𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚

Chapter 25

Written 3/11/21

It was almost 2:00 in the afternoon when we were driving home. Despite sleeping in so late, I still felt drowsy. Suddenly, Cristiano takes my hand, and pulls me closer to him. He lifts me up a little, and I realize he's sitting me in his lap.

I look at him confused, and he just stares back at me blankly. I didn't mind it, to be honest. I liked being close to him, even though he terrified me sometimes. He rests one of his hands on my thighs, making sure I sit still.

We sit like this for a while, our faces are dangerously close together. He smelt like Cigarettes, but I didn't care. I could feel myself aching. I wanted to kiss him, it felt like forever since we were last intimate. But I was too nervous to ever initiate anything, I didn't want Cristiano to think I was desperate.

"Did you know that I met your father once?" He asks, playing with one of the buttons on my coat, not even looking at me.

I stare at him in confusion. For one thing, my father had been dead for more than 10 years. And two, Don's typically didn't meet their brides father, until after the wedding. How did I not know about this?

"W-when? Where?" I ask, trying to hide the fact that I'm in shock. He looks up at me.

"I was 10 or 11. My father and mother had brought me on a trip to New York with them, and they ran into your father. He said that he wanted to meet the boy who was going to marry his daughter one day." Cristiano says.

I smile, and put my head down. My father was always a friendly man. Very charismatic. So of course he spontaneously met Cristiano.

"I miss him." I say, as memories of my father begin to run like a movie through my head.

"He really loved you Giada." He says, almost pitifully looking into my eyes. I could confidently say that my father loved me, but Cristiano couldn't do the same.

Someone who loves another human being, wouldn't do what Cristiano's father had done to him.

"T-tell me about your mother. Eleanora." I say, hoping that remembering his mother would invoke positive memories. He stares at the floor for a moment, and looks as if he is in deep thought.

"She deserved a lot better than my father." He says, seemingly angry. I look down at his hand on my thigh, mentally cursing myself for bringing up his mother. Knowing Cristiano, anything about his past probably wasn't happy or cheery. It seemed like every time I tried to get to know him, it just made him upset.

"You remind me of her." He says.

My eyes move up to meet his. I was surprised by his words. I reminded him of his mother? I couldn't tell if it was a good thing or a bad thing.

He reaches up and trails his fingers across my cheek, drawing my face closer to his. I can feel his breath on my lips, yet he doesn't kiss me. He wanted to, I could see it in his eyes. There was this tension between us that made my core burn with desire, it was a feeling so unfamiliar, it was almost unbearable. I hesitantly raise up my hands to cup his face, and slowly press my lips into his.

Instantly, he kisses me back, inserting his tongue into my mouth, and running his hands through my hair. I feel his fingers lightly pressing into my scalp, making me tingle. His mouth explored mine, causing me to moan occasionally. I wanted him so bad, and I wasn't even hiding it anymore. Suddenly the car stops.

"We're home Don." The driver says, and Cristiano quickly pulls his lips away from mine, clearly frustrated. The driver just stares forward, as if Cristiano and I weren't just snogging in the backseat of his car. He didn't really have much of a choice working for the Don. Cristiano could do whatever he wanted.

Cristiano straightens out his clothes and hair, and I readjust my bun. He opens the door, and grabs my arm, harshly pulling me out of the car. It didn't take much to put him in a bad mood. Don's typically took out their anger on Donna's.

I felt like Cristiano picked on me sometimes cause he was frustrated with his work. Although I suppose being bullied by him was better than him beating me. Growing up, I'd always hear stories about how horribly men in the mafia treated their wives. In a way, I was thankful Cristiano didn't beat me. God knows he wasn't gentle, or soft.

We walk back into the house, where there is a man who I haven't seen before waiting in the living room. From what he's wearing, I'm guessing he's a Consigliere.

"Don! It's so good to see you! This must be your lovely wife!" He says, smiling, and walking towards us. Cristiano's hand tightens around my arm.

"What do you want Franco?" Cristiano says in an annoyed tone. The mans smile completely fades. He almost shrinks, and Cristiano seems to tower over him.

"I just wanted to invite you to a party. I have been planning for months now, and wanted to know if you would attend." Franco says nervously.

Cristiano's expression grows even angrier, and he grips my arm tighter.

"You have the audacity to host a party, on this day, and then you come into my home, and then bother me about it?"

Franco cowers nervously, and seems to realize what day Cristiano was talking about. I try not to wince in pain, as Cristiano continues to squeeze my arm.

"I-I'm so sorry Don. I forgot that...was today. I swear I didn't know! Please, forgive me!" Franco cries, falling to the floor.

He was truly terrified of the Don. Who wouldn't be? To be fair, Franco was an idiot. Even the dumbest person on earth could tell that Cristiano wasn't someone who liked being visited by his advisors at his home. Suddenly Cristiano speaks.

"I will come Franco. But if you do anything this stupid again, the last thing you'll see is me putting a gun in your mouth. Got it?"

"Y-yes Don! Thank you so much! The party starts in 3 hours!" Franco says, getting up off the floor, and practically running out of the house. Cristiano lets go of my arm, and points upstairs.

"Go upstairs and get ready." He says sternly. I quickly scurry up the stairs and do what he says. I was surprised that Cristiano hadn't beaten Franco senseless, and I was even more shocked that we were going to his party.

I quickly got out of my clothes, and went into the closet to find something to wear. I look through my more elegant dresses, and one catches my eye. It's a simple cream colored dress, with small straps. I was never really into extravagant clothing, I didn't like the attention it brought.

I take the dress and bring it to the bathroom. I get into the shower, and swiftly wash my self off. I didn't know how much time I had, or when we were leaving. When I get out of the shower, I wrap a towel around my body, and head to the mirror. I get out the blow dryer, and run the hot air through my hair.

Through all the noise, and my focus on getting ready as quickly as possible, I don't even notice Cristiano leaning against the door frame of. I look at the mirror, and when I see him I jump, and almost drop the blow dryer on the floor. He just stares at me, observing me in the mirror.

I stop everything I'm doing, and glance back at him. Was I taking too long? Why was he just standing there? I didn't know why he made me so nervous all of the sudden. It probably had something to do with our little session in the car. Suddenly he speaks.

"Drop the towel."

sorry this was published so late! i had wayy too many finals i needed to finish/study for. love you guys! please leave comments i love when you guys give me feedback!