Adrian's Vengeance: A Dark Mafia Romance

by Isabella Starling

  She lets out the faintest of gasps when we touch, and that's when I know she feels it too. This current, this electric energy running between the two of us, reminding her whom she belongs to. Her eyes fly up, meeting mine, not quite recognizing me because of the black mask I'm wearing.

  "You d-dropped this," she whispers, finally looking down to pick up the chain. And when she sees it, her eyes widen even more. She's filled with disbelief, turning the chain around in her hands, eyes locking with the engraving on that ring - her nonna and nonno's names.

  "A-Adrian?" she whispers, the chain glittering on her outstretched hand. "Is it really you?"

  I ignore her, pulling the chain back and pocketing it. I walk away in a hurry, knowing full well she will follow in my footsteps, like a lamb to the slaughter. The corners of my lips tug upward as I hear the tell-tale click-clack of her heels behind me. I walk briskly past the people in the room, down the hallway and downstairs into what used to be the dungeons of the De Luca mansions. Now, they're mainly used to store the grappa their family is famous for making.

  My steps echo out in the empty hallway. I'm faster than Marzia tottering behind me in her high heels. I hear her cry out for me to stop, my name a dying whisper on her lips as she follows me deeper and deeper into the trap I've set for her. I open a door to one of the storage rooms and enter, leaving the door open for her to follow. It's cold down here, has to be for the grappa to stay intact.

  Marzia stumbles into the room a moment later, out of breath with her cheeks flushed a pretty shade of dark pink. She tries to find me in her room, not realizing I'm standing behind the door. The moment she's safely inside, I slam the door shut, turning the lock in the key and making her my prisoner, completely at my mercy.

  "Hello, Marzia," I speak up as she spins on her heels to face me. Her face is crestfallen, terrified and excited at the same time. "Did you miss me?"

  "Adrian?" She takes a step toward me, trying to rush into my embrace, but changes her mind at the last second. "It can't be you, Adrian..."

  I slowly take my mask off, and when we are face to face, she gasps with the realization that she was right. Something flashes in her eyes, akin to the desire I know she's trying desperately to hide from me. It's been eleven long years since I last saw Marzia, longer than a decade. Enough time for her fucking parents to brainwash her into thinking her role is that of an obedient mafia servant girl, nothing else, nothing more.

  "You don't call me by my name," I tell her firmly. "That's a privilege you will have to earn."

  "What?" Her eyes flash, not understanding. "Adrian, please, I-"

  "What did I just tell you, Marzia?" I hiss through gritted teeth. "You call me Signore."

  "I can't believe it's y-you," she stutters, disregarding my words and making me want to punish her for her clear disobedience. "I've spent so long wishing... wanting... hoping..."

  "For what?" I demand, smirking at her. "For your prince charming to save you from this cruel fate?"

  From her expression, I can tell that is exactly what she'd been hoping for this whole time. I laugh at her, chuckling as her pretty face falls with disappointment.

  "I have to say, Marzia," I go on darkly. "I'm disappointed. I thought you'd be a good, patient girl for me. I thought you'd fight harder for me. For us."

  "You never reached out to me," she whispers, still devouring my face with her gaze as if I'm a mirage that's come to her in a dream. "I thought you didn't want me. That you forgot about me."

  "I don't forget, bambina," I mutter, enjoying the flash of pink in her cheeks. "I owe you a favor, don't I?"

  She nods wordlessly, avoiding my gaze, so I take her chin in my hands and force her to look at me. When we touch, sparks fly, and I can't get enough of the euphoric sensation. I don't want to let go of her. Luckily for both of us, after tonight, I don't have to.

  "You shouldn't have done what your parents told you," I say. "You should've fought them more. Begged to be with me."

  She nods, mesmerized by me. I smirk at her, knowing I've got her wrapped around my finger now and fucking loving it.

  "Have you been kissed yet?" I ask, my free hand forming a fist as I wait for her answer.

  "I..." She flushes again, lashes fluttering open and closed, unwilling to disclose the answer. It only serves to make me angrier.

  "Well? Don't tell me you kissed that Donati bastard. If you did, I'm going to cut his fucking tongue out."

  "I didn't," she shakes her head, finally. "I didn't let him kiss me."

  "And before?" I rasp. "Was there anyone before me who touched those lips?"

  She shakes her head and my head soars. I can tell she isn't lying. Little mafia princesses like her can never hide their true emotions. I can read her like an open book.

  "Good," I grunt. "I'll be your first proper kiss then."

  "You can't-"

  I don't let her finish, instead pressing my lips to hers with possessive force that makes it clear whom she belongs to. I devour her little mouth, kissing her deeply and marking my territory forever. The smallest of gasps escapes Marzia's lips and she steps closer, eager for more of my punishing touch. I take what's mine, deepening our kiss and showing her she belongs to one man, and one man only.

  Her lips taste sweet, like sugar, and I can't get enough. I could spend a lifetime tasting her, getting to know the shape of her lips, claiming her as mine once and for all. But I can sense the fear in her. Her body is shaking like a leaf - she's terrified. I can't push her too much. I don't want her to break just yet... that will come soon enough. When she's good and ready for it.

  I pull back, smirking at her crestfallen face. "Now I stole your first kiss. I'm going to have all your firsts, Marzia De Luca."

  "But..." She bites her lower lip, moaning softly as she tastes me on her mouth. "What about Vitto? I'm supposed to marry him..."

  "You'll marry him over my dead fucking body," I bark instantly, feeling rage flowing through my veins freely. "You're mine, Marzia, and you always have been. I'm not letting that Donati bastard anywhere near you."

  "But our engagement..." she whispers.

  "Your engagement?" I smirk, touching my fingertips to her flushed cheek. "As of right now, that's fucking over. Forever."

  6

  Marzia

  It still feels like a dream. My mind and body refuse to understand he's really here - the boy from my childhood, the man from my daydreams. But it is him. It's undoubtedly Adrian Bernardi, and I'm at his mercy now.

  After the kiss, I finally begin to understand my predicament. The fact that I'm locked alone in a room with the enemy is enough to make papa furious, but the fact that he just had his lips on me terrifies me even more. Once papa finds out about this, I worry about Adrian, because he'll want to fucking kill him.

  "I need to get out of here," I mutter. I make a beeline for the door, but before I can get my hand on the handle, he's already standing in front of me, his height and strength imposing. "Please, Adrian. I need to get back to the party before my parents and Vitto notice I'm missing."

  "No," he replies, turning me down with a single shake of his head. "What you need to do is be a good girl for me and obey. Understood?"

  I feel the shiver down my spine making me want to submit to him. But at the same time, I know I'm not supposed to. The moment word reaches mama and papa - or God forbid, Vitto - both Adrian and I are dead.

  "You're going to get me in trouble," I manage to get out. "Please, if you don't care about yourself getting hurt, at least think about me."

  "You won't get hurt," Adrian says resolutely. "Not on my watch."

  I groan, running my fingers through my hair. Now it's coming undone, and I've had enough of the annoying tight updo. I start tugging at the tendrils of it framing my face, pulling out the bobby pins holding the hairstylist's creation in place. I'm giving up on it, giving up on the perfectly pretty doll my parents want me to be. And this seems to please Adrian, who grins at me as the pins clutter to the floor.


  "You look much better with your hair down," he tells me, his voice hoarse with something I don't quite recognize. "Makes it easier for me to do this..."

  He approaches me then, his hands finding their way into my hair and tangling in the mess of silky waves.

  "Don't, Adrian," I breathe.

  "You don't tell me what to do."

  He puts me in my place so effortlessly, and it's so very easy to accept it, to bend against his will and give him everything he wants. He pulls me in closer, fingertips exploring my face and traveling over my cheekbones to my lips. I want to submit to him. I want to give into his every whim and desire and show him how good I can be for him. And yet I know I shouldn't. I know I'll have to pay for every little mistake I make with Adrian. My parents will make sure of it.

  "I tell you what to do," Adrian finishes. The hardness to his voice scares me as much as it excites me. The shivers travel down my spine as he tugs on my hair mercilessly. "Now are you going to be a good girl for me?"

  "What do you want?" I'm trying to be strong and confident, but the words come out in a whisper. "Just tell me what you want and leave me alone."

  "I want you, Marzia." He backs me up against the wall and I gasp as the small of my back hits brick. "Haven't you realized that yet? I'm obsessed with you. I want to own you. To control you. To never let you go. So will you be a good girl for me and do as you're told?"

  "But my-"

  "Fuck your parents," he grinds out. "And fuck Vitto. I'm asking you if you want this, too."

  My eyes connect with his, pupils dilated, mouth slightly open as I search for answers in his cold gaze. I find myself nodding despite my best judgement. But this is what I've been waiting for. My ticket out of my oppressive family home. My way of running away from Vitto before he can claim me as his own.

  Adrian smirks. "How easily you give in, bambina."

  "Are you going to hurt me?" The words slip from my lips before I can stop myself, and I shiver in anticipation of his response.

  "Only if you beg for it." He untangles his fingers from my hair, traveling over my lips and down over my chest. "But you have nothing to worry about, Marzia. Your safety is my priority."

  Even though they shouldn't, his words make me feel good. Safe. Taken care of. I never thought my parents had my best interest at heart. For them I was just a pawn to move across the chess board however they pleased. But with Adrian, I'm a person. A person with feelings that count.

  "Kiss me again," I whisper despite my best judgement. Adrian lowers his mouth against mine. His touch is punishing, the way he steals kisses from my lips dangerous and addictive. Yet I know I can't, won't stop him. I want this too much. I want him to devour me.

  As we kiss, his fingers travel down my dress, and he gathers fistfuls of fabric in front of my hips. I gasp as he lifts the dress off the ground, holding it up with one hand while the other slips between my legs.

  "Adrian, don't..." I whisper in between fervent kisses, even though my traitorous heart is pounding for him to keep going. "Don't do it."

  "You said you wanted this," he mutters against my ear. "Did you lie to me, Marzia? Are you a little liar?"

  "N-No, I-"

  "Then be quiet and let me do this." His thumb outlines the shape of my pussy through the thin cotton of my panties. My breath gets caught in my throat, my eyes going to his for reassurance. But he's somewhere else entirely. Adrian's eyes are glazed over with barely controlled lust. "Want me to take them off?"

  I know I should say no. I know I should push him away. But I'm desperate for this - my own little act of rebellion before my life goes from sheltered captive to Vitto's prisoner. I nod.

  With a single fast movement, Adrian yanks my panties down my legs, exposing me to the cool air of the cellar.

  "Shh," he whispers against my lips as I whimper. "It's okay. Let me take care of you. Let me show you how good it feels with me. How right this is."

  His mouth closes on mine as his fingers touch the soft hair between my legs. My parents would never let me shave down there, but now my soft, downy hair fills me with embarrassment.

  "So fucking beautiful," Adrian mutters against my lips, oblivious to the battle going on inside my head. "I'm going to rip every shred of your innocence away..."

  I gasp as his finger slips between my pussy lips. He brushes his fingertip against my clit, barely paying it any attention, and I'm afraid I'll just collapse from the overwhelming pleasure. But Adrian isn't done yet. He keeps pushing deeper, insistently parting my folds until his finger outlines the thin layer of skin that makes me untouched, pure. A virgin.

  "Adrian, I..." I'm struggling to get the words out. I blink fast, trying to come to terms with what's happening but unable to do so. "Please don't, I-"

  "What did I say about telling me what to do?" he groans against my neck.

  "N-Not to d-do it."

  "That's right. So shut that pretty mouth and let me feel you."

  His finger probes deeper. I cringe, my teeth chattering from the pressure and the cool room combined, anticipating his next move. He won't hurt me. He promised he wouldn't. But there's no denying that Adrian Bernardi isn't just toying with my body - he's playing with my mind, too.

  "You want Vitto to be your first?" he asks.

  "Don't..."

  "Answer me."

  "I don't want h-him to..."

  "Answer," he barks again, his finger insistently pressing against my hymen.

  "Please, Adrian!" I swallow, fighting a sob because this is just so overwhelming. "No, I don't want him to fuck me..."

  "He won't," he promises darkly. "I'll make sure he never gets his hand on you, bambina."

  "Please, Adrian, I'm scared." My teeth continue to chatter.

  "You're soaking fucking wet," he muses against my lips, kissing me again. "You love this, don't you? You've waited for years to have me touch you right here."

  I can't deny it, so I stay quiet, trying my best not to moan as he explores my folds with his cold fingers. He's right. I have wanted this for years. Every time I touched myself in secret, every time I thought about kissing, touching, fucking, Adrian was on my mind. I imagined what he would look like as a man. Whether he'd be as quiet and powerful as he'd been as a boy. Whether he'd still have the foolish notion that he could go up against Vitto and his friends - against anyone - to have me. To defend his own honor.

  My eyes flutter closed while my lips part and a prayer falls from my lips.

  “Ave, o Maria, piena di grazia..."

  "Are you praying?" He smirks at me. "Your God won't save you now."

  I do my best to ignore him, carrying on, but he lets go of my dress, one hand still between my legs as the other wraps around my neck. It's tight but gentle, and I gasp as he smirks down at me.

  "You're so naive," Adrian laughs. "Nobody can save you now. There's no one left to help you. Once I decide I want something... nobody can stop me. And I want you, Marzia."

  He plunges his fingers inside me then. My eyes widen and I cry out, "No, Adrian! Don't break it!"

  But it's too late. A sob finally rips itself from my mouth and I shake in his arms as he plunges a finger deep inside me. My eyes water. The pain is blinding. He doesn't stop though, not even when I start to cry. He explores my pussy, his other hand still on my neck, our eyes locked.

  "You wanted this," he tells me, and it hurts like hell because I know he's right. "You've been waiting for someone to steal your virginity, haven't you, Marzia?"

  "No!" I struggle against him, struggle against the pleasure he's bringing my unwilling body. But nothing helps, nothing works. "Let go of me! I fucking hate you!"

  "Oh look at that." He laughs. "She's a little rebel now."

  He pulls his finger free and wipes it on the front of my dress, leaving behind a bloody stain. Adrian takes a step back while I shiver in front of him, hating my life.

  Just then, an ear-piercing scream rings out from above. My eyes fly to the ceiling and the locked door behind my captor.


  "What's h-happening?" I manage, my voice shaky with nerves. "What was that scream?"

  "Why don't you go take a look?" Adrian unlocks the door, holding it open for me. It's my cue to leave, to get away from him, but something tells me I won't like what's happening upstairs. "Go on, bambina. Run away from me. Just know every time you do, I'll chase you... and every single time, I'm going to catch you. There's no running from Adrian Bernardi, Marzia."

  "You're a monster," I spit out at him.

  "And you love it," he finishes for me.

  Ignoring his cruel words, I race out of the room and down the hallway. As I make my way closer to the ground floor, my heart beats in fear, knowing something's very, very wrong.

  There are people screaming. There's the sound of gunshots. I hear someone calling my name. My blood curdles as I round the corner.

  What I see before me is worse than anything I could have imagined. I sink to my knees as Adrian comes up behind me, easily resting a hand on my shoulder as I whimper on the ground.

  "I told you, Marzia. I want you, and nothing is going to stand in my way."

  7

  Adrian

  While Marzia kneels, I place my hand on her shoulder, admiring the havoc we've wreaked on De Luca and everything he cares about.

  The room is sprayed with blood. Bodies lie at my feet, and a man tries to crawl out of the room when one of my men walks up to him and shoots him point blank between the eyes. Marzia is screaming, the sound fading to a backdrop and melting into a hum with the rest of the noise in the grand hall. She needed to witness this. She needed to see Bernardi fury. It's not her fault her father and fiancé are fucking scum of the earth. But still, she will be forced to watch them go down, willing or not.

  My eyes find my father, standing at the center of the room pointing a gun at Marzia's papa.

  "Swear allegiance to the Bernardi family," father says in a low snarl. "Or pay for your insolence with your worthless life, cane."