Arranged Mafia Marriage

Theresa

I glance out of the window of my room in Xander’s home. I had often imagined myself living here with him. I had never thought I’d end up here as a houseguest of his triplet.

When Axel had demanded that I move in here, I had wanted to refuse. But then he’d turned to me and used that tone of voice, the one I can’t refuse, the one where he’d lowered his pitch and ordered me to move in with him, and I had found myself agreeing. Damn it, why is it that I am unable to stand up to him? Why is it that he only has to glare at me and something inside of me seems to melt instantly? My chest feels funny, my stomach wobbles, and I find myself saying yes.

What the hell is wrong with me?

I grab my phone, and review the messages from Elsa, my employee and friend. Dammit, I really do need to text and let her know that I’ll be at the flower shop very soon. She’s covered for me the last two weeks when I had been by Axel’s side. I know that it was a stretch for her, but she had done it without complaints. She’s already gone that extra mile for me and I don’t want to inconvenience her any further. I start typing a message, then erase it. If I message her now, she’ll only message me back and ask me where I was, and honestly, that’s a conversation I’d prefer to have face-to-face.

Instead, I dial Cass’ number.

“Hey,” her face fills the screen , “how are you?”

“I am not sure.”

“Eh?” She frowns. “Everything okay with Axel? I heard from Karma that he’s awake?”

“Yeah,” I blow out a breath, “he is, and now I wish he weren’t.” I squeeze my eyes shut. “No, I don’t mean that-aargh.” I force myself to relax. “Goddamn it, he ties me up in knots, that man.”

“What happened?” Cass says in a careful voice. “The man just woke up from a coma; surely, he can’t be that much of a threat.”

“That’s what you’d think,” I shake my head, “considering he managed to get on his feet a few seconds after opening his eyes-”

“You mean, because of the break-in?” She must notice the confusion on my face because she adds, “I heard about it from Adrian. Must have been the adrenaline of finding himself under threat that made him do that, don’t you think?”

“Yeah,” I hunch my shoulders, “when the intruder flung me away, I lost consciousness.”

“I heard,” she says gently. “I assume that’s why you have a bandage on your forehead?”

“The doctor’s think that burst of activity has set back his recovery time though, as he put a lot of strain on his already weak muscles.”

“I see,” she murmurs. “How is he now?”

“He’s in a room in the other wing.”

“Eh?” She blinks rapidly. “So you are in the same house as him?”

“I am,” I say glumly, “or rather, I am in Xander’s house that Michael decided to loan to Axel.”Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

“So what does that have to do with you?”

“The men seem to think I need to be protected until they track down the guy who shot Axel at Christian and Aurora’s wedding.”

“Which makes sense, right?”

“I suppose,” I scowl, “but why do I have to move in with him?”

“Hold on, so you moved into Xander’s place, which is now Axel’s place?” Her gaze widens.

“Not my idea, trust me.”

“But you are in a different room?”

“Yep, and the house is guarded, and apparently, I need to be chauffeured around by one of the Sovrano brothers, at all times.”

“That doesn’t seem so bad, does it?”

“On the face of it, no,” I say with reluctance, “it’s just that-?”

“Your family is upset about it?”

“Not after Michael spoke to them and told them he’d be taking care of me.” I huff, “He’s the Don; obviously, they won’t go against his word.”

“So you’re upset about it?”

“I understand, they think I need to be protected, but moving into the house that Xander lived in…” I pause to collect my thoughts. “When I am in this house, I am surrounded by memories of Xander. Can you imagine? I am stuck here, thinking of him, and then Axel is also here with me.” I wring my fingers together. “It’s driving me crazy.”

“Hmm,” she bites the inside of her cheek, “something you’re not telling me, Theresa?”

“What? No.” My cheeks heat.

“You’re a terrible liar,” she teases. “Are you attracted to Axel?”

I open my mouth to answer and she raises her hand, “No, don’t tell me. Clearly, you feel something for him. The question is whether you are able to resist him.”

I hang my head.

“That’s what I thought.”

“It’s not what it seems,” I protest

“Oh?” She tilts her head, “Then how is it?”

“I, ah, didn’t have a choice.”

“What do you mean, you didn’t have a choice? Did he force you?” She scowls, “Come to think of it, he’s still recuperating; he couldn’t have physically forced you.”

“He didn’t have to.”

“Sorry, but I am not understanding this.” Her brow furrows.

“He asked me to move in with him and I couldn’t refuse.”

“You couldn’t refuse?” She repeats the words slowly as if I am speaking a language that she doesn’t quite understand.

“Yeah, when he orders me to do something, I seem unable to say no.”

“Ah,” her brow smoothens, “I see.”

“What do you mean, I see?” I huff. “I don’t like it when you use that tone of voice.”

“What tone of voice?”

“That one,” I point my finger at her-or rather, at the screen. “That smug tone of voice which seems to indicate that you know something I don’t know.”

“I do know something that you don’t know.”

“Oh?” I scowl, “Well, out with it then. What is it that you know and I don’t?”

“I can’t tell you.” Her eyes gleam.

“Nooo,” I groan, “don’t do this. Please, don’t do this, Cass. Don’t be so mean. I really need to understand what’s happening here, and if you know something and you are not telling me, then it’s going to eat at me. I won’t be able to sleep now, please, Cass-”

“You’re in his power.”

“Excuse me?”

“Okay, that came out wrong.” She glances away, then back at the screen. “I mean, clearly, his will is stronger than yours, and you are attracted to him, so-”

“So?”

“So he’s not above using his dominance to make you do his bidding.”

“Ugh,” I glower at her, “I kind of guessed that, but this has never happened to me before. I’ve never found myself rushing to do someone’s bidding like this.”

“It’s not like you are a particularly strong-willed person, Theresa, and I mean that in the most complimentary fashion.”

“Umm,” I don’t think that was a compliment, “you make me sound like a…a weak indecisive person.”

“No, no,” Cass shakes her head, “all I’m saying is that you have a soft heart. You tend to feel things deeply and see everything from an emotional view point.”

“And you think that’s a bad thing?”

“It’s something others can take advantage of.”

“Like Axel?”

“Among others, yes.”

“I can’t help it,” I begin to pace. “I’ve always been the kind of person who can see the other’s point of view, you know? I understand where they are coming from. And if I can get by without hurting the other person, then well, I’d prefer that.”

She stares knowingly at me.

“What?” I glower at her. “Just because I prefer for everyone to be happy doesn’t make me weak.”

“No, it doesn’t,” she agrees, “it makes you very human, very soft, very…”

“Say it.” I scowl.

“Submissive,” she says reluctantly.

“I am not submissive,” I snap.

“It’s not a bad thing,” she says in a soft voice. “It’s also what makes the Sovrano’s want to adopt you into their family and take care of you, I think. It’s also why-”

“Axel, can order me around and I can’t turn him down.”

“I am sure that it makes him happy when you obey him.”

“Probably,” I say dully. And here I was, thinking that I had my own business, that I have proven myself to be someone who can take care of herself, stand on her own two feet without having to depend on anyone else, someone who has actually turned her passion into a successful career.

“Being submissive doesn’t take away from your other achievements,” she murmurs as if she’s reading my mind. “You actually hold the power, you know?”

“Right,” I scoff, “when he glares at me and tells me what to do and I obey, despite not wanting to, trust me, it doesn’t seem to me, then, that I hold the power.”

“Oh, but you do. If you don’t obey him, it’ll upset him.”

“But I do,” I snap back. “That’s the entire problem. I can’t tell him no, know what I mean?”

“And by doing so, you are putting yourself in his hands and that’s a big responsibility. You’re allowing him to take care of you, to do what he thinks is right for you. If you’re not happy with what he does, then he has to change tactics and figure out what does make you happy. You get me?”

“No,” I glower, “you are confusing me. And for all that you said, it doesn’t change the fact that, even though I don’t want to do as he says, when he commands me, I find my body seems to want to obey. My logical mind resists, but it’s like a switch inside of me seems to flip, and then I scurry to do what he wants.”

“So why don’t you use that to your advantage?”

“What do you mean?”

“Do as he says, give him your assent, then use it to make him do what you want.”

“And how do I do that?”

“That’s for you to figure out.” She smiles.

“You’re really not helping me, you know that?”

Her smile widens, “I know it can seem confusing, but just trust your instinct.”

“Easy for you to say; you haven’t been in this situation.”

“Haven’t I?” Her smile is secretive.

I stare at her. “Shut up.” I peer into her features, “Are you telling me this entire submission-dominance thingie is something you have experienced before?”

She makes a motion of zipping her lips, “Not saying anything.”

“Aw, come on,” I protest, “you’re no fun, you know that?”

“This isn’t about me anyway,” she murmurs. “You’re a smart person, Theresa. I am sure that you’ll figure out a way to have Axel wrapped around your little finger.”

“Don’t want him wrapped about anything.” I scowl. “I just wish there were a way I could resist him.”

She glances off screen, “Sorry, Theresa, but I’ve gotta go. I need to get dinner ready.”

The screen goes dark. I place my phone down, turn back to survey my room. It’s spacious, a suite actually, with a living room, a kitchen, a bedroom with an adjoining balcony from which I have an unrestricted view of the sea. The bedroom itself-which is where I am now-is comfortably furnished with a wooden floor, a large bed with plenty of cushions, a dresser and two doors, one of which leads into a closet and the other into a bathroom.

I walk into the closet and survey my clothes, which Michael had arranged to be brought to me. Overall, the Sovranos are supporting Axel in this move. Even though, from the earlier conversation, it had been clear to me that there are tensions simmering between Axel and the other brothers. Well, maybe not Seb; he and Axel seem to get along just fine. It had been Luca and Michael who hadn’t seemed particularly happy with Axel. And of course, Christian. Axel’s triplet had been nowhere to be seen, though I assume, he met Axel at some point. So clearly, he is still coming to terms with Axel’s appearance.

All in all, I feel completely unsettled, like someone pulled the rug out from under me. It had, somehow, been easier when Axel had been unconscious. I could stare at him and almost convince myself that he was Xander. But once he had woken, the awareness in his eyes, the way he had commanded me to ride his face and made me orgasm, all of it was very un-Xander like. It leaves me with no doubt that I am dealing with an apex predator. Someone who will chew me up and spit me out; someone who could reduce me to a puddle of raw need by just looking at me; someone who makes me hate him and lust after him in the same moment. Gah!

There’s a knock on the door to the bedroom.

I turn, “Who’re you?”