GemNoir

“You need my help, Tesoro. You choose. A marriage with me or be torn apart by them” His voice was cool as though this wasn't a matter of life or death.

I didn't want this life. My father had gambled a lot and left me with a lot of enemies and now I needed the help of Don Vincenzo LaRosa who was my high school bully and now the Don of the most powerful mafia family in Italy if I was going to survive it.

It was just a marriage of convenience but I realized something. He wasn't helping me out of a good heart. I had been sold without my permission to him. I was the mafia's pawn.

Sold to the Capo

He was wishing me a Happy birthday and I realized just how easily those words managed to make me smile.

I wanted to hear him wish me a happy birthday and now that he had done it, I couldn't stop grinning.

"Are you still there? Is that that surprising that I decided to count down the days?" I heard him ask again when he didn't hear anything from my side.

I blinked rapidly, my brain struggling to process. "Yeah? Counting down the days?"

"I always remember," he said. "I've known for a while now, and I was planning something, but it seems Michael got impatient."

My lips parted in shock at his words. I never told him about it so it still baffled me a bit that he was even counting down the days without me knowing "You knew it was my birthday?"

"Of course, tesoro," he said, his voice tinged with amusement. "Did you think I wouldn't find out? Someone like you deserves to be celebrated properly."

A SUITABLE BIRTHDAY GIFT