Family Secrets And Dangerous Deals

"Hello, brother," the man beside me said in a dark voice.

My head whirled to face him and then I stared between the two men, noting the slight resemblance between them. I couldn't believe I hadn't seen it earlier.

"I asked you what you're doing here, Russo."

Russo shrugged, a playful smirk pulling at his mouth, "I came to congratulate your pretty wife. How come you always get the best things? I'm envious."

His words might have been a joke, but I had a feeling the sentiment behind it was very real.

"I was just leaving," he said and walked out, his shoulders brushing past Roman's on his way out.

As soon as he left, my new husband walked forward, till he was a hairsbreadth away. So close that if I raised my head the slightest bit, our mouths would touch.

This close, his tantalising smell filled my lungs and the heat from his body burned into me.

"If you ever betray me, Sofia," he began in a low voice that made my heart thud in my chest, "I' will destroy you."

That was the third threat today. At this point, I was going to get a record for most threatened woman in the city.

"I'll never betray you," I blurted out.

His eyes narrowed till I couldn't see the whites of his eyes, "I don't trust you and I know you're not who you're pretending to be. But don't worry, angel, I won't embarrass you by divorcing you. The only way you are leaving this marriage is in a body bag."

Of all the threats I'd received that day, his was the one that made my body tremble. It wasn't a threat given in anger or with purpose. It was simply a statement of fact.

I would be a fool to think of betraying Roman with his words hanging over me like a cloud of doom.

Unfortunately, I was already betraying him by impersonating the real Sofia and I would have no choice but to play Russo's game to hide Sofia's betrayal.

This was really the definition of caught between a rock and a hard place.

I cursed Lucrezia for being the cause of all my current problems.

"There's someone I want you to meet," he rose to his full height and walked out the door. I followed after him, my heels pinching my feet and the dress weighing me down.

We walked down the stairs to the living room. A man in an off white suit sat on the couch with his back to us and as soon he heard our footsteps, he rose to his feet and turned around.

My feet stilled at the door as light brown eyes met mine.

No, it couldn't be.

"This is Senator Elliot Cornwell," Ronan said.

My uncle.

And the man who had killed my parents and tossed me into a life in jail.

"A pleasure to meet you," uncle Elliot said, "You're a stunning bride and can i just say congratulations to you two."

"I- I mean, th-thank you," I stammered. What was he doing here?

Did he work with the mafia? Was that how he had so much power?

My head was beginning to pound from all the surprises of today and I just wanted to wake up back in my dreary cell room with its thin mattress.

"There's something familiar about her," he said.

Roman stiffened behind me and it suddenly struck me that his front was pressed so close to my back.

Uncle Elliot snapped his fingers, "There's a slight resemblance between her and my late niece."

So he had ruled me off as being dead? I wasn't surprised.

The evil bastard would have had me killed too if he thought I was a threat. Instead he had used his connections to toss me into a federal prison to rot.

Maybe this was finally my chance to get revenge.

"You two should come around this weekend. It's my thirtieth wedding anniversary dinner."

"We'll be honoured to come," Roman said.

The older man beamed at him then said his goodbyes and left.

As soon as the door shut behind him, leaving my new husband and I alone, I had the odd sense that I should run.

I turned slowly, deciding to get some useful information, "I didn't know you related with politicians."

"You don't need to pretend to be interested in any of this," he scoffed, "We both know the only thing in that pretty head of yours is how to get the latest designer outfits."

I knew I wasn't supposed to talk back but my sharp tongue had always been my biggest flaw, "I'm trying to broaden my knowledge since I'm not sure you're going to let me live past twenty five.”

His eyes widened and he jerked in apparent surprise, "What did you say?"

I shrugged, "Maybe you should get your hearing checked, old man."

Roman was thirty two to my twenty four, he was far from old but I felt some pride when anger made his jaw tighten, "it seems I was right about you. Have you been bidding your time to reveal your true colours?"

"If you wanted to marry a mannequin, you should have specifically requested one."

"Don't think I'll let you get away with talking back at me," his eyes darkened, "I won't hesitate to blow a hole through that beautiful head of yours."

My throat was as dry as a desert and I swallowed, "It's the second time you're using the word beautiful. Do they not teach you mafia men how to give straightforward complements?"

His hand lashed out and gripped my jaw, yanking me forward, "Don't you dare test me."

Alarms were blaring in my head and I licked my parched lips. His dark eyes dropped down to trace the movement and fire licked up from the base of my stomach.

The world faded away till it was just me and my husband's large body pressed up against mine.

"Or what?" I managed.

With a growl, his mouth smashed down on mine, taking me in a brutal, punishing kiss that melted my senses into nothing.