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I don’t talk or ask questions, I just let him say what he wants and enjoy what he gives me, the only sound echoing being the clicking of my camera as I continue to photograph his massive and colorful backyard.
When we finish, he walks me back inside and sits me at the kitchen aisle, pouring me a fresh cup of tea. When I sip it, he grabs the camera and begins to flip through my shots.
“Amazing,” he says in astonishment, his words making my heart fill with pride.
When I’m done with my tea, he gives me a tour of the mansion. Walking me around the large space until we stop in the library. Here, he tells me of his book collection, another hidden quality that he reveals to me. I listen to every detail, every quote that he gives me, my heart opening more and more for him.
He pulls me from the library sometime later in the afternoon, walking me into the dining room where his chef has prepared a three-course meal, the long dining table set with both food and plateware. His mother already sits there with another guard. He introduces himself as Diego and offers me a glass of wine that I happily take. We drink and eat and I listen to the light banter both Mariella and Marco share with one another, my cheeks hurting from smiling so much. This entire day, I have felt nothing but joy and I realize that I don’t want it to come to an end. Any of this. During this entire day, I haven’t once felt like a prisoner. I have all but forgotten my reality and settled into this peaceful bubble that has formed around me.
When Marco brings me to my room later, I undress in front of him and lay on the bed with my legs spread wide, his gaze hungry and dark. He fucks me on my knees, my ass pressed against his hips as his mouth kisses up and down my back while he slides in and out of me until we both come. I fall asleep in his arms and when I wake up the next morning, it is to his soft kiss and his whispered words.
“I have some work to attend to today. My mother will spend the day with you, I’ll be back when it’s dark,” he kisses my forehead before he tucks me in and leaves the room, sleep claiming me until bright rays of sunlight awaken me once more.
I shower and change into a new dress, sitting in front of the fireplace when Mariella walks in with food and a hot cup of tea. She tells me that we’re going to walk to the theater on the west wing, old movies already waiting for us along with popcorn and other snacks. My smile is wide and I finish my breakfast quickly, ready to go with her. As we walk with Lorenzo behind us, she says something that causes my heart to race.
“I’ve noticed a change in my son recently,” she says, her arm linked with mine as we walk. “He seems happier, much more relaxed than I’ve seen him in a while,” she admits, my eyes flicking to hers as she speaks.
“I know it’s because of you, Lori. I just want to say… despite everything, thank you,” she says, kissing my hand as she pulls me into the theater and sits me down on the couch, sounds of an old love story filling the air.
Even though it’s hard for me to see, I love watching movies. My brothers would do this with me anytime they would visit the apartment. My sudden thoughts of them filling me with confusion as I sit here on the couch, eating popcorn with Mariella. Thoughts of them stay with me the entire day, even after Marco comes to my room later that night and makes love to me.
He takes me slowly, his forehead pressed against mine the entire time, his hips against my own with each slow thrust, my heart opening for him completely. It is this night that I realize I want to tell him I love him. I want to look into his eyes and say the words after I cry out his name, but I resist. Because I can’t tell him. At any moment, I could be freed or I could receive news that my family has been killed. At any given moment, reality could barge in and halt this false world I’ve allowed myself to feel happy in. So, I just let him come inside me while the words stay locked in my throat, my name leaving his mouth as soon as he releases inside of me, his fingers locked with mine above my head. He stays like that for a while, nestled inside of my body on the bed.
When we lay together afterwards, he begins to question me, reading my face like an open book. “Something is troubling you. What is it?” He asks, that peaceful bubble threatening to pop once more.
“It’s nothing,” I sigh, my cheek resting against his chest as his hand freezes in my hair, his other one cupping my chin and forcing me to look up at him.
“Don’t lie to me, Lori. My cock is still inside of you,” he says, not a single lie in his own words.
“I just don’t know how much longer I can go on pretending like this is normal. Like our families don’t want to kill one another,” I say finally with my eyes averted, worried that he’s going to get angry or worse, leave.
But he does neither of those things. Instead, he lays there quietly with his hand still on my jaw, his gaze lingering on my face before he bends down and kisses my lips, the conversation ending before it could even start.
And there we are again, back to ignoring reality because it feels better this way. It feels better when we lie to ourselves, when we get to live each day like it’s going to last forever.
CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR
Marco
I’m sitting in my office in downtown Manhattan when I receive word that the Saracino’s have spotted Lori’s location. The one day that I decide to work away from home, everything goes to shit.
Diego bursts through the door, word that Carmelo, his brothers and many of their guards have already declared war and tracked the location of my mansion, where both Lori and my mother sit inside with only five guards present.
“Goddammit!” I roar, slapping my palms against the table before I stand and grab my gun, fleeing my office and running down the four flights of stairs, not even bothering with the elevator. Diego follows behind me, sliding into the car that I order one of my guards to have ready. I send out a text to ten more, ordering them to the mansion as soon as the SUV speeds down the freeway. When we arrive, the Saracino’s have already entered the house.
I walk inside, my gun drawn and my men trailing behind me. There’s a commotion coming from the west wing, so I run towards that direction. When I do, I reach the theater just as the Saracino boys and their men burst through, Lori and my mother both screaming at our entrance.
Carmelo immediately goes to her, grabbing Lori from the couch and holding her against his chest as he aims his gun directly at me.
“Take one more step and your mother dies,” he says, my body freezing immediately, Lori and my mother’s eyes wide with fear.
“I’m serious, De Vico. Drop the gun and tell your men to stand down, or she dies.” Carmelo’s eyes flicking between me and my innocent mother.
“Alright,” I say slowly, tucking my gun into my pants with my hands raised.
I look at Lori, her beautiful eyes wide with terror. I nod to her, making eye contact as I say the words, “It’s okay, Lori.” She stares back at me, that fear her in eyes so evident before she turns to her brother.
“Carmelo, stop this. You don’t need to threaten her life. You don’t have to do this,” Lori pleads, her lip trembling as tears fill her hazel eyes.
