Sinful Addiction

XII

ELENA CASSANO

        I fell asleep halfway into Sunday Mass, bolting upright in my seat when Alessio nudged me awake. Mamma was engrossed in a conversation with some ladies while Papà made his way out the Chapel.

        I sighed lowly against Alessio's suit before rising from my seat and walked out. It was our typical Sunday routine which was one of the reasons I disliked Sundays.

Papà required us to attend Mass followed by our Sunday luncheons where he talked about the business of the Cosa Nostra and I pretended to be interested in something other than the food.

I wasn't a religious person, but I recently discovered I needed to attend again because I committed a serious sin.

Sneaking out of the house to meet Aaron.

He was cute... fun to hang around. I got further with Aaron in three months that I had with all of my other relationships that lasted a month. I didn't have interest in dating him except being platonic, and I made sure he knew that.

If my papà found out, I could only imagine the havoc he would wreck. He caught me hugging one of his soldiers once and cut his fingers off then shoved it down his throat for such atrocious act.

Luca Cassano valued his daughter's honor and dangled it as a prize for the man who would eventually claim me.

My thoughts got interrupted by the laughter of the ladies as I walked by. They were talking about the Russian assassin that managed to capture the hearts of all women in town.

Ever since the night I got arrested, I was careful not to leave the house without Alessio. Especially after Vetrov left me stranded in the middle of the street three months ago. After that, he practically disappeared from my life, and quit working for papà.

When I attempted to ask Papà about the Russian assassin, Papà merely avoided the subject and muttered something about Russia.

I swallowed the fact that he wouldn't be coming back until he appeared at my front door. Piercing icy eyes. Rugged, and square dark stubble. Broad shoulders. Expensive suits and a handsome face that hid all the evil things he was capable of. A symphony of perfection.

"You've got to be fucking-" I inhaled a deep sigh, ignoring the way my chest tightened with a terrible yearning when he glared. "What are you doing here, Vetrov?"

His eyes narrowed, stunning me with those vivid blue irises.

His deep voice filled my ears. "Cassano."

I stood behind the door, slightly peeking my head out of the house. "How was Russia?"

"How's Aaron?" Flashes of emotions appeared in his icy eyes, and they filled with dangerous intentions. My heart stopped. Went cold. How the hell did he know about Aaron? And more importantly, had he done anything to him?

"Who's that?" I raised a careful brow. "How was Russia? Meet any Russian girls that are half as gorgeous as me?"

He chuckled darkly, a trace of amusement in his voice. "Russian girls aren't my type." His thumb brushed his bottom lip. "Neither are Italian girls with Daddy issues."

"You forgot gorgeous, asshole." I glared at him and shoved the door closed.

The bastard held the doorway open. "Lose the fucking attitude. I need to talk to your father."

"No." I threw a glare at him. "How about you go fuck yourself? Save us both time."

"Don't give me that fucking attitude." His hand caught the door before I could close it, forcefully shoving the doorway wide enough to grant him access.