Chapter-5: Wedding night

The bride should gleam in her husband's arm during their first dance. But neither of the brides were blushing or happy while dancing with their husbands.

Sila was still trying to accept the fact that she was married to an Italian, specifically the future Capo, Klaus Barbieri.

While Rose was scared to death as her mind kept painting the images of the upcoming wedding night.

Oh dear God! What if He was too…

“Stop it!” Vladimir hissed coldly, Rose jumped, startled.

“Wha..what?” She asked finally daring to look at him. “Whatever you are thinking. Stop it. You look as if you are dying!”

Rose looked down. The marriage was not less than a death sentence to her. She sighed in relief when the song ended and her father took her over. While Vladimir was joined by her mother.

Stephanie Barbieri’s face was void of any expression. “I beg you, please treat my daughter right. She is too innocent for this world.”

Vladimir fixed his mother-in-law with a stern gaze. “I know how innocent she is, Mrs Barbieri. You do not have to tell me that. Also, Rose is my wife now so I suggest you do not interfere in our marriage,” He told her pointedly.

Stephanie pinched her lips in a thin line and nodded at him. She forgot that mafia men were heartless creatures. They do not have heart to store feelings like love and compassion but only anger and grudges.

The song ended and Stephanie parted from Vladimir who was about to go to his sister when a voice stopped him. “Dance with me!”

Frowning deeply, Vladimir turned towards the sharp voice only to find Rose' younger sister Mia, standing in front of him in a beige colored dress. He squinted his eyes, “Is this an order, girl?”

Mia shrugged. “Call it whatever you want. I want to dance with you.” She said offering her hand to him,“Brother-in-law.”

Vladimir critically eyed her palm and she pointed her eyes to her hand. “Take it.”

Silently, Vladimir accepted it and they started moving with the tunes of the new song. Despite his scary face, Mia fixed him with a death glare and tried to threaten him. “Dont hurt my sister, If you ever hurt her, I will kill you with my bare hands.”

Vladimir's eyebrows rose up slightly as He eyed the girl almost half of his age, in amusement. The little sparrow was trying to scare the lion.

“And what if I don't do it?” He asked in a low tone making Mia scowled. Didn’t she just warn him?

“Then I will kill you,” She snapped and stepped her heel on one of Vladimir's shoes and pressed it to hurt him. But the man only chuckled at her futile action. If only she knew the extremes of pain He suffered. Her heels didn’t even feel like a needle to him.

Mia let out a frustrated low grumble when she saw He was not getting affected by her stunt. “Just don't hurt her. She is worth more than you can ever be,” She flared her little nose. Vladimir rewarded deaf ears to her.

The song ended and Vladimir left her. “Dance over.”

Mia gave him a death glare. Oh she wanted to add another scar on his face but knew better than to create a scene. She went back to her mother who was standing with her cousin and aunt.

Valentina Barbieri, Klaus’s sister, was glaring at Sila. She didn't like her marriage with her brother. Jessica was equally unhappy. “Because of your daughter, my son is stuck with a Russian girl!” Jessica snapped at Stephanie. “Rose is a curse to all of us, Mom,” Valentina said, adding fuel to the fire like always.

Mia who was already bursting in anger burst on them before her mother could react. “And Rose is married to that barbaric man because of you!” She snapped at her selfish cousin Valentina whose eyes widened at Mia’s reply. “You…”

Mia turned to her aunt ignoring Valentina. “And Klaus married that Russian girl because of you too. Don't blame us for it.”

“I see your daughter has grown a sharp tongue!” Jessica scolded Stephanie but her daughter once again interrupted her.

“Yes. I do, Aunt, so stop blaming my mother or anyone from my family when you guys are at fault!” Mia said, grabbing her mother's hand and going to Rose whose dance was finally over with her father-in-law. She looked as if she was on the death bed right now.

“Did he say something?” Stephanie asked Rose about Boris Sokolov. Rose swallowed and shook her head.

“Nothing except for advicing me to obey Vladimir to make this marriage work. And he expects a grandson soon.” Rose answered in a small dry voice.

Stephanie seemed to gauge her daughter's anxiety. She placed her hand on her daughter's arm and gave it a soft squeeze. “Don't overthink about it, Rose. You have to win your husband's heart and trust. That's the only way to survive this marriage.” She inhaled sharply and added, “Submit to him willingly tonight and every upcoming night. It will be easy for you.”

Rose’ heart clenched tightly in her chest at her mother's advice. Her father told her the same thing and now her mother. “Mom!” She paled. Stephanie patted her daughter’s arm. “You are lucky that Russians don't have the white sheet tradition. But I pity Sila in this regard.” She said before walking away from her.

Mia didn't like that advice and pulled her sister's attention to herself. “I told you to runaway from here. Why did you come back. Now enjoy your wedding with that…that brute!” she snapped at her sister angrily.

Rose blinked back the tears in her eyes. “He would have killed you all.”

Mia fumed angrily. “No. I would have ended him before that,” Rose sighed. Her sister takes things too lightly sometimes.

“Give me your hand,” Mia whispered making sure no one was looking at them.

Rose frowned. “Why?” She asked but already extended her hand to her sister. “Because I want you to keep this,” Mia places the wedding gift she bought for her sister.

Rose' eyes widened in horror seeing her gift. “Mia, it's...”

“Yes. Keep it with you and if he tries to do something dirty you don't want. Use it.”

Rose gasped. “Are you out of your mind? You want me to kill him.”

“I know you can't do it so I won't advise it but make sure you show him that you are not a submissive bitch!” Mia taught her. Rose swallowed hard and somehow managed to hide it in her dress before the maid approached them to call her for the farewell.

Nico hugged his daughter. To everyone else it looked like a father was feeling emotional but that was far from the truth. Rose hissed in pain when her father tightly held her arm and whispered threateningly, “Make sure you are pregnant within a month, Rose. And don't do anything stupid. Do as he says, make him trust you.”

All the people were teaching her how to be a sacrificial lamb except her sister. But when she went to Klaus she couldn't help but cry.

Yes, he was her cousin but their bond was no less than siblings. “I couldn't stop this marriage but I promise you Rose, you are safe.”

Klaus kissed her forehead, assuring her. She nodded, for a moment her eyes went to Sila who was standing with her family.

Boris was talking to her while Vladimir looked agitated about something they were discussing. “She seems like a good girl. Don't hurt her.”

Klaus gave a firm squeeze to her hand but before he could speak Issac came there. “Brotha is calling you, it's time, let’s go.” he said but not before giving a death stare to Klaus who raised his eyebrows in question.

Rose walked with him silently. As they approached, Vladimir's gaze narrowed, his eyes flicking between Isaac and Rose. "Is everything alright?" He asked, his deep voice low and stern.

Isaac nodded curtly. "Yeah, everything's fine."

Rose, however, looked pale, her eyes darting nervously between the two men. "Good," He said, his voice detached. "Let's get out of here. We have a long night ahead of us."

They made their way to their waiting limousine. As they drove through the curved roads, leaving the city behind, Rose's anxiety grew with each passing mile. The thought of her getting alone with Vladimir, made her skin crawl.

She glanced at her husband, his side profile filled with ugly art which matched his dark personality. He didn't seem to care about her presence in the car.

“Any problem?” Vladimir asked without raising his eyes from his cell.

She was about to shake her head but then remembered He expected words. “N..no.”

“Then stop staring!” He whipped coldly, making her flinch. Rose immediately darted her eyes to the window, watching as the darkness outside seemed to grow thicker. She felt trapped, like an animal caught in a net.

The car finally came to a stop in front of a massive iron gate. The gates swung open, revealing a sprawling villa.

Vladimir stepped out of the car and offered Rose his hand. She blinked in surprise at his gentleman approach.

Swallowing the thickness in her throat, she took his hand and a jolt of electricity ran through her veins when Vladimir closed his fingers around it.

As they entered the villa, Rose's anxiety spiked. Had she been here in another circumstance, she would be awed by the lavish interior of the villa, the modern furnishings and artwork, but it all felt cold, soulless to her right now.

Vladimir stopped in front of a black door. She visibly stiffened when He opened that door and they entered it.

The furnishing, the interior, was beautiful but Rose was in a state of panic because her eyes were fixed on the bed dominating the center of the room.

Rose's heart literally stopped when she heard the soft click of the door behind her. Her breathing turned short when Vladimir turned to her.

The whole incident that happened last night flashed in her vision making her recoil in fear. No, She just couldn't give herself to this beast of a man, to this sinner. Her forehead broke into sweat as panic hugged her nerves.

Vladimir merely took a step forward but she spun her head around and stepped backwards from him. An unknown strength came to her, "Don't come near me," Rose's voice was barely above a whisper, but it was laced with a desperate threat. "I…. I don’t want this. I don’t want….you!” The last word stuck on her tongue in low whisper because of fear but her husband heard it.

For a moment, Vladimir paused, his void eyes darkened and He twitched his lips at her childish behaviour and denial.

"You're my wife now, Rose," He said, his voice low and husky and He took off his blazer and threw it at the nearby couch. "You'll do as I say. You vowed to obey me in front of your family." His eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing as He took a step closer.

"No no, I don’t give consent to this. I'll scream, I'll fight. You'll never take me without a struggle." She frantically shook with a trembling voice, as she stepped back.

Vladimir raised his brows. "Why? It's our wedding night. Don't you Italians have that white sheet tradition?” He said while opening the button of his white shirt.

Rose’s complexion turned white at the reminder of that machiavellian tradition.

“You are bound to produce my heir so let’s not delay it!”

Her numb eyes followed the trail of his tanned skin as He stood before her half naked. No way in hell, she would let him fuck her, take her virginity or impregnate her at her twenty,

“Come here, Babochka!” Vladimir beckoned her with his hand. Panicked, Rose’s eyes pricked with tears helplessly and darted around the room, searching for a way to escape but there was none.

With a surge of adrenaline, she finally pulled out the secret weapon out of her dress pocket.

“I said, don’t come near me!” She screamed and Vladimir halted seeing the sharp edge of a pocket knife being pointed at him by a trembling hand.

Now for a lethal Mafia man like Vladimir Sokolov, that tiny thing was a laughable stock. Did she really think she could hurt him with this?

He tilted his head and thoroughly observed his little wife’s flushed yet terrified features. Was she really that stupid or pretending to be courageous here?

“Really, Babochka? You just hurt my pride. Would you attack me with this….plaything?” His amusing smirk made her snap out of her bravery and Rose blinked her eyes a few times in panic when He resumed walking near her.

“STOP…” Rose didn’t know what had gotten into her as she screamed the next words which literally froze his feet as she put the knife on her neck and warned him.

“I….will kill myself but would never let a freak sinner to touch me!”