marcus turned on his heel beckoning once more for Jovani to follow.

The Vedova Nera boss complied but not before motioning to the Princess that she could follow after them.

Things were going to be getting more interesting soon.