Arranged Mafia Marriage

Karma

I rub Andy’s forehead and he purrs, then snuggles closer into my chest. When Cassandra had arrived with him, I had been so damn happy that I had almost shed a tear. Gosh, I’d missed the little guy, and also her, if I am being honest. I’ve never had any close friends, mainly because Summer has always fulfilled that role. But since she is not here with me right now, and since Cassandra is really the only other woman around now, I find myself turning to her more and more.

I glance up as the door to my bedroom opens. After that last conversation of ours, I’d told Michael that I preferred to stay separately from him. He hadn’t seemed happy about it, but he hadn’t pushed it either. Maybe he thought it was best not to push me further in the condition I am in. Of course, he’d insisted that Cassandra check in on me every hour to make sure I was okay and, while it’s annoying, I’ll take that any day over having to sleep next to him at night. Which, unfortunately, also means that I miss him at night. Gah, there really is no winning for me, right? Now, his shoulders fill the doorway and I stiffen. Think of the devil…and there he is.

He hovers at the threshold of the room, glances about the space before his gaze finally alights on mine. “May I come in?” he asks and I blink. What the-? Did he just ask my permission?

“Umm… Excuse me?” I blink rapidly, “I don’t think I heard that right.”

He flushes, then draws himself up to his full height, “I asked if I can come in?”

“If I say no, would that stop you?”

“No?” He smirks, then sobers, “If you’d rather that I not come in then just say the word. I’ll leave.”

I take in his gorgeous features, the hint of something like…indecision in his eyes, the way he holds himself stiffly, like he’s about to face an exam or do something that he’s not completely comfortable with… Shit, the very fact that he did not barge in like he owns the place, but opted to wait for my consent before he walked in is…surprising enough that I want to find out what’s on his mind. I blow out a breath, then jerk my chin, “You can come in, on one condition.”

“Oh?”

I nod, “I’ll tell you what it is, as long as you agree to it.”

“Come now,” he tilts his head “that’s no deal at all.”

“I’m not negotiating at all.”

“Hmm,” he looks me up and down, “fine, then tell me what it is.”

“A Christmas party.”

“Eh?” He seems taken aback, “A Christmas party?”This is from NôvelDrama.Org.

“It is the second week of December already,” I point out. “Isn’t it traditional in Italy for Christmas decorations to go up by December 8?”

“You’ve been researching Italian customs?” He smirks.

Cassandra had mentioned it to me, but I am not going to tell him that. “All I’m saying is that it’s time we start planning for Christmas.”

We? Shit, I said ‘we.’

He doesn’t seem to notice though. “You want to start planning a Christmas party?” He rubs his jaw.

I nod. To be honest, I am not huge on Christmas gatherings, as such. But maybe I am lonelier than I thought… Or m-a-y-b-e, finding myself pregnant makes me want to surround myself with more people, I guess? Andy wriggles in my arms and I place him on the floor. He instantly pads over to Mika who picks up the kitten. He cuddles Andy who coils up against his chest. Traitor. And I thought he owed his allegiance to me. Apparently, not even kittens are exempt from the Capo’s charm.

“I also want to invite Aurora to the Christmas party.”

“No,” his lips firm, “I can’t allow that.”

“Why not?”

“She conspired with you.”

“She told you I was pregnant so you came after me.”

“She-”

“Deserves another chance,” I cut in. “Come on, she’s a doctor, and she’s helped you out when you needed her services, hasn’t she?”

He hesitates.

“Also,” I bat my eyelashes at him, “I really am starved for feminine company.”

He tilts his head, “If feminine company is all you want, I could invite my Nonna…”

I gape at him, “You’re kidding me, right?”

He frowns, “Why would I do that?”

“Your Nonna hates me. The last time she saw me, she slapped me.”

“Only because you stuck a knife in me.”

“Can’t promise not to do that again,” I mutter under my breath.

“What’s that?”

I swear, it looks like he’s repressing a smirk.

“Nothing.” I clear my throat. “So, about the party-you’ll let me invite Aurora to it?”

He grimaces. He bends and places Andy on the floor. The kitten walks toward the basket that has been made up for him in the corner of the room. He climbs in, turns around and begins to wash himself.

“Aww come on, Mika.” I turn my gaze back on the glowering man, “It’s Christmas! Isn’t this when you forget the sins of your enemies and all that stuff?”

“I’ll invite her, on one condition.”

I scowl, “Thought this was my gig?”

He raises a shoulder, and I draw in a breath, “Fine, tell me your condition.”

“You promise not to sulk in your room, and to eat well, and to get plenty of fresh air.”

“If you think your fake concern for me is going to help you wheedle your way into my good books then…” I tilt my head, “you’re going to have to try harder.”

“So, you will eat well, get plenty of fresh air, take your vitamins and-”

“-yes, yes,” I mutter, “I will.”

“Promise?”

I throw up my hands, “I told you I will.”

He prowls across the room to stand in front of me. Gosh, he is so big, his shoulders so massive, that he blocks out the sight of everything else. It’s as if he’s absorbed all of the oxygen in the room. I try to breathe and drag in his dark, edgy scent. The heat of his body curls around me, envelops me. The force of his dominance holds me immobile as he bends his knees and peers into my eyes. “There’s one more thing I want.”

“Wh…what?” I clear my throat, “What is it?”

Ask me to move back into your bedroom, ask me to throw myself down on my back on your bed, part my thighs and invite you to bury yourself inside me again. My core clenches. I tip up my chin, part my lips as he leans in close enough for his chest to brush mine. My nipples harden; my belly flip-flops. Those cold blue eyes of his flare with an inner fire as he drops his gaze to my mouth.

“Promise me you’ll create your own Christmas dress?”

“What?”

He raises his gaze to mine, “I want you to start creating again, starting with the dress you’ll wear to the Christmas party.”

“That’s what you wanted to ask me?”

He straightens, then kisses me on the cheek. His scent deepens, then fades as he takes a step back from me. “What else did you think?” he says, his voice so bloody innocent. Argh! I set my jaw and a low chuckle rumbles up his chest. “Wait… Surely, not…” he clicks his tongue and slowly shakes his head, “you didn’t think I was going to fuck you, did you?”

Hearing him say that four letter word? OMG, it’s so hot, so erotic. Not like he hasn’t said that before. But considering I almost came just from hearing him do so… Hell… Is this a side-effect of pregnancy hormones? When I am not sick, I want to either eat or have sex. Is that how it’s going to be from now on?

“Of course not,” I sniff. “I thought no such thing.”

“Good.” He notches his knuckle under my chin, “Because I am not taking any chances with this pregnancy.”

He turns to leave, and I call out, “Wait, what do you mean by that?”

“By what?”

“By not taking any chances with this pregnancy?”

He pauses at the door, “Just that.” He turns to face me, “As long as you are pregnant, I don’t plan on fucking you.”

“Eh?” I open and shut my mouth, “Why the hell would you do that?”

“You need to rest and take care of yourself. Besides, I don’t want to do anything to endanger the baby.”

“You wouldn’t be endangering the baby if you shagged me.”

“Still, there’s a chance that it would be uncomfortable for you.”

“I am willing to take that risk,” I cry.

He clicks his tongue, “It’s noble of you to offer to do that, but I will not allow the mother of my child to be inconvenienced in any way.”

I take in his determined stance, the set of his jaw, and blow out a breath, “Bloody hell, you’re serious about this, aren’t you?”

“Deadly.”

I take in the set of his features, then scowl, “Wait, are you thinking of fucking someone else, maybe?”

“Do you think that I am going to fuck someone else?”

His blue gaze bores into me. I shuffle my feet, then glance away, “You tell me.”

“Look at me, Beauty.”

I hesitate.

“Now,” he orders.

I find myself turning to face him. Dammit, what power does he hold over me that I can’t disobey him.

He rakes his gaze across my face, then steps closer to me. He bends his knees, then peers into my eyes, “I am not going to fuck anyone else Karma, caspice?”

“Hmm,” I twist my lips, “what about Larissa or that… that stewardess on the plane? You’re not going to see them on the side, are you?”

His features harden, “I am not. Going to fuck. Anyone else. I take my vows to you very seriously. You understand?”

I nod.

“Say it aloud,” he commands.

“I understand.” I blow out a breath, “So, this means, you and I will continue to stay in separate rooms, until the baby is born?”

“Isn’t that what you wanted?”

No.

No.

“Yes,” I nod.

His features brighten, “Good.” He curves his beautiful lips in a smile. “See? We are already getting along so well.”

He straightens, turns to leave, then pauses once more. “One more thing, Beauty.”

“Now what?”

“We may have arrived at a temporary truce, of sorts-doesn’t mean I am not watching you.”