Chapter 2

❤️Maria's POV❤️

I was standing behind the stage curtain getting ready to perform with my sisters, Alissia and Camilla, and with my friends, Lindsey and Matteo.  My sisters were wearing brown and green tattered dresses and I wore a black and gold dress with a matching gold hair piece attached to my head.  Matteo wore a black and gold body suit.  Lindsey wore a black silver dress similar to mine.  We each had daggers attached to an armband.  I also had a dagger that attached to a garter on my left leg.  It was to be gifted to my future husband after my performance as a sign of my affection, another one of father's ideas.

My father was on stage, giving one of his ridiculous speeches about how proud he was to my father and to brag about his beautiful daughters.  Yeah right!  He never once told us he was proud.  He just handed us a check each month to pay for our daily private and group lessons and made a fuss when we were surrounded by the paparazzi.

My team went to the stage.  Matteo and I stood in the center of the stage.  Alissia stood to the right of us, and Camilla to the left.  Lindsey stood below the stage to play.

The music began, and Matteo  began to swing me in the air, twisting, turning, caressing my skin.  This was definitely dirty dancing.  The song ended with Matteo and I standing face to face, noses almost touching, when I took the initiative to piss off my father.  I leaned in and kissed Matteo on the lips.  He pulled back, giving me a look, and I just gave him a smirk, and then we turned to bow.  Both my parents just sat there in complete shock, while others clapped and cheered...and that's when I noticed the man standing by my father whistling.  He was very tall, very muscular in build.  He had blonde hair slicked back, a light blonde mustache, and beautiful eyes. "Hello, gorgeous!!! "

Just as I was about to turn to go off stage, I hear my name called "Maria".  I turn around and see him at the bottom of the stage.

I bend down and smile.  " Yes?"

He hands me a rose.  "Happy Birthday, Maria...you look more beautiful in person than you do in your photos." And he winks!

"Mr.Romaro?"  I ask, and sit on the edge of the stage.

"Carlos Romaro...your future husband." He takes my hand and kisses my knuckles. I wanted to tell him to Fuck off, but I knew Father was watching me.

"I don't remember you asking, nor me accepting. " I say, taking my hand back and rubbing his kiss off on my dress.

He turns to take off, laughing,  but I grab his arm.  He turns to look at me.  I hold up my dress, noticing my father is still watching.  I point to my garter.  "For you."

He smiles, taking his hands sliding them up my leg from my ankle to my thigh, gripping a hold of my garter and sliding it all the way down.  My body got goosebumps from his touch..  "But its not my birthday." He asked.

"Wouldn't be a party without a treat bag."  I smiled.  "Please, help me down, so that I may go change into my party dress."  I ask.  He takes my waist and helps me down. "May I ask..why me?...Why now?...Why not wait till I'm twenty?"

"Because its a business deal...nothing personal...I was just surprised as you were, sweetheart."  He wasn't surprised.  He was a made man, and us women, were just puppets...born into this world for one thing, and one thing only...their prize...their possession, a trophy wife.  I guess I should consider myself lucky.  My cousin who was nineteen was stuck with a thirty -two year old husband and I knew the bruises on her face weren't from falling down the stairs.

"So, I'm just a business deal?" I shout at him.

"Yes, do you honestly think I want to marry a kid?... I prefer my women much older...much more mature...and much more knowledgeable in the bedroom."  Ohhh, he did not just say that!    

I grab him by the arm, ready to punch him in the face.  "Then choose someone else!  I know you went through thousands of options!"  I shout.

My mother grabs my arm.  " So sorry, Mr.Romaro...I'm not sure what's gotten into her...must be the heat...come lets get you a drink." And she pulls me away with a tight grip on my wrist.  I was in so much trouble now for my outburst, but it was mother punishing me and not my father, so...not too scared.

"Fuck off." I said pulling away from mother, as I headed to the house.

"No apology necessary...Thank you for the garter...I shall cherish it always."  And he sniffs it and disappears into the crowd of people.

⚔️Carlos's POV⚔️

" I'm sorry about my daughter's performance.  I assure you that ...." Sergio was pleading, though I could have cared less... I just wanted this whole party thing to be over with, but it was my future bride's birthday, and I knew what was expected of me.

"What are you apologizing for?...She was great!  Her dancing was amazing!"  I told him. And it was!  She was beautiful, breathtaking, and sexy as hell.... The way she moved her body against her partner's body...I wish it was me holding her and caressing that beautiful skin.

"But the kiss?... She's never done that before!...Its not part of the act." Sergio yelled as music began to play.

"Oh that... So, she pulled a small stunt...she's eighteen and pissed off, and I'm sure she just did it to piss you off in return!...I'm sure she's not happy about our engagement."  Not happy at all..I can't believe she told me to fuck off...no girl ever dared to speak that way to me.  Women feared me in New York. But I found her temper cute.

"So you aren't upset about it?" He asked.  Seriously, was he still talking?

"Of course not... Once we are married, I'll have her dance around a pole in our bedroom!"  I laugh and wink, hoping to piss him off.  I was so much ready for a good fight or some good scotch.  Her father gave me a smile.  I nod and head over to the bar with my brother and grab an IPA.

" Kid parties! " My brother, Marco shouts.  He looks a lot like me, but has black hair instead of my beautiful blonde.

"Your only complaining because there isn't a bouncy house!" I laugh, taking the party in.  Bunch of teenagers dancing, drinking boos...Can't believe I'm here.

"Don't need a bouncy house, when you've got a big bed!"  He winks.  Seriously?  Does he really think he's going to get laid at this party?

I laugh.  "Don't think your going to pick up any girls at this party." I turn to see Maria and her friends on stage, singing to Royals.  Stupid song...Yet, watching her be herself...that smile, the sway of her hips...the way her party dress showed off those amazing legs.

"I can't believe that your marrying that in four months...How are you going to control that?" My brother asks.

"Easy, she'll be stuck with Rocco and Madre (mother) all day while I work, as well as school and her extra curricular activities....and then at night... I'll have her handcuffed to the bed post!" I tell him.

❤️Maria's POV❤️

I'm dancing with a group of my friends when I feel my friend, Isacc grab my waist and start grinding me.  " You know you want me. " he whispers in my ear.  Gross...I haven't wanted him since I was twelve, and I know his reputation... He gets around.

I turn around and face him.  "You know my Daddy's rules...you can look...you just can't touch...and your in my personal space." I turn back around and start dancing again, when I feel his hands on my ass.  " I said don't fucking touch me!"  I grab his arm, turn around and knee him right in his junk.  I pull my dagger off my arm and hold it to his throat.  "Don't forget who I am..I am daughter of a Capo, and I can fucking split your throat and cover it up, and make it look like a fucking suicide!"  Isaac's arms went up in surrender.  It was hilarious... Fucking wuss!!!  "Now, Fuck off!"  My bodyguard, Alonso comes over and I give him a nod, putting my dagger back in my armband, when my father announces that there is a surprise for me in front of the house.  I watch as Alonso drags Isaac away.  I hope he kills him...slits his throat....I laugh just thinking about it.

I go and take my father's hand and he walks me around the house and to the front circle and there sits a brand new red Ferrari with a large black bow on top.  "Thank you, Daddy!" I scream and kiss his cheek. Really?  A car?  Was I really going to be allowed to drive, or is this  all for show?  We had bodyguards that drove us around.  Mother didn't even have a license.  Was I going to be allowed to have one?

" Its not from me." He shouts and opens the drivers side door, and Carlos steps out holding the keys.  Of course, its from him...

I reach for them and Carlos holds them above my head.  "Happy Birthday, Maria!  I couldn't have picked a more beautiful bride!!!"  All of my friends gasp. Thanks for the announcement... This night just keeps getting better and better....maybe I should have let Isaac stay...let him have what now Carlos possess.

"I didn't know you had a boyfriend? " Lindsey asked.  I usually told Lindsey everything.  We had been best friends since middle school.

"Neither did I, until this morning." I gritted through my teeth.  She knew we were mafia.  She knew how things went down...so she didn't ask anything more.

My father grabs my arm.  "Say thank you!...the paparazzi are watching."  He smiled at the camera hugging me, hugging Carlos...Fucking pathetic.

"Thank you, Darling!"  I shout, wrapping my arms  around his neck, standing on my tip toes to kiss his lips.  He tries to deepen our kiss, but I back away and whisper "You still haven't asked yet, and I still haven't accepted."

He smiles, and kisses my cheek.  "The ring is in my pocket, Baby...Patience...what's the rush?...It's not like you have a choice in the matter...now get into the car and we will take your car for a quick test drive." He whispered.  I wanted to tell him to fuck off again, but hell, he just gave me a fucking car!

I smile, and do as he says.  There's no point in arguing.  He gets in on the other side and closes the door. " You do know that I don't have a license yet." 

I turn the key, put the car in drive, press the gas Peddle and speed off.  "Its a good thing, I've stolen one of Daddy's cars before!" And I wink.  Stolen once...won't ever do that again...I could hardly sit down for a week!  Welts covered my back and legs for days, and I couldn't attend school because of them...faked having the flu that week.

"Thanks for the tip."  He said.

I smiled..."Thanks for the car!" I pushed the peddle harder as he gripped on to the door.  "Lets see how fast this Baby can drive!  Carlos had me pull over once we got to the main road.  He wanted to drive back home.  "Am I that horrible?!?" I ask.  Come on...I was only going 120 mph!!!

"No, I would just like to get back in one piece." He chuckles as he pulls back into our driveway.  He puts the car in park, and right as I'm about to get out of the car, he grabs my hand and slides a teardrop diamond with thirty other diamonds around it, on my finger.  " Will you marry me?"  He asks.  Seriously, he's asking...ummm, no!  Fuck off...but then I look him...his eyes are fucking gorgeous... He's like a much sexier version of Charlie Hunnam....

Wait...stop, your supposed to hate him!

"Like you said, I don't really have a choice in the matter...so sure...why not?"  I smile.  Ahhh, how I wanted to have him fuck off, but my eyes were saying something else!

He kissed my hand.  "Good girl, your making this easy."  I smile again.  " I'm supposed to take you inside for your birthday cake...are you ready?"  I nod....The damn paparazzi are still here.  He walks around the car, and opens my door.  He takes my hand and helps me out.  I hold out my hand to flash my ring, but decline answering any questions.  I'm sure my friends would have plenty of them.

After we had cake, we had fireworks.  Carlos held my hand, and kept his hand on my lower back the whole entire time.  We looked like a real couple, and it was sickening.  I've never even had a boyfriend my entire life, and now I'm fucking engaged!  Before I called it a night, Carlos walked me to my bedroom door and kissed me goodnight.  What kind of game was he trying to play.  I leaned against the door, sinking to the floor...was this really happening?  Was that really my future husband?