Stay With Me

Chapter Nine -- Stay with me.

Florence's Point of View 

A week later, Vuk and I move into our new apartment. It is a four bedroom condo, surrounded by apartments that Vuk owns, where his men stay. Roman lives close to us, but my brothers live far away.

"Can you not burn this one down? There are apartments close to us and the fire will affect them." Vuk says one morning and I give him a look "I am not destructive, Vuk."

I have been adapting to married life quite well, and it was two weeks later that I realized Vuk bought the estate we live in, so this entire place is owned by Bratva and La Cosa Nostra, it is very secured because no one can get in without so much search.

"What are your plans?" I ask and he looks at me, shocked by my question which is technically my fault, we live together like roommates, not like married couple. "Plans?" He frowns and I nod "For tomorrow night, there is benefit Gala being thrown and I was hoping we could go together."

"Oh, are you sure? This will be our first appearance as a couple together and we will have to play the part." He points out and I flush "I know, and it is not hard, I can play the part of a happy couple, madly in love with you."

I walk to him and he meets me at the middle, he smells really nice and he just got back from work. The Romanova Family owns companies across North and South America, and of course, Vuk, their only son heads some of it.

"You smell really nice." I whisper and he smiles "You look stunning in this light." 

I look at him, at his beautiful eyes and I wonder what it would feel like to truly kiss him, to be with him. We have been married for over a month, and he has never touched him, I want him to touch me, but he never does, and all I get is lingering touches and wandering gazes, but it is not enough, it is never enough, I want more, I want it all. I run my hands over his chest, experimentally, but all he does is lean into my touch and I exhale shakily, intoxicated by him.

"Florence." He rasps and I stand on my toes, I want to kiss him, I want to sink into him, I want everything. I press my lips to his and he kisses me back, hungrily, starved and I hold on to him as I get lost in all the ways he is. The kiss would have gone longer, lines will have been crossed, if Roman did not chose this moment to knock.

__

I called my mom this morning, and Vuk's mom, they are going to be present at the Gala tonight and it will be a perfect time for me to mix with high society and other wives of Mafia Dons. My mom and Darla were delirious with happiness when I asked them on the dress to wear, they helped me pick something out, then ended the call, telling me to find my own friends.

Here I am, standing in a black dress, you never go wrong with black. It is a very expensive glamorous black dress, off-the-shoulder, and a jeweled bodice. My brown hair is styled beautiful and I walk to the living room, where Vuk is waiting, and I find him there, alone, he looks up when he sees me and smiles.

"You look stunning." He says and I nod, staring at his suit, men have it easy. "You look dashing. Shall we?" I ask and he links our hands "Are you with your gun?" He asks and I scrunch my nose "I prefer knives, Vuk, you should know."

"Very funny." He says dryly and I chuckle, getting into the Limo. We have not brought up last night's kiss and I am actually grateful for that, this kiss has made me a bit more physically comfortable with him, I don't mind his touch.

"I was thinking we could get Donatello a wife." I tell him and he frowns "We?" "Well, not you, I will do it, but I need you by my side, I don't know everyone that I will be meeting, so you can introduce them to me." I explain and he nods "What exactly do you have in mind? Do you know your mind scares me?"

I chuckle "You have said that before. I don't really have anything in mind, I am just relishing the idea of messing with my brother's life, we have weddings in our future, and I cannot wait. Perhaps, I could meet the eligible young ladies or just go straight to their mothers. You know what, maybe I won't need you as much, our mothers can be wonderful help." I ramble and he smiles at me "I am glad you are enjoying yourself."

I spend the entire Limo drive telling him about everything and when it pulls up at the event, he tilts my chin to him and I look at him, his eyes sparkle in the dark and he looks really handsome tonight, but I don't tell him that, I did stab him on our wedding day, then set our house on fire, and almost got myself killed, I have caused him a lot of stress.

"Don't hide within yourself when things get chaotic in there." He whispers and I frown "Chaotic?" 

"Yes, chaotic. This is a gathering of Mafia men, and the enemy could be in there, so don't hide within yourself and don't fidget. Kill first, thinking can come later." He explains and I nod and press my lips to his cheeks "Stay with me." "Always."

We get down from the car and the camera flashes and this is a part I did not see coming, because why are cameras flashing? We are not celebrities, we are just normal people, but that notion is about to be scraped from my mind. I was born a Visconti and he was born a Romanova, we are royalty.