by Reilly, Cora
I couldn’t believe his nerve. Did he think I would obey him only because he was a Made Man? That hadn’t worked these last five years. I quickly reached for his stomach and pinched him hard, which wasn’t easy considering Samuel was all muscle.
He jerked in surprise. I used his momentary distraction to slip past him then made a show of swaying my hips as I headed into the living area. Samuel caught up with me. “You have an impossible temper.”
I smiled. “I have your temper.”
“I’m a man. Women are supposed to be docile.”
I rolled my eyes.
Samuel crossed his arms and leaned against the wall beside the window. “You always act like a well-behaved lady when others are around, but Danilo will get a nasty surprise once he realizes he didn’t get a lady but a fury.”
A flicker of worry flooded me. Samuel was right. Everyone outside my family knew me as the Ice Princess. Our family was notorious for being poised and controlled. The only people who really knew me were my parents, Sofia, and Samuel. Could I ever be myself around Danilo? Or would that put him off? Danilo was always controlled, which was probably why Uncle Dante and Dad had chosen him for my husband—and because he was the heir to one of the most important cities of the Outfit.
A knock sounded and I turned around to see Danilo step in.
His brown eyes met mine, and he gave me a small smile. Then his gaze moved on to Samuel leaning against the wall behind me. Danilo’s expression tightened the slightest bit. I risked a look over my shoulder and found my brother glaring at my fiancé as if he wanted to crush him to dust. I tried to catch Samuel’s gaze, but he was content killing Danilo with his eyes. I couldn’t believe him.
“Samuel,” I said in a forced, polite voice. “Why don’t you give Danilo and me a moment?”
Samuel tore his gaze away from my fiancé and smiled. “I’m already giving you a moment.”
“Alone.”
Samuel shook his head once, his smile darkening, eyes returning to Danilo. “It’s my responsibility to protect your honor.”
Heat rose to my cheeks. If Danilo hadn’t been in the room, I would have lunged at my brother and wrung his neck.
Danilo stepped up to me and kissed my hand, but his eyes were on my brother. Releasing my hand, he said, “I can assure you Serafina’s honor is perfectly safe in my company. I will wait until our wedding night to claim my rights ... when she is no longer your responsibility.” Danilo’s voice had dipped in a threatening way. He had never hinted to sex before, and I knew it was to provoke my brother. Power plays between two alphas.
Samuel rocked forward, away from the wall, his hand going to his knife. I turned and stepped up to my twin, placing my hand against his chest. “Samuel,” I said in a warning tone, digging my nails into his skin through the fabric of his shirt. “Danilo is my fiancé. Give us a moment.”
Samuel lowered his gaze to my face, and for once his expression didn’t soften. “No,” he said firmly. “And you won’t defy my command.”
I often forgot what Samuel was. He was my twin, my best friend, my confidant first, but for five years he’d been a Made Man, a killer, and he wouldn’t back down in front of another man, especially not someone he would have to meet as a fellow Underboss. If I pushed further, he would look weak, and he was supposed to take over as Underboss from Dad in a few years. Even though I hated doing it and had never done it before, I cast my eyes down as if I was submitting to him.
Danilo might be my fiancé, but Samuel would always be my blood, and I didn’t want him to look weak in front of anyone. “You are right,” I said obediently. “I’m sorry.”
Samuel touched my shoulder and squeezed lightly. “Danilo,” he said in a low voice. “My sister will leave now. I want a word alone with you.”
My blood boiling, I gave Danilo an apologetic smile before I left. Once outside, my smile fell and I stormed through the foyer, needing to vent. Where was Dad? I turned the corner and collided with someone. “Careful,” came a drawl I knew well, and two hands steadied me.
I looked up. “Uncle Dante,” I said with a smile then flushed because I’d barreled into him like a five-year-old throwing a tantrum. I smoothed my dress, trying to look poised. After all, my uncle was pure control. He had to be as Boss of the Outfit.
Dante tilted his head with a small smile. “Is something the matter? You look upset.”
My cheeks heated further. “Samuel embarrassed me in front of Danilo. He’s alone with him now. Having a word. Can you please check on them before Samuel ruins everything?”
Dante chuckled but he nodded. “Your brother wants to protect you. Where are they?”
“Living room,” I said.
He squeezed my shoulder before walking away. Anger was still simmering under my skin. I would make Samuel pay for it. I made my way upstairs and into his room. A few knives and weapons belonging in a museum decorated the walls, but apart from that it was practically furnished. In a week or two Samuel would move into his own apartment in Chicago and work directly under Dante for a couple of years before returning to Minneapolis and eventually taking over for Dad.
I sank down on his bed, waiting. With every second that passed, I became more nervous. I got up and paced the room. When I heard his steps, I stopped and hid behind the door, carefully slipping out of my heels. The door opened and Samuel stepped in. I jumped, trying to land on his back and wrap my arms around his neck like I’d often done in the past.
Samuel caught me, hoisted me over his shoulder despite my struggling, and threw me down on the bed. Then he actually held me down, tousling my hair and tickling me.
“Stop!” I screeched between laughter. “Sam, stop!”
He did stop but gave me a smug grin. “You can’t win against me.”
“I liked it better when you were a scrawny boy and not this killing machine,” I muttered.
Something dark passed over Samuel’s eyes, and I touched his chest and lightly shoved him, a distraction from whatever horrors he was remembering. “How badly did you embarrass me in front of Danilo?”
“I went over the details of your wedding night with him.”
I stared at Samuel in horror. “You didn’t.”
“I did.”
I sat up. “What did you say?”
“I told him he better treat you like a lady on your wedding night. No dominant shit or anything.”
My cheeks blazed with heat, and I hit his shoulder hard.
He frowned, rubbing the spot. “What?”
“What!? You embarrassed me in front of Danilo. How could you talk about something like that with him? My wedding night isn’t your business.” My entire face was burning from embarrassment and anger. I couldn’t believe him. He had always been protective of me, of course, but this took things too far.
Samuel grimaced. “Trust me, it wasn’t easy for me. I don’t like to think that my little sister is going to have sex.”
I hit him again. “You are only three minutes older. And you have been having sex for years now. Do you even know how many women you’ve slept with?”
He shrugged. “I’m a man.”
“Oh shut up,” I muttered. “How am I ever going to face Danilo after what you did?”
“If it was up to me, you’d become a nun,” Samuel said, and I lost it.
He had a way to drive me up the wall. I lunged at him again but like before it was futile. The last time I stood a chance fighting Samuel was more than five years ago. Samuel wrapped his arms around me from behind and held me in place.
“I think I’ll carry you downstairs like this. Danilo is still talking to Dante. I’m sure he’ll love to see his future wife this disheveled. Maybe he’ll decide against marrying you if he sees you’re not quite the obedient lady you want him to believe you are.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” I kicked my legs but Samuel carried me, lodged against his chest like I was a puppet.
Dad came in, his eyes moving from me pressed against Samuel to my twin gripping m
e tightly. He shook his head once. “I thought you’d stop the brawling once you got older.”
Samuel released me and I stumbled to my feet. He smoothed his clothes, righting his gun and knife holsters. “She started it.”
I gave him a look. Smoothing my hair and clothes, I cleared my throat. “He embarrassed me in front of Danilo, Dad.”
“I told Danilo I’d rip his balls off if he didn’t treat her right on their wedding night.”
I scowled at my twin. He hadn’t mentioned that detail to me.
Dad gave me a wistful smile, touching my cheek. “My little dove.” Then he moved to Samuel and clapped his shoulder. “You did good.”
I gave the two of them an incredulous look. Stifling my annoyance—and worse, my gratefulness for their protectiveness—I walked out of Samuel’s bedroom into my own. I sat down on the bed, suddenly overcome with sadness. I was leaving my family, my home, for a city I didn’t know, a husband I barely knew.
At the sound of an unfamiliar knock, I stood and walked toward my door, opening it.
Surprise washed over me when I saw Danilo’s tall form. I opened my door wider but didn’t ask him in. That would have been too forward. Instead, I stepped out into the corridor. “I can’t ask you in.”
Danilo gave me an understanding smile. “Of course not. In case you’re worried, your uncle knows that I’m up here.”
“Oh,” I said, overwhelmed by his presence and the memory of what Samuel had done.
“I wanted to say goodbye. I’m leaving in a few minutes,” he continued.
“I’m sorry,” I said with as much dignity as my burning face allowed.
Danilo smiled with a small frown. “What for?”
“For what my brother did. He shouldn’t have talked to you about ... about our wedding night.”
Danilo chuckled and moved closer to me, his spicy scent wrapping around me. He took my hand and kissed it. My stomach fluttered. “He wants to protect you. That’s honorable. I don’t blame him. A woman like you should be treated like a lady, and I will treat you that way on our wedding night and on every night that follows.”
He leaned forward and lightly kissed my cheek. His eyes made it clear that he wanted to do more than that. He stepped back, letting go of my hand. I swallowed.
“I’m looking forward to being married to you, Serafina.”
“Me too,” I said quietly.
With a last look at me, he turned around and left. My heart pounding in my chest, I returned to my room and plopped down on my bed. I wasn’t in love with Danilo, but I could imagine falling for him. That was a good start and better than many other girls in my world got.
A few minutes later, someone knocked again. This time I recognized the unabashed pounding of a fist against wood. “Come in,” I said.
I didn’t have to look up to know who it was. I recognized Samuel’s steps with my eyes closed. He sank down beside me. “Thank you for obeying me when Danilo was around,” Samuel said quietly. He took my hand.
“You need to appear strong. I didn’t want to make you look weak.” I looked up at him, tears gathering in my eyes.
His expression tightened. “You hated it.”
“Of course I did.”
Samuel looked away, glaring. “I hate the thought that you will have to obey Danilo or anyone for that matter.”
“I could do worse than Danilo. He’s a gentleman when he’s around me.”
Samuel laughed darkly. “He is as good as the Underboss of Indianapolis, Fina, and despite his age, he has his men under control. I’ve seen him in action. He is a Made Man like me and Dad. He expects obedience.”
I regarded him curiously. “You never expected obedience from me.”
“I wished for it,” he muttered jokingly then turned serious again. “You are my sister, not my wife. That’s different.”
“Will you expect obedience from your wife?”
Samuel frowned. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
“How do you treat the women you are with?” I’d never met any of them. Made Men took outsiders into their beds before marriage, and those women weren’t allowed into our homes.
Quickly and unexpectedly, Samuel’s face seemed to close off. “It doesn’t matter.” He stood. “And it doesn’t matter how Danilo is used to treating his whores. You are a mafia princess, my sister, and I swear by my honor that I will hunt him down if he doesn’t treat you like a lady.”
I smiled up at my twin. “My protector.”
Samuel smiled back. “Always.”
CHAPTER 2
REMO
“Are you ready? We’ve got a wedding to crash,” I said, grinning. Excitement sizzled under my skin, a low fire that burned brighter with every second I got closer to my goal.
Fabiano sighed, checking his gun and shoving it back into his holster. “As ready I as I’ll ever be for this insanity.”
“Genius and insanity are often interchangeable. Both have fueled the greatest events in human history.”
“I think you annoy me the most when you sound like Nino with your own brand of crazy,” Fabiano said. “I can’t believe I’m only a few miles from my father and can’t rip him to shreds.”
“You will get him. My plan will bring him to you eventually.”
“I don’t like the eventually part. I have a feeling this plan is about more than killing my father and punishing the Outfit.”
I leaned back against the car seat. “And what would that be?”
Fabiano met my gaze. “About you getting your hands on Dante’s niece for whatever insane reason.”
My mouth pulled into a dark smile. “You know exactly why I want her.”
Fabiano leaned back in his own seat, expression tightening. “I don’t think even you know exactly why you want her. But I do know the girl will pay for something she wasn’t responsible for.”
“She’s part of our world. Born and bred to be a mother to more Outfit bastards. Born and bred to obey like a mindless sheep. She was brought up to follow her shepherd without hesitation. He led her toward a pack of wolves. It’s his mistake, but she will be torn apart.”
Fabiano shook his head. “Fuck, Remo. You are a crazy fucker.”
I wrapped my fingers tightly around his forearm, over his Camorra tattoo—the blade and the eye. “You are one of us. We bleed and we die together. We maim and kill together. Don’t forget your oath.”
“I won’t,” he said simply.
I released him. My eyes moved to the front of the hotel where Serafina’s parents, Ines and Pietro Mione, had just walked out the door with a young dark-haired girl between them. Dressed in evening wear for the wedding of the year, Ines looked remarkably like her brother. Tall and blond and proud. So fucking proud and controlled.
“It won’t be long now,” I said, glancing down the street where the car with my two soldiers was waiting.
Fabiano put the keys in the ignition as we watched the Miones drive off. “Her twin will stay with her,” he said. “And then there’s the bodyguard.”
My eyes sought out the middle-aged guy behind the wheel of a Bentley limousine parked in the driveway of the hotel. A fucking flower arrangement on the hood. White flowers. I wanted to squash them under my boots.
“They’re making it too easy figuring out the car of the bride,” I said with a laugh.
“Because they don’t expect an attack. It’s never been done before. Funerals and weddings are sacred.”
“There have been bloody weddings before. They should know better.”
“But those weddings became bloody because the guests got into fights with each other. I don’t think anyone has ever attacked a wedding, especially the bride, on purpose. Honor forbids it.”
I chuckled. “We are the Camorra. We have our own set of rules, our own idea of honor.”
“I think they will realize that today,” he said tightly.
My eyes scanned the front of the hotel. Somewhere behind its windows, Serafina was getting ready for her wedding.
She’d be groomed to perfection, an apparition in white. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her, stain the perfectly white fabric blood-red.
SERAFINA
“You don’t have to be scared, sweetheart,” Mom said quietly so Sofia wouldn’t hear her. My little sister was busy tugging at the pins keeping her hair in place on top of her head, grimacing.
“I’m not,” I said quickly, which was a lie. It wasn’t that I was overly scared of sleeping with Danilo, but I was nervous and worried about embarrassing myself. I didn’t like to be bad at things, and I would be bad given I had no experience.
She gave me a knowing look. “It’s okay to be nervous. But he’s a decent man. Dante always talks in glowing terms about Danilo.” Mom tried to sound casual but failed miserably. She stroked my hair like she used to do when I was little.
We both knew that there was a difference between being a decent man and a loyal soldier to the Outfit. Uncle Dante was probably basing his judgment of Danilo on the latter. Not that it mattered. Danilo had always been a gentleman, and he would be my husband in a few hours. It was my duty to submit to him, and I would do it.
My hairdresser took Mom’s place and began pinning up my blond hair, arranging pearls and strings of white gold in it. Mom noticed Sofia fighting with her hairdo and quickly moved over to her. “Stop it, Sofia. You’ve already untangled a few strands.”
Sofia dropped her hands with a resigned look. Then her blue eyes found mine. I smiled at her. Avoiding Mom’s tugging hands, she came to my side and peered up at me. “I can’t wait to be a bride.”
“First, you will finish school,” I teased her. She was only eleven and hadn’t been promised to anyone yet. For her weddings were about looking pretty and the chivalrous knight she would marry. I envied her the ignorance.
“Done,” the hairdresser announced and stepped back.
“Thank you,” I said. She nodded and quickly slipped out, giving us a moment.
The dress was absolutely stunning. I couldn’t stop admiring myself in the mirror, turning left and right. The pearls and silver embroidered threadwork caught the light beautifully, and the skirt was a dream consisting of several layers of the finest tulle. Mom shook her head, tears blurring her eyes.