Chapter Thirteen

In the weeks between our make-out session in the woods and the party of the mayor, Maddox and I only met at the dog shelter to walk Santana—without any more make-out sessions, except for a few kisses—and during a few meetings with Growl and his enforcer team. Dad slowly introduced me to more and more of his soldiers, even though I hadn’t been inducted to the Famiglia yet. I had a feeling he was trying to push it back as much as possible, but I was determined to get it over with before the end of the year.

First, I needed to survive my first public appearance since the kidnapping. I hadn’t met with friends or gone to college in the last few weeks. Dad wanted me out of the public eye and I was glad for a few weeks of quiet to come to terms with what had happened too.

Unfortunately, that meant I was unreasonably tense before the party. People had always watched me at parties, but tonight I’d be the center of attention. Everyone wanted to know how I’d fared, if I was a shadow of my former self.

Rumors of how the MC had disfigured me were still making the rounds. Speculations about my first social appearance were exploding. So far my family hadn’t confirmed any public appearances, not even the mayor’s party tonight. Only he and his family, as well as the security team had been informed. But I knew the information was probably already leaked and spreading like wildfire. Everyone at the party would be dying to see my new blemishes, especially the invited press. The few photos of me hidden in oversized hoodies definitely hadn’t satisfied their hunger for a good story. They wanted scandalous, bloody deeds.

I slipped into the smooth purple fabric of my dress. Skin-tight silk, hugging my body and leaving my back bare, allowing everyone to see the tattoo between my shoulder blades. I’d considered hiding it under a layer of cloth, but it wouldn’t make people talk less. Everyone who’d come to see my fall would see me rising from the goddamn ashes. I was my father’s daughter.

I brushed my fingers across the selection of earrings Dad, Matteo and Mom had bought for me over the last few weeks. My ear had completely healed by now and wearing jewelry wasn’t uncomfortable anymore. I chose an eye-catching white gold piece that ended in a diamond-studded teardrop and snaked all the way up my ear. I put on a matching necklace and wore my hair up so the earring as well as the tattoo would be prominently displayed.

A soft knock sounded and Mom poked her head in. She too was already dressed for the party, looking angelic in a pearlescent dress with her blonde hair framing her face. The contrast between us couldn’t have been bigger than in this moment. Me with the tattoo and dark eyes, purple lipstick, and nail polish.

“Femme fatale,” said Mom with a look of awe.

“You really like it?” I asked, turning around so Mom could see the back and my tattoo. Of course, she’d seen it before but I’d never displayed it for the public eye.

“A crown for New York’s princess,” Mom said and came in to touch my cheek. “You are you, Marcella. You aren’t me and you definitely aren’t what people want you to be. Be you, unapologetically, all right? Your father and I have your back.”

“Thanks, Mom,” I said quietly, trying not to get emotional and ruin my makeup.

“Oh, and a bike just pulled up. I assume it’s your Maddox.”

My Maddox. Mom still hadn’t met him yet. Dad had refused to let him near her or Valerio. “I asked him to accompany me as my bodyguard.”

“Your dad mentioned it.”

“But he doesn’t approve.”

Mom gave me a knowing smile. “You know your father. I’d like to meet him.”

My eyes widened. “You mean now?”

“Yes, why not? Or don’t you want me to meet your boyfriend, that’s what he is?”

“Yes, he is. Not officially, but I want him to be…”

“I’ll ask him in so he and I can get to know each other.”

“You sure Dad will approve?” I asked, smiling ironically.

“I know how to handle your father,” Mom said before she slipped out of my room.

As if I hadn’t been nervous enough about my first social appearance, now Maddox would meet my mother for the first time. I wanted Mom to like Maddox, and Maddox to like her. I wanted my family to accept Maddox one day and for us all to gather around the dining table and celebrate family festivities together like one happy family.

I took a deep breath, gathering my courage for what lay ahead.

I pulled up in front of the Vitiello mansion, ready to wait until Marcella emerged with her bodyguards. I’d gotten many curious looks as I’d rode my bike through New York in a business suit, tie, and cufflinks and all. I had never worn a business suit in my life, but for Marcella, I’d walked into one of those fancy Italian designer stores and bought a slim-fit tailored two-piece, according to the vendor. For Marcella, I would have worn a fucking clown costume if it would have made her happy.

That she took me to this party meant a lot to me.

The door opened but instead of Marcella with her entourage, Luca stood in the doorway. At once worry overcame me. Had something happened to Marcella? Wouldn’t she attend the party? Or maybe she’d decided not to take a simple biker with her after all. Even if I only paraded as her bodyguard, people would think what they wanted and probably come closer to the truth than Marcella wanted.

Luca surprised me again when he motioned me in. I got off my bike and hurried toward him. “What’s wrong?” I asked as I entered the mansion.

Luca’s expression was so tense it only increased my concern.

Then my eyes landed on Aria Vitiello, in all her blonde glory, smiling at me. No wonder that Marcella was too beautiful for words. “Now I know where Marcella got her beauty.”

Luca’s eyes sharpened in warning. “My wife wants to meet you.”

I could hear that he definitely didn’t approve of the meeting.

Aria strode toward me, her long dress letting it look as if she was gliding over the floor without actually touching it. She extended a hand, and I didn’t miss how Luca took a step closer to us. What the hell did he think? That I’d attack Marcella’s mother right in his mansion? There were more pleasant ways to commit suicide.

“It’s nice to meet you, Maddox. Marcella told me a lot about you.”

I shook her slender hand and gave her my best son-in-law smile. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Vitiello.”

Her eyes seemed to see all the way into my soul. She wanted to see for herself who I was and if I deserved her daughter. And fuck it made me more nervous than Luca’s murderous glare ever had. I never cared for Luca’s approval. But I wanted Marcella’s mother to like me.

“Are you nervous about tonight?” Aria asked pleasantly. She was definitely warmer than Luca—which really didn’t say much—but she, too, was still wary of me.

“Not really, ma’am,” I said. “Everyone’s focus will be on Marcella, and mine too. All that matters for me is to make tonight a success for Marcella.”

“Everyone will be looking at you and her. It won’t go unnoticed that Marcella chose a former Tartarus biker as her company.”

Former Tartarus biker. It still sounded strange to my ears. Part of me was still a Tartarus biker and would always be.

I shook my head. “I’m not her company. She asked me to join her as a bodyguard.”

Aria gave me a look that suggested I couldn’t really believe that. “Luca’s bodyguards would have sufficed. She wants you by her side.”

“That may be, but as long as she isn’t comfortable to call me her company, I’m her bodyguard. Marcella makes the rules and I’ll follow her, if necessary, to the gates of Hades.”

Aria’s smile became warmer and she squeezed my forearm.

“Where is he?” a boy called, thundering down the steps like an avalanche.

“Valerio,” Luca growled.

But the boy didn’t seem to hear him as he stumbled to a halt beside his mother. He was tall and lanky, with blonde slightly curly hair and big gray eyes. “You are the biker who kidnapped Marci.”

“That’s a rude greeting,” Aria scolded him.

“But he’s right. I should own up to my sins,” I said. “And you are Marcella’s youngest brother.”

“When can I ride your bike?”

“Whenever you want,” I said but amended when Aria’s scolding glare hit me. “After you get your mother’s permission of course.”

Heavy steps sounded and Amo appeared up on the landing in a dark three-piece suit. He groaned when he spotted me before he sauntered down the staircase. “Now I have to see him in my own home too?”

“As long as I live, it’s my house,” Luca said.

“If you keep inviting enemies, that’s not going to be long.”

“Amo!” Aria shouted.

Valerio’s wide eyes slanted to his father whose face was stone. “Let that be my concern,” he said.

“What is your concern?” Marcella asked.

My head whirled around so fast I was surprised my neck didn’t break. Marcella stood on the top of the staircase, an apparition right out of my wildest dreams.

My breath lodged in my chest. She was dressed in a plum-colored silk dress that hugged her curves. Just thinking about how the soft material touched her smooth skin in all the places I burned to touch made me jealous of a piece of clothing. The silky material bundled in front of her chest in soft folds, creating an enticing dip between her breasts.

A diamond-studded earpiece covered her missing earlobe. She looked like a million dollars. She looked like all the money in the world wasn’t enough and would never be. I’d been looking for an earpiece for her as a gift for Christmas, but then I’d decided to give it to her today.

Nothing and no one had ever made me want to be a better man more than seeing this otherworldly woman. Every sinner would become a saint just to be granted absolution from her.

Marcella Vitiello was a woman who knew her worth, and fuck, she was worth so much more than I could ever afford. I had nothing to offer to her, except for my love, my devotion and my fucking life. I’d never considered telling a woman I love you but I had told Marcella and right then I wanted to scream it from the rooftops. Maybe it was hopeless infatuation, or mad obsession. Most definitely both. Fuck, but if this wasn’t love, I didn’t know what else could be.

When I finally blinked again after what felt like forever, I realized the entire Vitiello clan was watching me. I wasn’t easily embarrassed but even I felt caught, especially when Luca and Aria exchanged a meaningful look I couldn’t read and Amo shook his head with a disgusted look. Only Valerio seemed as clueless as I often felt these days.

Marcella met her mother’s gaze and something only women understand seemed to pass between them because Aria touched Luca’s arm and after a few whispered words, they all disappeared into the living room, giving Marcella and me privacy.

Marcella began to descend the stairs, her eyes locked on mine.

I shook my head as if trying to wake from a dream, and her smile widened as if she knew exactly what she was doing to me.

I walked toward her when she reached the last step, impatient to be close to her.

“They won’t know what hit them when they see you,” I told her, kissing her, not caring if I got lipstick all over my mouth. “You are absolutely breathtaking, Snow White. Sometimes I still wait for the moment I wake from this dream and you turn out to be a figment of my imagination.”

“I’m very real, now more than ever.”

“You are still perfect in every sense that matters. The marks don’t change you.”

“Oh, but they have,” she said.

“They only made you stronger.”

“I guess we’ll see today, right?”

“Today won’t be easy for you, I know. People will watch your every step and your decision to take me with you only makes things harder for you.” I’d seen the headlines from the tabloids in the last few days. All of them had speculated about Marcella’s first appearance and her mental state, some even speculating that she was suicidal or had a social phobia from trauma.

She smiled grimly. “They want to see me cower. They want me ashamed because of the video, ashamed for my ear and tattoo. They have been waiting too long for that moment to come.”

She was her father’s daughter, with a backbone of steel and endless pride. She was a queen who didn’t need a crown to rule, but it was all the more fitting that she’d crowned herself by destroying the last sign of my uncle that remained.

“And they’ll have to wait another lifetime,” I growled.

Marcella nodded. She was trying to hide the hint of anxiety in her eyes. Social events had been her territory, a place she felt perfectly at home, her turf over which she’d ruled for years. Now she needed to prove herself again and maybe for the first time in her life, she feared she wouldn’t prevail.

I cleared my throat and pulled out the earpiece I’d bought for Marcella. I hadn’t even thought of wrapping it up nicely, instead I now had to present the piece of jewelry in my palm. “I know this probably isn’t worth half as much as the earpiece you’re wearing right now, but when I saw it, I had to buy it for you because like this phoenix you’ll rise from the ashes and burn all the haters.”

Marcella’s eyes widened as she regarded the phoenix ear cuff. She removed the diamond piece from her ear and put my present on. The tail of the phoenix curled over the place where her earlobe should have been and the rest of the creature snaked along her ear and it reared its head at the top. The tail and the wings were adorned with red gemstones while the rest of the creature had jade, topaz, and onyx gemstones all over its body and head. It had cost me most of what had been left of the money I’d found but seeing the look of awe on Marcella’s face as she admired herself in the mirror above the fireplace in the foyer was worth so much more than all the money in the world.

She swallowed as she met my gaze in the mirror. “Thank you.”

I nodded, overcome with unwelcome emotions. “Let’s go burn some haters.”