Page 123 of Mafia Obsession

“For you not to hate me.”

Sighing, she relaxes. “I don’t hate you, Ares. You’ve done so much for me. But every move has served a purpose in your quest for power. Including this.” She holds up her hand. “An engagement ring I wastoldto put on. I didn’t even get an actual proposal. I wasn’t even asked. I was told Ihaveto marry you.”

The proposal.Oh, fuck.

“I will try my best to make that up to you.” To get down on one knee now is pointless. “You may think that ring is just some cold gesture. But I have something else for you. Something that might mean more than the ring. To show you how I feel about you.”

“A car, I can’t drive?” She stands there with her hip jutted out.

From my tux jacket, I take out a flat velvet box. Knowing I need to do the heavy lifting here, I walk up to her and gently take the old butterfly clip from her hair.

“You are done with cheap jewelry.” I toss the old one in a nearby waste can and then remove a new diamond and garnet butterfly clip from the box. It shines in the overhead lights.

She softens, taking the clip from me. “Where did you get this?”

“I had it made.”

She blinks up at me. “Ares… Thank you.”

“Can I put it on you?” I realize I should have also done that with the ring.

Swallowing, she nods.

I hold back a soft bundle of silky perfumed hair and place the clip the same way she styled the other one. I kiss her neck and love how she smells.

Unable to not touch her any longer, I crash my mouth to hers and want to weep when she lets me kiss her. It’s so rough and raw that when I pull away, her red lipstick looks like it was put on with a paintbrush.

“I’m sorry, I messed this up.” I use my handkerchief from my pocket to wipe the smudged makeup away. “You don’t need lipstick. Your mouth is already perfect.”

“Ares…”

“Do you want a big wedding? I’ll make it a fucking show. I’ll buy you a two-million-dollar dress made of rare silk and diamonds with a two-mile train and?—”

“No. I don’t want that.” She sniffs. “I never wanted that.”

Because she’s selfless and pure.

“Then we’ll do something quiet. Tomorrow, if you want.” I press a kiss to her forehead. “Let’s get through tonight.”

Chapter 49

Lourdes

We arrive on the roof of the Aurelian, where Ares is hosting the New Year’s Eve party like it’s the turn of the century. I guess for him, it is. And for other mafia families.

There will be a new power structure. Syndicates will now be recognized as single heads of all the families in the United States instead of smaller families running different cities. Ares and his brothers are in a unique position with only one Greek family operating out of Los Angeles. Atlas returned with that unruly leader’s head in a bag and a sworn oath from his commanders that Ares is their new king.

He presses a kiss to my forehead and leaves me under a string of lights to speak to his brothers about extra security for the guest list. Daria comes up beside me. She looks regal in her black pantsuit, her silver hair glinting under the lights.

“Don’t be too hard on Ares. He’s doing the best he can.” She takes a sip of her cocktail.

“Did you work for Alexander this way?”

Daria scoffs, “No. Or the man wouldn’t be dead. He didn’t listen to many people. Ares being one of them.”

“I saw pictures of them in Santorini. They didn’t look like they were close.”

“This is a rough life. It’s hard to be close to anyone.”