“What I did to her?” Dalca laughed, “You’re acting as I harmed her in some way, which is absolutely atrocious.”
“I will ask you one more time before I start beating you. What did you do to my Ana?”
“I did nothing to her!” Dalca roared, “I took her out on a lovely date.”
“Ion….” I looked up to see Ana standing at the top of the stairwell in a white silk robe, she looked like a vision, like an angel come from the heavens. How did such a thing come into my life? Into this life.
“Draga, Dalca came by. I was trying to understand what made you so upset last night, so I asked Dalca. He said he did nothing, is that true?” I watched her expression as the words left my mouth, I didn’t have to be close to her to know that was nothing but a lie, to see the glassiness in her eyes reappear.
“He did nothing?” She hissed, I’d never seen her fly down the stairs so fast. I’ve seen Ana become furious. When Bianca was missing she was a woman on a mission – but this, this is something else entirely. “You said you did nothing?” She screamed at him, “You are despicable. ”
“What happened, love?” I asked her
“I didn’t do anything to you, Ana!” Stefan growled out. In lightning speed, I watched as the woman I’m about to marry move across the room and slap Dalca right across the face. I won’t lie, that move made me hard. “I told you not to call me that,” She hissed at him.
“He was trying to get me to fuck him, and when I told him no he didn’t listen, so I shoved him and tried to get off the boat. Only, he grabbed my arm and pinned me up against a wall.” That was the mark on her. “He kept touching me after I told him that.
“Dalca,” I warned, kneeling and shaking my finger at him, “You made a very, very big mistake.”
“I didn’t do anything to her; I was trashed, I didn’t even fuck her.”
“You think that will get you out of this? That you are trashed makes everything okay?” I ask him, but he doesn’t comment. He’s not as dumb as I think, but he’s pretty fucking stupid. “How’d you get away love?” I ask her, looking up to my vision in white.
“I kneed him in the balls and made a run for it.” I rose, wrapped my hand around the back of Ana’s neck and kissed her softly. “Good girl. Now run upstairs and go back to bed. It’s still early. Don’t come downstairs for a bit, understand?”
“Y-yes, I u-understand” She whispered, her voice shaking.
“Do not worry my love. I will take care of everything.”
“Y-you aren’t going to k-kill him, r-right?” I laughed at her comment. She’s a riot.
“No love. Unfortunately, I can’t kill Dalca. That would be a bit of an issue I think. I won’t lie and say he doesn’t deserve it for touching what isn’t his, though.” I pressed one last kiss to her soft lips, “Now go, love.” She nodded and went back up the stairwell. I won’t continue my chat with Dalca until she was out of earshot.
“I could do many things to you, things that you deserve, but I am not a fool. I know I must keep the peace between the clans and that means the Petran’s and the Dalca’s as well. I will warn you, Dalca. You will not look at my wife, you will not breathe in her direction, and if I so much as see you within her proximity, I will personally be the one to put a bullet between these two fucking beady eyes.” I said through gritted teeth, tapping his forehead.
“You forget one thing, Ion” Dalca growled. I looked down at him. My position was thought out; he needed to know that I would always be the one in power. I will always be above him; there is no competing with me because it is all preordained. “Mariana isn’t your wife.”
I smirked at Dalca, raising my hand to summon one of my guards, “Gene here is going to show you the errors of your ways.”
***
I met Mariana in the kitchen after I told her it was okay to come downstairs. Gene had taken care of Dalca, and I could be sure he’d never come around Mariana ever again.
Ana paused and looked at me as if knowing I would have something to say, although I didn’t, so I let her speak. “You know, you could have saved yourself all of this trouble had you just told me no to dating any of them in the first place. I did ask you what to do,” she told me.
Hmm, here we are. Our first fight. She sounded tired. I didn’t want to say anything that would admit guilt to her, though. Even if she as right in a way, it had probably been a good idea to appease the clans. I had let it get too far though. It wasn’t a mistake I was about to make again, or admit.
“You’re not going to get sympathy or an apology from me. You have never been raised to think you would be with anyone other than me, Ana. You were always bound to be mine, and I yours.” I stormed up to her, wrapping my hand around her waist and pulling her body against mine forcefully. I wanted her to remember what she had felt for me before, what I had hoped she was feeling for me now.
At first, she was clearly resistant, pushing away from me and looking anywhere but into my eyes, but our bodies had connected. That wasn’t something you just forgot. Even I could not forget it as her heat overwhelmed me.
I waited until she relaxed in my arms to let go and move a few inches away. “I hope you wanted a big wedding,” I told her. “Because that’s exactly what you’re going to get. You’re going to be Mariana Petran.”
I wasn’t mad at Mariana.
I was furious that I couldn’t kill Dalca, he did deserve that fate after hurting my Ana. I decided to go to the gym and take out all of my frustrations on the equipment.
Chapter 15
Ion
"I need to set some ground rules, Ion."
Mariana was somehow angry and in my face again. Her mood swings were giving me whiplash, but I guess I would have to get used to it considering the plans were already underway to make her my wife. If I was honest with myself, at least she didn’t make life boring.
"Last time I checked, this was my house with my rules. You don’t make the rules. You belong to me based on a contract. It is out of the goodness of my black heart that I take any of your requests into consideration," I answered, trying to maintain at least the look that I was in charge.
"I will be freer here than I was with Jonas. I know that my father gave me to you for a reason. There has to be some good quality underneath all of this." She waved her arm over my body as if I knew what she meant. She didn’t seem to have the right words on her tongue to describe me. "I want to be equal partners here. I understand that you are to be the leader of the clans, and I am fine with that, it’s what I’ve expected my entire life. But in this house, in this relationship, we must be even. If you want me to marry you, then you will do this," she demanded, making me award her with a slight smirk. I wasn't sure what she could or would threaten if I didn’t give her what she wanted, but the way her eyebrows went up when she was upset and how close she was to me in her anger, was a real turn on.
"And what exactly are you going to do?" I asked out of sheer curiosity.
She scoffed, looking offended that I didn’t know the answer. "Without my cooperation, you get nothing, Ion. You have to have me in order to take the throne, and I am sure there are plenty of leaders out there more than happy to have me instead. Not that I would take them up on their offers. But I could hide my daughter and kill myself. The claim would be gone, and Bianca would never have to know this world the way I have."
She was bluffing, she had no idea I could see this in her eyes, but she was. She would do no such thing; the woman thinks I can’t see the way she’s growing towards me. I can, and it’s about damn time that she is.
The pain was showing again, and I realized that I had been a bit of an ass, even if it was for the sake of control. Control I was promised but had gone to hell in a handbasket since her capture. My heartstrings were way too easily pulled by this woman. It was alright for me to be so attracted to her fire, but I didn’t know if I should let myself be lured in otherwise. This was supposed to be about power and benefiting from the arrangement my father and hers
made for us so long ago. I was my father’s son, and I couldn’t let feelings get in the way of what was mine.
I needed to focus on the attraction and let anything else go if I would rule over her and over the clans like I needed to. I was going to prove to her that it was the right choice to stick with me and not with any other clan leader. They would never make the cut, not even the Russians.
I stood up and challenged her with my stature, getting close to her. She matched my fury with her own and didn’t back down. A strong woman apparently was what got me going, and I could feel myself growing inside my pants. I scooped my arm around her, pulling her against my body, though she fought me like always. I could tell the fight was out of anger and not for lack of wanting me. Even under all that hard exterior, she had gotten good at putting up since I’d rescued her, I could tell there were many feelings there for me. Attraction, lust, love, like, it didn’t really matter. All that mattered was that it was something I could leverage. I would make her mine in no time.
“I will not lose you again,” I said softly and slowly, brushing her hair back with my hands so that I could see her whole face. She was avoiding eye contact with me, and in a way, I was grateful. I might have revealed too much about my own feelings had she looked too closely.
I felt a connection to this woman. She was going to be my wife. As always, my brain went back to holding her hand after she had found the injured cat. We had already connected so long ago, and I hated believing it, but it seemed to have more to do with the two of us rather than an arrangement made by our parents.
I crushed her body to mine, forcing her to surrender. I felt her body go limp at my touch, and my hand snaked up the back of her thigh, up under the shorts she was wearing to find the bare skin of her ass hanging out the back of her thong. I had to silently thank myself for all the clothes I had gotten her since she came to live with me because it made her that much more damn sexy.
I squeezed her ass cheek and received a surprised squeal in return. I kissed up the side of her neck and landed at her ear, licking the lobe before sucking it into my mouth. I nibbled at the soft and delicate skin that once held piercings which had grown smaller. Jonas must not have provided her with the niceties such as earrings.
My tongue circled that tiny hole, and my hand slid across the goosebumps that were rising on the back of her neck. She was like ice cream melting in my mouth and not at all vanilla.
I didn’t have long nails, but I used what I did have to scrape back down her thigh, sliding back out from under her shorts as I brought my hand around to the front. My fingers were going straight for her shorts, unclasping them and letting them drop to her ankles with the movements of only one hand. I could guarantee I was the only damn man she had been with who could do that while still caressing her glorious neck with my other hand.
Her neck swung loosely as I continued to massage her, bringing her closer to complete surrender to me. I didn’t think she could ever go back to seeing anyone else after this. I was going to give her an adventure outside of the bedroom that she had never had before. She was going to know what she had been missing being away from me all those years.
A sort of frenzy began as Mariana stepped out of her shorts, kicking them behind her. I was mildly aware that the door to my office was not fully closed as she began to unbutton my shirt and pull it off, running her hands over my abs. I normally wouldn’t care, but Mariana was mine in every sense of the word. I didn’t want any of my men seeing her in this state.
I let my pants fall to the floor as well before leaving her, only for a moment. Mariana turned to watch me with lust filling her eyes, as I shut the door and drew the blinds over the French doors. The way she looked at me just made my shaft grow, seeing how she liked the way I cared or myself.
I walked back up to her, a bit of a strut in my stride, and I pulled my boxers down, letting her bask in the glory of my long shaft, standing at attention just for her. I pulled her to me again, just the way she liked, letting her feel my member up against her thigh before I yanked her thong off. Her well-trimmed pussy was right there waiting for me to ravage her.
I leaned to the side, brushing her hair out of the way again. I loved the way her soft, white-blonde tendrils felt between my fingers, and I kissed lightly at her neck. She moaned as I teased her, my hand resting on the small of her back and making small, sensual circles there.
Then, I picked her up, wrapping her legs around me, licking her lips as I spun her around towards the wall. I pressed her back against the wall, helping to hold her up as I slid her body down onto me, giving her body what I knew it was begging for. Mine was begging for hers too. I grunted out a satisfied sigh as I worked my way deeper into her. Her tight flesh squeezed against me as it fought my movement deeper inside of her. But I wasn’t going to let that stop me.
I spread her wide as I hung onto her tightly. She bent down to place her lips on mine, giving me the most passionate kiss she had since she had come back to me. I bounced her body on mine as she leaned back in ecstasy, calling out my name. “Ion!” she cried out loud, only serving to make me go faster and harder.
Sweat began to drip form my brow at the effort as I fucked her hard, letting her know what I could give her as her husband once she said those two words. My name on her lips was the best thing I had heard in a long time, and I couldn’t help but slow my pace, torturing her just a little. I wanted her to prove that she wanted me and say my name again and again.
I felt her legs squeeze tighter around me as her body began to shiver. I pumped hard, knowing she was close. That’s when her flesh throbbed around my cock, forcing me to cum sooner than I wanted. My warmth filled her as she slumped over my shoulder in relief only I was able to give her.
Mariana
"Mommy. Mommy!" Bianca called out, tugging at my sleeve in excitement. I knew she had been missing out on a life worth living when she was holed up with me at Jonas’s place, but I didn't realize that Bianca would be so excited about the simple things. Ion had brought us to Central Park on a Saturday to do things as a family. It was an odd thing to hear coming out of his mouth considering he had been so insistent than my time there with him wasn't going to be much different form my time with Jonas.
I shouldn’t have thought that, knowing my father had trusted the Petran’s with his entire empire. Ion was a dominant man, and while I didn’t know if I was going to fall ahead over heels for him or anything, I saw some silver lining in our relationship. Okay, that’s a total and complete lie. I’m going to fall head over heels for him; there’s no way that I can’t at this point. Sure, Ion Petran isn’t perfect, no one on this green earth is. But, the way he is with Bianca, the way he’s growing on me, I’m screwed.
I followed my daughter over to where she was dragging me and saw an indoor-outdoor area that had been turned into a skating rink. There was a bit of a chill in the air but not enough for that to be happening naturally. All the wonders of New York City were a surprise to me as well. "Can we skate?" she asked, her little pouty lip trying to manipulate me. I wasn’t sure what my answer should be. It wasn’t like I had any control over my own money at the moment, though plenty had been left to me from Ion.
I was pleasantly surprised when I looked up at Ion for his answer. "Of course, you can, Puff," he told her with a smile. "I will go get some skates for you and your mother."
Ion looked up at me with a smile, probably noting the shock on my face. I figured something like this would be out of his realm of what was appropriate. After all, we were members of the mob, and he was a rich man, always having his servants and body guards following us around whatever we went. I knew for a fact they were hanging around us at this very moment even if I couldn’t spot them specifically. They were fantastic at blending in with the average Joe. If you were looking at us from afar, you would have no idea who we are – what we are, but I can guarantee you there are at least ten armed men and women surrounding us ready to take out every threat.
I watched as Ion we
nt up to the booth to purchase the tickets and the ice skates, my boisterous four-year-old bouncing up and down next to me like it was her birthday. I could only imagine what her fifth would be like for her with all the resources at our disposal now. It was one of my reasons for not fighting his new ruling that I would not be dating anyone else. The other was I didn’t want to be with anyone besides him. I wanted Ion, and I was going to have him. I wouldn’t make it easy on him though. Ion had taken good care of Bianca since she came back to me, and I wanted only the best for her. It was a plus for me to be enjoying myself too, or at least what Ion was able to do to my body.
Ion came over with two pairs of skates and helped Bianca put hers on while I put mine on. When did he become so attentive to my little girl? Part of me was suspicious that it was in order to reel me in, but it seemed more genuine than that. He would basically be her father if the two of us got married. It’s about time that I started looking at things in a more positive light; Ion is not Jonas, it won’t be the same.
Chapter 16
Ion
The sound of gunfire woke me up out of a dead sleep next to Mariana. She had finally let me sleep by her side now on a regular basis now that the wedding plans were underway. She wasn’t keeping me away from her, but she was putting up a damn good fight. Some nights when she had gotten in one of her moods I would slither in after she was asleep because she “declared” that I wouldn’t be in our bed. Through the night she’d end up in my arms, right where she belonged. I turned to look at her, her hair a mess from sleeping as I heard the screams of Bianca coming from her room. I reached below the bed where I always kept a weapon and nodded for her to go check on Bianca. I would deal with whatever was happening.
Mariana pulled a robe around herself and rushed to her daughter, probably more afraid than she needed to be. The gunshot was loud, but it had not come from inside the house. My men would already be onto whoever it was, though I didn’t know what kind of a threat was coming. I didn't think there would be anymore threats, but the life of a mob clan leader meant that you made some enemies along the way. It could be nothing other than some jealous thug thinking they were brave enough to mess with the current reign.
Promised (The Clans Book 1) Page 9