“Love is love.” His mother had told him. It was not something someone else could choose for you.
Though his parents had a beautiful marriage and the years had only brought them closer together, they vowed to never force their children into one like they had been.
When his father received the offer, he told Lucian that he didn’t have to take it, but it he wanted to meet the girl, that was his choice.
He did.
There were many reasons.
Among them, Adelina Lucille DeMarco was gorgeous.
Tonight, she was all legs with a short leather mini skirt and sky-high heels. Her toned stomach peeked out beneath a sequin crop top, and her dark chocolate hair laid in loose waves down her back. She made this dive bar look not so bad. He imagined everything looked better with Adelina.
Her smile was infectious. She sipped a Long Island Ice Tea, the third that Lucian had counted, and laughed with her group of friends. From his view at the bar, Adelina looked almost like an average college student, but Lucian knew those brown eyes had seen more than their fair share of loss.
He was only on his second glass of whiskey when the pretty brunette he'd been eyeing all night came up beside him. He hadn't planned to stay so long but after watching Adelina dance he couldn't seem to leave. He watched for an hour as she fended off several attempts from the guys her age. Guys who were probably ten time less dangerous than him. Guys who would probably marry her and take her far away from the hell she called a family. Lucian probably should have let her go. He probably should have told her brother and his family to fuck off. But he wasn't that good of a guy.
"You've been staring at me." She said bluntly, setting her empty glass up on the bar.
"You're observant," he mused.
The corners of her lips turned upward into a smile. She was right, he had been staring at her. Maybe this is why he didn't do his own surveillance.
"So, tell me," She smirked with lush pink lips. "Do you like what you see?"
His cock perked at that. Damn, this girl.
"Has anybody ever told you no?"
She thought for a moment. "No," she smiled.
If her brother knew she used that pick-up line he would have her locked in a tower, but lucky for Lucian he wasn't here.
"So," she cooed. "Is that a yes."
Lucian took a slow sip from his whiskey. "Sweetheart, you are absolutely beautiful."
She smiled proudly. "Buy me a drink?"
Lucian knew damn well that she didn't need anyone to buy her a drink, her family had plenty of money. This was all just a game for her, but he was more than willing to play.
He flagged the bartender and ordered her another Long Island ice tea, and dropped a $20 on the bar for him.
She eyed up the twenty, taking a long sip from her fresh drink. "Who are you?"
"Lucian." He extended his hand for her to shake, which she laughed at.
"Stella."
She had no idea who he was. And now she was giving him some fake name, which made him assume she did this often.
This girl.
Half of him was pissed, the other half completely turned on.
Adelina DeMarco had no idea who he was or that tomorrow at noon she was going to be promised off to him like cattle.
But tonight, Lucian couldn't help but feel that Adelina wanted him for all the right reasons.
So, he was making a decision to enjoy it.
One drink turned into two and it was after midnight when they strolled into the penthouse suite Lucian was renting. Adelina whistled as the elevator doors opened. “Looks like we have a high roller.” She stumbled entering the place and leaned against the wall to gain her balance.
Lucian chucked. “We’re not in Vegas, baby.”
She smiled up at him, her shoulders pressed against the gold and white wallpaper. “Then why do I feel so lucky?”
Lucian couldn’t control himself at that line. Plus, her hips were thrust out towards him. Welcoming.
She ran her tongue along the seam of her lips, practically calling for him.
Fuck it.
He practically lunged for her, pushing her closer against the wall and devouring her mouth.
Yeah, this was wrong in so many ways. He wasn’t even sure if Adelina even knew who he was or what would happen tomorrow, but right now he just wanted every piece of her.
He ripped off her sequined top in one fluid motion, and stepped back to admire her perfect body. She licked her lips again, but his eyes were drawn to something else. The jagged scar below her left breast. He traced it with the tip of his finger and she winced. Tattooed over it was a black outline of a heart. “What’s this for?” he asked.
She pulled he hand away from the scar and the tattoo. “Just fuck me, Lucian.”
He happily obliged.
Chapter Three
“Theo!” her voice was raw from screaming. Her new, pretty dress was covered in dirt and her knees were scrapped and dripping blood. “Theo!” she screamed again. How long had she been here? Lost in the woods.
Theo and Vinny were racing through the woods with Adelina chasing after them. She knew they saw her, but still they had ran faster leaving her behind. Now she was lost. The tall trees were looming over her and her legs were aching.
“Theo?” she tried once more, tears tripping from her eyes.
“Topolina?” he called back.
Finally.
“What are you doing?” he asked, eyes scanning over her disheveled appearance.
She hiccupped a sob. “I got lost.”
“Come on.” He sighed. “I’ll take you home.”
He swung an arm over her should and led her back to path and back to their houses.
Theo always found her.
◆◆◆
Adelina was positive the entire room was spinning around her. Her stomach threatened to expel last night’s alcohol and if she didn't know better she would have thought there was a knife stuck in her head. The version of herself she hated the most was definitely drunk Adelina. Or maybe hungover Adelina.
Her eyes slowly opened to reveal she wasn't in her dorm room. She was pinned to the king-sized bed by a heavy foreign arm while flashes of the night before hit her like a ton of bricks.
"Shit." She muttered.
Shamefully she crawled from the bed carefully extracting herself from Lucian’s grasp. She slid into her skirt, found her shirt out in the penthouse's living room and shoved that on too. She grabbed her purse and made for a quick exit.
Adelina was barely out of the place when her phone went off.
Vinny.
"Good morning dear brother." She semi-whispered as she pressed the button for the elevator.
"Where the hell are you?"
"In my dorm, just woke up." She lied easily.
"Adelina," his tone scolded. "Do not lie to me."
"I'm not." Her voice cooed, sugary sweet.
"Roberto is at your dorm."
Busted by the big jackass.
"I'm almost back." She sighed.
"As soon as your back Roberto will drive you home. Hope whatever, or whoever, you did was worth it because it's not happening again." He hung up the phone with annoyance.
Roberto was leaning against the black Escalade when Adelina’s Uber arrived in-front of her dorm.
For a second she thought about having the driver keep going but she knew better.
Roberto wouldn't even let her shower or grab fresh clothes before he tossed her in the backseat of his car for the trek back to the suburbs.
Vinny’s eyes filled with anger when she walked into their family home barefoot in a short skirt and tank with high heels dangling from her finger tips.
He didn't miss the opportunity to lecture her before releasing her to go shower. It was 10 am and she had a lunch date after all.
Vinny left her with one sentiment before they piled into the Escalade: "Don't fuck this up for me."
She made no promises.
◆
◆◆
A tall, buff, and extremely attractive man was already sitting at their normal table when Adelina and Vinny arrived at the restaurant. Mangia, was one of the best Italian restaurants in Providence and part of Vinny's inheritance from their father. Adelina stood slightly behind Vinny, his words playing on repeat in her head: Be a good girl Adelina, don't screw this up for the family.
The Family, Vinny referenced was the Italian Mafia. A family Adelina was born into, but wanted no part of.
“You can't choose your family.” Her father had once told her.
"Lucian," Vinny gestured to the man and Adelina immediately felt sick in her stomach. "I'd like you to meet my sister, Adelina."
Lucian.
Vinny gave her very few rules while she stayed at school, but the most important one was no made men. Well Adelina had royally screwed that one, literally. She saw her life flash before her eyes, Vinny was going to kill her when Lucian spilled that she was spoiled goods. Her stomach ached just thinking of herself in such terms.
"Pleasure to meet you." Lucian extended his hand. He looked her over, taking in the plum colored dress and nude heels. Her hair was pulled back stylishly in a low bun.
She eyed him suspiciously. He wasn't going to say anything? It was rare in this world that people didn't use the information they had on someone to get ahead.
She took his hand in hers to shake, his palm was calloused and warm to the touch. "You too." She responded.
"Sit," Massimo gestured to the open seats.
Adelina sat directly across from Lucian, in the light of day she could better admire him. He was a beautiful man. Tan skin with dark hair covering his head. He had emerald colored eyes which were rare in an Italian man and possibly why Adelina hadn't pictured him as a made man the night before. He was impeccably dressed in a three-piece Armani suit and black leather shoes, the man had good taste.
"Is your father joining us?" Massimo asked fanning his napkin across his lap.
"No, I don't typically bring my father on dates." Lucian replies with a smirk, looking Massimo in the eye.
Before Adelina could even process, she laughed. Never in her 21 years of life had she witnessed someone blatantly disrespect the boss.
Vinny gave her a stern look.
"Is this normal for you?" Lucian asked, that smirk ever present on his face.
"Lucian-" Lucian cut Massimo off with a wave of his hand.
"I was speaking to Adelina."
Her name on his lips sounded like heaven.
Adelina kept herself from looking to Massimo or her brother who she assumed were fuming from the lack of respect. “No,” She answered meekly, her voice betraying her. “This is the first they’ve joined me.”
He nodded. ”How many times have you been set up?”
“A few.” She answered meekly. It was true. Vinny had sent her out with men he approved of in the past. Each one she had scared off or found a way to run as fast as she could. She had no interest in being a perfect Italian daughter. She planned to get the hell out of Providence once she graduated, marriage and babies were not in her future.
He paused his interrogation to take a long sip of his cognac right as the waitress came over.
The waitress, a thin blonde with painted red lips, took her time jotting down their orders and leaning low to show off herself to the powerful men at the table. Lucian’s gaze never left Adelina.
"Tell me bella," Lucian began once the waitress was gone. "Do you always let your uncle and brother make decisions for you?" He said with a smile slowly spreading across his mouth.
The butterflies reappeared in Adelina's stomach. Is he joking?
"Lucian-" again he raised a hand to silence Massimo.
"Please let her answer." He said, his gaze never leaving Adelina.
"I, uh, I'm not answering that." She responded quietly, her eyes drifted down to her lap where her napkin was crumpled and fisted up in her hands. "Is that a trick question?"
"How so?" Lucian mused.
"Are you trying to see how well behaved I am or defending my honor?" she responded quickly before thinking better of it.
At this, Lucian let out a throaty laugh. "I'm not trying to trick you, Adelina. Just trying to get to know you."
"I'm here," she told him quietly. "So that should answer your question."
"Do you not want to be here?"
"It's not personal."
"Forgive me if I take it as such." He paused again to take a drink.
Adelina wanted to scream that she didn't have a choice in the matter. That she was dragged here against her will. That if this was any other family she would be sleeping in her dorm room, eating breakfast at the cafeteria, and be surrounded her friends. Instead, this was her family and she was in the middle of an arranged date that she had no say in.
"So, Massimo says you’re in college. Brown, yes?"
"Yes."
"What do you study?"
"Literary Arts."
"And you like it?" he asks.
"Yes, a lot actually."
"Good, you should have a passion in life." He says with a genuine, soft smile.
"And what are you passionate about Lucian?"
"Many things, bella.” He chuckled.
The waitress returned with plates of food and fresh drinks. Her hips swaying as she placed the food in front of Lucian, and Adelina couldn’t help but feel a small pang in her chest.
"Where did you go to school?" she asked Lucian, determined to not be the only one being interviewed.
"Colombia." He told her, swirling his fork in the noodles and sauce on his plate.
Adelina gulped in surprise. She definitely didn't expect a mobster with a degree for a future husband.
"What for?"
His smile turned into smirk. "Criminal justice and business."
"Well then," she mused. "That's quite ironic."
"Quite." He responded before taking a bite of pasta.
"Can I ask you something?" she said after a minute.
"Of course, bella."
Adelina had a strong suspicion of what kind of business Lucian was into, but she wanted to hear it from his mouth. So far, he had been open to questions, so why not this one?
"What do you do exactly?"
Immediately Vinny choked on his drink beside her, and Massimo was quick to scold her.
"It's fine." Lucian said raising that hand to silence the table, again. He took a minute to school his features. "You're a smart girl, Adelina. I think you already know."
She inhaled deeply, her suspicions confirmed.
"I'd never put you in danger. " He added.
She sucked in a sharp breath. She knew exactly what he was referring to and she hated him for knowing and still sleeping with her last night.
Theo put her in danger just a few years ago. While no one would ever say it to Massimo, it was clear that others thought it. He’d lured the Irish to his home. She shuddered at the thought, if only they knew the truth.
She nodded, but refrained from responding.
Lucian picked up his napkin, folded it and placed it on the table. "Massimo, can I have a word with your niece privately please?"
"Sure, the office is just over there." Massimo gestured to Vinny's office towards the back of the restaurant. Vinny's face was getting more agitated by the second. Lucian placed a hand on the small of Adelina’s back as he led her toward the office.
"What the hell?" Adelina shouted as soon as Lucian closed the office door behind them.
"I beg your pardon?" he smirked (smirked!) at her outrage.
"Please tell me you didn't know who I was last night?" she said throwing her hands to the air.
"Sorry, bella."
"Jesus." She paced around the small office. "Do you know what kind of trouble I'd get in if they found out?
"They won't." Lucian's said coolly, "and if they did, it wouldn't matter."
Her eyes snapped to him. "Why? Why wouldn't it matter?"
"Bella, ju
st trust me, hmm?" he moved closer to her, pinning her against the office wall.
"You're higher up the food chain than them, aren't you?" Adelina asked, her gaze burning into his.
He smirked, "You're a smart girl."
"What do you want from me then?"
Lucian paused for a moment thoughtfully. "I should be asking you that question."
"I don't want anything from you." She spat out the words like he was a vicious man before her.
He released his arms, giving her space. “What do you want then? In life, I mean.”
She studied him, thinking the question over.
"Hmm?" he prodded.
"I'm, uh, not sure." She answered. "I've never been asked that before."
"That's a damn shame then." He moved in closer, pressing his hard body against hers again. "I want to give you whatever you want, bella, but you're going to have to figure out what that is first." His lips came forward gently brushing hers, then he pulled away quickly. "Come, let's get back to the table."
Adelina stood against the wall in a haze. There was an ache between her legs that she couldn't crush.
What the hell just happened?
Chapter Four
Lucian didn't move his gaze off Adelina until she was seated into the back of the black Escalade and on her way home. He asked that Vinny send her home so they could chat privately. Truthfully, Lucian didn't want Adelina to know the men in her life were using her as a bargaining chip. He suspected that a girl with her fire wouldn’t take kindly to be used for la famiglia.
"So," Massimo gestured to the empty seat where Adelina had been sitting. "What do you think? Are you interested in our offer?"
Massimo was a “get right to business” kind of guy, Lucian respected this quality as he had no interest in bullshitting and smoking cigars with men he didn't trust.
"Tell me again," Lucian brought his glass of newly refilled Cognac to his lips. Normally he would savor the flavor, but right now he just needed the drink.
"Marriage, of course. In exchange, we need your help with our pesky little Irish problem."
The "pesky little Irish problem" Massimo referred to wasn't as little as he made it out to be. Lucian wasn't dumb, he did his own digging, and this problem has escalated to a full-on turf war. If he helped Massimo there was a large probability that they were both going to lose men.
Velvet Lullabies Page 2