Chapter 14

14

Aurora

"This is all wrong, all wrong." I pace back and forth, back and forth in my room.

After Christian stalked off, the proceedings somewhat lost their color. The brothers peeled off to their different chalets—yeah, there's no concept of just a room for each one of them. There are enough chalets in the complex that each of the brothers have a house to himself.

Michael and Karma were, clearly, relieved that they have their own space. Karma confided to me that this was the main reason Michael agreed to come on this getaway.

The other Sovrano brothers, too, were more than happy to have their own private retreats. Guess that's what happens when you have so many alphas together… They are just too big to share the same space for too long. They need their own territories where they can hold their own.

The more I observe the Sovrano brothers, the more I realize what a feat it must have been for Nonna to actually get them to come away and stay for a few days together like this. A bonding experience may be what she intends, but will these men actually survive this time together without breaking into some kind of a fight, I wonder? And leading the pack may well be my fake fiancé.

I hold up my fingers, and light bounces off the golden yellow stone. It's surrounded by tiny diamonds that accentuate the depth of the piece. It's unlike any stone I have ever seen. More brilliant than a yellow sapphire, more depth than a ruby. And it fits. Gosh, how did he guess my size so accurately? And he managed to come up with it overnight? What does that mean? Not that he was very happy with Nonna insisting that he toe the line she'd drawn, but at least, I've managed to buy myself some breathing space. Though how long that's going to last is anyone's guess.

My phone vibrates. Yes, Nonna had given me my own phone. Shocker! Apparently, the old lady is definitely more in touch with the times than my one-time captor had been.

I glance at the screen.

Blocked number.

The blood drains from my face. My pulse begins to race. The phone vibrates again, and I pick it up.

"He-hello." I gulp.

"I am still waiting for the information," a man's voice drawls.

It's him. OMG, it's him. "How did you get this number?"

"That's not your concern," he informs me. "What about the information?"

"I ... I still need more time." I swallow.

"Remember, it's your family's life at stake."

Like I could ever forget.

"I, uh, found another way to get closer to them. In fact, I am positive that I'll be able to get you what you need," I murmur. "Only—" I hesitate. Say it, do it; it's now or never. I draw in a breath, "I want something in return."

"This is not a negotiation," he says in a flat tone.

"I am aware of that," I swallow. "I also know that you desperately want information related to the Sovranos, which only I can get for you."

The silence stretches a beat, another. My heart begins to race, the pulse pounds at my temples, my stomach ties itself in knots, and I am sure that I am going to be sick. Hell, I played my card and I lost. Now, this man is definitely going to kill me and the rest of my family. What's wrong with me? Why did I have to bring this up, why?—

"What is it you want?" He asks.

"Christian Sovrano..." A shudder grips me.

Am I really going to do this? But what other choice do I have? He's threatening my family, unless I do as he says. And I can't do that. I don't want to do that. I left the Mafia behind so I wouldn't have to do anything with them and here he is, dragging me back into their inner circle, and as a mob wife, no less. It may be a pretense, but he's going to make the most of the situation, I have no doubt about it. The chemistry between us speaks to the fact that he'll be fucking me the first chance he gets. He'll seduce me, he'll strip back all of the layers I have carefully built against the world and force me to acknowledge just how much I want him too... and I can't have that. The fact that I am so attracted to him means I'll probably enjoy what he does to me and that... I will not allow. I don't want to feel this powerless, this... completely at his mercy. No, the only way out is to take this guy's help to escape from Christian. That way, I'll have one less problem to contend with.

"You want him dead?" the man asks.

I try to force the words out, but my tongue refuses to cooperate. My fingers tremble and sweat slides down the valley between my breasts.

"Well?" He snaps, "Do you?"

I hesitate.

"I take it that's a yes?" he drawls.

"No," I burst out, "I don't want him dead. Don't hurt him please, just... do something to distract him, long enough for me to get away from him."

I squeeze my eyes shut. I do want to escape from Christian. I do. This is the only way.

"I'll take care of him," the man says in a gruff voice, "you make sure that you deliver the information I need."

I clutch the phone with such force that my fingers hurt.

"If you don't come through on your end of the bargain, your family will suffer."

He disconnects the call. I stare at the blank screen for a few seconds more.

"The view is wonderful, isn't it?"

I scream. The phone slips from my grasp and hits the carpeted floor.

"Hey, you okay?" Cass walks over to me. She bends to pick up the phone at the same time as me, but I reach it first.

I snatch up the phone, then straighten. "Sorry," I laugh, "you scared me."

She looks at me closely. "Are you okay? You seem pale."

"Oh, I'm fine." I wave a hand in the air. "Just, all this excitement around the upcoming wedding, it has me a little on edge."

"It's understandable."

I wrap my arms around myself as I turn back to the window. If she had come in a few seconds earlier she'd have heard me. And then, how would I have explained the conversation I was having? Goddamn it. What have I gotten myself into. I swallow as I stare straight ahead.

"It really is a gorgeous view, isn't it?" She draws abreast of me.

"It seems cold to me."

"It should be"—she laughs—"it's only one of the poshest skiing destinations in the world."

"I suppose." I have heard of Cortina as being a playground for the rich and famous, but I admit, I have never felt curious about it.

"You don't seem very convinced." She chuckles.

"I'm not a snow person." I narrow my gaze against the glare of the sun glinting off of the snow.

"At least, you're dressed for it." She gestures to the large sweater that I had pulled on.

I blow out a breath. "He bought it for me."

"Who, Christian?" Cassandra's gaze widens.

Christian had not only arranged to have my packed clothes delivered, but he also ensured that I had a brand-new winter wardrobe to go with it.

"I wish I didn't have to accept his favors." I had half a mind to return the winter clothes to him, but then I saw the snow and realized that would have been a mistake. I mean, I am stubborn, but not so stupid that I want to be exposed to the elements when I go out there. And while I'm going to put off any adventures in the cold, I have no doubt, at some point, I'll have to venture out.

"So, what's the plan for the next few days, you think?" I turn to Cassandra. "Has Nonna mentioned anything to you yet?"

She purses her lips. "I'm not supposed to say anything."

"Oh, so you know what she has in mind?"

"Other than the meals, which she is very clear that we have to eat together, well…" Cass hesitates. "I really am not allowed to share the program for the next few days."

I scowl. "Aww, come on, Cass," I wheedle, "you can tell me."

"I don't want to get into any trouble with her, you know?"

"You seem almost as wary of her as you are of Michael."

Cass tosses her hair over her shoulder. "Don't underestimate her."

"I know better than that." I grimace. "Still, considering she asked you to help out with the preparations, it means that she trusts you, right?"

"More like she knew I couldn't refuse her and that I'd know how to keep a secret."

"Hmm…" I arch an eyebrow. "Now you definitely have my curiosity piqued; you sure you can't tell me more about what she has planned."

"Trust me, she takes this almost as seriously as the Don takes his Mafia affairs." She firms her lips. "She'd probably have me punished if I so much as breathed a word about it."

"Oh, please," I wave my hand in the air, "surely, you exaggerate."

"Okay, so maybe I won't be killed or tortured, but she'll definitely not be happy with me, and you definitely don't want to be at the receiving end of Nonna's anger."

There's another knock on the door; both of us turn to find Theresa peeking inside. She glances between us, then stares down at the floor. "Okay if I join you?" she asks in a soft voice.

Cassandra and I exchange glances before Cassandra rushes toward her. "Of course, Theresa," she murmurs. "Come in; we were just chatting about the next few days."

Theresa shuffles inside the room. She's wearing an elegant black dress, her hair is coiled in a bun at the base of the neck, and on her feet are wedge-heeled boots, which are stylish but also black. Her face is pale, and there are dark circles under her eyes. She looks like a young woman who is still in mourning. She shifts her weight from foot to foot, then shoots us a glance from under her eyelashes. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Oh, no," Cass shakes her head. "The chalets come with their own staff, and this one, the main one where Nonna is staying, has a team to cook and clean and help with the activities being organized, so all you have to do is enjoy the skiing."

"Xander loved to ski. It's one of the activities we loved to do together. Every winter, we came here to ski. He said it was the closest thing to flying..." She swallows, and a tear squeezes out from the corner of her eyes. Her features seem to crumble before she composes herself.

Cassandra pulls out a handkerchief and offers it to her. "I know how tough it must be for you, now that he is gone."

She laughs as she accepts the handkerchief and dabs at her cheeks. "It was tougher when he was alive."

"It was?" I walk over to the settee and motion for her to join me.

Theresa crosses the floor to take a seat. She wraps her arms around herself and lowers her chin to her chest. "He was always conflicted about our relationship. I knew he felt something for me, but he was never honest about it. Every time I thought he'd break down and confess his feelings, he always pulled back. It was like he couldn't quite decide if he wanted me or not."

"Maybe it wasn't you," I say gently. "Maybe he was just trying to decide about what he wanted in life."

"You mean the fact that he was bisexual?"

I blink. "Ah…" I bite the inside of my cheek, "I didn't think?—"

"That I knew?" She firms her lips. "Just because I look fragile doesn't mean that I am fragile. I am tired of people underestimating me, you know? I wish they'd stop hiding things from me. Everyone—Xander when he was alive, his brothers, even my own family—feels they need to protect me. But I am tougher than I seem."

"Amen to that, sister." I lean forward in my seat. "And now that you are here, you'll have a little time away from everything, and you can use the space to regroup."

"Except I don't know what to do with myself." She wrings her fingers together. "For so long, my identity was tied with Xander's. I guess I had built up a future for us together. Now I know I was the only one thinking that way." She chuckles in a self-deprecating manner. "Still, for so long, he was my future, and now that he's gone, I don't know what to do with myself."

"I am so sorry." I move closer to her. "Truly, I wish I could do something to make it better."

"You come from a Mafia family; you know how it is." She firms her lips. "From a very young age, you are taught that your self-worth is tied to that of the man you marry. And even though there was never a formal arrangement in place, I always knew that I would marry him. Our families, too, expected it, and then … this happens."

"Maybe it happened for a reason?" Cassandra comes forward to sit on Theresa's other side. "Maybe he wasn't right for you?"

"How do you know that?" Theresa fumes.

"Maybe it's because I thought that I was in love, but later realized that I was fooling myself." Cassandra says in a low voice. "Sometimes we want something to be true so much that our feelings deceive us into creating a reality that doesn't really exist."

Theresa's cheeks flush. "Just because your experience turned out to be far from perfect, doesn't mean the same holds true for me," she snaps.

That's when my phone rings again. I scowl at the name that appears on the screen.

Alphahole calling.

There is only one alphahole I know. And how the hell did he get access to this phone and have his contact details keyed in already?

"Aren't you going to answer it?" Cassandra asks.

"No." I decline the call, switch off the phone for good measure and then drop it on the sofa next to me.

"Hmm…" Cass scowls at me. "Not sure Christian would be happy to hear you say that."

"To hell with Christian." I sniff.

"Was that him?" Theresa scowls. "Is that who you hung up on?"

"Maybe…" I raise a shoulder. "Not that it matters."

She wipes away the moisture on her cheek. "So, are you and he really going to stay separate until your wedding?"

At least, my love life seems to have intercepted what could have been an altercation between the two of them.

"It would seem that way," I reply. "I mean, we are only following tradition, aren't we, by staying apart?"

"You would be the only one who would be doing so." She leans forward in her seat, "Aren't you tempted to, at least, test drive him before the wedding?"

"What?" I frown. "No, of course not. If anything, I am happy Nonna is helping to reinforce this particular convention."

"I don't know of a single couple who hasn't broken this custom," Theresa drawls.

"So you and Xander…?"

Her features crumple, but then she straightens her spine.

"No, we didn't. And not for lack of trying. I mean, I should have known then that he was having second thoughts, but you know, I thought he was only being a gentleman."

"The Sovranos being gentlemanly?" I scoff. "Now I have heard everything."

"Not all of the brothers are so … rough," Cass protests.

"If you are thinking of Adrian," I peer into her features. "Well, of course, you are thinking of Adrian; I have to warn you not to be taken in by a polite facade."

"But he is the most silent of all of them." Cass frowns. "I mean, surely, he can't be worse than your Christian."

"Not my Christian." I huff. "And that's exactly what I mean. The quieter they are, the more lethal their sting is. Still waters and all that."

"Hmm…" She strokes her chin. "I'll keep that in mind. Not that I intend to get to know him better or anything."

"Of course not!" I cough into my hand.

Theresa's gaze bounces between us. "So, the two of you are involved with the Sovrano brothers?"

"No." I scowl.

"Hey," Cass protests, "don't drag me into this." She jerks her chin in my direction. "I'm not the one getting married in a few days."

And I won't be either, if I have my way. "True that," I mumble. I raise my hand to push the hair away from my face, and Theresa's gaze widens. "Wow!" She stares at my fingers. "That's some ring."

"Yeah…" I lower my hand to my lap.

"And that was a very romantic moment the two of you shared earlier when he put the ring on your finger," Cassandra points out.

"He was just making a point," I protest.

"If you mean he was staking his claim, then you are absolutely right." Theresa peers into my face. "How does it feel to be at the receiving end of all that intense obsession?"

I scowl. "He isn't obsessed with me."

"He couldn't take his gaze off of you the entire time we were on the plane," Cassandra offers.

"Right?" Theresa turns to her. "And the way he kept his arm around her while he was trying to get Nonna and his brothers to back down. OMG, that was even more romantic than the kiss."

"Oh, please." I jump up to my feet and begin to pace. "The alphahole has everybody fooled."

"But not you?" Cass retorts.

"No, not me!" I turn on her. "All of this is some elaborate ruse to keep me under his control."

"That's the Sovranos for you," Theresa interjects. "The brothers are alpha, over-the-top, possessive Mafia men, which is why all of us used to swoon over them in school."

"You went to school with them?" I ask.

"Until they left for LA, and they were older than me, but I do recollect them swaggering in and out of class and generally commanding the teachers around."

"That would be them, all right." I huff. "Good thing I wasn't subjected to them."

"You went to a different school, I take it?" Cass interjects.

"And then went to the UK to study medicine."

"Paid for by Michael," Theresa points out.

I deflate a little. "Something I will never live down, especially since it seems like everyone knows it. So, my family owes them. Doesn't mean I need to agree to their every whim and fancy."

"Christian saved your life," Cass points out.

"He did?" Theresa's eyes bug out. "How did he do that?"

"I helped Karma try to escape from Michael, not that it worked out," I blow out a breath, "but when Michael found out, he was livid."

"Of course, he was," Theresa nods, "you tried to turn his wife against him."

"The way he was treating her…" I purse my lips. "It's not for me to judge, but she wasn't happy in the early part of their courtship, and she asked me for help. I did what any woman would do when she finds another of her gender in peril. I helped her."

"And then Christian stepped in to save you from Michael."

"Now I wish he hadn't."

"You don't mean it," Theresa says in a hushed voice. "You don't want to be at the receiving end of a Sovrano's rage."

"They are human, like us." I snort. "And Christian has his failings, like all of us. Let him get angry; see if I care."

The hair on the nape of my neck rises. Goose bumps pop on my skin. I jerk my head in the direction of the doorway.

"Ugh," I wrap my arms around my waist, "what are you doing here?"