Page 47 of Forced Mafia Bride
“You don’t know what it was like living with them, Sean and Ronan.No onetruly knows what it was like. Except maybe Hannah and, um, Aiden, who witnessed a bit of their extremities sometimes.”
Looking at him was hard, so I focused on a loose thread on my sweatpants before continuing.
“It was literally hell. The things they made me go through…. After Father’s death, I was subjected to spending more nights outside than I lay on my bed. With time, I got used to it, and when they noticed I’d adapted, they thought of something else to hurt me. They blamed me for Father’s death, when in reality, I just found out that they had it all planned out. I thought that after Sean died, maybe the punishments would lessen, but Ronan proved to be capable of executing the business of the day on his behalf. Nothing really changed. If anything, the living conditions grew much worse.”
I swallowed. I really didn’t want to cry.
The tears hadn’t helped me in the past. They weren’t going to help me now.
“Living with them felt like being locked up in a cage with multiple chains and locks. I wanted out of that life. Out of that bondage. That was why, when Ronan came up with the plan to marry Tristan, I was willing to do anything to run away because I knew it would only get worse having that man control me. I…I, uh, reached out to you. I believed that, somehow, you were a key. One master key that would unlock all the others. But then you did the exact same thing: You locked me up.”
Confusion disturbed his features, but I allowed my words to sink in before I pressed further.
“Don’t get me wrong. Somehow, you saved me. Living with you was not as bad, but you were ready to declare and exercise ownership. Niko,” I scooted closer, aching to cup his cheeks or touch his lips but refrained from doing either, “I am not yours or anyone else’s. I don’tbelongto you.”
To my amazement, he did what I couldn’t do. He cupped my cheeks, stroked my lips with his thumb, and let the walls down, permitting me to see the flood of desire and something else stir in his eyes.
“But you do belong to me, Rosa.”
My belly did a nervous somersault. He just countered everything I said with a simple statementandgave me his own nickname—no more “princess.”
Rosawas personal.
The thought might have been in my mind, but having him call me that sounded like he’d put me closer. Like I washis.
I should have been mad and kicked against his insistence, but I did the opposite and melted into his touch, like a limp noodle.
“You’re mine now.” He confirmed it. “You’re carrying my child, so you have to stay here. No more escaping, understood?”
Hearing that threw me into another wheel of confusion.
So, I’m his because of the baby.
Before he gave me a chance to nod in agreement like a brainless puppet that had been charmed by the strange tenderness of his voice, he said something else that stoked a burning fire I’d ignored for too long.
“I want you, Rosa.”
And there it was.
A broad daylight confession. A sharp hook, reeling me in like a helpless fish.
His thumb brushed my cheek, and his eyes held the most sincerity I hadn’t seen since the last time my father told me he loved me.
“You…. I…um…. I have never wanted any other woman as badly as I want you.” He eyed my lips, the timbre of his voice dropping to an even more husky tone. “When you ran away, I….”
He pulled back, his eyes suddenly snapping back to that cold, unfeeling glare, as if he’d been slapped back to reality with a wet cloth.
The absence of his hands on my skin left an unwelcome chill, and my eyes followed him as he rose to his feet. He pushed up his sleeves, flexing those hard muscles before his hands slipped into the pocket of his pants. He looked at me like he was about to school me.
“Here, with me, you’re free to do whatever the fuck you want: grocery shopping, go to the mall, go for a swim. If you want to play video games, virtual reality, or chess. If you want to have takeout or eat atLa Coeur de la Vie.Whatever the fuck you want, with me, you have it. But….”
The sensual roll of French on his tongue distracted me.
I blinked. “There’s a but?”
“Of course, there’s a fucking but.”
I smiled, and he rolled his eyes. Despite all the shitty things we’d been through, I was able to finally smile. And that action with him came naturally.