Chapter 38

38

Jeanne

The alphahole decides he's going to make the most of this opportunity to convince his family our marriage is real. Well, two can play this game. If he wants to get all cozy, I'm more than happy to oblige. Yes, I know, I'm the one who got all flustered when I saw how my body responded to him earlier. And of course, isn't it better if his family buys into our little farce? The faster they're convinced, the quicker I can get the hell away from him. But I can't stand the thought of him winning this round.

The jerk pretends to be all polite by placing his jacket about my shoulders. But I know better. His every action is calculated to persuade his family we're the real deal. Which is understandable. He pulls me closer and kisses my forehead, and I don't protest. But then he smirks, and something inside me snaps.

If he wants to touch me, I can do the same to him, right? Why should I make it easy on him? Why should I be the only one who's suffering from this closeness? Somehow, I need to make him feel as uncomfortable as I am now.

So, I decide to do the one thing sure to get under his skin. I capitalize on the attraction he still feels toward me, on my terms. Does he really think he's the only one who can direct how and when we get intimate? And surely, there's nothing he can do to me in front of his entire family, right? That thought gives me the courage to rise up on tiptoe, pull his head down and kiss him.

Now, his lips stay frozen, and I take advantage of his surprise to dart my tongue inside his mouth. I pull him even closer and deepen the kiss. A shiver runs over his skin.

A feeling of power unfurls in my chest. He's affected by me. This big, bad Mafia guy wants me, and I was the one to turn him down—albeit, with the help of a white lie. I told him I have a problem with him being in the Mafia, and initially, that was the truth, but the more time I spend with him, the more I realize that beneath that Mafioso exterior is a man who's thoughtful and sensitive and caring and sexy. I'm not a shallow person, but his personality, his charisma, his ability to own a room when he walks into it, to own me... weakens me at the knees. His strong, dominant nature appeals to the core of me. He doesn't take kindly to following orders. Yet, here he is, following my lead.

I thread my fingers through the thick hair at the base of his neck. My fingers brush his skin, and a low growl rumbles up his throat. The next second, he wraps his arm around my waist, lifts me in his arms so my feet are suspended off the floor, tilts his head, and proceeds to eat my mouth. There's no other way of describing it. The kiss seems to go on and on. The blood drains to my core and my nipples stiffen. I dig my fingernails into his shoulders and hold on as he ravishes my mouth. Then, just as suddenly, it's over.

I blink as the sound of clapping washes over me. He lowers me to the ground, but my knees seem to give way from under me. I have to grip the front of his shirt for support. My breathing is heightened. My cheeks must be flushed. But this guy? There's no change of expression on his face. If anything, his features are even more shuttered than before. He holds my shoulder until I've found my footing, then he slips his fingers through mine.

"That was some kiss." Karma fans her face.

"Seems the two of you are really in love." Theresa glances between us, a look of wonder on her face.

Only Aurora surveys my features, then Luca's, but doesn't say anything.

There's a buzzing sound, and Christian pulls out his phone. "Michael wants us home, let's get going."

Forty-five minutes later, I hold a glass of champagne in my hand, in the front room of Michael and Karma's place. The view from the adjoining terrace is spectacular. Miles of sand and the blue-green waters of the Mediterranean stretch out in front. Theresa mentioned to me that all the brothers own independent homes next to each other on this private beach. There are guards outside the perimeter of each house and around the belt of land that borders all of their homes. Luca's home is a few buildings over, after Christian's, Axel's, Seb's and Massimo's. Adrian's is the outermost one. Seems he likes to keep to himself a lot more than the rest, that one.

The brothers and their wives toasted our wedding, then the men disappeared inside. Presumably for their whiskey and cigars, or whatever it is that Mafia men do when they get together.

"Doesn't it bother you?" I turn to Elsa, the newest member to marry into the Sovrano family. She and her husband Seb had joined us in time for the toast. Then, Seb had kissed his wife, as had all the other married Sovranos, before swaggering off. All that testosterone in one place was, frankly, overpowering. Luca, on his own, is larger-than-life and quite intimidating. Put him under the same roof as his brothers, and they seemed to reflect the machoness off each other until my skin prickled with awareness. Now I know how an antelope feels when faced with a pride of lions.

"Doesn't what bother me?" Elsa looks up from where she's put her daughter Avery to sleep on the large settee. The little girl is surrounded by pillows and her cheeks are flushed in slumber.

"All this posturing that the men indulge in. Not to mention, how they treat the women like second-class citizens."

Silence envelopes the crowd. Oops. I glance about the faces of the other women to find them staring at me. "Um, I didn't mean to offend?—"

Theresa bursts out laughing, then Karma and all the other women follow.

"Second-class citizens?" Elsa chortles.

"She has no idea, does she?" Theresa wipes the tears from her cheeks.

"Oh, my god, I can imagine what it feels like looking in, especially when the guys decide to steal away for their ‘business meeting'." Karma makes air quotes with her fingers. "Guess she doesn't know who holds the reins in this clan."

"No, she doesn't." Elsa says between bursts of laughter.

"Your face. Oh, my god, you should see your face in the mirror." Theresa stabs her finger in my direction, and that sets all of them off again. Even Aurora, who so far, has contented herself with a smile, ends up grinning.

"Is this an inside joke or something?" I raise the glass of champagne to my mouth, then put it down on the table. I still need to get to rehearsal, so I can't really drink. Already, my sleepless night is telling on me. I stifle a yawn, then narrow my gaze on the women.

"Is someone going to enlighten me or what?" I say crossly.

Aurora moves toward me. "It's very simple, my dear. Things aren't always what they seem."

"What do you mean?"

"You think because the men left us here and disappeared inside to catch up, that means they're acting like chauvinists."

"Aren't they?"

She taps a finger to her cheek. "Mind you, I am not saying they're not chauvinists."

"Or sexist," Elsa interjects.

"Or way too possessive," Theresa adds.

"Don't forget, autocratic," Karma says with a smile.

"And all of us came up against it when we first met our men. Karma, here, was kidnapped by Michael before they fell in love. Christian first proposed a fake marriage to Aurora. Axel married Theresa with the intention of spying on the Sovranos?—"

"Hold on, Axel intended to spy on the Sovranos?" I blink.

"Then he gave up his career as an undercover agent to start his own security company," Theresa murmurs.

"Brought to heel by the love of an honest woman." Elsa runs her fingers through their daughter's hair. "As was Seb, who proposed to me because he wanted to get married to keep his word to his Nonna. If I agreed, he'd help me get custody of Avery from my ex." The brightness in her eyes dims a little.

"So, he did help you get custody of Avery from your ex?"

She glances up at me. "I shot my ex, actually. Cass, Michael's housekeeper sourced the gun for me."

"Where is Cass?" Theresa asks. "I haven't seen her these past few days."

"Oh, didn't I mention, she's taking a sabbatical." Karma jerks her chin in Elsa's direction. "I think helping you find the courage to take down your ex, gave her the courage to face her past."

"I'm glad." Elsa says softly.

"Hold on—" I point a finger at her. "You shot your ex?" I take a few steps back. The backs of my knees hit a chair and I sink into it. "Did you… did you…"

"I killed him." She firms her lips. "He'd already hurt Seb, and he abused me all through our marriage. He kept Avery from me, used her to make my life a living hell. He used my own needs against me. He deserved to die."

O-k-a-y, this wasn't what I expected to hear. It's bad enough that Luca is a Capo of the Cosa Nostra . And his brothers are Mafia men. I'd expected their wives, however, to be free of any criminal activities. Isn't that how Mafia families work? The men protect their women and prefer the females to stay away from any of their business dealings? Apparently, not with the Sovranos.

"I've shocked you." She searches my features. "A few months ago, if you'd told me I'd be married to a Mafia man and shoot my abusive ex—who totally deserved it, by the way—I'd have the same reaction."

"So, what changed?" I wring my hands. "From what you say, your ex was a bad man, but don't we have the law to deal with such things? Shouldn't we let the police and the criminal justice system bring the wrongdoers to heel?"

"My ex was the commissioner of police. He had the cops and the judges in his pocket. If I hadn't done what I did, when I did it, he'd have made sure I never got to see Avery again." She scoops up the still sleeping Avery and holds her closer.

"But did you have to kill him?"

"It was either him or Seb. Either him or losing my child. Either him or losing my own life. When it comes to my daughter and Seb, I'll do anything to protect them."

Oh, wow. I don't agree with what she did, but I understand the sentiments behind it… I think? Would I do the same if I were in a similar situation? Would my emotions overrule all logic, too? Is this how people react in fight or flight situations? My head spins.

Karma comes over to sit down in the chair next to me. She takes my hand in hers. "I can see we've given you a lot to think about. But you should know that the Sovranos will do anything for their women. Far from treating us as second-class citizens, they make their decisions based on us. They'd protect us and our children with their lives. While each of the brothers, so far, started out on the path to love with the wrong intentions, they ended up in the right place. They fell in love with their women, groveled for their forgiveness, and turned out to be the most exemplary of husbands. In fact, Michael is converting the Sovrano businesses into legal entities. It's only a matter of time before they turn legit."

I start. "You mean the dreaded Cosa Nostra is moving away from criminal activities?"

She nods. "I never asked him to. But he decided he has too much to lose now, so he's committed to selling off or handing over the illegal activities to other clans."

"Somehow, I can't see Luca agreeing to this." I hunch my shoulders. "The man has the Cosa Nostra philosophy running through his veins."

"And now he has you."