All Chapters of The Mafia's Bride : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Chapter 11AnnalisaDays quickly went by before I could tell, but thankfully, I was allowed to take my bath and serve myself now. The only words Cristiano and I exchanged were basic greetings, that was if he was even home. Sometimes, I wouldn’t see him for the entire day, and when I would ask, the staff would mention that he was out, handling business. It felt so strange being married, but never feeling like a wife. I kept telling myself I needed to do something more, something that could help me regain control over my life.Soon, it was the start of a new week, and I decided it was time to get back to what I loved doing best—acting. I was done with hiding away, done with feeling sorry for myself. There were new projects casting announcements, and I had this determination to start auditioning again. I found some exciting opportunities online, as well as a few in the groups I was a part of as an actress. I took it as my chance to finally get back on my feet and take back what the scand

Chapter 13Cristiano“Get up.” My voice came out sharp, filled with the impatience boiling inside me. The slut on my lap froze momentarily, cocking her head confused at my sudden change of mood.“What, you don’t like where I touch, Sir?” Her lips curled into a seductive smile, and her hands resumed their slow, deliberate path down my chest.“I won’t repeat it.” My voice was colder this time, and she got the message. She slowly took her hands back, and then she stood up with a puzzled look on her face. I could see her calculating whether this was her fault or something else entirely, but I didn’t care.Her touch did nothing but remind me of how far I had come from this life, how much I had fought to leave it behind. But even now, standing in this dimly lit booth, I could feel the temptation to go back to my old ways. I could feel the pull, the same pull that had destroyed men better than me. But I wasn’t about to lose it all for a few minutes of pleasure.I couldn’t picture the look on

Chapter 15Cristiano Annalisa turned away from me at the last second. She pulled back, and my lips landed on her cheek instead of where they were supposed to. My hands that had tried to cup her face were now hanging in the hair, confused as to why Annalisa had withdrawn when she had been leaning into the kiss just moments ago. Or, hadn't she? “Cristiano, I-I didn’t mean to… em—” she stammered, trying to explain herself even when it didn't matter anymore.“It’s fine.” To my surprise, my voice came out steadier than I felt. I dropped my hands on her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You must be tired. Go upstairs and freshen up.”She nodded without saying anything else, avoiding eye contact like she was scared of something, but what? Did she think I’d be mad about her pulling away? No, I wasn't mad at her, but disappointed? Yes, absolutely. Most women are dying to throw themselves at me, but Annalisa was different and I liked her for it. This wasn’t the first time she had held

Chapter 17AnnalisaInstead of heading home, I noticed the bodyguard wasn’t taking the usual route. “Where are you taking me?” I asked, not knowing whether to panic or not as he bypassed the turn I expected him to take.“Boss asked me to drop you off where he’ll be meeting you.”“But we didn’t discuss meeting at anyplace” I said, trying to rethink whether I had forgotten something I had talked about with Cristiano.“It seems like he’s planning a surprise or something along those lines for you.” he replied in that burly but steady voice. Surprise? Cristiano was planning a surprise? That's a first. “I hear you, but I never got your name though.” Trust me, I wasn't thinking that extreme. I asked for his name just in case he was working with an enemy. And if he wasn't, it's never too bad to be familiar with my bodyguard.“It’s Buddy.” He smiled, glanced at me for a moment through the rearview mirror before turning his attention back to the road.As we drove down the city, I felt a flutter

Chapter 19Annalisa As much as I wanted to narrate how the heated moment with Cristiano had continued, it was a pity there was no continuation for it. We had gotten so into the kiss when Cristiano's phone rang, interrupting us from doing more. He ignored it at first, but the phone kept ringing persistently until eventually, he sighed and pulled away, apologizing before disappearing into his study. I had hoped that he would be quick, thinking we could continue from where we left off, but an hour passed, then two, then another, untill eventually I fell asleep while waiting for him on the couch, just like the other night.Now, I was waking up on my big bed, alone. A yawn escaped my mouth as I sat up, stretching my arms. I had no idea what i would be doing today, but I knew I wasn't going to chase anymore auditions, not after the last rejection. Maybe I deserved a bit more time off. I was just starting to imagine a week off when my phone buzzed on the nightstand. I knew at once that it