Bound to Desire | Darkest Love~ Book 2 |

XXXVI

We arrive to this beautiful garden, the Siciliano views were absolutely stunning. I missed the scenery of my home country.

It made me feel like a true Italian.

But it wasn't with the right man.

As I stood side by side with Giovanni, we approached a few people. They greeted him of course while I was by his side like a "dutiful wife".

Awkward in an environment that I had no clue about. He grabs my hand and holds it as I look up to eyes staring at me.

"This is my fiancée, soon to be wife, Vivian" Giovanni claims.

The men bows their heads and I nod in response. Giovanni instructed me to nod or say yes whenever asked a question. If it was anything complex, to refer them to him.

As I hear the chatter between the men, I can suddenly feel eyes burning into my back. Cassian.

I turn my head back to see him in the background guarding as the "sidekick" of Giovanni, usually does.

His eyes were already on me as we lock eyes. I look away quickly before anyone catches and I walk around with Giovanni as we meet more people.

Since we are "engaged", this is a time for Giovanni as a mafia leader of the Morettis to show off his new soon to be wife. It's a thing in the mafia business, basically for his allies to know there is a new family member.

As much as it disgusted me to pretend to be in love with this man, I tried.

His constant touching burned my skin and I had to tolerate it. I look at him and I go to get a drink to cool my thoughts. He only let me go because I actually listened to him and did what he wanted.

As I grab a drink, I hear a voice.

Familiar voice.

"Vivian.." it says.

I turn to my side and I see Mikhail.

My eyes goes wide and I almost drop my drink.
"You... why are you here?" I ask with anger laced on my tongue.

He comes a bit closer.
"I needed to see you, to tell you the truth".

I scoff as I back away slowly but not too much where everyone becomes suspicious.
"What is there to tell you? You betrayed me! Sold me out to Giovanni. You and Dimitri are dead to me!".

I throw my drink at his face and walk off. He grabs my wrist to stop me.

"We didn't, if you listen to me you would know who did! Have a little more faith in me!" He says out of anger.

I try to pull my wrist away but he wouldn't budge.

A hand grabs his hand and yanks it off my wrist. I look at Cassian and he's furious.

Mikhail looks at him with unfazed expression.

"Better not show too much care in front of Giovanni. I heard you took a pretty big beating" Mikhail mocks.

Cassian ignores him and pulls me away. He drags me back to Giovanni and I stay quiet. Cassian nods to him as if he did what he was assigned to do. I watch him walk away and stay silent again. I actually can't believe this is my life right now.

As the night comes to a close, I stand with Giovanni as I see a few people leave and some enter.

I see Mikhail with Dimitri by a bar. Mikhail watches me as Dimitri drinks away.

I avert my eyes elsewhere before I throw more glares at him. He claims it wasn't him who sold me out yet here he is. He clearly knows Giovanni well enough and he hid that from me.

I can't forgive him.

Can't believe I gave him my innocence, allowed him into who I am. I shouldn't have done that.

A woman walks up to us and she is stunning of course. She goes to shake Giovanni's hand and he kisses hers.

"You must be the famous Giovanni Moretti, nice to finally meet you" she greets with a nice smile.

He smiles as he clearly looks her up and down. He really has no shame.

"You as well. And you are?" He asks.

"Oh of course. My name is Catalina Valentino, the last name may sound familiar. The famous mafia family in Madrid" she claims.

He nods.
"Of course, the name Francesco Valentino is very fresh in mind".

She nods.
"My brother has that effect on people, everywhere he goes. I hear you are also engaged, you must be her" she faces my way.

Giovanni nods.
"She is, but I rather talk business of course. The Valentinos are very advanced and I know there is word of partnership with the Santos family".

She stays quiet for a moment before she continues.

"Yes my brother is now married to the daughter of the Santos family. But my brother doesn't want us to be recognized for the unity but more for the structure. As I know the Morettis believe in as well" she adds in.

He smirks.
"We indeed do, let's talk business soon."

She nods.
"Of course".

She walks away and I see her head over by Mikhail. His focus lands on her and I couldn't blame him. She is from Madrid and I have heard some men do enjoy Spanish women.

As I spend some time alone, Giovanni comes back to me after his talk with that woman.
Giovanni coughs as his hand goes to my waist.
"So let's head home, I had enough of people for the night."

I nod and we head to the cars.

On the quiet way back "home", I thought a lot of Mikhail and what he said. Was he to be trusted? I wasn't sure. Everyone says this and that, yet it's hard to trust any word of course.

Then my encounter with Cassian was something entirely different. I hated that it was going to be our last kiss but I knew it was coming. We were almost caught and honestly part of me didn't care.

He is the only one who I felt right to kiss. I can't see myself kissing Giovanni, but I know I have no choice.

I walk inside and I head straight to my room. As I walk in, I slip off my heels along with my dress. I groan as it felt good to not to be in pain. Beauty sure is pain.

I grabbed a robe that was hanging up and I slip it on as I hear Giovanni bust in.

I turn around confused.
"What..?".

He looks at me and smiles.
"So as you know we are to be wed soon, we also need to act on more couple duties. And I need a son very soon. The wedding has been pushed to next week. You need be fitted for a dress tomorrow and everything else will be handled. No vows or anything of stupid shit. All you need to do is walk down an isle, say what you need to say, we kiss, fuck and end the night leading to the rest of our lives".

I gagged a bit in my mouth when he said kiss and fuck.

"So my first wedding night is being forced to fuck you? How... great" I say sarcastically.

He comes closer to me with a stupid smirk on his face.
"I can't wait to see what Cassian loved so much, I need a taste as well and I certainly can't wait".

I try not to freak out and I look away, disgusted.
"I am tired, let's discuss this another day".

He nods and winks at me.
"Sure will".

He walks out and I sit on the bed in disbelief. My last week as myself.

Mrs... Moretti...