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I am not naive. I have grown up in the Cosa Nostra. So, I am aware that marriages are normally used to further business interests. Or personal interests. They are rarely ever built on love or any such human emotions… Still, to be labelled as an asset to be exchanged as part of an arrangement—one that I had opened the gates to with genuine intention… It hurts. Hell, it’s bullshit, to be honest.
I jump up to my feet. "I will not be used as a pawn," I snarl.
"Is that right?" He stares down the length of his nose at me. "And am I not a pawn for you, too? Is that not why you proposed to me?"
"I proposed to you because…"
"Because?"
"Because I couldn’t not." I lower my chin to my chest, as if that can smother the words I’m about to utter. "You remind me too much of him."
"So, the only reason you want me to marry you is so that you can hold onto the memory of your dead boyfriend?"
"He wasn’t my boyfriend," I protest.
"Your dead…love, then," he drawls. "If it looks like a duck, if it talks like a duck, then it’s a duck, Sunshine."
"Stop with that nickname already," I hiss.
"Oh, I am just getting started." He smirks, then glances up toward Michael. "What say you? Do we have a deal, Don?"
19
Axel
What the hell are you doing? Why are you turning this entire exchange into a transaction? You know why she asked you to marry her. Because she felt the same connection you did.
Because when I had looked into her eyes, I had seen myself reflected in them. Because when I had kissed her, it had felt like my entire body had responded. When I had taken her in my arms, it was as if I had come home. And when I had buried myself in her, it was the single most erotic experience of my life. It was as if something had been missing in me, something I had not even known about. Something that had propelled me to take her virginity—a first for me.
Not lying when I say that I have kept away from inexperienced women. I’ve preferred those who know the score. Know that all I can give them is a one-night stand. That’s all they were looking for from me anyway. A good hard fuck and they’d be on their way.
With her, I’d known things were going to get complicated. Not only because I would be her first, but also because one taste of her, one whiff of her scent, one glance at those mesmerizing eyes of hers, and I was a goner. I knew there was no walking away from her. For now, at any rate. How could I, when everything in me wanted to claim her, to make her mine? And she had offered me the way to do so. When she had said she wanted to marry me, I had panicked. Hell, I am in the prime of my life. No way, do I want to be tied down by just one pussy. But the thought of anyone else having her when I haven’t yet had my fill of her? That is unacceptable.
All I need to do is to fuck her out of my system and then I can be on my way. Not that I can allow her or the Sovranos to figure that out. Between them, they must have slept through most of the female population in this city; but for some reason, they felt protective toward Theresa. Which means, I have to play their game so they don’t see me as a threat. Which, face it, is going to become more and more difficult the longer I stay on. There’s only so long I’ll be able to hide my real nature from them. Ergo, the only way to have her is to pretend to marry her. Once I have her in my bed, I can scratch this itch that seems to grip me every time I see her.
And to be clear, I don't intend to stay married to her. Once I’ve had enough of her, I’ll walk away.
Of course, there’s also the fact that I shot at Christian…and missed. How the hell could that have happened? I remember enough about myself to know that I never miss. And yet, I hadn’t hit him. So, I have to wonder, was my intention only to throw a scare into him? Is that why I had blackmailed his wife into spying on the Sovranos?
Clearly, I need information on them. And what better way to get that than by staying close to them and marrying the woman they are sworn to protect? This way, I’ll have the advantage. I’ll be able to use Theresa to manipulate the Sovranos, and they won’t dare hurt me.
Not that I think I’m in any danger from them. They regard me as their brother, so chances are, they won’t kill me. Doesn’t mean they aren’t going to pump me for information. They’re just holding on until I am back to full strength, which will be very soon. Try as I might, I can’t hide the fact that I am recovering quickly. So, I need another way of ensuring my safety, and Theresa is my insurance.
All in all, it is to my advantage to marry her.
"Well?" I narrow my gaze on Michael. "What do you say?"
Michael widens his stance. He surveys my features before he turns to Theresa. "Is this what you want?" he asks in a gentle voice.
"Yes," Theresa nods.
"Are you sure?" His jaw firms. "Axel is not Xander."
"I… I know." She swallows, "I still want to marry him."
He drums his fingers on his chest, "All right, then," he turns his gaze on me, "you’ll be invited to the next meeting of the Cosa Nostra."
Luca inhales sharply. "Motherfucker," he glares at Michael, "are you really going to do this,fratellone?"
