Chapter 11

“Would you like a glass of wine?” He nods with a warm smile plastered on his face.

“You’re an excellent cook.” I smile as I hand him his glass of wine.

“I picked up a few things from my mother and Enzo’s mom. Don’t ask me to bake you anything though.” I walk over and take a seat on the couch.

“I’ll try to remember that.” He takes a seat beside me and leans back.

“Did you want to watch a movie?” He smiles nervously and I can tell there’s something on his mind.

“I actually had a question for you.” I turn to face him, giving him my undivided attention.

“Ok, ask away.” He leans forward and drops his head down.

“Are you allowed to have a relationship with someone who’s not part of the mafia family?” I sit back against the arm of the couch and study him closely. I can safely say that this isn’t the kind of question i had been expecting.

“Yes. My mother wasn’t part of this world when she met my father.” I watch his shoulders rise and fall as he draws a deep breath and exhales.

“How does the whole thing work?” I smile as he visibly becomes more nervous by the second.

“Well, you don’t have to kill anyone, if that’s what you’re asking. It works like any other relationship I suppose. You just have to accept the other person for who they are and what they do and vow never to tell anyone about the secrets of the family. Relationships leave the family vulnerable. It’s why so many of us live out our lives in solitude.” He relaxes slightly as he turns to face me.

“Is that why you’ve stayed single?” I laugh and take a drink of my wine.

“Well, it’s not every day that you find someone who isn’t terrified by the fact that you kill people for a living.” He smiles and shakes his head, but I can tell his nervousness has diminished some.

“I would imagine that’s a deal breaker for a lot of people.” A serious expression pulls at my face as I prepare for my next question.

“But it isn’t for you?” He looks me in the eye with a soft smile still present on his face.

“If you had asked me two weeks ago, yes it would’ve been.” I furrow my brow and take another drink of my wine.

“What changed?” My body tenses when he grabs my glass and sets it on the table while I close my eyes and wait for him to respond.

“You. Before I met you, this life…” he gestures all around us with his free hand. “this was all fantasy to me. It was something you read about in books and saw in movies. It was never something real to me. Then I met you. You’re intimidating, strong, fearless and you believed in me and supported me where no one else had.” He leans in until I open my eyes to meet his gaze.

“I didn’t give you anything that you hadn’t earned, Antonio.” His smile widens and he places a soft kiss on my cheek.

“Thank you…thank you for giving me a chance, for pushing me, for giving me a chance to get closure…for everything.” I lean forward placing my forehead against his.

“Antonio, this life…my life…it’s not safe. Every day is more dangerous than the last. I don’t want you to get hurt…especially if it’s because of me.” He pulls me tightly against his chest, offering me comfort I didn’t think I could possibly need…but I do.

“You’re worth the risk.” He presses forward, his lips crashing into mine, his tongue grazing my lower lip until I grant him access. Our tongues dance in a passionate explosion while our hands explore each other with an intense need. His hand finds its way under my shirt and the feeling of his bare skin against mine is overwhelming and I never want the feeling to stop, but I know that I have to pull away so we can move to a more suitable location.

I pull away from him and rise to my feet, grabbing his hand and pulling him along behind me up the stairs and into my room. As soon as the door closes, I grab his shirt tightly and pull him to me to resume our expedition. I pull his shirt over his head and he slides his arms out while my eyes glaze over with lust at the sight of his firm, muscular chest and washboard abs. I place gentle kisses across his chest, down his stomach and stop at the waist band of his track pants.

My eyes meet his and a wicked smile pulls at my lips as I loop my fingers into the band at his hips and slowly slide them down until they drop to the floor with his boxers. I lick my lips as I stare at his large hard cock standing at full attention in front of me and slowly lick from base to tip before taking him into my mouth all the way to the base. I stroke him with my tongue as I pull my head back, just to suck him back in over and over again with his pleasured moans filling the room.

He grips my hair and pulls my head back and guides me back to my feet then pulls my shirt over my head and stares excitedly at my large breasts and erect nipples. He slowly lowers himself to take a nipple in his mouth, sucking and nibbling while his hands grasp at the elastic band on my pants and pull them down, pausing the moment he realizes that I was not only not wearing a bra, but I chose not to put on any underwear as well.

I watch in fascination as his eyes light up and a demonic grin forms on his perfect face. He grabs my ass then lifts me with my legs wrapping tightly around his waist and my lips instantly seeking his. He kisses me with unbridled passion as he walks me back toward the bed, slowly laying me down and he pulls my legs off his waist and guides them over his shoulders while the feeling of him pressing at my entrance is driving me wild. His eyes lock onto mine as he slowly begins siding in, inch by delicious inch, until he’s buried to the hilt and I feel the stinging burn of my body adjusting to his size.

He slowly slides out and then gently back in, watching my body language as if seeking out any signs that I may be uncomfortable, but after a moment, I see his grin as his face shifts and his feral beast steps forward. Without warning our pace goes from slow and passionate to rough and hungry…just how I like it. His thrusts are deep and hard and his kiss is an equal match. I feel the pressure building quickly and my moans and whimpers of pleasure seem to fuel his pace. In a blinding flash of ecstasy, I fall into the abyss, howling out my release.

He slows his pace and trails kisses over my jaw, down my neck and biting my breast which makes my body tense in the most amazing way. He find his way back to my eyes and his pace quickens once again. I slide my legs off his shoulders and hook them around his legs and use my arms to flip us over until I’m on top of him, straddling his with my hands on his chest as I begin to rock, grind and ride him. The look of lust in his eyes urges me on and I feel the change in his breathing and the twitch in his perfect cock telling me he’s close.

He slides his hand down my chest, my stomach and stops when his thumb reaches my clit and slowly rubs circles causing my pleasure to reach unbearable heights as another orgasm tears through me. He grabs my hips and thrusts mercilessly up into me, riding through my orgasm until he finds his release, spilling his hot seed into the deepest reaches of my core.

My body falls on top of his and we both lie there panting, hearts beating erratically and his arms wrap tightly around me. His hands rub gentle circles on my back to help sooth my frenzied state while he places gentle kisses on top of my head. I’ve never had anyone be so rough and follow it up by being so gentle. Hell, I’ve never allowed or wanted anyone to be gentle afterward.

I was always adamant on fucking and leaving, so this experience is completely unfamiliar to me. I quickly start to feel confused about what’s supposed to come next and my fear takes hold with me quickly pulling out of his arms and practically leaping off the bed and rushing to the bathroom to take a shower. I stand under the scalding water, praying for it to wash away the fear I’m feeling. I’m so lost in my inner battle that I don’t even notice that I’m no longer alone.

Chapter 12

“Alessa, are you ok? I didn’t hurt you, did I?” I turn to see the most heartbreaking look of worry on his face. It’s so hard to explain why I freaked out and admitting that something like intimacy scares me, it’s not something I’m willing to do.

“No. I just…this isn’t something I’m used to doing.” I watch as he attempts to give me a playful smile, but I don’t know that he understands the way this situation is so difficult for me.

“You seemed to know exactly what you were doing.” I shake my head and wrap my arms around my waist, wishing there was an easy way to explain things to him, but there’s not…not really.

“I’ve never been with anyone and felt anything beyond a physical connection. This is uncharted territory for me and it scares the fuck out of me, Antonio.” His eyes are filled with so many emotions, but he grabs my hand and places it on his chest where his heart is beating out of control, the frantic rhythm matching my own.

“It scares me too, but I’m not going to run away. No matter how much I’m scared of this…” he waves his hand between us while never breaking eye contact, “I’m not going anywhere, Alessa.” He steps forward, the water now cascading down his firm chest and he pulls me tightly against him. In his arms I feel my fear slowly fade and I melt into him, my arms wrapping tightly around his waist. What is this man doing to me?

He reaches behind me and turns off the water then grabs a towel and dries me off then wraps it around his waist and grabs my robe and helps me slide it on. He walks me back into the room where he pulls his pants back on and walks me over to the bed. Once I’m laying down, he slides in beside me and pulls me to him with one arm wrapped around my waist. We lay there, tangled in each other’s embrace until sleep claims us.

I wake to the light of the sun and my body is struggling to come to life after a night of dreamless sleep. I force my legs off the side of the bed and carefully slide out from under his arm then head to the bathroom to shower and brush my teeth. When I emerge from the bathroom, I find my bed to be empty, so I get dressed in a pair of short spandex shorts, a sports bra and a t-shirt then head downstairs to make breakfast.

I’ve finished with the eggs, bacon, and am working on the toast when Antonio makes his way into the kitchen, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist while placing a gentle kiss on my neck.

“Good morning.” His voice is deep and raspy, but so damn sexy.

“Good morning. I’m almost done making breakfast. There’s coffee or if you would prefer orange juice, it’s in the fridge. He gives me one last kiss on my neck and walks over to pour a cup of coffee. By the time I’m finishing the toast we’re joined by Enzo and Frankie, so we all sit at the dining table to enjoy our meal.

“Alessa, could we talk after breakfast?” Enzo asks in a hesitant tone. I set my fork on my plate and lean forwards with my elbows on the table and hands clasped together.

“No need to wait. What’s up?” He pauses at how casually I address him.

“We should talk in private.” I raise a brow and sit back, holding my arms out to my sides.

“We’re among family, Enzo. Now talk.” He lowers his head and releases a weighted sigh.

“Your father didn’t catch his plane this morning and isn’t responding to calls or texts.” I smile as I remember how many times I’ve worried about the man only to find that he was entertaining company.

“He probably just took some woman back to his room for the night and got caught up.” I see the stern look on his face, but it’s the seriousness of his tone when he speaks again that makes me worry.

“Mateo isn’t answering either.” I stand up and place my hands on the edge of the table with my head lowered and my hair hanging in my face, shielding everyone from seeing the state of panic that’s threatening to take hold of me.

“Who was he meeting with?” Enzo shifts nervously at the tone of my voice.

“He was meeting with Francesco.” In one swift movement I sweep everything off the table, sending my plate and glass crashing to the floor. I storm off to my office and slam the door behind me. It takes me only two phone calls to find someone who can get a message to Francesco for me and now I have to wait and see if he takes the bait. I grab my cell phone and head upstairs to change so that I’ll be ready when he calls.

When I return to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee, I find Antonio washing the dishes and look over to see the mess I had made has already been cleaned up. I feel guilt wash over me as I realize that I acted completely out of character and he had witnessed my ugliest side peeking through the veil.

“Antonio, I’m sorry.” He shuts off the water and turns to face me.

“You don’t need to apologize. Were you able to figure anything out?” I sigh and lean back against the counter, hating that, even after seeing me lash out, he’s worried about me.

“I left a message with one of his people and now I just have to wait for him to call.” He walks over to me and wraps his arms around me.

“Ok. What do you need me to do?” I release a heavy sigh into his chest, savoring the moment before my next words inevitably destroy it.

“If he has my father, he won’t let him go. I’m going to offer him a trade.” He pulls away from me with a panicked look plastered on his handsome face.

“Please don’t tell me that you are wanting to trade yourself.” I lower my head and give a slight nod.

“If he can give me proof of life, I’ll offer to trade myself for my father.” He grabs my shoulders in a vice like grip and I can feel their slight tremble.

“Do you really think your father would want that?!” I can hear the desperation in his voice and it makes my heart sink.

“Antonio, I…” I’m interrupted when my phone begins ringing on the counter. I feel something in me break when I see Frankie’s name pop up on the screen, not Francesco’.

Chapter 13

“Frankie?”

“We found him. Call Doctor Harland.” He hangs up before I can ask any questions and I quickly dial the doctor and tell them to get here immediately. When I set my phone down, I feel myself going numb. I don’t know how bad off my father is, but if Frankie is bringing him here instead of the hospital, then I know it’s not good.

My thoughts begin to swirl violently and I know I’m about to lose control, but then I feel it. A sudden warmth envelops me as his arms wrap around me tightly. His touch shines light into my darkness and grounds me in ways I never thought possible. We stand there, lost in the moment, until we hear the front door slam against the wall when it’s flung open. I rip myself from his hold and sprint toward the sound, but am halted when my eyes fall on the bloodied body in Frankie’s arms.

“Is he…” Frankie shakes his head to answer the question I can’t bring myself to finish asking.

“Get the door. We need to get him downstairs. Doc should be here in a few minutes.” I rush ahead of him and open the door to the basement where our panic room and medical suite are hidden. Frankie gets him onto the bed in the surgical room and I quickly get a bowl of warm water and a clean washcloth then begin slowly and gently cleaning his face.

With the amount of swelling, bruising and blood covering him, he’s unrecognizable. The only things that help me to identify the man before me is the family crest tattoo on his right forearm and his wedding ring that’s still seated on his left ring finger.

“Papa? Can you hear me? Don’t you fucking leave me.” I watch the gentle rise and fall of his chest with each shallow breath and try to let it comfort me. I hear the door fly open and turn to see Doctor Harland walk through the door and for the first time since I entered the room, I realize that Antonio has been standing against the wall by the door.

“Alessa, you should go wait outside.” Doctor Harland’s voice is soft, but provokes an anger in me that’s been lying just below the surface. I feel the fire in my veins and my voice is dripping with venom.

“I’ll remain exactly where I am, now get over here and do your fucking job.” He nods in defeat and begins cutting the shirt off of my father’s chest. There is so much blood, but I can make out three distinct gunshot wounds, two to the chest and one to the stomach. The doctor works tirelessly to get him cleaned up, confirm exit wounds, which thankfully are present for all three wounds, and then begins patching him up the best he can.

He informs us that my father needs a blood transfusion, so I quickly volunteer to donate. I sit beside him and hold his hand as the doctor gets to work. The room is silent aside from the faint beeping of the heart monitor and the clang of instruments on the surgical table. Once the transfusion is completed, we’re left to wait, but the doctor makes sure we know the prognosis isn’t good. His skin is pale and his pulse is weak.

He holds on for several hours, but I can see it the moment he stops fighting. He opens his eyes just a sliver and a small, weak smile forms just before the heart monitor emits an alarm when his heart has stops beating. My head drops to his hand and my tears flow like rivers, soaking his cold flesh and the sheet underneath. I feel Antonio’s warm arms wrap around me, but he doesn’t try to force me away.

He holds me as I shatter into a million pieces in his arms. I don’t know how much time passes, but I feel my body grow weak from exhaustion and I try to stand, but my legs won’t hold me, so I drop back onto the stool. Antonio slides one of his arms under my legs and one around my back then carries me up to my bedroom where he places me in my bed and slides in beside me, pulling me tightly to him. He doesn’t speak, he just holds me and lets me spiral out of control in the safety of his warm embrace.

I wake from a restless sleep to find it’s dark outside and Antonio is fast asleep. I carefully slide out of the bed and am thankful when I find Enzo and Frankie sitting at the dining table discussing the events that lead to him finding my father.

“I tracked Mateo’s phone. It was a fucking mess. I think Mateo took the brunt of the fire, but from what I saw, neither of them stood a chance.” I walk into the kitchen and pour a cup of coffee before joining them at the table.

“Was it Francesco?” My voice is cold and firm.

“Yes. We already know that it’s not your father that he was after. His men have been tracking you for a while now. He’s going to come for you, Alessa, and probably soon. He’ll think you to be in a weak state with the death of your father.” He’s right, we all know he is. I take a drink of my coffee and I give him a devilish grin.

“Good. I want you to get the word out that my father passed. We’ll prepare for his services and we’ll use my ‘grief’ to lure him out.” Enzo gives me a worried look and hesitates before voicing his concerns.

“Alessa, this is a very dangerous game. You sure you’re up for this?” I nod as I take a large drink of my coffee, letting the hot liquid burn a path down my throat.

“I’m going to kill that mother fucker and I’m not about to wait.” Both men nod, likely realizing that they would do the same thing if they were in my shoes.

“Ok boss, I’ll get the word out. We’ll make sure that all of our men are present at the services. We’ll be prepared for whatever he might throw our way.” His words hit me like a ton of bricks. I’m the boss…I’m responsible for all these people and for every business my father had control over. FUCK!

“Don’t worry, comare, no one’s going to dispute your position.” Frankie offers his support as if he could see my uneasiness over my new title.

“Thank you, Frankie. I’d like to start with promoting you and Enzo to head of my personal security. Liam and Carlo will join you once Carlo is released.” Both men nod in agreement.

“I want Carlo to be transferred here for the remainder of his medical care. I can’t risk anything happening to either of them.” Enzo pulls out his phone and contacts Doctor Harland to make the arrangements while Frankie and I sit and quietly drink our coffee.

“Doc Harland will have Carlo here within the hour.” Enzo announces as he sets his phone on the table.

“You said you located Mateo?” Frankie nods with his eyes lowered.

“Yes, comare.” I replay the words he spoke to Enzo about the condition in which he found both Mateo and my father.

“I want him brought home. His family deserves to lay him to rest.” Frankie gives a pained smile and nods.

“I thought you would say that, so I had him brought to the warehouse and placed in the freezer until we decided what to do.” I smile softly at him.

“Thank you, Frankie. You should both try to get some rest. Angelo, Leonardo and Giovanni have security covered for the time being.” Both men look at each other then at me and shake their heads.

“No way in hell, comare. We request permission to remain here with you.” These men are definitely family and I couldn’t be more grateful for them.

“Granted.” I hear the sound of a cupboard closing in the kitchen and turn to see Antonio pouring a cup of coffee.

“Will you tell him of your plans?” Enzo asks in a soft voice that’s barely more than a whisper.

“Yes. Antonio is part of this family. He and his siblings, as well as their children, will be under our protection from this day forward.” Both men nod in agreement and I see a playful smile spread across Enzo’s face.

“I like him. He has one wicked dark side.” We both laugh as memories of Antonio’s encounter with Gregory flash to life.

“I heard about him. Enzo told me he confronted his demon. He’s blooded now, definitely one of us.” Antonio walks in to find all eyes focused on him.

“Did I interrupt?” I smile and motion for him to sit in the chair beside me and he happily complies.

“Antonio, the moment my father passed, I inherited his legacy and all of the darkness, evil and enemies that comes with it. This puts everyone in my life at risk. I need you to carefully consider if this is a risk you are willing to face. In two days, we’ll be having my father’s memorial service and the entire family will be present. If you have any reservations about your commitment, you need to speak now.” I make sure to be precise and to the point, leaving it sounding more like a business transaction than a relationship.

“I’m not having any second thoughts…are you?” I study his features carefully and see no signs of reservation.

“I care deeply for you Antonio, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t concerned about your safety.” He smiles and grabs my hand in his.

“I know and I’m worried about your safety as well, but fear won’t stop me from being with you.” He gives my hand a reassuring squeeze.

“Then it’s settled. Francesco will make his move soon. He has an end game, but we don’t yet know what it is.” I see Antonio has fallen deep in thought, so I squeeze his hand and give him a questioning look.

Chapter 14

“Is this guy married?” Enzo laughs and shakes his head.

“Hell no. He’s a power crazed piece of shit who’s never let anyone get that close to him.” Antonio nods and looks at me as if he just discovered the meaning of life.

“What if he’s out to merge your family with his? If he’s as power hungry and heartless as you say, then eliminating your father might have been his way of ensuring you had control of the family and by marrying you, he would be in charge of both sides.” I drop back in my seat as I realize that this actually makes sense…it’s fucked up, but makes sense.

“If that’s the case, we need to prepare ourselves. Once Francesco sets his sights on something, he’ll stop at nothing to get it.” Both men nod in agreement with Enzo’s conclusion.

“Antonio, we need to get you some basic self-defense training. If he finds out you two are together, he’ll perceive you as a threat to his plan.” Antonio nods as I watch Frankie typing something on his phone.

“Word’s out. The whole family will know before noon. Isabelle will help get the services planned. She sends her condolences.” I nod, but am honestly so lost in thought that I don’t even fully comprehend his words.

“Antonio, let’s go to the firing range out back. We’ll work on firearm training first and I’ll get you a gun of your own to keep on you.” Enzo and Antonio get up and Antonio softly kisses my forehead before following Enzo out the back door.

“Comare, If he’s right…we have a chance of taking Francesco down without any casualties. He wouldn’t come in here guns blazing if it meant putting you in danger.” My eyes meet Frankie’s and I see his mischievous smile.

“What are you thinking?” He gets up and moves to the seat that Antonio just vacated.

“He’ll expect a room with heavily armed men, but what he wouldn’t expect is a room of women with concealed weapons. All of our women are trained and can handle themselves. We need to play this smart if we want it to work.” Well shit, that might actually work.

“Make the arrangements.” Frankie flies out of the chair, grabbing his phone off the table and rushes to my office to make his calls. Frankie had been correct about his assumption that the whole family would know of my father’s passing before noon. It’s only 10:30 and my phone hasn’t stopped ringing. Isabelle has already been here for an hour making preparations for the memorial service while Enzo has been working with Antonio on self-defense training. As luck would have it, Antonio is very skilled with a firearm, so they were able to get to hand to hand combat training rather quickly. Maria came by to get me fitted for my dress and we made sure to pick one that will be quite a seductive number. It makes me feel uneasy to be dressing in such a way when we say goodbye to my father, but I keep reminding myself that it’s a necessary evil. As soon as Antonio finishes with his training, I take him upstairs and distract myself with ravaging his mouthwatering body over and over again until we pass out from exhaustion.

I wake up as the sun is setting and climb out of bed to take a shower and when I finish, I grab my phone and head downstairs to the kitchen for something to drink. My phone vibrates with a new text message from an unknown number. I unlock my phone and nearly drop my glass when I see the message on the screen.

‘I believe we need to have a talk, rosa dolce. Meet me at Julio’s at 10pm and come alone. I would hate to have to make an example of your friends sister, so don’t be late.’

Chapter 15

I look at the time, 8pm…I sneak back upstairs and into my closet where I put on a black short sleeve dress with a deep v and open back then grab my black stilettos and carry them quietly out of the room. I grab the keys to my Mercedes 300 and I watch through the glass on the door until Frankie leaves to do his rounds, allowing me the chance to sneak out to the garage.

I climb in the car that’s parked just outside the garage and turn it on, tearing out of the driveway. I enter the gate code and it finishes opening just as I approach it so that I can pass through without slowing down or stopping. I drive well over the speed limit until I hit the evening traffic. By the time I reach the restaurant it is 9:40 so I find a parking spot and head in.

As soon as I give the woman at the desk my name, I’m escorted back to a table where a man is already seated. He rises when he sees the woman approach the table and remains standing until I’m seated across from him. He’s quite tall, dark brown hair, brown eyes that are so dark they could almost be black, a chiseled jaw and full lips that are framed by a perfectly groomed goatee.

“You’re even more beautiful than your pictures.” My expression remains cold and blank as I look at the man across from me.

“You requested to meet with me so either you get to the point, or I’m leaving.” He flashes a wicked smile and takes a drink of the amber liquid in his glass.

“They weren’t kidding about your attitude. So, let’s skip the pleasantries. Your father was in far over his head. He failed to uphold his end of our little arrangement, so now it’s your responsibility to honor it.” I bite back my desire to laugh at his arrogance.

“What agreement would that be, Francesco?” A hint of anger flares in my voice.

“We made a deal for him to take over several of my businesses in exchange for something he valued over everything.” I lean back and cross my arms over my chest. I’ve never heard my father mention any such deal.

“Oh? What might that be?” His wicked grin makes my skin crawl and my blood boil.

“Why, you, of course. You were to marry me once you were of age, solidifying the unification of our families.” Wow, Antonio nailed that one on the head.

“Is this in writing?” He leans back looking slightly annoyed.

“An agreement with the Don is ironclad and doesn’t require a written contract.” My laughter roars across the table and I have to fight to compose myself so that I can speak.

“So, you’re expecting me to take your word? I’ve heard nothing of this so-called agreement. Furthermore, you murdered my father and my friend. What makes you think that, even if I had known of the agreement, that I would honor it now?” He leans forward and slams his fist on the table.

“Your father died as a result of his poor choices and ignorance. He was nothing more than a disrespectful stronzo and he got exactly what he deserved. You’ll make good on the arrangement or I’ll punish your sweet Antonio for your foolishness.” My heart stills at the mention of Antonio and I can see in his eyes that he knows he has me where he wants me.

“How do you expect me to believe that you’ll not hurt him even if I agree?” He smiles victoriously as he finishes his drink.

“Unlike your father, I’m a man of my word. Antonio is just a weak man and is not a threat to me.” I weigh my options, but I already know that the only way to ensure Antonio’s safety is to agree. I lower my eyes and let out a sigh of defeat.

“I’ll agree on one condition.” I look up to see his raised brow.

“Name it.” I draw in a sharp breath and give him a stern glare.

“None of my men are to be harmed, nor is Antonio or his family.” His toothy smile pulls from ear to ear.

“Done. Let’s get out of here and get you home.” I rise from my seat and he quickly grabs my arm and leads me out of the restaurant to his limo that’s waiting out front. Yes, this arrogant bastard shows up to a ‘kidnap a bride’ dinner date in a fucking limo. He guides me in, sliding in beside me and closing the door as the limo pulls away from the curb. There’s an eerie silence filling the car until we pull up to a large set of iron gates.

I watch them slowly open and the car moves forward so I can see a large house slowly coming into view. It’s a beautiful modern home, but nowhere near as beautiful as my house. The car stops in front of the stairs that lead to the front door and Francesco opens the door then pulls me out of the car. He leads me up the stairs and through the door before releasing his hold on my arm.

“You have free reign of the house and all its amenities. You’re not to leave the grounds unless I’m with you. My mother will be flying in from Sicily next month to plan our wedding, so until then, you’ll be in your own room in the west wing on the bottom floor.” He motions for me to follow him and I comply knowing that I at least have the comfort of not sharing a room with him for now. He leads me down the hall and stops in front of an open door and motions for me to go in.

The room is large and far too modern and masculine for my taste. The floor is a light gray thick carpet, the walls are a bright white and all of the furniture is black. The bedding is light gray and black and there are pictures on the walls all done in black and white. There’s an attached bathroom in equally dull colors with a long counter with 2 sinks, a jacuzzi tub and a separate shower. Francesco watches as I explore the room with my eyes, but don’t move.

“If there’s anything you need, let me know and I’ll get it for you. I’ll be leaving in the morning for a meeting on the west coast and will be gone for eight days. My men will be keeping a close eye on you so don’t try anything stupid, or else Antonio will suffer the consequences. Do you understand?” I give him an angry glare.

“I’m fucking here, aren’t I? If I had planned to run, I would never have agreed to this arrangement.” His lips pull into a demonic grin.

“You should watch your tone with me, Rosa dolce. Respect is something I insist on in my home.” I roll my eyes and place my hands firmly on my hips.

“Perhaps you should’ve learned something about me before forcing me into this arranged marriage. I wouldn’t change for my father and I won’t change for you.” He shakes his head and lets out a disturbing chuckle.

“We’ll see about that.” He turns and leaves the room, closing the door behind him.

Chapter 16

Over the next two weeks I develop a close relationship with some of the people who work in the house, mainly the woman who brings me my meals in my room. Her name is Mirabelle and she’s only twenty-one. As it turns out she and I have a lot in common…like the fact that we were both used by our fathers to settle their debts. She’s made my stay here less awful, but I can’t help but miss my home. I found out today that Francesco is going to be heading out west to deal with some ‘business issues’ and plans to be gone for a week, so at least I get another reprieve from the insufferable prick.

I’ve felt exhausted for the past few days and this morning I woke up nauseous and I felt lightheaded when I tried to stand up. The stress of this is definitely taking its toll. Mirabelle checked on me earlier and insisted I rest, so I opted for a short nap that turned into a four hour coma. I just woke up and noticed a tray on the nightstand with a box and a bottle of water. I grab the box and choke on my water as I read the words printed on the front. It’s a digital pregnancy test.

I sit there staring at the box for what seems like an eternity…I can’t be pregnant. What would Francesco do if I am? I decide the first step is to take the test before I get myself whipped into a panic. I go into the bathroom and take the test then set it on the counter while I wait for the hourglass to disappear. It feels like time is standing still the moment the screen displays the word that sends me over the edge. One word that may change everything…Pregnant.

“We need to contact your familia. Give me their number and I’ll get a message to them.” I give her Enzo’s number and instruct her to not mention the pregnancy as she quickly exits the room. My mind shifts into panic mode while I sit alone thinking of what Francesco may force me to do once he finds out and the thought of it causes my stomach to revolt, sending me to the toilet where I dry heave until my body can’t take it anymore. I hear my bedroom door open and then close as Maribelle rushes into the bathroom.

“They’re coming for you. He said to tell you to keep calm. When master Francesco returns they’ll come for you.” She leaves as quickly as she entered and I’m left to hope their rescue mission will succeed. The week passes by in a blur of nausea, exhaustion, headaches and stress. Francesco retuned early this morning and I’m jolted from my sleep when my door flies open and slams shut.

“Miss, we need to get into the bathroom and lock the door!” Mirabelle whisper shouts at me as she grabs my arm and pulls me out of bed. She rushes me into the bathroom, locking the door behind us and instructs me to get under the counter. I slide under just as the first gunshots tear through the house. Mirabelle joins me and I see the fear in her eyes so I grab her hands in mine and give a reassuring squeeze. Several more shots are fired and they’re much closer than the first. I hear shouting in the hall outside my bedroom door followed by the sound of my door being kicked in. There’s a soft knock on my door followed by Enzo’s voice.

“Alessa, it’s me.” I fly off the floor and swing the door open, throwing my arms around him.

“Is everyone ok?” He gives me a proud smile and nods.

“Follow me.” I motion for Mirabelle to stay put while I follow Enzo out of the room. I expect to see a massacre, but instead I see people on their knees with their hands placed behind their heads.

“What’s going on?” He stops and looks over the people on the floor.

“We took out his guards, but all of the staff surrendered. We figured that they were all here against their will so it would be wrong to punish them.” I smile proudly at him as it’s exactly what I would’ve done.

“Where’s Francesco?” He puts his hand on my lower back and guides me down the hall, stopping in front of the door at the end.

“Now, don’t get mad. I told him to stay behind, but he refused.” My eyes grow wide and I push past Enzo, flinging open the door to see Francesco seated behind his desk with the barrel of a gun to his temple. My eyes dart to the person holding it and my heart skips a beat when I see Antonio.

“You’re looking better. Don’t worry, I can cut that filthy thing out of you.” I look at Francesco in shock. “Come now, do you think I hadn’t figured it out? The nausea, how tired you were and then your getting lightheaded. I assume this is the father?” He gestures to Antonio who’s now focused solely on me. I look back to Francesco and I see red. I slide Enzo’s glock out of his belt holster, whip it around and fire a single shot into Francesco’s head. I stand there trembling as his body drops to the floor and Antonio rushes over to me. He has the most ridiculous smile on his face as he stares lovingly into my eyes.

“Is it true?” I nod and am quickly pulled into his chest. I had never wanted to have a family of my own, but now…it’s the only thing in the world that matters to me. We round up all the staff members and I announce to them that we’ll be restoring the damage to the house and that they’ll all be allowed to stay as residents for as long as they choose. Mirabelle opted to go with us because Francesco’s home holds too many bad memories, something I can more than understand. When we finally return to my home, I’m greeted by Liam and Carlo who I smother the second I’m out of the car, but his attention is on the beautiful woman climbing out of the car.

“Her name is Mirabelle. Could you please show her to one of the vacant rooms?” He bolts past me and grabs the bags from her hands and leads her in with a huge smile on his face. Antonio and I watch as all the other cars pull up and my people…my family exit their cars. These people have proven that family is more than the blood that binds us. Our bond is stronger than anything and while they have proven that they would make the ultimate sacrifice for me, I would willingly do the same for each and every one of them.

Epilogue

It has been four years since I was saved. Antonio and I were married a month after our son was born and he has taken to all of his new roles with ease. Mirabelle and Carlo got married last year and are expecting their first child any day now, a little girl. Our family has grown since that day at Francesco’s home. Most of his staff stayed at the house and live in peace with our family’s protection while his men chose to leave the life behind altogether.

Antonio has been talking about expanding our own part of our family lately and Andre, our son, is siding with him at every turn. Tonight, I have a little surprise for both of them. I’ve kept this little secret for three months out of fear. I know that Francesco is gone, but his evil still lingers in my mind. I had nightmares for months after his death, but it’s time that I take back control.

Enzo agreed to watch Andre for the night so that I can pull off my surprise, though I know he would’ve agreed to watch him no matter the reason. Those two, the mischievous little shits, are thick as thieves.

Frankie escorts Antonio out to the back patio where he sees the small table with a white tablecloth and a single candle floating in the vase with more than 20 floating in the pool. I stay in the pool house, watching his movements from the window, until he’s seated. For the last two months, I’ve kept my secret by wearing loose fitting clothes, but tonight I opted for a tight black dress that shows off my perfect baby bump where our baby girls are growing all too quickly. He’s sitting in his chair, so I make my exit, slowly walking along the path until I’m standing behind him.

“Close your eyes.” He begins to turn, but I place a hand on his shoulder and wait as his eyes seal shut. “Ok, tell me what you want most in this world.” He hesitates for a moment.

“You’ve given me everything I could ever ask for. Another set of little feet running through the house would be nice though.” His lips curl up into a smile. I place the sonogram picture in front of my stomach and smile.

“How about two more?” His eyes shoot open, mouth agape.

“Are you serious?!” He flies out of his chair and throws his arms around me.

“The mafia has two new princesses to contend with.” In his eyes I see the love I had never known could exist, the warmth that comforts me and the peace that consumes me. This world, our world, may be born and bathed in blood and darkness, but Antonio has shown me that it’s impossible to have darkness without light.