Chapter 8

Maria

Whoever said imitation was the purest form of admiration was a moron.

Maybe that wasn't the right phrase, but it fit the situation perfectly.

What the hell did I think I was doing other than setting myself up for failure?

Or death.

I no longer recognized myself when I looked in the mirror, even if it was the same eyes peering at me that I'd always remembered. While I had to admit the layered haircut was stunning, adding fullness to my natural curls, I wasn't certain I liked the hint of purple highlights. But that was one aspect I could change once the wedding was finished. Of course, that was if I passed the test tonight. Meeting my future fake husband for the first time had me in a bundle of nerves even after almost two weeks of extensive training and coiffing, fittings and travel shows depicting Italy.

I was overloaded, overwhelmed, and exhausted even though I'd been staying in a gorgeous suite in a massive estate complete with an indoor/outdoor pool and game room. I'd had a chef at my disposal, the award-winning Italian preparing dishes I never believed I'd enjoy in my lifetime.

Plus, I'd been able to play piano, which was something Maria had done her entire life. My mother had called daily, thoroughly enjoying her stay in what seemed like more of a posh resort than a medical facility. The doctors were already hopeful. Meanwhile, the real Maria hadn't experienced the same good fortune, her body already surrendering to the effects of the round of drugs she was on to try to counteract the disease. It had a name far too long for me to understand.

She'd lost at least fifteen pounds, her skin already graying. I hated seeing that in her. In the time we'd spent together, I'd found her both infuriating and adorable, breathing new life into mine while hers was being sucked out of her.

And her parents were… interesting, her father frowning at me every chance he got.

Now I stood in a bright crimson dress that hugged every curve, the tall heels something I'd practiced walking in, but they felt awkward to my feet.

Leonardo was now my bodyguard, the man watching me like a hawk. We were in the hotel where I'd met Maria, the suite remaining in the family's name the entire time in case someone checked. I was allowed some aspects of freedom now that all the paperwork had been completed, the contract signed. However immersed I'd become in the girl's world instead of mine, I still felt like a fish out of water.

This was nothing more than a brief meet and greet, although I'd opened a bottle of wine, mostly to try to calm my nerves. So much for not drinking very much. After this, Daniel would either put a stamp of approval on the wedding or I'd be returned to my life twenty thousand dollars richer. I wasn't certain which I preferred. I half expected the man to be a balding, fat dude instead of the hunk I'd seen and investigated in the pictures.

What I'd learned while surfing for information was that both families were more than just powerful.

They were extremely dangerous, two of the most powerful mafias in the world. Maria had learned enough about my weakness, my mother, to dangle a big fat carrot in front of me. She'd known I couldn't refuse the opportunity, the possibility my mother could live a longer and healthier life.

I took another sip of wine, wishing the soft strains of Italian music could calm my nerves but it was doing just the opposite, reminding me of the fraud I'd become.

"Are you ready?" Leonardo asked as he moved toward me.

"I believe so."

He nodded, about to turn away. I'd had very few conversations with the man, but it was easy to see he was completely loyal to the family.

"Leonardo. Can I ask you a question?"

Everything about the way he was eyeing me was unnerving. "Sure. Why not?"

"Do you like what you do for the Rossis?"

He seemed shocked I'd ask him something like that, the look on his face as if I'd asked him the length of his cock instead. "What's not to like? I make damn good money and get to guard my favorite person."

I wasn't entirely certain whether he was being facetious or not. But I didn't have a chance to find out because of the heavy knock on the door. When I reacted as I would as Margot, Leonardo gave me a hard look, forcing me to back down. Tonight, he was the hired help and I was the princess, something I had a feeling would be the one real thing that would expose my deception. I hadn't been raised nor was I built for being treated like some poodle on a pillow.

However, I turned away on purpose, trying to act bored. The sound of deep voices filled the space a few seconds later and I shivered, doing my best to get into the mindset of an actress playing a part. The part of my life. I was now Maria Rossi, only child of a powerful Italian mafia family.

Dear God. What in the hell was I doing?

I waited as the two guests were brought closer, sipping on my wine and acting like the pampered princess I'd learned Maria truly was.

"Ms. Rossi. Mr. Thorn is here." Leonardo's voice was deeper, booming more than normal. I could almost smell the testosterone in the room.

I turned around slowly, doing what I'd seen Maria do countless times, giving the man a solid onceover while acting as if I was bored to death, even irritated he'd bothered me.

Unfortunately, I didn't need to gather a glance at my nipples to know they were betraying me, my hardened buds poking through the thin material from extreme arousal. I was momentarily at a loss for words, forced even in tall heels to lift my head to be able to look him in the eyes.

"Mr. Thorn. How good of you to come." I offered my hand, curious as to what he'd do. Whether Maria had men kiss her hand or shake we hadn't gone over but some aspects of my role would be all me.

He accepted the handshake, a slight hint of amusement crossing his face. "Ms. Rossi. How good of you to come to America." He was even more surprised when my handshake was almost as firm as a man's. It was something I'd learned to do a long time ago.

"Leonardo, would you be so kind as to offer our guests drinks?" I asked, trying not to glance toward the man. That had been something I'd been taught and reminded of more than once. Thankfully, Maria hadn't acted as if Leonardo was nothing but an employee while in privacy. I'd found more redeeming qualities in her than I'd originally thought.

"Of course. Gentlemen, what will you have?"

"I'll have what my fiancée is having," Daniel said. He held out his hand, a velvet box in it.

"What is that?"

"A gift."

I shrugged as if I didn't care about it in the least. That's what Maria would do. He chuckled, tossing it on the closest credenza. "Have it your way."

While I wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, I had a feeling the muscular, perfectly chiseled man with bedroom eyes to die for was merely testing me.

Leonardo refused to take his eyes off me as he poured a glass for Daniel, ignoring the other soldier standing in the room, the unknown man carrying a smirk as if he already knew this was nothing but a ruse.

I felt so out of control my legs were shaking and as Daniel approached, I held my breath for fear of giving away anything, including the electrified attraction that had already gone screaming through every cell in my body.

The way he didn't blink and the fact his jaw remained clenched were two reasons beads of perspiration were tickling both sides of my face. Barely two seconds later and he noticed one rolling ever so slowly down my cheek. When he slipped his finger through it, lifting his arm and staring at the salty bead, I was certain the game was finished.

But as he eased his finger into his mouth, sucking fervently, I was certain everyone in the room could sense the situation was ready to explode. The slight growl he issued kept me on edge, my heart thudding in my chest.

The sucking sounds he made as if savoring the only libation capable of quenching his thirst made me so sick to my stomach, I almost raced into the bathroom. But I stood my ground, giving him the same cold, hard glare that he was giving to me. We didn't need to like each other. We certainly didn't need to consider ourselves lovers.

We just needed to pretend that what we shared was real so that everyone else believed it.

"Who are you, Maria Rossi?" he asked, which caught me by surprise.

"I'm a woman required to remain loyal to my family, to do the right thing. And who are you?"

"A very bad man."

"Is that a warning to stay clear of you?"

He laughed as Leonardo placed a glass in his hand. "It's merely a promise."

"I'll take that under advisement. I only hope you understand you will never be someone I can fall in love with."

My conviction sounded reasonable and certainly was something I would expect to come out of the real Maria's mouth. I added a sexy yet coy smile after issuing the words before hiding behind my glass of cabernet, slowly taking a sip. When a single drop of the expensive wine trickled past my lips, he closed the distance, crowding my space with his massive, overheated, and completely electrified body and I found myself swooning.

As he'd done before, he slipped his index finger through the dark liquid, only this time shoving his thick digit into my mouth.

I was so shocked a slight moan rushed up from my throat, my knees now knocking. No. He wasn't going to frighten or deter me no matter how much he attempted to break me. Fuck him. I already hated the man because of his attitude alone. Instead of spitting out the disgusting intrusion, his finger tasting of cigar smoke, I sucked on it fervently, making all the gloriously disgusting yet sensual sounds that were possible.

There was no doubt the other two men in the room was entranced by our tête-à-tête, which I found amusing. And Daniel's eyes were open wide, his chest heaving from the wickedness of my actions.

Maybe I was a better actress than I'd originally thought.

I wrapped one hand around his wrist, holding his arm in place. When I pulled my head away, I make certain he knew I wasn't finished yet, dragging my tongue up one side of his finger then the other.

When I was finished, I licked my lips and took a purposeful step away, grinning as if I'd just won round one.

He curled his finger, his breathing still ragged. I was hopeful he would turn around and leave, realizing I wasn't someone to be fucked with. Instead, his reaction pulled another yelp from the bowels of my being, snatching my wrist and yanking me onto my toes. When he tossed the glass of wine to the side, I was utterly shocked into silence. The moment he fisted the back of my hair, pulling me as close to him as possible, I did what I could to push him away, shoving my fist into his chest.

But there was no stopping this jerk. He grinned like the evil man he was before capturing my mouth, immediately thrusting his tongue inside. Everything about him was dominating, the bastard determined to make me terrified of him. As he consumed my mouth, allowing his strong tongue to explore every inch, I began to loathe myself and my decision even more.

Especially since I was wet and hot, my pussy throbbing, my nipples tight and aching. I had no doubt he knew how much he was getting to me since there was no denying the scent of my desire wafting between us. I wanted to hate what he was doing to me as much as I despised my body's betrayal, but I was shocked at how amazing he tasted, how good it felt being in his strong arms.

The passion flared to the point that I could no longer think or breathe, my mind spinning. His hold on me tightened and I unfurled my fists, only to clench my fingers around the stiff linen of his crisp white shirt. I was pulled into a sweet vacuum, a moment where all time stood still.

When he finally pulled away, both our breathing was ragged, his breath cascading across my heated skin. He chuckled seconds later, issuing another husky growl like the beast he was.

After taking a step away, he allowed his gaze to fall once down to my painted toes then back to my face before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. When he spoke, his voice was darker, the deep baritone shifting over me like a warm velvet blanket in front of a roaring fire.

"Make no mistake, my wife to be. You are mine. Every inch of your luscious body, every action you seek to take, and every breath that leaves your mouth. I will take and enjoy every moment of tasting, taking, and fucking you. Over. And. Over. Again. And if you fight me, you'll become my captive, chained to my bed for my use. Am I clear, la mia donna bella ma disobbediente?"

Beautiful and disobedient woman.

He had no idea what I was made of, but I was about to show him, the horrible fuck of a man.

When I tossed my glass of wine in his face, the two other men gasped, which allowed me to smile. "And hear me, Mr. Thorn. I will never belong to anyone. Not now. Not ever. Get out."

He dared walk closer and when I lifted my head, he wrapped his hand around my throat. "I would hate to destroy something so beautiful, so entirely precious, but I will if necessary. You need to understand something very clearly."

"Go for it," I hissed, refusing to give into the brutal man and his dominating tendencies. He didn't deserve to see I was a nervous wreck.

"You will learn there are rules, ones you are required to follow without question or hesitation. Anything less and you will be punished."

"Is that all?"

He squeezed my throat until my eyes watered. As he lowered his head, I could tell he was enjoying this. If I had a weapon, I could almost kill him. Almost. "No, that's not all, my sweet bride to be. You are mine. Get ready, sweet princess, because I will take what I want and make no mistake, you belong to me. If any man ever dares to touch you again, they will die."