All Chapters of Forced to Wed the Mafia Heir: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

THE WEDDING PARTY AND NIGHT OF SUSPICIONSThe wedding party was in full swing. People were dancing and having a good time. I watched as my sister, Rosy, jumped up from her chair and ran over to Kim, Lysander’s second Loyal man after Dante."Dance with me, Kim?" Rosy asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief.Kim's lips curved into a smirk. "As if I could refuse you, little wildflower."I couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy as I watched Rosy dance. She always seemed so carefree, even at a formal event like this. Across the room, I saw Dorian. He was charming the other guests with his easy smile and quick wit.Soon, it was my turn to dance again. Lysander's father led me onto the dance floor. After that, I was passed from one man to another. Their faces all blurred together. I could feel Lysander's gaze burning into me the whole time, even when he was dancing with other women.When I was dancing with a man named Marcello, he leaned in close and murmured, "You wear the mask of a happy

THE BEDROOM CONFRONTATIONMy heart hammered against my ribs, but that spark of defiance refused to be extinguished. "Haven't you ever heard the word 'no' before?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly but gaining strength with each word.A cruel smile played at the corners of Lysander's mouth. "Oh, I hear it often," he said, his tone casual but laced with menace. "The guy whose throat I crushed, he said it over and over and over again until he couldn't say it anymore."His words sent ice through my veins, but I couldn't back down now. "So you're going to crush my throat too?" I asked, hating how small my voice sounded.Lysander's smile widened, cold and predatory. "No, that would defy the purpose of our marriage, don't you think?"I scrambled for something, anything to say that might protect me. "I don't think my father would be happy if you hurt me," I blurted out. Even as I spoke, a sinking feeling settled in my stomach. Would my father truly care if I was hurt, as long as it didn't

KYLIE'S TEARS AND LYSANDER'S OATHWithout warning, Lysander reached for the lamp. The room plunged into darkness, and I felt the bed dip as he lay down beside me. I clung to the edge of the mattress, my body rigid with tension. The silence in the room was deafening, broken only by the sound of our breathing.As I lay there, my mind raced with thoughts of my new reality. This was to be my life now - married to a man I barely knew, a man whose very presence filled me with dread. How did it come to this? My father, the man who was supposed to protect me, had handed me over to Lysander like a bargaining chip. For what? Power? Money? The thought made me sick.I thought of my childhood dreams, of finding love and building a life with someone who cherished me. Those dreams now seemed like cruel jokes, shattered by the harsh reality of my arranged marriage. Tears welled up in my eyes, hot and insistent. I tried to hold them back, but the dam of emotions I had been holding at bay all day final

UNSPOKEN RULES OF THE MAFIA“How am I supposed to believe you can convince everyone we’ve consummated our marriage when you keep flinching away from my touch?”“Believe me, the flinching will make everyone believe the lie even more. I definitely wouldn’t have stopped flinching away from your touch if you’d taken what’s yours. The more I flinch, the more they will see you as the monster you want them to think you are.”Lysander chuckled, the sound low and amused. “I think you might know more about playing the game of power than I expected.”I shrugged. “My father is Consigliere.”He tilted his head, acknowledging my words. Then he brought his hand up to cup my face. “What I meant earlier was that your face doesn’t look like you’ve been kissed.”My eyes widened. “I’ve never…” But of course he knew that already.His lips collided with mine, and my palms instinctively came up against his chest. I didn’t push him away. His tongue teased my lips, demanding entrance. I hesitated, but then I

BEYOND THE FACADEI smoothed the fabric again, more out of nervous habit than necessity. "Thanks. I figured I should look presentable, you know, meeting yourfather and mine after... well, you know."A smirk played at the corner of his lips. "Ah yes, the morning-after parade. Are you ready for the scrutiny?"I laughed nervously. "As ready as I'll ever be. Though I suppose someone could always lift my skirt and check my thighs for bruises, just to be sure."The humor vanished from Lysander's face in an instant. He crossed the room in two long strides, his hand gripping my arm. "If anyone so much as thinks about touching you like that, they'll lose their fucking hand. Understood?"I nodded, my heart racing at his sudden intensity. Part of me was thrilled at his protectiveness, while another part screamed danger. I couldn't tell if this was genuine care or just another form of control."Come," he said, releasing my arm and offering his hand. "Let's not keep them waiting."As we descended