Chapter 4

❤️Maria's POV❤️

I was sitting out by the pool with my sisters, playing guitar, when Carlos stepped outside.  "Maria, I'm heading back for New York tomorrow, and thought maybe we could go out maybe around seven for dinner and activity?".

Did he seriously think I would want to go out after him taking my daggers away.

"Did you ask our father if you can take her out?" Camilla asked. She always protected me when I was in one of my moods, and I had been in one all day.

"I don't have to ask for his permission to take my fiance out, Camilla.". Carlos sat down beside me.  I still wasn't giving him an answer.  I was ignoring him messing with the strings on my guitar.

"I saw Maria's tattoo...can I have one, too?" Camilla asked. Alissia  and I laugh, and I continue to ignore him.

"No, because you are twelve...ask me again when your eighteen or are getting married off." He tells her.  He turns back to me, taking the guitar away.  "I know you ignoring me because you are mad at me, but its not going to work."  Is he still here? 

"Sure, seven sounds great...are you going to let me drive?"  He better fucking let me drive!  Its my car, after all.

Carlos laughs. "I might have gotten you a car for your birthday, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you drive it.  You don't have a license, remember?" Fuck!  He found this amusing.

"Father won't let us have a license... He says women don't need to drive when they have body guards to take them where they need to go." Camilla complained.

"Wait till your sixteen... Maybe you'll get a car too." He winked.  "And I'll find you a teacher too."  That's right, play the nice big brother card...win their side.

"Oh, thank you!  Your kind of nice for a big scary mafia guy...Why do they call you the Reaper?  My sisters say I'm too young to know." Camilla asks.  And just as Carlos starts to answer I cut him off in song.

"When the night hascome." And Alissia chimes in with me. "And the Land is dark, and the moon is the only light, you'll see."

I'm in my room, getting ready for my date, while Alissia was searching my fiance on G****e. I couldn't believe that there were already articles being posted announcing our engagement. "Can you zip me up, please?" I ask.

Alissia comes over and zips me up.  "I can't believe he hit you like he did...he's no better than father."

I turn around and whisper "He didn't...I did it myself, and he took the fall for it, knowing that Father wanted me punished...he seems scary, but he's actually pretty nice, and I fucking hate that about him!"

"Your cutting again?!?  Do you want to be sent away again?"   Alissia shouted.

I cover her mouth and grit through my teeth, "Father isn't going to find out because you aren't going to tell him!  Now, go find my matching heels while I see what dirt you found on him."

I put my heels on and start browsing the YouTube videos that are posted about Carlos. 

"Who is this girl?"  She is a skinny, young looking, a model with short black hair.  The videos go back for 4 years, last one being posted last week!  "I don't get it...he comes here, tells me I'm to marry him, and yet he's seeing someone?!?"  Why act all kind to me when your seeing someone?

My blood feels like its boiling, when I go across the hall and start banging on the guest room door.  There's no answer, so I just storm right in.  I find Carlos in the shower.  I could care less that he's naked.  My mind isn't thinking correctly.  I rip open the shower door.  "Who is she?"   I scream.

Carlos startled, turns off the water, and grabs a towel, and wraps it around his waist. " What are you yelling about?"  He yells at me.

I hand him my laptop, and click on a link, and its a leaked sex video!!!  Carlos chuckled. "Jealous?" He asks. Seriously?  No I'm not jealous...just a bit curious....

I punch him, but he just laughs again.  " She's just some girl I screw.  No need to get your panties all in a bunch." Does he seriously think this is funny.

"This was posted last week!  You screwed her last week!"  I shouted.  " This wedding is off!  I'm not marrying you!!!"

Carlos laughs, and then in a serious tone he says " Yes, you are, because you don't have a choice...as of this morning, you became my property...I own you!" Fuck!  He's right...I now have the tattoo of the Archangels.  Rather I marry him or not, I'm still his property.

"Then what about her?  Is she going to be your mistress?" I shove him.  " I won't be a victim like most mafia women...you won't ruin my reputation...I don't want to hear others talking behind my back, oh poor girl, her husband is cheating because she can't give him what he wants."  I shove him again, and begin to cry.  "What am I to you?  Just some screw too?  Am I even going to be your wife...or just someone you come to when there is no one else?"

"You will be my wife...of course I will fuck you...I will claim my rights as a husband on our wedding night...and every night after."  My body was boiling.  It took everything in me not to lose it and hit him.

"I shove him even harder.  " I will NOT tolerate mistresses!  You wanna fuck, you fuck me, and no one else!!!  Do you hear me?!?"

"And if I say no?"  He asks with a smirk on his face.

I shove him harder than the first two times, his eyes glaring down at me and I shove him again and again. "Then I will fucking kill you! ....Better sleep with one eye open, and not trust my cooking!  I'm eighteen years old...and I will make your life a living hell!"  I shout.

He laughs.  "You have some fire in you!  My Padre warned me about red heads!  If you want to be the only one, then I'll end things with Nikki, but you will fuck me when I need a good fuck!"

I'm so fucking mad, but I stick out my hands and shake his. "Fine!"

He kisses my knuckles.  "I'll be ready in about fifteen minutes...you look absolutely beautiful by the way!" Fuck...those eyes he has on me...I'm lost again...

Carlos let me drive my car to the end of our private road, but once again, as soon as we hit the main road, he had me pull over so that he could drive.  Carlos took me to an amazing steak house, though we were surrounded by the Paparazzi as soon as we arrived.  We gave them the story they were looking for, and I flashed my ring.

He then took me to a place that I didn't even know existed.  It was on the bad side of town, but it was freaking amazing!  It was called "The Rage Room." You were given a bat or a hammer and you could break anything you wanted!  They had vases, glass plates, tv screens, old computers, broken down cars, and maniquins.  I loved it!  Every time I smashed something, I could feel the pain, the sorrow, and my anger leaving my body.

We finished the evening roasting marshmallows by the fire pit back at my house.  "Are you really leaving tomorrow? " I ask. It had been an amazing date, and I was feeling a bit relaxed and at ease.  I didn't want tonight to end.

"Yes, because I have some business I need to take care of...Can't be gone from the office for too long, or everything will fall to shit! I can only leave my brother in charge for a short period of time, otherwise he would go crazy."

"So what happens now?  Will I see you again before the wedding?"  Please say yes...

Carlos chuckles. "Hand me your phone....I'm going to connect you to all my accounts...F******k...Twitter... I*******m ...Snap Chat...and I'll add all the important numbers I think you need...me with a heart, my brother Marco, Madre, and your new guard, Rocco ....You will need to call my mother soon. She wants to meet up with you to go gown shopping."   Gown shopping?  Fun!!!  I hated dressing up in those fucking things...

"Gown?....I can't believe I'm buying a wedding dress before buying a prom dress!"

Carlos chuckles.  I'm sure you own plenty of prom dresses...I've seen pictures of you at many galas.

Carlos hands me my phone back. F******k status: Engaged to Carlos Romaro.

"Engaged...I'm fucking engaged!"  I think to myself.

The next morning,  I woke to the smell of roses and someone kissing my forehead.  "Good morning, Baby.... I didn't mean to wake you."

"What time is it?"  I ask Carlos, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Its around six-thirty.  I'm getting ready to leave."  I make a sad face, and he chuckles.  " My mother is making arrangements with your parents.  I will see you in the middle of next month to go wedding shopping at Kleinfield.  I'll see you again in October for a Halloween party, again at Thanksgiving, and again before our wedding....and I will try and FaceTime you as much as I can."

Still pouting "okay."  He smiles, bends down, taking my face into his hands, and kisses my lips, and then I feel his tongue asking for access.  I slowly part my lips, and allow his tongue to mangle against mine.  He explores every inch of my mouth.  I tried to pull away but he gripped me harder, kissing me harder, sucking on my lips. And then  he backs away and smiles. "First kiss?"  He asks.

I nod my head.  "Was I bad?"  Please tell me you enjoyed it...

Carlos licks his lips.  "You were perfect Baby.. I like your taste...I want all of your firsts to be with me."  He kisses me again, and then tells me " See you soon." 

Why do I feel so sad?  Am I really falling for him, this quickly?  I should hate him for wanting to marry me while I'm still in school, but he said it was part of the contract our fathers signed.  I got up, took a shower, pulled my hair up into a messy bun, and threw on a pair of holey Jean shorts and a Nirvana t-shirt.  I carried my flowers downstairs and into the kitchen and asked one of the maids to put them in a vase.  I grabbed a bowl of fruit loops and went into the dining room to find my mother sitting with Madre Gemma, browsing through wedding catalogs. 

"Good morning." My mother says.  I kiss her cheek and sit down beside her and start eating my cereal.  I was not about to look at any of these catalogs...I didn't even pick out my own leotards for dance, but end up picking up a magazine and looking through the pages anyways.  

"Can't wait to get rid of me?"  I ask, tossing the magazine to the side.  I was sooo in the mood to tick someone off this morning.

"Maria!" My mother scolds.  "You know time is limited on planning."

"From what I understand you've had a year to plan..." Taking another bite.  This whole wedding thing should be fun... I would wear black at my own wedding if they would let me.

"What kind of dress would you like?  Maybe a theme?"  Madre Gemma asks.  A theme?  Are you kidding me?  Make it a bloody wedding, for all I care.

I scoot my bowl back.  " Well, I've never been given a choice who I marry, so I don't see what it matters on what I wear or what theme we have...maybe we can all just wear black!" Gemma laughs.  I'm glad someone finds me amusing this morning.

"Maria!" Mother warns.

Madre Gemma stands and comes over and takes my arm.  "I'm only here for a few more hours...why don't we go have a private chat in the study, shall we?"  A chat?  Great...lets have fucking bonding time.

Madre Gemma pulls me into the study, and closes the door.  " Maria, you are young...eighteen ...and getting married, so I'm just going to get to the point...Are you on any form of birth control? "

"What?  You've got to be kidding me...I'm still a Virgin! ...I'm not even allowed to date...and what guy friends I have are gay!"

Madre Gemma chuckles.  "Oh, calm down child!...I just want to make sure you are prepared."

"Prepared for what?" I ask.

"For sex, Dear...you do know what happens on your wedding night right?"

You have got to be kidding me!  "Of course!..He has already made it clear that he will be taking my virginity." And every night after....

"Has Carlos told you about our tradition of the "Showing of the sheets?""

"The what?"

Madre Gemma takes my hands.  "On the morning after you wed, all the women, mostly the older Aunts and cousins will come to collect the sheets to put on display to prove that Carlos did in fact Take your virginity and that you consummated the marriage."

"And how do the sheets prove that?"

"You really don't know?...Maria you will bleed...it's called popping your cherry." The what now?  I'll bleed?  I don't remember learning that in health class...but then again I probably wasn't listening anyways.

I start freaking out.  "Will it hurt?!?" Please tell me it won't...

"Oh you poor thing, I can't believe your mother has never had this talk with you...of course it hurts...But it only hurts a little, and after some time, it will start to feel really good."  I nod my head.  I'm honestly afraid now.

"Maria, changing the subject, I would like to ask you about your arm...I know very well that my son did not hit you like he claims he did."  My mouth dropped.  " We have one rule in our family...and its that men aren't allowed to hit their women...so tell me...what happened? "

I swallow hard.  "If you knew he didn't hit me, then why didn't you say anything?"

"Because, my son has a reputation to keep.  He's not called the Reaper for nothing. He worked hard for that title. He became a made man when he was fourteen."

"Why do they call him the Reaper?" I ask.

Madre Gemma chuckles.  "Because he shows no one mercy...if there is anything my son enjoys , its torture.  I've only been to the warehouse a few times after my son has done his thing, and its something that no one wants to see.  He enjoys one's pain.  He loves the sight of blood, the sound of someone's scream..."

"He sounds like a monster!"

Madre Gemma laughs.  "You have nothing to be afraid of, Dear.  He would never hurt you...or else he would have to answer to me!....Now, about your arm...what happened?"

She just couldn't let it go.  I pour two glasses of scotch and hand her one.  "Well, about four years ago, I was out with my older brother, Lucas.  He had just became a made man, and..."  I start crying.  "He picked me up early from dance practice because I was sick.  Gun shots started firing towards us.  Lucas pushed me down and while pulling out his gun, he was shot twelve times...I shouldn't even be alive.  My only injury was a small abrasion on my shoulder."  I point to a scar on my shoulder.  " Father tells me almost daily, that the wrong kid died...Mother has been trying to give him another heir, but she's had six miscarriages since then...I cut myself because it numbs the pain...Yesterday was the first time in years."

Madre Gemma squeezes my hands.  "Well, you are going to have a new family soon...you lived because our Lord said it wasn't your time...your here to become my son's wife and to one day make me a Grandma, which reminds me..."  Gemma pulls a package of pills out of her pocket.  "One a day, until my son tells you otherwise." She winks.