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

As soon as his lips pressed against mine, I fisted his shirt in my hands, creasing the material, but none of us cared, his hand tentatively finding its way to my waist, not touching itㅡ, just hovering. Waiting. For what?

I pulled away from the kiss, my cheeks flushed as I looked up at him. "What? What's wrong? You're not sure?" I asked him, confusion swirling in my face.

Of course, he wasn't sure. He was already having second thoughts, and if I was thinking straight, maybe I would be having second thoughts and trying to know if I wanted whatever this was, but right now, I was overwhelmed by emotions that I didn't seem to care.

He chuckled and said. "Of course I'm sure, and fuck, you don't know how much I'm aching right now, but then I'm thinking…are you?" He was peering down at me, his eyes hooded.

I never realized how much I had missed looking into his eyes until now when I finally had the chance to look into those eyes.

FIRST NIGHT