Arranged Mafia Marriage

Theresa

OMG, that inevitable question. Why is it such a big deal for these men anyway? And why is he asking me that question now? Is he interested in me? Is that what this is about? But all of his actions so far indicate the exact opposite.

“What do you think?” I shoot back.

He blows out a breath, “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“That’s not what I said.”

“You didn’t need to.” He tries to sit up, only to collapse back onto the ground. He growls in frustration, then pushes up off his elbows. This time, he makes it halfway up before gravity pulls him back onto the floor. “Fuck,” he yells. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” The tendons of his beautiful neck strain, the skin glistening with sweat. The hospital gown he’s wearing gapes in the front. I take in the groove between his pecs, the design of a tattoo that creeps up over his shoulder. It’s something I had noticed before, but now I can make out the intricate whorls, the pattern, the colors. Does it flow down his back as well? Does it cover his biceps?

A bead of sweat trails down his temple and I lean down and lick it up.

His entire body goes solid. His shoulder planes tense. He glares at me as if he can’t quite believe what I did. Truthfully, I can’t believe I did it either. Maybe it’s because he guessed that I was a virgin. Maybe because I am pissed at myself for having stayed a virgin for a man who may or may not have loved me; something I’ll never know now because I didn’t have the lady balls to confront him about it. For some reason, I have been given a second chance here with Axel. Who is not Xander. I may have wanted him to be Xander when he was unconscious, but now that he is awake, now that his blue gaze bores into mine, now that the awareness behind those eyes is focused on me, it’s clear to me that this man is nothing like Xander.

Xander had a laid-back charm about him, a goodness that seemed to permeate everything around him. He had a charisma which made me feel that the world could be a better place than what people believed. It’s why I wanted to be with him. He gave me hope. He was everything Axel is not.

Where Xander was all light and brightness, Axel is darkness-he is deeper, more complex, more intense, more secretive…in a way that makes me want to dig in and unearth what it is that he holds so close to his heart, what it is that he is concealing under the mask he shows to the rest of the world. And it’s not only because his memories haven’t returned completely… It’s something else. Something I can’t put my finger on, something that pulls me closer, makes me want to throw myself at him and sink my teeth into his skin until I unearth whatever it is that lurks just under the surface.

I bite down on my lower lip and his gaze drops to my mouth. His nostrils flare. He stares at my mouth like he wants to taste me, consume me, absorb me into himself and never let go, and somehow, I have a feeling I wouldn’t protest if he did so. I gulp, the sound audible in the silence.

“Don’t start something you won’t be able to see through,” he drawls.

I scowl, “Good to know you already have a preset impression of me that has nothing to do with what I actually am.”

“Oh?” He raises his gaze to mine, “And what are you?”

“I am not as innocent as people make me out to be.”

“Is that right?”

I tip up my chin, “Don’t make the mistake of underestimating me.” I lean in close enough for our breaths to mingle. “Don’t mistake me for a wilting flower, because I am not.”

He rakes his gaze across my features before meeting my eyes again. There’s a flash of interest in the depths of his eyes, something I hadn’t noticed before. It’s as if he’s seeing me properly for the first time. Asshole.

“When I make up my mind that I want something, I go after it. I can be very persistent.” I stare at his mouth and something hot unfurls in my chest. My core clenches and my pulse rate ratchets up. I draw in his breath and that musky, sweaty scent of his pours through my veins. I touch my lips to his, and the next moment, I am pulled into his chest. I lose my balance, fall on him, and he groans.

“Oh hell, sorry, sorry, sorry,” I try to push away, but even in his weakened state, his arm around me holds me in place.

The color drains from his face, but he doesn’t release me.

“I thought you still weren’t able to use your arms and legs properly?”

“Turns out, I only need the right motivation.” He smirks. “You were saying?”Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.

“What?” I frown, unable to turn my gaze away from that gorgeous mouth of his. The hard planes of his body dig into my chest. Damn, he may need rehab to get back on his feet, but lying horizontal like this, with every inch of my body plastered to his, I feel smaller, softer, and overwhelmed by his masculinity. Every dip and ridge of his muscles, every indentation of his tendons, every hard plane of his body hints at the power coiled under his skin. Something only temporarily leashed by the position he is in now. It won’t be long before he’s back on his feet and then…

He’ll leave. I know he will. He’ll walk away and I… I won’t have anything left to show. Again. And that…that I can’t bear. Not again. I am not going to lose this man… No, he is not Xander… I know, but something about him pulls me in a way that Xander never did. My head spins. I don’t know this man at all…but no way, am I letting him leave me. This time, I am going to stake my claim. This time, I am going to make sure that I don’t commit the mistakes of my past.

“You said something about being persistent?” His smile widens, “Let’s see how-”

I lower my head and smash my mouth to his. I must take him by surprise because he parts his lips, and I thrust my tongue inside his mouth. A groan rips up his chest. The next moment, he grips my hair and tugs, so I have no choice but to jerk my chin up.

“That’s not how this works, Sunshine,” he murmurs. “Just because I am not one-hundred percent functional doesn’t mean that you can take control.”

“And here I was, thinking you didn’t want anything to do with me,” I say lightly.

“Oh, I still don’t,” he retorts.

“Um…excuse me, but are you living in a parallel reality? From where I am,” I push my pelvis into the hard column between his legs that tents the hospital gown, “it seems you want me a lot.”

“I am never one to turn down free pussy.”

I gape at him, “You’re an asshole.”

“So you keep saying, and yet you keep throwing yourself at me.”

“I am not-” I close my mouth.

“You aren’t?” He smirks. The bastard smirks as he takes in my flushed features.

“Okay, I admit, I’m the one who made the first move. From the moment you stepped in front of me and that bullet hit you, I haven’t been the same.” I swallow. “You remind me of Xander and I know you are not the same, but tell that to my heart, which can’t seem to tell the difference. I lost Xander and I don’t want to lose you as well.”

“You never had me to lose me,” he points out.

“You think I don’t know that? All the time you were in a coma, I kept watch over you, and I kept telling myself that you were not Xander, but a part of me refused to believe… I still can’t get my head around how similar the two of you are.”

“Put it down to being a coincidence,” he offers. “I understand that it must be difficult for you to see him every time you look at me, but I promise you, I am not him.”

“I know…” I close my eyes. “Please, can you release me now?”

“No.”

I glance down at him, “What do you mean, no?”

“You set out to kiss me; you may as well as do it properly.”

“I don’t want to kiss you anymore.” I scowl.

“Too-fucking-bad, Sunshine. You started the job; you have to finish it now.” He pushes down on my head until my nose bumps his, until my lips are poised over his and I can’t escape that searing gaze of his which holds mine. He presses his lips to mine. He brushes his mouth over mine with such gentleness that my breath catches. He nibbles on my lower lip. I open my mouth and he sweeps his tongue across the inner seam of my lip. His tongue tangles with mine and a flash of fire ignites low in my belly. I wriggle against him, and the thickness between his legs seems to lengthen further. Vibrations of awareness shoot up my spine. Still holding my gaze, he deepens the kiss. He sucks on my tongue, draws from me, seems to consume my breath, my taste, my very soul, which he’s about to lay claim to.

No, no, no, he doesn’t want me. He’s made that clear. He only sees me as a willing body. Someone to play with while he regains his strength. Probably even, fuck while he figures out what to do next. I know I am the one who made the first move, but I hadn’t expected the attraction to be this potent. I wanted to lay claim to him…but I am not ready to already feel so much for him. What if he leaves me, after all? What if he has his fun with me and decides to go his merry way? I would be shattered.

I try to turn my head, but his grip on my hair holds me in place.

“Let me go,” I murmur against his lips. “Please, let me go.”

He loosens his grip and I pull away. I rise to my feet, straighten my clothes. “I… I am sorry; that shouldn’t have happened. I don’t know what came over me.” I shake my head. “I… I’ll get someone to help you to your feet.”

I turn and rush to the door when, “Theresa,” he calls out, “it’s okay that you lost your head around me. It’s normal.”

“Excuse me?” I scowl at him over my shoulder, “What are you talking about?”

“It’s just my charm. I am irresistible; I understand.”

“You…you…” I sputter. “Jesus, and I thought you had so much in common in Xander.” I shake my head. “You know what? You’re right.”

“Oh?”

“You are not him. You can’t be him. Xander would never treat me like…like…”

“Like a submissive?”

“What?” I blink.

“You’re a natural submissive, Sunshine,” he drawls. “No wonder, the Sovranos decided to adopt you as one of their own. They must have realized that you wouldn’t survive for one second out in the big bad world. You, with your trusting nature and natural instinct to obey an order.”

“Jesus Christ, are you hearing yourself?” I ask. “I am my own woman. I run a successful business. I have my independence and-”

“How much sexual experience have you had?”

I open and shut my mouth.

“Exactly.” His lips kick up. “Doesn’t matter how much you deny it, it’s in your nature to obey. It’s in your DNA to feel most secure when you are following directions. You are the happiest when you are serving your master.”

“I… I…” I shake my head, “That’s a load of bull.”

“Your denying it doesn’t change who you are.” He sprawls on the floor, a predator in repose, a lion stalking his prey and biding his time. Shit, and I had thought he was helpless? Ha, the joke’s on me. And now he gives me that load of nonsense of being submissive.

“Whatever.” I toss my head. “You deserve an early death thanks to your horrible habit.”

“My horrible habit?” He frowns.

I nod toward the lighter and cigarettes on the side table. “I can’t believe Seb would actually get that for you. I was going to remove it from your room, but you know what? I don’t think I will now.”

“Like I said,” his smile widens, “you’re a nurturer. A submissive with a soft heart who cares for others.”

“Stop reducing all of my actions to sexual signposts.” I throw up my hands. “Just for that, you deserve to be alone.” I spin around and turn to leave, when he calls out.

“Stop.”

As if I am going to obey him? I reach for the door handle when, “Theresa.” He lowers his voice to a hush, “Turn around and get your arse back here.”

A shudder runs down my spine. My tummy flip-flops. Something shifts in my chest and I can’t stop myself from turning to face him. Goddamn it. I don’t want to obey him. I don’t. I take a step forward, then another. I reach him, then scowl down at him.

“See that wasn’t so difficult, was it?”

“What do you want?”

“Ride my face.”