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 POV Jack bursts through the front doors, yelling. “Where is my sister? Where did you take her, you asshole?”Dante raises an eyebrow in question at me. “Seems it’s not a happy family reunion.” He says.I strut towards Jack and looked him dead in his eyes. “Watch your words in my house or I will cut your tongue and feed it to you.” I whisper to his hearing only.Jack cowers in response as I expect and lowers his eyes to the ground. “I just came for my sister.” he says, calmly now. I settle on the arm of Dante’s chair. “Leave us.” I instruct the men who had tried to hold Jack back.They leave and the sound of the doors closing echoes in the room as I stare down at Jack. He stands, not daring to look in I and Dante’s direction. The surge of rage he had was gone, leaving behind a spineless man wondering if he made the right decision coming here.“Why do you think I have your sister?”“I... I... I can’t reach her, so I tracked her phone’s location here. Give her to me and I will be o
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
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 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 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 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“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“Morning Nonna, Mel. Please join me.” Dante gestures to the empty seats as I and Nonna walk back into the dining room. “So, Mel how was your wedding night with your husband? Anything you didn’t like? I can get Rio to improve.”I take the seat that Rio had just left, across from Dante. “What just happened?” I ask, ignoring his annoying remarks. “Why were they fighting?”“I believe when I walked in, I only saw Rio and I don’t think he could be fighting with himself.” Dante says, shaking his head at me.“Don’t be rude, Dante.” Mama Agness warns, pointing her butter knife at him. “Mel, we don’t know what happened, so just leave it.”“But they were talking about someone taking over the position in the company that Rio is vying for.” I argue.“Listen to Nonna, dear sister in-law and mind your business.” Dante says, blandly.“I know I trained you better than that, boy.” Mama Agness scolds him.“Yeah, but sometimes boys grow up into stubborn men.” He gets up. “Thanks for the breakfast
RIO POVI lay on the bed staring at the ceiling, after a restless night of tossing around, listening to the morning hymn of Amazing Grace coming from the Chapel. Mel’s warm body was beside me, so close all I had to do was reach over and touch.But my mind was troubled.Did father really promise the position to Andre? Also, who the hell does Andre think he is? Threatening me? I have had enough of his bullshit, always countering me in every way and my father always taking his side.“Not this time, Mister.” I say aloud. “Not this time.” Mel makes a muffled noise as if disturbed and I stay still to avoid waking her up. She obviously needs her rest, especially after what she said last night. If I hadn’t been so worked up because of Andre, I would have been amused.She turns to me while making the noise even louder. I shift to the edge of the bed to give her more space.Then the strangest thing happens.“Let’s go back. Please, let’s go.” She murmurs with distress in her voice.The room w
MEL POV.“It’s pretty from up here.” I was sitting at the window in my room, watching the sparkling lights and listening to the beautiful music coming from the party below.“It sure is.” Angie says from the bathroom. “A pretty gathering of murderers, drug dealers and stuck-up rich investors. You know… the usual Italian party.”I turn to make a face at her when she walks back into the room. She had changed out her dress, but not into pajamas. “Oh, Angie. Please stay the night. Please.” I beg.“No, my darling. I love a good sleepover but even I am not crazy enough to stay here. Seriously, I admire your strength.” She walks around my room, picking up her things. “Can I take this?” She waves a bottle of unopened perfume at me.“You can take anything you want, if you agree to stay.”“Yeah, no that won’t work. You can keep your stuff then.” She throws it at me.“I’m just joking.” I throw it back.“Thank you.” She puts it in her bag. “Besides, I don’t want to interrupt the wedding night.”“A
RIO POV After my father had steered Leo away from Mel with the excuse of discussing business, I had Angie escort Mel inside the house. I still don’t understand what that little show Leo made was about.But I was feeling very unsettled and the reason was standing not too far away from me.“I didn’t think he will show up.” I walk to the corner where Dante lounged, quietly watching the crowd.“Which particular he?” He asks. “Because there are a lot of hes I don’t wish to be looking at right now.”The music was very loud here. I could barely hear him. No wonder he picked this spot. “Kade.” I say, taking a seat next to him.“Oh, the masked Draco. Very bold of him to show his face or should I say mask around here.” He laughs and sits up. “But Leo came, so he had to be here.”“Do you think he doesn’t know that we are on to him?”“He knows alright. Kade is not that stupid.”“So, when are we going to tell Father that Kade is the one sabotaging the Russian deal?”“Simple. When I find concrete
MEL POV The day has come.I was sitting in a McLaren, all dolled up in my expensive wedding dress and beautiful jewelries, on my way to the chapel to become Rio Rafe’s wife.No going back now. Everyone else had left for the church, except for Dante who had been ordered by Mama Agness to escort me to the church. He wasn’t really pleased. I steal a quick glance at him, while he was glued to his phone.He is really handsome. Chiseled jaw, green eyes, that I will kill everything you love aura. He was hot.But he just wasn’t my Rio.My Rio. God, am I claiming him now?I quickly look away when Dante catches me staring at him, and fix my eyes to the road ahead of us.“Prettier than the guy waiting at the alter for you, right?” He jests.I roll my eyes, deciding to ignore him.“Still don’t want me to share with Rio?” He mocks me.I shoot him a look, cold enough to kill men. For the past few days, after the barn incident, we have had sort of a bickering relationship going on. He was annoyi
MEL POV “The family of The Rafe empire would like to announce the marriage of their son, Rio Rafe to his girlfriend Mel Park. Miss Park is a brilliant lady with suitable characteristics that appeal to the family. The couple would like to thank the public for their enthusiasm concerning the engagement, but ask that the privacy of the couple be respected.” Angie read loudly from a newspaper. “Girllllll.” She slams her hand on her thigh. “When I saw the tabloids and heard the rumors, I didn’t believe it. But when the family released this statement in the papers with a cute picture of you two, I screamed.”We were seated at a table in a coffee shop. I had to beg Mama Agness for a chance to go out. With the wedding only two days away, the woman was swamping me with wedding preparations, that I couldn’t breathe. Also, I needed my friend.“So, Mr. Hottie is The Rio Rafe. Like,” She lowers her tone. “The Rafe cartel that runs Tuscany.”“The very one.”“Okay, so I feel this is all my fault.
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