Arranged Mafia Marriage

Elsa

Why is he doing this? I thought we had an understanding. That we’d go off and get married quietly, and only then, announce it to the family. Maybe I should have been clearer in my communication with him. But I had been so overwhelmed by the events of the past few days-first, Nonna’s passing; then, him asking me to marry him; then, the altercation with Fabio, which still has me shaken.

If not for the fact that I believed him when he said he’d ensure I don’t lose access to my daughter, I wouldn’t be here today. And of course, I had promised to attend the funeral with him this morning. And seeing him silently grieving for his grandmother had melted my heart. I’m glad I’m here by his side to support him and comfort him. I really don’t understand why I feel so moved by his emotions, or why I feel compelled, even now, to stay with him. I mean, I could simply walk out, and given his entire family is here, I don’t think he’d try to stop me. I could go back to my job at Theresa’s florist shop, and figure out how to tackle Fabio.

And the bastard would continue to ride roughshod over me. He plans to make sure I lose all rights to my daughter. There’s no way I can take on Fabio on my own, especially not in Italy, where he has the police force behind him, and no doubt, far-reaching influence within the legal system. No, I need Seb’s help in this. I need access to the power and influence he has. If there’s anyone who can take on Fabio, and ensure that my daughter is restored to me, it’s Seb. And if Seb fails-and let’s face it, there’s a chance he might-I need to ensure that I don’t burn my bridges with Fabio completely, so I’ll have a chance at changing his mind.

“Elsa,” Theresa interjects, “are you okay? You don’t have to agree to marry him, if you don’t want to. You know I’m here to help you. Axel and I will make sure that you and your daughter are taken care of. You don’t have to feel compelled to marry him.”

I glance at her, then at Seb, who’s watching me closely. He slides his hand inside his pocket, his entire demeanor casual. Only the ticking of his jaw indicates that he’s tense. That, and his shoulder muscles that are bunched under his shirt. His biceps strain the sleeves of his jacket as he trains his gaze on me.

“Elsa,” Karma says softly, “you don’t have to do this.”

“You’re right. I don’t have to…” I pause long enough for Seb’s entire body to stiffen. Tension vibrates off of him. “But I want to.” I turn to him. “I want to marry you.”

The tension in his body seems to dissipate, though his facial expression remains unchanged. Then, he closes the distance between us, dips his head, and presses his lips to mine. It’s a hard kiss, a punishing kiss, a kiss that hints at the power inherent in his body. A kiss that reminds me that I need him. A kiss that he softens before coaxing me to part my lips. A moan shivers up my throat. He swallows it, then wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me to him. He slides his tongue in between my lips, and a shudder grips me. He deepens the kiss, and heat flushes my skin. Then, just like that, he pulls back, brushes his lips over mine, and steps back. The sound of clapping cuts through my lust-addled brain.

“You move fast, don’t you?” Massimo slaps his back with an audible thump.

Theresa walks over to me and holds her arms wide.

I glance at Seb, who presses another kiss to my lips before murmuring, “We’ll talk about this later.”

He steps back, and Theresa envelops me in a hug. “Are you sure?” she whispers. “He isn’t putting pressure on you or anything, is he?”

I shake my head, “No.” I press my cheek to hers. “I’m sure. I want to be with him.”

“Do you love him?” she whispers back. “I didn’t even know you two knew each other that well.”

“You don’t need to know someone well to be sure they’re the right person for you, and Seb is the right person for me. He’s the only person for me.”

She leans back and peers into my features. She must see something there, for she nods. A relieved smile spreads across her face. “Oh, my god, I’m so happy for you, I can’t even tell you. The Sovrano men are tough, but they’re all gooey inside, once you get to know them better. Getting them to open up can be a challenge, but if anyone can do it, it’s you. And we’re going to be sisters! Can you believe that?” She throws her arms around me and hugs me again. Karma moves in to join us and hugs the both of us. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Michael walking over to congratulate Seb, followed by Christian and Axel. Aurora comes over to join us.

Something rough touches my foot. I step back from Theresa to find a cat licking my feet.

“What the-”

Karma laughs. “Oh, sorry, that’s Andy. He’s convinced he’s a dog.” She bends and picks up the cat. She snuggles him against her chest, and the animal stares at me with unblinking eyes.

“He’s gorgeous.” I scratch him behind his ear and he purrs at me. “Where have you been hiding him?”

“Lately, he seems to prefer hanging out in our bedroom, even though he has his own cat-cave in my studio.”

“He has a cat-cave? Does he have a cat-mobile, too?” I smirk.

The girls all laugh at that before Karma answers, “No, but what a great idea.” She starts to stroke her chin like a comic book villain might do. “I wonder if I could design a kitty mask for him so he can be the masked-cat?”

I chuckle. “That’s funny.”

“Thanks.” She giggles. “If you think that’s funny, you should meet my sister, Summer. She has this amazing comedic timing, and she weaves film trivia into her conversations, which is-”

“Wait,” I interrupt, “you’re Summer’s sister? Summer West’s sister?”

“Now Summer Sterling, but yes. Why, do you know her?”

“Oh, my god, it’s such a small world. I went to school with her.”

“You did?” Karma tilts her head. “I mean, of course you did. Of course, I could tell by your accent that you’re English, but what’re the chances that two Brits meeting up outside of the UK, will end up knowing someone in common?”

“That is weird,” I laugh, “but maybe not that unusual, considering we are both here in Italy, and in Palermo. How many other Brits do you know living here?”

She shakes her head.

“Exactly. We met, thanks to the Sovranos. It stands to reason we have more than them in common. Not that I knew Summer that well, but we were in the same class and had a shared passion for reading books, which is why we ended up hanging out together a lot. How is she, anyway?”

“Oh, I haven’t seen her in a few months.” Karma’s laugh is forced this time. “It’s just, meeting Michael and getting married… All of it took place so quickly. And then I was in an accident, and lost the child I was carrying.”

“Oh, my god, I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you.” Her eyes glimmer with unshed tears. “It wasn’t easy, but I survived, and it helps that I’m pregnant again.”

Aurora jumps in, “And the pregnancy is going well so far, although you definitely need to take the weight off of your feet more often.”

“Not now, Aurora.” Karma cuddles Andy closer. “This is Elsa’s day-”

“It’s actually Nonna’s day,” I remind her gently.

“True, and it was Nonna’s wish that Seb get married soon, so she must be very happy, wherever she is. And if she were here, she’d encourage me in what I’m about to do now.”

“Which is?”

“Give you all of the support you need, because marrying into this family can be a bit of a rough ride in the beginning.” Karma rubs her cheek against Andy’s head.

“The Sovranos don’t make it easy on their women,” Aurora warns.

Theresa nods. “They tend to put you through the wringer, and when you think they must be the biggest assholes-”

“Alphaholes,” I cut in.

The three women look at me, then burst out laughing.

“What? What’s so funny?”

“You calling them alphaholes,” Karma sputters.

“Well, I don’t know about the others, but Seb can sometimes be a completely full-of-himself asshole. Somehow, I’ve made it this far without slapping his face.”

“Do it,” Theresa pipes up.

“It helps to knock some sense into their big, dumb heads,” Aurora agrees.

“Just be sure you are ready for the repercussions.” Karma’s lips twitch. “Not that I’m complaining.”

Aurora clears her throat. “It can be very rewarding… As long as you’re sure you can stand on your own and not give in completely, if you know what I mean.”

My cheeks heat. “How do you do it?” I turn to Theresa. “You’re the sweetest, nicest person I know. I’d have thought Axel would have chewed you up by now, but you seem to be able to hold your own-no offense.” I raise a hand.

“None taken.” She shakes her hair back from her face. “To be honest, in the early days, I found I simply couldn’t say ‘no’ to Axel. It was like he’d narrow his gaze on me and use this voice, which would completely entrance me, and I’d find myself doing anything he asked. But as I’ve gotten to know him better, I’ve realized I want him not only to love me, but also respect me. I know the only way to do that is to hold my own against him.”

“And you’ve done it.” I touch her shoulder. “I’ll bet it wasn’t easy for you to go against your natural personality.”

“It’s not so much that I changed myself. I’ve always had it in me to stand up for myself. I just had to find the incentive to activate that part of me.” She glances between us. “Does that make sense?”

“It does,” I say slowly, “and I wonder if there isn’t a lesson somewhere in there for me.” I reach over and scratch under Andy’s chin. He meows then wriggles out of Karma’s grasp, and lands on my shoulder.

“Oh,” I gasp, then laugh. The cat turns around, draping himself about my shoulders like an expensive scarf, then he licks my cheek.

I giggle. “Ooh, that’s rough.”

“Told you, he thinks he’s a dog. He’s been so spoiled by Michael, it’s not even funny.”

“He’s practicing for when he’s a daddy.” Theresa reaches over and rubs Andy’s forehead. “Is Michael as protective of you as Axel is with me since you became pregnant?”

Karma starts to speak and Theresa holds up her hand. “No, don’t tell me. That was a stupid question. Of course, he’s protective and possessive and everything in between.” She turns to me. “Well, this is what you have in store,” she flings out a hand, “so take notes.”

“I already know.”

“I assume you’re getting married in the same church as we did?” Karma asks.

“Umm,” I shuffle my feet, “no church.”

“Eh?” Theresa blinks.

“Yeah, I already told Seb I’m not getting married in church.”

“You’re not?” Theresa frowns, then her forehead clears. “Oh, is it because of your daughter?”

“Wait, you have a daughter?” Aurora turns to me.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

“Yeah,” I blow out a breath, “and my ex lives in Palermo, which is why I moved here, to be closer to her.”

“Is she with her father?” Karma’s voice is soft.

“I have her on weekends, but-” I glance to the side then back at her. “I’m afraid he’s petitioning the court for sole custody.”

“What?” Theresa gasps. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It’s been an eventful month for you,” I remind her softly. “I didn’t want to bother you with my problems.”

“Oh, Elsa.” Theresa grips my hand. “You should have told me. Nothing is more important than this. We’re talking about your future with your daughter.”

“I know.” I withdraw my hand from her grasp. “But seriously, don’t worry; it’s all in hand, now that…” I jerk my chin in Seb’s direction.

“Ah,” Aurora makes a noise at the back of her throat, “is that what he held over you to make you agree to marry him?”

“Ah…” I shift my weight from foot to foot. “I’m marrying him because I want to.”

“So, did he bargain with you, he’d help you get custody of your daughter if you agreed to marry him?”

“Does it matter? The important thing is, he’s going to ensure I don’t lose my daughter.”

Aurora grimaces. “Damn these Sovranos. Couldn’t, at least, one of them go about trying to woo their woman in a more conventional fashion?”

“And where would the fun be in that? You have to admit, half the appeal is they’re unconventional in the way they go about showing their love,” Theresa murmurs.

“Love?” I shake my head, “No, no, no, this has nothing to do with love; it’s merely a marriage of convenience.”

“Do you actually believe that?” Karma laughs.

I stare at her.

“You really do believe that.” Her face grows serious.

“No one knows the true nature of any relationship.” Theresa tilts her head. “But if Karma’s experience, then Aurora’s, and now mine are any indication, the Sovranos marry for keeps and when they do, it’s because there is an affair of the heart involved. Except, they’re too damn pig-headed to admit otherwise.”

I snort. “Next, you’ll be telling me it was a Colpo di Fulmine for him.” I refer to the Italian translation of love-at-first-sight which means, literally, being struck by a bolt of lightning.

That’s when Seb’s voice rings out from behind me, “It was.”

“What?” I turn to find him walking toward me.

Theresa releases my arm as he draws abreast.

“You dumped a pint of beer on me the first time we met, and while it may not have literally been a bolt of lightning, it was definitely a shock that roused me out of my stupor and made me notice you.”

“Wait, what? You dumped beer on him when you first met?” Karma chortles.

“Well, he made me so mad.” My cheeks heat as he pulls me close to him. I direct my attention toward him. “Anyway, you deserved it.” I try to pull away, but he doesn’t release me.

“I don’t know if I deserve you, but if you marry me, I promise to put your interests before my own. I promise to cherish you, and protect you, and ensure you’re always happy.”

I stare up into those golden eyes of his which haunt my dreams. Damn, but he is a fine actor. I almost believe him, and this is despite knowing the reality of our situation.

“What are you doing? You don’t have to lie, you know,” I whisper under my breath.

“I’m not lying. I wouldn’t have proposed to you if I didn’t mean it.”

I open my mouth to protest, but he pulls a velvet box from his pocket.

What the-? My jaw drops as he goes down on one knee.

“Marry me, Elsa.”

Why the hell is he making such a big deal about it? I already agreed to this arrangement, didn’t I? So why is he rubbing it in, in front of his family? And to think, I wanted to keep the entire affair discreet, maybe even pretend it wasn’t happening. But he’s dashed all of those hopes into the ground with this gesture.

“Marry me, else I’ll call you Frozen, and you know how much you hate that.”

A chuckle spills from my lips. “Very funny,” I say in a voice that indicates the exact opposite sentiment.

He stays there on bended knee, with his chin tipped up and a very intent expression on his features. Goddamn, he deserves an Oscar for his performance. The silence in the room stretches. Every person there is watching me, waiting for my reaction. My skin prickles and my scalp feels too tight. Heat flushes my skin, and bloody hell, what choice do I have? Besides, I already ‘agreed’ to this earlier, so what’s stopping me from replying in the affirmative right now? Maybe because this feels too real? Because after Fabio, I swore I’d never get married again, only to agree to Seb’s plan because it ensures the future of my daughter.

But this… romantic proposal, in front of his family and on the day of his Nonna’s funeral? Goddamnit, it doesn’t get more serious than this. A pressure grows behind my eyes. Wh-a-t? Why do I want to cry? It’s all an act, probably to convince his family we’re for real. Don’t want them thinking we’re sullying Nonna’s memory, do we? Especially considering he’s only marrying me because of the promise he made to his nonna, after all.

I draw in a breath, then hold out my hand. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

He slips the ring, the one I left sitting on my dining table, onto my finger and kisses my hand. A shiver runs up my arm. My entire body seems like it’s on alert. He rises to his feet, pinches my chin and tips my face up. Then he lowers his lips to mine.