{FRANCESCO}
Stephanie fixed me with a hard frown, summoning all the defiance she could even though the soft pink puddles on her cheeks had betrayed her. My eyes slowly traced the slender column of her neck and the well-defined curves of her breasts before drifting down to her thighs now wrapped in her skinny blue jeans. I didn't fail to notice how she squeezed her legs together and I couldn't help the urge to smile at that .
She bit her lower lip hard enough to cut skin. Did my sweet love a little bit of pain? I was more than eager to test that theory and I anticipated when she would be fully mine.
"And what if I say no?" she asked, deepening her frown. "What will you do? Force your claim on me?"
I stepped back, my eyes locked on hers. "I'll never force you," I said softly and meant it.
She huffed, folding her arms over her curvy chests. "Then are you planning to seduce me?"
My tongue darted out, tracing the seam of my lip. "The question here is: do I really need to?"
She rolled her eyes. "There should be limits to that arrogance of yours. I hate cocky men."
I lowered my head, bringing my lips only inches away from hers. "I believe my confidence is justified. You'll learn that soon enough."
She held my stare. "Don't you count on it."
I barely stifled my laughter. "Why don't you stop lying to yourself?'
Her brow inched up. "Lying to myself about what?"
"You want me," I said lazily with a shrug. "It's not bad to want someone, you know?"
She laughed dryly. "I'm surprised your ego still fits into these walls. You should have built a skyscraper, stuff it inside it and keep it there."
Now I knew I would enjoy riling her up. "At least I'm honest about what I want. I'm waiting for you to do the same."
She muttered something under her breath, most likely a curse. Then she spun left and started briskly down the corridor. I followed her, knowing the was heading to her mother's ward–the ward I had chosen and paid for.
She glanced over her shoulder and sighed exasperatedly. "Don't you have better things to do? Shouldn't you be in...your office?"
"I took the day off to spend time with my sexy fiance," I said with a sly smirk. A half-truth.
I had received a tip that the McConnors were in the same hospital. I wasn't sure they already knew that Stephanie was supposed to get married to me. And it was only a matter of time before the McConnors realised that the police suspected their son had been partying in my club. The last thing I wanted was for them to take it out on Stephanie, believing she should pay for their son's death.
I might have underestimated that shitty ex of hers though. It had taken all of my will power not to snap his arm off and then all the bones in his body. He would be wise not to appear in front of me or Stephanie ever again.
Stephanie stopped in front of her mother's room and turned to give me a look. "Seriously?"
"What?" I inquired with an harmless smile.
"Seriously, you don't need to come inside."
Somehow, her voice had become small, betraying her vulnerability.
"Are you always alone every time you come to see her?" I asked carefully.
She nodded slowly, muttering, "She's the only family I have... and I'm all she's got."
I stepped forward and grabbed the door handle. "Then you'll have more company from now on."
I pushed the door open and gestured for her to enter. She looked up at me, her eyes travelling up to mine, narrowing as if trying to read something from my expression. Then she sighed and passed the threshold. I followed her and closed the door behind us.
Her mother's bed was empty. She walked to the sofa on the left from her mother's bed and turned to me. "I guess they're doing some tests. The nurse told me it won't be long, but you don't have to wait–"
"That's ok," I said, stepping towards her. "I told you, didn't I? I took the day off."
Her lips formed a thin smile then she sighed and sank into the sofa. I sat beside her and she shifted uncomfortably in the seat, desperate to add more space between us.
I was itching to tease he about that.
"It would be best to marry by the end of the month," I said instead.
"That's in less than three weeks!" she echoed, her eyes widening.
I nodded. "We'll hold the ceremony and the reception in the residence. Vincenzo told me you wanted your friend to make your dress."
"Yes," she replied with a wry smile. "I'll have to tell him to start working on it immediately then."
There was silence for a while, and in the silence, she turned to her mother's empty bed. She nibbled on her lip. "Did Vincenzo tell you anything else?"
I studied her, noticing some tension. "No, he didn't. Should he?"
She drew a deep breath. "He was... rude to me. He said–" she paused and shook her head. "Nevermind."
My hands fisted. "What did he tell you?"
She bit her lip thoughtfully and looked away. "Well, it's obvious he doesn't like me," she muttered after sn extra moment of hesitation. "It seems he has a problem with my...lineage."
I pinched the bridge of my nose, cursing under my breath. I should have anticipated that I should have been more strict after his bold "suggestion". I knew my grandfather's maggiordomo was nearly obsessed with the idea that I get married to a mafia princess. And he knew also that I was against it. Not like the Dons were willing to give me their daughters either. They, too, were obsessed with the purity of one's blood. They'd rather give away their precious princesses to Russians and Bolivians or other enemies rather than a mongrel like me. Their conservative shit was making my blood boil.
"I'll make sure he won't disrespect you again," I promised.
Her eyes drifted up, finding mine, surprise gleaming in those two balls. "Honestly," she said and chuckled. "I didn't think you'd care."
It was my turn to be surprised. "Isn't it natural? You'll be my wife soon."
"I still try to figure out what it means," she admitted softly. "I mean our...arrangement."
"It means our lives will be connected," I explained, shifting closer and locking my eyes on hers. "Your life will constantly be in danger. But you'll also have power and authority; you'll have to learn how to use this power. Your survival might depend on it."
He face drained of colour, her fingers tingling together as she placed her hands in her laps. "I...I.guess I suspected that much," she murmured.
I took her hands. "I'll teach you and so will Julio."
She nodded and chuckled nervously. "It's not like I had a choice anyway. Marrying Fabrizio Glocciano could hardly be called an alternative."
I didn't miss seeing how her body shuddered as she uttered his name. And somehow, seeing her fear made the blood in my veins boil. Sending Glocciano to her had been my idea. It had pushed her to the wall, making me her only option, but I hated to see her scared because of it. "Did he threaten you?"
Her next breath was ragged. "The dinner with him was... unpleasant," she said slowly and gave me a tight smile. "He suggested that I married him because he and my dad had agreed on some stupid deal. He didn't need my approval."
I squeezed her hand. "So, how did the dinner end?".
She cleared her throat, her eyes dropping to our joined hands in her laps. "I...said that I was already engaged," she muttered. "Engaged with you."
Before I could help it, I barked out a laugh. I couldn't help it. To think that she used me as her way out...
"I'm sorry, I didn't think back then," she stuttered. "I just wanted –"
"I didn't mean to laugh," I chuckled. "Guess your sudden confession was almost like– fate."
I smiled at her and she blushed. I inched closer then. "As for Grasso... I'll take care of him. He wouldn't dare go after you when he finds out you're mine."
I could have sworn that her blush deepened at my words. This body of hers was a little traitor, betraying all of her emotions. But I would let her fool herself...for a while. She would admit what I already knew sooner or later. I hoped it would be sooner.
"Can I ask you something?" she asked quite nervously.
"Of course," I replied. "You can ask me anything."
"It's about Greg," she said slowly.
I smirked at her attempt to change the subject. But I decided to play along. "What about him?"
"Julio told me about the club stamp on his wrist," she said. "Is it true?"
I nodded and sighed. "Looks like it."
"Was he in your club?"
"The Red Lotus Club is not for minors," I told her. "It's a strict rule."
My phone buzzed, instantly bringing our conversation to an abrupt end. I pulled it out of my pocket and showed her the ID.
It was Julio.
Stephanie would soon become my wife and a full member of my crime family. She had to be privy to what was going on. I put him on speaker and dropped the phone.
"What's the urgency?"
"You should come to the club right now, boss," Julio said.
Something flashed in my head. Julio seldom called me boss. So this definitely had to be serious.
"Cops again?" I asked.
"Worse," he strained. "I checked the surveillance and found the kid. He was in the club."
"Fuck," I swore.
"And that's not all," Julio went on as if he had not delivered enough bad news already. "The drug that killed him? He might have gotten it in our club."