FIFTEEN YEARS AGOMEL.I want to go back.It had rained earlier and the ground was muddy. The trees were too wet to touch and the bugs were bigger than I thought.“Hurry up Mel.” Stephen called out while walking fast. I tried to move faster, but there were so little my six-year-old legs could handle. “I’m tired and hungry.” I cry to him. “And cold too. Can’t we go back home?”.“It’s not our home, Mel.” He stopped and turned towards me. I could see the quick flash of anger in his eyes. Stephen hates when I call our orphanage ‘home’ and insists the two of us were the only home we could ever need. He was always angry and sad but he is very nice to me. So, when he woke me up in the middle of the night and said we’re going on a road trip with the promise of snacks, I didn’t question him.“I meant the orphanage.’ I say quickly. “Sister Mary would be looking for us, we should go back.” I added.Sister Mary could be harsh but she gave the warmest hugs and was the closest thing I had to a mu
Chapter 2PRESENT DAYMELIt was one of those shitty shifts again. I had at least hoped today will be different, being my 21st birthday and all.“Look alive Melissia, you are scaring the customers away.” Scott shouts, jolting me from my thoughts. He is my manager and a pain in my ass.‘Girl, don’t worry, no sort of look on your face could scare Mr. Hottie away.” My best friend, Angie teases me. I smile at her. “He’s back?” I say, resisting the urge to look in his direction. “Yes, and alone, but staring at you as usual.” Mr. Hottie, as nicknamed by Angie, never comes alone. He sort of has a routine; comes in around 5:30 pm, with a guy accompanying him, always different guys and takes a seat in my booth section. I go to take their order, the companion makes their request and Hottie never says a word. Then at exactly 6:20pm, 10 minutes before my shift ends, I look up and they are gone, but always leaving a huge tip behind.Today, he came in at 6:25 pm and he was alone. “Why are you
CHAPTER 3MEL“Please, please, please.” The girl screamed as she was being dragged by her hair, off the big stage. I couldn’t make out her face because she was blindfolded. They were all screaming and blindfolded.Except me.I was placed on a small stage away from the main crowd, my knees bent to the ground and my hands bound together. I didn’t make a sound because I was frightened at the sight before me. A long line of blindfolded girls were being dragged or carried into a truck.“Capo said to keep her away from the others and to not rough her up.” I heard a woman’s voice. “Guess, he has found his play toy.” another voice said.“No, no, no, let me go.” I cried, screaming as if I just realized what they were doing.“You are home, my precious.” His voiced boomed above others. The monster walked to me, sat on the chair placed before me, his eyes dead and said “WELCOME HOME.”A gunshot fired. “NO!!” I screamed, waking up from the floor, sweating, even though I could feel the cold air c
Chapter 4MelIn flesh and blood, Mr. Hottie held me in his arms and even though I was agitated, I could feel the warmth of his hands on my body."It's you" I say with shock.“Yes, darling it's me. Just relax. You are safe.” He said reassuringly. I stared at him in utter shock but I did feel safe.“She ran out.” One of the men chasing me said. I suddenly remembered what was going on and started panicking In Hottie’s arms."Help me. Please, they kidnapped me.” I held unto him tightly."Kidnapped?" He looked at the men."She was resisting sir, so we did what we thought necessary.” The bald man said still holding his hands where the cut was." So, you drugged her?" Hottie asked them again. " To avoid drawing attention to ourselves boss." Bald man responded. Did my captors just refer to Hottie as Boss and Sir, I thought to myself, what is going on? "She even sliced me boss." Baldie complained." What is going on?" I asked confused." You’ve got balls, my pretty.” Hottie raised his eye
RioI have finally lost it.Marriage, really, marriage. That was definitely not what I had in mind when I geared myself up to see her today. Apparently, I’m not the only one thinking I have lost it.“Are you kidding me?” Mel was staring at me in shock. “Marry you?”Since I have gotten myself here, I thought, might as well play with it.“It’s for a set period of time. Six months like I said and you will get paid.”“I get money, right?” She asked, walking towards the open window in the room.“Yes, five hundred thousand dollars, wired to any account of your choosing” I answered. Mel turned towards me, staring at me quite intensely. “What do you gain from our arrangement?” Silence hangs in the air as we stare at each other. I remember the first time I saw her two years ago. Not a memory I’m really fond, but still I had searched until I saw her again, six months ago in that tiny little bar. I have basically stalked her since then. So, when that dumbass Jack mentioned she was his sister
RIO The drive to the estate was a quiet one except for the constant tapping of Mel’s feet on the floor of the car.“If you’ve got something to say, spit it out.” I scold her. Mel turned towards me, opened her mouth as if to say something, but then shut it again and turned to face the front of the car, obviously frustrated.“Is this what they call, ‘Wife tantrum’?” I turn to face her. “You see, I told you we would be a good fit, you are already behaving like a wife.”“Do I have to move in with you?”I lean towards her, staring only at her lips. “Scared you won’t be able resist me, huh?”I blow lightly on her lips and she lets out a little gasp in response.God, I love the way she responds to me. Guess this little challenge won’t last long.Mel pulls back and shifts away from me. “You sure have a lot of confidence in yourself.”I laugh in response and turn away from her. I still have a lot of time to enjoy my darling Mel.The car makes a turn from the highway and journeys down a fami
RIO POV“Dante.” Mama Agness exclaimed with joy. “The Rafe Boys are back with me again.”“Ciao, Mama Agness. It’s good to be home.” Dante said, beaming at her. He turns, acknowledges me with a slight nod and then his eyes darken when they land on Mel. I could feel her shiver in response.Dante sure knows how to make an entrance.“Mel, meet my elder brother and heir to Rafe dynasty. Dante Rafe.” I grin when Dante snorts at me for calling him the heir. “And Dante, meet Mel. Your future sister in-law.”“Sister in-law? I thought I heard wrongly before.” Dante turns his eyes back to me. “Are you feeling alright, brother?” “Yes, I am. Brother.” I respond sarcastically.“What dirt does she have on you?” He questioned.“Nothing.” I said flatly. Dante seemed puzzled. I was enjoying this.“Then she has to be pregnant.” He decides.“Oh, are you?” Mama Agness gasped.“I am not.” Mel blurted.“The fiancée can speak?” Dante mocked.I chuckled at Mel’s disgusted look. I was really enjoying this.“
MEL POVThe walls of the mansion seemed to go on forever and our footsteps echoed as Mama Agness led me down the passage. She was going on about the history of the estate but my mind was stuck on thoughts of the man I had just met.Dante. The mysterious Capo of the Rafe Familia. I had thought Rio was beautiful, I mean, he is, but there is something dangerously wonderful about his brother. I have never met a man on the first day and instinctively thought of what his hands can do to a woman’s body.F***, I couldn’t possibly be attracted to Dante. Am I? I wondered. No, I’m not, I can’t be. This is all Rio’s fault, I decided. Since our little car adventure, my hormones have been off the charts. Yes, I blame him. I turn my attention to the walls as we walk. Beautiful artworks and family portraits line them. A picture of a younger looking Rio draped in a full army uniform catch my eye. “Rio was in the army?”“What?” Mama Agness asked, stunned. She turned to the direction I was pointing. “O
RIO POVI had gone to the bakery with the intention of picking up Mel, but when I walked in and saw her strutting into the bathroom, I just had to follow.Almost a month without touching her was hell. “What do you mean play the part?” Mel asks as I hand her into the passenger seat of the car. “Aren’t I already playing it? By myself by the way.”I get into the car. “What are you talking about?”“I had to introduce myself to your father when you didn’t even tell him about me.”“Yeah, that. I forgot. Dante told me you really played it up well. Maybe a little too well.”“Also, you didn’t say you told Dante about us, making me look stupid when I tried to convince him that you loved me and you won’t be sharing me with him.”“Share you?” I turn to her. “What are you yapping about?”“I heard a rumor that…”. She doesn’t finish her statement but I already know what it was.“You heard that already?” I ask and she looks down at her hands, as if shy. “Would you like to do that, Darling Mel?” The
MEL POV The news of Rio Rafe’s engagement was huge in Tuscany. My name was splattered on different tabloids and gossip blogs. The magazine I was reading now had a headline saying; ‘Billionaire playboy ties the knot with mystery woman’. “Just great.” I say as I glance through the article. “They didn’t even write anything good about me. Just my name, but they go on and on about Rio.” I didn’t really care. The less people know about me, the better. But I have to keep up this show for Mama Agness. I mean, no bride will be happy if her fiancé outshines her on their wedding news, right?“You should be glad they aren’t saying anything bad either. Also, the Rafes are yet to put out an official statement.” Mama Agness takes the magazine from me. “Don’t let that bother you. We have a lot to check out today.”We were sitting in a fancy bakery that Mama Agness swears makes the best cakes, so we can pick out a wedding cake.This whole thing might be fake, but I am going to get the most fun from
MEL POV“Shut your mouth.” Dante hushes me. “You are going to get us killed, and that would just piss me off.”“What is going on?”“I said shut it.” He repeats. “I should be asking you what you’re doing here. I have a situation on my hands and I sure wasn’t expecting you to be here. This was supposed to be a quick hit.”If I wasn’t scared of Dante before, I was now. “Hit?”“Yeah.” He answers. “Stay there and don’t say a word. Unless you want to die.” I swallow in fear and nod.“Answer me. I can’t see you, remember?”“Well, you said to not say a word.”“Just forget it. Stay there.” He gets up and walks to the end of the stall area’s wall. He peeps into the corridor, looking both ways, and then runs back to our stall. “Okay, this is the deal. I don’t think they saw you. So, I will leave you here and I want you to stay quiet. Cover yourself with hay, if you have to. Don’t come out until you hear my voice.”“You can’t leave me please.” I was going to piss myself from the fear.“I can’t st
MEL POV“Haven’t I been good to you? I have fed you and put a roof over your head from a tender age yet, this is how you treat me?” Mrs. Park, my adopted mother, calmly scolds me, through the phoneShe has never raised her voice, not at me nor at her husband who is never around anyway, and definitely not at her precious son, Jack.But she always had a way of making me feel useless and ungrateful.“I’m sorry.” I murmur, looking over my back to see if anyone was nearby. Nick had left to go put the flowers in a vase, so I was alone in the garden, which I was grateful for.I didn’t want anybody present to witness the disaster I know this call is going to be. “Don’t you think you have rebelled enough?” She continues. “First you move out, then I find out you worked in a bar. And now this, have you gone insane?”“How did you know about my job?” I had never told her I got a job at the bar, not that I didn’t want her to know, but because I knew she wouldn’t approve of it.“You think you could
MEL POV The next two weeks breezed by really quickly and I had mapped a sort of daily routine that centered on sleeping, taking walks and eating. It was like I was in a continuous cycle of the same days over and over again.Reign has been in and out of the house many times, still as kind as always. Mama Agness was literally a dream come true for any human wishing for a mother figure. I mean, she bakes me fresh cookies every morning.Dante was in ghost mode. I have not seen him since our little fourth floor moment together.As for Rio Rafe, the man had the audacity to call me the next day after he had left – not with an apology- but to know if I have missed his hands on my body. The nerve. I feel goosebumps on my skin as I recall how my body had reacted to his really really good attempt at phone sex.I never knew I could feel that way down there. I have never gone past second base with any of the three boyfriends I had while growing up.Then again, they were never Rio. I couldn’t c
MEL POV After breakfast, Reign proposed a quick tour of the mansion, but then received a business call so, he had to leave early.“I promise I will be around more.” He pledges. “Now that there is a pretty face for me to come back to.” He winks at me.“Once a flirt, always a flirt. And you wonder where Rio gets it from.” Mama Agness says.“There is nothing wrong with admiring the work of God.” Getting up from his seat, he places a light kiss on my hand. “Until next time my dear. For now, Welcome to the family.”I get goosebumps when I recall Dante had mouthed the same words. Shaking off the weird feeling, I smile and nod at Reign. “Thank you.”“Dante, walk me out.” He puts back on his glasses and hat. “Ciao, familia.” He bids I and Mama Agness goodbye and heads out, with Dante behind him.“He is a good man.” Mama Agness says, finishing up the rest of her breakfast.“He looks so much like Rio.” I shake my head. “That’s why I had yelled at him when I walked in.”“He knows it was a
MEL POV“Good morning, Don.” Nick rushes to Reign’s side. “I didn’t know you were back.”“Morning, my boy.” Reign pats him on the back and turns back to me. “I’m very sure you had the ability to talk a few seconds ago.” He says with a laugh in his voice, waving his hand in my face.“Oh, sorry.” I did not realize I had been staring so hard at him. It feels like I am looking at an older version of Rio. “I didn’t mean to yell.”“No problem, Miss.” He turns to Nick. “Go tell your Nonna that I’m back.” Nick literally skips out the room, leaving me alone with Reign.“Who are you?” His voice echoes in the room.Shit. Rio hasn’t told his father about me and I have no idea how much I am supposed to tell him about I and Rio’s arrangement.I nervously extend a hand to him. “Good morning, Sir. My name is Mel Park.”“Park? Hmm, doesn’t ring a bell. And I take it you will be joining us for breakfast, right?” He walks past me to the dining table and pulls out a chair. “Please seat.”Second time m
Mel POV“Good morning to you.” Mama Agness greets me as I walk into the living room the next morning. “Did you sleep well?”If you would classify being horny all night as sleeping well, then I sure did. I nod in response and settle into the sofa next to her.“I was going to come see how you were doing after yesterday’s drama, but I saw Rio coming out of your room and he assured me you were fine and sleeping.”“Hmm.” I mumble. I was really hoping to see Rio this morning because we still need to talk about how we were to play the “marriage act”.“I know it’s not a life you are used to,” Mama Agness continues, “but guns and bloodshed are quite the norm in the mafia life. Even though I do try my best to make sure they keep most of it away from the house.” She holds my hand, turning my attention back to her. “You wouldn’t have to worry about anything.”Feeling my heart flutter with joy at her kind words, I cover her hands with mine. “I’m fine, really.” She raises an eyebrow in doubt. “Ok
MEL POVI don’t stop running till I get to my room. Shutting the door and dragging myself to the floor, I try to calm down, refusing to cry over that evil bastard.This is all his fault. He deserved it. The sound of the gun rings in my head repeatedly. I have never seen someone get shot before. God, what if they leave him there to bleed to death?I get up and look outside the window. The compound is completely empty and quiet, as if nothing happened.My heart sank.Jack is dead. He has to be and they have gone to dispose of his body.“Oh my God.” I stumble away from the window.Is this my life now? Guns and killings? What have I gotten myself into? I shriek when a knock on the door startles me.Rio walks into the room, still holding the gun in his hand, breathing heavily.Now, I’m going to die too.“Please don’t.” I beg, shaking in fear. “I would not say anything about what I saw. Please don’t kill me.”Rio stares with a puzzled look, “Kill you?” He moves closer. “Please don’t. I wi