Blood & Marriage (Dark Mafia Romance) Page 3

  Santo and Mona gravitated closer to our circle, seemingly only interested in one another, and it struck me that if they became a real couple, I could have my sister at my side. Then again, I’d know her husband was a douchebag who humiliated women and made use of their naiveté.

  And he was doing it again.

  I could hardly believe my eyes when I noticed that, despite dancing in a close hug with my sister during a slow song, his eyes still drifted to Rosa over Mona’s arm. Fortunately, Rosa was glued to a different guy, so Santo could eat his heart out, but it still made me want to rip Mona out of the bastard’s clutches.

  But, then he glanced at me as he slid his hands toward Mona’s ass, and I was caught staring like a deer in the headlights. I quickly averted my gaze, face hot as if I’d drank much more than I actually had. I couldn’t just go and tell Mona not to flirt with him.

  Or could I?

  I froze when Santo let go of Mona and put his arm around Rosa in what had to be the most dismissive way to leave your dance partner. Or so I thought, until I saw that he grabbed Rosa’s partner with his other hand.

  With the colorful lights blazing around us and the loud music turning my ears to a pulp, it was difficult to establish what had happened before the other man tried to rapidly pull away, and a pink purse fell from underneath his shirt.

  Rosa put her hand over her lips, only to slap him over the head with her heavy silver bracelet. In the chaos that ensued, both our bodyguard and the bouncers rushed toward our group, while Rosa picked up the purse and pushed it back into the unzipped handbag she carried on her arm.

  Santo apologized to Mona as soon as he explained the issue to the bouncers and they pulled away the thief-to-be. Santo didn’t even get to catch a breath before Rosa wrapped her arms around his neck.

  “Thank you so much!”

  Santo was so tall she had to get to her toes, even in the heels she was wearing, but it didn’t seem to stop her. He stroked her back, and I couldn’t help feeling anxious over him not looking at me over her shoulder. Would he take my advice and have sex with someone else instead of hovering around me like a bear dying to stick his paw into the honeypot?

  He should do just that.

  But I didn’t really want him to. Not while I was there to see him hit it off with one of my friends.

  The other girls pulled Rosa away from Santo, offering their support, but I couldn’t stop staring at him, as discreetly as I could. Mona gave him a brief hug and rushed toward Rosa as well, but Santo suddenly stirred and turned away from me, reaching into his pocket.

  On his way toward the exit, he pulled out his phone and put it to his ear, no doubt searching for somewhere quiet to take the call.

  “I’ll be in the car!” he yelled over to our bodyguard then disappeared in the crowd moments later.

  “I can’t believe that asshole tried to steal from me.” Rosa pouted, still shaken. “Do you know whether Santo is staying in the area for a while?”

  Mona was oddly quiet, and a thoughtful expression colored her face. Oh, God, I needed to tell that asshole not to lead her on.

  I took a step back, then another, and it was surprisingly easy to blend into the horde of dancing people when everyone was so focused on what happened to Rosa. It was just the right moment to catch up with Santo and give him a piece of my mind. In a public place, so that he wouldn’t try anything funny.

  The air outside was so cool and fresh in comparison to the stuffy aromas of the club--thick with perfume and the odor of the smoke machine. In front of the door, a whole line of people waited for their turn to be assessed by the bouncers, but as I looked around, Santo’s tall form was nowhere to be seen.

  Surely, there was no need to walk far away from people to have a quick conversation on the phone. Father could give the bloodiest of orders while in a café without blinking an eye. It was all about the right choice of words that would not alarm any civilians.

  The limousine that had brought me and all my friends here was parked in a smaller street behind the corner, so I made my way there, ignoring a man who whistled after me as he passed by. Since he hadn’t followed me and went on his way, I dived right into the narrow alley.

  It was sparsely lit, but even in the semi-darkness, I recognized the black elongated body of the car. I licked my lips, wondering if Santo was in there or chose to go somewhere else after all, but with all the windows of the limo heavily tinted, there was no way for me to find out without approaching the car.

  As I walked along the side of the alley, balancing in high heels, I felt self-conscious about the way my hips swayed in the tight dress. If he was watching me from inside the vehicle, I didn’t want to seem like a klutz.

  When I got closer, I heard his voice, so he must have not noticed me approaching after all.

  “We’re only staying a day longer because she wanted a bachelorette party. I know, but what’s the big deal if Seth’s not there yet? No! I’m not ‘having fun’.”

  I stopped, trying not to breathe, and listened on, eager for every scrap of information about Seth. Of course Santo was not ‘having fun’. Toying with me and my sister was serious business.

  “Of course I’ve made friends with him,” Santo went on. “We will have a long drive together, so I’m sure we’ll get acquainted better. I’ve got this, really.”

  My lips twitched. Santo, scolded and questioned like a teenager. So he wasn’t all that untouchable after all.

  “Fine,” he grunted, and it seemed that the conversation was over, because the silence extended.

  I leaned against the car and tapped my nails on the glass, letting him know he wasn’t alone.

  He opened the door and peeked out with a frown. “What is it? You forgot something?” he asked without his usual flirting, or even pretending to be nice, for that matter.

  I stared at him, suddenly unsure why I’d followed him in the first place. “I just... I wanted to say thank you...for helping Rosa. No one else noticed what was going on.”

  Santo ran his fingers through his hair and let out a long exhale. “Ah, that. No problem.” His features softened slightly, and he offered me a cigarette.

  I pushed it right back, because I didn’t smoke. “And if you could not give mixed signals to Mona...that would be great,” I said quieter. “She’s only sixteen. I think you’re too much for her.”

  Santo lit himself a cigarette and moved farther into the car as if daring me to join him. “Oh, she looks older. It was just a bit of innocent fun.”

  “It might be innocent to you, but you need to think of the effect you have on people,” I said, unhappy with his carefree attitude. Typical man. He probably thought it was as easy for us women as it was for him to deal with this divide between sex and romance. Maybe it would have been—in a different world.

  And there it was, that sly smile despite the cigarette in his mouth. “What effect do I have on people?”

  I stalled, my whole body burning within seconds. “Why do you keep teasing me?” I asked in the end, in the hope of diverting his attention. “Tell me about my future husband.”

  Santo raised his eyebrows and patted the dark leather upholstery next to him. Only when I sat inside and closed the door behind me did he speak. “He’s lived in the US for the last few years, away from his family. I think your marriage is to solidify his position back home.”

  I licked my lips, keeping my distance. The limo was huge, with a whole cupboard of liquor and multiple seats lined with pink and black leather, but as I sat next to him, the space seemed to shrink around us. “No. What I wanted to know is... is he a nice person?” I asked, entwining my fingers in my lap.

  There was something about the close quarters that made Santo seem more dangerous than before. Maybe it was the phone call that has made him so tense? Or I was just projecting my own nervousness onto him. I’d spent enough time around smokers for cigarettes not to bother me, but the way the smell gathered in the limo seemed to only make the air between us thicker.

&
nbsp; Santo put an arm over the back of the seat. “When I last saw him, I guess I could say he seemed…nice. Is that what you want? A nice guy?” I hated the hint of mockery in his tone.

  I clenched my teeth. “Well, what would you want in my place? The last thing I want is to end up with someone...unstable,” I said, catching my breath. There was nothing wrong with wanting a kind husband. Nothing good came out of passion, which would surely burn out, leaving resentment that could easily turn into violence.

  Santo’s dark eyebrows gathered into a frown and he exhaled some smoke, watching me for a while. It was unnerving, but at least he seemed to really be giving my question consideration.

  “In your place, Lucrezia, I would look not for a ‘nice’ man, but for a man who can keep you safe.” His green gaze locked with mine, and all of a sudden I wished I smoked, so I’d have something to do with my hands. “Seth is not that kind of man.”

  I clutched at my own hands, sinking into the seat. “Keep me safe? Why wouldn’t I be safe?”

  “Your father must have told you, you will be the wife of the future Villani family Don. A man like that attracts trouble. The kind of trouble that isn’t diffused by being nice.” His deep, warm voice filled the car like the smoke, making me both suffocate and crave more of it.

  My heart thudded in my chest as if it wanted to get away, and yet my body was heavy, sitting firmly so close to Santo’s warmth. “And I suppose you think you’re the kind of man I need? How many wives of your associates are you protecting?” I asked, trying to be cool about all this, even though his words struck a chord in my deepest fears.

  Santo shook his head, his gaze reminding me of a lizard’s. He was not Prince Charming. He was the dragon. “Oh, no. You got it all wrong. I’m the opposite of a bodyguard. You are an exception. And actually, yes, I might be just the man you need. But you can’t have me, because I will not be the future Don, and that’s who your father wants you to marry.”

  I was speechless. Being told I couldn’t have him shouldn’t have made me so numb, but it did anyway. I looked away, shaken by all those revelations. “If I can’t have you, then what were you playing at? Was this a test?”

  A shiver went down my spine when his warm fingertips brushed over my shoulder. “I never offered you marriage.”

  I snorted involuntarily and almost rubbed my face before remembering all the carefully-applied makeup. “Then you’re putting me in danger. You know this. I can’t just go around sleeping with any man I like.”

  “You’re not married yet, and it’s not like you’re a virgi--are you?” He cocked his head to the side and put out his cigarette.

  I took in a deep breath, shocked by the question. “That’s none of your business. And I know men like you. You see I’m in a bad position, and you’re trying to use it against me.”

  “Men like me?” Santo let out a bark of a laugh. “You have no idea.”

  “Oh, really? I grew up among men like you.” And yet being alone with him was still unnerving, and I wasn’t sure anymore if I was afraid or excited.

  “You like that kind of life? You’re looking forward to becoming Seth Villani’s wife?”

  I took a deep breath to calm down. “I don’t want to give my father any trouble. Nothing good can come out of doing so,” I said, despite knowing he could never understand my position.

  But something in him changed, and I couldn’t pinpoint it. He slowly entwined our fingers, as if giving me time to pull away if I wanted to. “There’s only so much we can choose in our lives, isn’t there?”

  I exhaled, relaxing to the warm touch that was surprisingly tender. “I just wish I wasn’t so restricted in what I can and cannot do. Father wouldn’t even let me choose my wedding dress,” I said, biting on my lips. I was sure he wouldn’t get it. For him, it was just a pretty piece of fabric designed to make an impression, but without choosing my own clothes, I felt more naked than without any clothes at all.

  “I guess the dress is more important than the husband,” he joked, playing with my fingers, but his words were good-natured.

  I couldn’t help but laugh, but I didn’t push him away, enjoying the comfort of his hands. “Well, most girls plan their weddings long before there can be a husband in the picture.”

  Santo’s closeness didn’t seem intimidating anymore, even if the scent of his cologne still kept me on edge. “Marriage is where I drew the line. I do…things for the Family, but I will not have anyone tell me who to marry.”

  “That’s the problem, isn’t it? There isn’t anything else I can do for my family,” I said, noticing that I’d turned toward him at some point. How had I missed that?

  “We’ve all got duties.”

  I wondered if his ‘duties’ made him end up with a huge scar on his neck, but I didn’t dare ask.

  An idea appeared in my head, pushing its way right to the forefront of my mind as I glanced into his eyes, which weren’t reptile-like anymore, but kind, even if still cool. “Would you do something for me?”

  He gave me a half-smile, but his eyes sparked with amusement. “I can’t kill your future husband for you, babe.” Funny that he’d be the second one to suggest that.

  I chuckled and shook my head. “No. Could you take something back with you for me? My sister can’t do it.”

  His face lost its smile. “I can’t promise until I know what it is.”

  “A wedding dress,” I said quickly, chewing on my lip in anticipation.

  Santo’s hand snaked its way to my hip, and he played with the hem of my dress. The dragon was back, his eyes focused on me and me only. “That could be arranged.”

  All air left me as I slumped into the seat, so heavy I couldn’t possibly drag my body away from him. And I already anticipated a ‘but’ in there somewhere. “Yes?”

  He leaned closer and kissed my ear, sending a shiver all the way down my body. “Yes, but you have to offer me a good deal.” The tip of his fingers slid under the hem of my dress, massaging my thigh.

  I stiffened, resting both my hands on the seat as his fingertips trailed up my sensitive skin. I had expected this and still asked for him to help me out. I should have known better.

  But that hand felt so good it made something tighten and throb all over my lower body. Stifling a gasp, I looked into his eyes, trying to stay as calm as possible. I didn’t want to give him the wrong idea. Or rather, I didn’t want him to get the right idea. “Yes?” I asked again.

  Santo’s warm lips slid to my neck. “We both know what I want a taste of,” he whispered, and I was going frantic. Was I about to offer myself up for a dress? Or was the dress only an excuse for what I truly wanted? Because no man had ever been this close to me, no man had ever kissed me before him, and no man’s hand had ever been so far up my dress.

  “I’ll let you touch me,” I whispered, and my hand slowly trailed to his chest, sensing the steady, firm heartbeat beneath his shirt. Would Seth also feel this way? Or I was being silly because he was my first kiss?

  “With my lips?” His tongue trailed down my neck and all the way to my collarbone. Would he be able to taste my excitement?

  When his hand slid up higher, all the way until the fingers crawled up the lace of my panties, I almost forgot the question. Almost.

  “I...” It was an obscene idea, and my thoughts drifted to the lingerie I was wearing. Thankfully, it was a nice new pair, so I didn’t have to be embarrassed about that, but shyness inched its way up my spine and made me shudder against him. “You promise?” I whispered, leaning in closer to his face, to those tobacco-flavored lips.

  The scratch of his stubble against my skin reminded me I was dealing with a testosterone-fuelled beast, and if he decided he wanted to go further than I wished him to, I’d be at his mercy. Was I willing to take that risk? Was I able to trust him?

  “I promise I will hand-deliver whichever wedding dress you pick.” His voice was even lower than before, and he nuzzled me under my jaw as his hands pulled up my dress. Was I ready for
this? Was anyone ever ready? How obscene was it to speak of a wedding with another man when all I wanted right now was Santo’s attention?

  Out of breath, I touched his jaw and nudged him closer, opening up for the kiss that made me shiver in anticipation of his fingers exploring more of me. “All right then,” I whispered into his mouth, spreading my knees slightly when his fingertips ghosted over my underwear. My skin felt so sensitive there. It was never as ticklish when I touched myself, but just a gentle brush of Santo’s hand, and I was arching into him.

  He leaned away instead of kissing me, and for a split second my heart broke when I thought it has all been an elaborate prank to test the chastity of a cousin’s future wife, but Santo only pulled away to press the button that locked all the doors from the inside.

  The finality of the clicking sound made me jump, but his lips were right back on mine to soothe my anxiety. His tongue opened me up and explored my mouth in languid movements that lulled me into closing my eyes. I couldn’t force myself to feel guilty about it. I hadn’t even seen Seth’s face, let alone spoken to him or kissed him, when what I had here with Santo was tangible.

  He tasted of an intoxicating mixture of smoke and lemonade that he must have had earlier, and I was pulling on his clothes before I could even think about it. It was as if my body wasn’t completely my own anymore, but a separate entity that wanted Santo on top of it.

  I squeezed my thighs around him, arching up until my sensitive nipples rubbed against his clothes but when he slipped his fingers under the lace of my underwear and slid them against my pussy, I couldn’t stop the groan that escaped my lips.

  Nothing could have prepared me for the intensity of emotions Santo’s touch evoked. Even though I knew it wasn’t the ‘proper’ thing to imagine, I still envisioned those fingers sliding into me and petting me until I came.

  His groan answered mine and I opened my eyes to see how his handsome face looked when he was excited. Dark eyelids half-covered Santo’s eyes, and under his tan skin I could still see a flush. His breath was heavier, just like mine, and it seemed that our pulses synchronised when we touched.