Book One
At the age of twenty five, the Mafia would be handed down to Valerius Armani from his father. Knowing what is soon to come.. he knows he has to finally admit his secret to the one he loved. The woman he hoped to marry.
Although, Katerina W...
"You look so beautiful." I whisper, my nose grazing her neck. I take in the beauty of her citrus scent.
Katerina giggles as I graze my fingertips against her bare legs. Goosebumps rise on her cold skin.
"You're not so bad either." She kisses me with a halfhearted smile. Her lips feel warm, soft. I could die in them.
I don't know what love is. I never have. Katerina told me it's the feeling you get when you look at someone and something sizzles in your gut. That love is when your first instinct is to look for them in a room full of people. To feel nerves when you're around them. She told me she loves me and from her description, I know I must love her too.
I pull her half-naked body close to me. Opposed to Katerina, I have sweatpants on and a white t-shirt. I find it cold in my room, apparently she does not.
Katerina starts to place wet kisses along my neck and to my jawline. Her leg comes around my waist and without me even processing what's happening, she's sits on my hips, pulling my shirt off.
"Katerina— bellissima." I try to stop her but her shirt is off and she's exposed to me in the fresh sunlight. "Not now. Later." I tell her. I don't want it now.
Katerina takes my hand and trails it slowly down her bare chest, grazing her nipple. She drags it all the way down and to her most sensitive spot. Her mouth drops with a fluttery smile.
"It'll be quick." She says softly. "Please." Her lips pepper kisses along my neck. Her nipples are hard against me, her sex on my hand. "I want you, V."
The uneven feeling that's often described to me as love settles into my gut. I see now, why love is so confusing to so many people.
"Okay." I sigh, swallowing the funny feeling down. "Anything for you, Katerina."
She smiles, taking my shirt off.
• • •
Three and a half long awaited months have passed since I first met Katerina.
Things have been good, sometimes hard but we get through it.
My family doesn't know. It's never been allowed to marry outside of the mafia but it's not their choice. The love Katerina gives me is something special. It's odd to feel love. I never would have thought I'd feel like this.
"Kat—"
"Wait! V, take my picture!" She laughs. Katerina poses with her champagne glass. I take multiple for her and she sends them to her friends. "Why didn't you take me here sooner?" She asks. "It's so expensive." Katerina's eyes light up as she stares at the crystals around us.
"I don't know." I grab her hand and hold it from across the table. "I think I was waiting for a special occasion."
"And what would that be?" Her voice drops lower. Katerina leans slightly over the table, wearing that intimidating smile I'm so fond of seeing.
"I think you'll have to wait and see."
Her hand squeezes mine. "If it's what I'm thinking.. I'll bring the rope." She jokes, dropping her eyes down, like she can see my dick through the table.
I chuckle shortly at the desire in her eyes. Like a predator waiting to strike.
"Maybe." I tease.
Something unusual settles in my stomach. It feels a lot like the feeling I'd get when my one of my parents would choose my brothers over me for something. A childish unfavorable feeling.
The feeling, that I pass off as nerves, settles down and I'm left with the anticipation of Katerina's answer.
Eventually the evening cools down and we move to the back of the restaurant where crystals and flowers are set up everywhere. I rented the restaurant out andplanned every piece of decore for this moment. Katerina gushes at the twinkling lights, the meticulously placed rose petals on the ground.
Stay calm. You can do this.
Cool air blows gently through our hair. Goosebumps rise on my skin.
"Katerina." I muse.
"Wow.. V, this is. . . beautiful." I pin back my smile at the complement. "And definitely expensive. Very expensive." She laughs halfheartedly.
The awkward unsettling feeling comes back. I don't have time to think about it.
"Katerina.. I know you hated me when I first met you." She turns to me, I give her a loving look. "I don't know what I did to make you give me a chance, I probably didn't deserve it, but, I thank you."
"It didn't take much but a single date for me to know what you offered." She glances at me, looking up to meet my eyes.
"Love has been hard for me to understand. My life.. Katerina, it isn't pretty. I hope you can learn to understand it one day. You showed me what love means. I'm grateful for that."
My fingers shake slightly, getting the ring box out of my suit jacket. I drop to one knee.
"V..," Katerina stares in shock at the ring box. A smile glistens through her eyes.
"I promise I'll continue to provide for you. To give you the life you deserve." I swallow down the dryness in my throat. "Katerina Elora Watson.. will you marry me?"
Katerina stays gawked at the ring, for a moment.
The ring is custom, silver plated with gold embeds. The ring is easily the most expensive piece of jewelry ever made. The stone is huge with tiny crystals all around it.
"I—, oh my God." Her words are an almost whisper. "Get up! Valerius get up!" I oblige and immediately she has me place the ring on her finger. "Wow. I don't know what to say!"
"Do you like it?" My want to please her is strong. I need for her to tell me it's everything she wanted.
"Yes, this.. this is worth so much!" Those dreamy blue eyes stay mesmerized. "I love it!"
Relief visibly settles through me.
"Good."
Katerina pulls me close for a quick, short kiss.
"We're going to get married." She says.
A smile tilts her red painted lips. Something almost devilish strikes her eyes. It ignites something within me. I find the evil look entailing.
To marry someone as evil as me, you have to be cold. I see the potential in Katerina's eyes.
Let us raise Hell together.
• • •
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