Betrothed To The Ruthless Mafia: Chapters 1–5

"Your father is waiting in his study"

Rosana looked down at the luggage she was holding and sighed. She couldn't help wondering why her father urgently needed her in his study. What could be so important? She wasn't even allowed to drop her bags before her mother conveyed the message.

"Is anything the problem, Mammà?"

"No, absolutely not," Aria responded with a faux smile. She looked worried and anxious and Rosana could tell because she kept rubbing her hands.

She gave her mother a suspicious look and turned to look around. Surely, this was not the atmosphere she expected to meet after being away for the past three years.

"I will drop my bags first and then I will meet him in the study"

Aria smiled and returned to the kitchen while Rosana headed up the stairs. Once inside her room, she smiled and dropped her bags on the neatly dressed bed. The room was clean which meant that Aria had taken care of it in preparation for her homecoming.

Rosana looked at the ring on her middle finger and smiled as she headed out to meet her father. Tonight or the next morning, she was going to share the good news with everyone. Her parents were going to be so proud of her, she thought.

"Father!" She called out in excitement after bursting into the quiet room. Mr. Santos turned from the window and smiled at his daughter who had long grown into a beautiful woman.

"Principessa!" He smiled as she rushed into his arms.

In his father's arms, Rosana was relieved. When she had gotten the call from him, asking her to return home immediately, she had thought the worst. She didn't even waste time. She just booked the next flight and rushed back to Italy.

"Father, you are well. I thought something bad happened"

"Oh, not at all, mio caro" Mr. Santos replied and motioned for her to take a seat at the other end of the table. "I am glad you came quickly"

"I have good news, Papito. I..." Rosana started but was cut off by her father.

"We can talk about that later, sì? Right now, there is something important you need to know"

Disappointment flashed across her soft features but she covered it up quickly. She nodded and smiled instead, wondering what was so important that couldn't wait until the next day.

She had just arrived some minutes ago and wasn't properly welcomed by her parents. She wasn't even allowed to relax after hours of sitting on the plane.

"You will be married soon..."

Her heart skipped in excitement. She didn't even know when she cut him off. "Yes, Father, I..."

"The wedding is tomorrow, Rosana, and you must be prepared" Few seconds passed and neither of them said a word. They just sat, staring at each other.

"My wedding? Tomorrow?"

She was speechless. Her wedding? It was hard to process any of what her father had just said.

"Sì, sì. We do not have any more time, Rosana. You have to be ready"

She stared at him, still confused. "We have a lot of time, Papito. We are not planning to rush anything"

With a deep sigh, her father stood up and walked over to a smaller table in the room. He picked up a bottle and poured himself a glass of alcohol. After taking a sip, he looked heavenward, thinking deeply.

He still did not know how to break the news to his only child. She had been betrothed some years ago and it hurt him that he couldn't change the situation. Tomorrow, he was going to come and collect her and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

A sigh ripped out of Rosana's chest as she looked at the ring on her finger. She wasn't surprised that her father had found out about it before she could break the news to them. He was in the mafia and he had lots of connections all over the world but what still surprised her was why he was asking her to marry the next day.

"Look, Papito, everything is going to be fine, you do not have to worry. Allen and I would get married and make grandbabies for you and Mammà immediately"

Mr. Santos paused and turned to look at her. It was now his turn to look confused. When she smiled and looked down at the ring on her finger, his heart stopped in his chest. The glass he was holding fell from his hand and broke into pieces.

"Papà!" Rosana yelled in shock and got out of her chair. She immediately rushed over but he stopped her before she could get closer to him.

"What have you done, Rosana? You got engaged?"

The look on his face terrified her but she managed to respond. "Yes, Father. Allen and I got engaged one week ago" When he sighed deeply and went over to stand in front of the window, she had to explain. "I wanted to tell you and Mammà, Papito. Allen and I have been in love for the past four years. I did not mean to keep it a secret"

"Do you know how dangerous this is, Rosana? He could have our heads if he finds out!"

She stared at him then, the confused look returning to her face. What was he talking about? She wondered. Who was he talking about? If the wedding wasn't with her fiance, Allen, then who?

"You are going to return the ring and end things with this man, è chiaro?" [Is that clear?]

"His name is Allen, my fiance"

"I do not care, Rosana!" He yelled and walked over to her. Rosana was now frightened. Her father had never yelled at her and she had never seen him look this way. "He is coming to take you tomorrow, so you will do as I say, Principessa. Tonight, you will pick your wedding gown and you will be ready for him."

Rosana was on the verge of bursting into tears but she held herself. She still could not understand a thing he was saying and silently prayed it was not what she was thinking. It couldn't be a forced marriage. No, her father will never do that. He loved her so much and wanted her to be happy, always.

"Who is this man, Papito?" Her voice quivered. She gulped hard, ignoring the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat.

"Your betrothed, Sergio De Niro"

Her breath hitched at her throat and her heart started racing a million miles just from hearing his name. There was only one man who bore that name and she couldn't be mistaken.

Tears brimmed her vision and this time, she couldn't hold it in. She wished she was dreaming. Her father was never a man that joked around and the seriousness in his face said it all. This was real.

"No Papito, no... I am engaged, you can not do this... Non puoi farlo, Papito!" [You can't do this to me, Father]

"It has already been done, Rosana" His voice was filled to the brim with irritation. "Now, be a good girl and start getting prepared"

Rosana begged and cried but it fell on deaf ears. Her father had made the decision already and there was nothing she could do to change it.

"Vattene!" [Get out!] He ordered and turned back to face the window. Just like that, her fate had been sealed.

*

"Stop crying, you will ruin your makeup," Aria said and immediately dabbed Rosana's wet cheeks with a handkerchief. "Mi dispiace tanto, Rosana. I tried to talk to him but he would not listen" [I'm so sorry]

Rosana stared at herself in the mirror and sobbed harder. She still couldn't believe it. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying the whole night and she was having a fever too.

She only acceded to put on the wedding dress because her father had threatened to find her Allen and end his life. Allen was her heart, her world and she couldn't let anything happen to him.

Rosana tried not to cry inside the car as they headed to where the wedding ceremony was going to take place. She was still overwhelmed by hopelessness and shock. If only she knew, she would never have returned. She would've gone into hiding with Allen in a place no one would ever find them.

"Boss, we are here" The driver announced, breaking into her jumbled-up thoughts.

With the help of her father, she alighted from the car and looked around. She held onto her veil firmly, feeling thankful that she wore it. At least, no one could see how messed up her face looked from crying so hard.

Everyone stood to their feet as they walked into the building. All eyes turned to look at her and she wished the ground could open up for once and swallow her. With her arm entwined with her father's, he walked her down the aisle.

Rosana clung to her father's arms like her life was depending on it. All the men in the room were dressed in black and it caused a thrill of shiver to run down her spine. What were these people, she wondered.

When they finally got to the altar, Rosana searched around for her groom but he was nowhere to be found. Silently, she prayed that he had forgotten about the wedding and had abandoned her.

"He will be here soon" The Bishop spoke softly and Rosana stared at him in bewilderment. She had never heard a story of a bride arriving for her wedding before the groom. It was always the groom who arrived first and waited for his bride.

Rosana felt like crying all over again. She was not even betrothed to a normal man. She was betrothed to the king of hell, Sergio De Niro. The name that caused thousands to bow in terror and powerful men to cower in fear.

She had never seen him but she had heard stories of how ruthless, deadly, and evil he was. That was the person she was going to marry in the next few minutes.

Rosana didn't realize when she started struggling to untwine her arms from her father's. She wanted to be anywhere but there, she wanted to run.

"Rosana... Rosana, what are you doing?" Mr. Santos whispered and looked around. Everyone was watching but none of them could utter a word. "Comportati bene, signorina. You are embarrassing me!" [Behave, young lady.]

"Let me go! I do not want to marry him, Father!" She whispered in return, fighting hard to get away from him.

He hissed in annoyance and looked around one more time before turning back to her. He didn't care if they were standing in front of the bishop who watched them in awe.

"Enough, young lady!" He gritted, glaring hard at her. "I do not care if you want this or not. I am your father and you will do as I say. If I ask you to live, then you will live. And if I ask you to die, Rosana, you will die!"

"And who gave you such rights, hmm?" A deep monotonous voice broke in behind them. It was enough to nail the terror to their limbs.

Mr. Santos tried to speak but the words couldn't flow out. He couldn't even look at him in the face. Instead, he bowed and stepped aside so he could stand beside Rosana.

"I would have your head the next time you speak to my bride in such a manner." He spoke acidly, his metallic eyes covered with darkness.

"My apologies, Mr. De Niro, it would never happen again" Mr. Santos's knees hit the ground immediately.

All this time, Rosana stared at him, completely appalled. She couldn't believe he was finally here. When he finally turned to look at her, her heartbeat froze and blood drained from her face. He was there, he was standing right in front of her...

Sergio De Niro.

He quickly appraised her from head to toe. Then he frowned in disapproval. "Troppi vestiti" [Too much clothes].

"What is your name?"

Rosana's tongue suddenly felt tied but she managed to answer. "Rosana"

He took a step and was now standing beside her. "Ro, lo facciamo?" [Shall we?] His voice was deep and his Italian accent dripped out of every word he spoke.

Rosana shuddered.

Her breath hitched at her throat and came out ragged. Did he just call her by the nickname her late brother gave her?

"Ro, la facciamo?" Sergio asked and held out his right hand. He was now standing beside her, facing her.

He was cut an imposing figure, his tall frame encased in a black suit that spelled splendor. The fabric clung to his well-muscled chest, and the first three buttons were left undone, revealing intricate tattoos that snaked up his chest. The sight made her edgy but she couldn't look away. He wasn't even wearing a tie.

Why her? She kept asking herself.

How could her father do this to her? How could he force her to marry someone she didn't even love? Someone that looked deadly? Someone that spelled terror?

She had always wanted to marry Allen and none other. But standing before the congregation, dressed in a white wedding gown and standing beside a man who was not Allen broke her frantic heart.

Her eyes twitched, threatening to spill tears but she clicked her tongue with her teeth and tried to stop it. Her trick worked. Even if she cried in front of everyone, it wouldn't change a thing. Instead, she would earn deadly glares, especially from her father. He had long betrothed her without her knowledge so why would he care?

Her mind was filled with lots of thoughts that she had forgotten the hand stretched out in front of her. When she finally lowered her gaze and saw it, her stomach clenched immediately and her heart started hammering wildly in her chest.

This was happening, this was real, she thought.

Taking a huge gulp, she slowly raised her soft dainty hand and placed it on his cold, firm hand. The sudden contact caused her to flinch but Sergio held her still.

He had been watching her the whole time, quietly waiting for her to take his hand. It took so much for him to exercise patience, instead of showing her exactly what he does to people that waste a tiny bit of his time.

Together, they both turned and faced the priest who began the wedding processions. It didn't take long before they exchanged their vows before the Priest and the whole congregation.

"Till death do us part" Rosana whispered the last part with a heavy heart. She deeply wished the man in front of her was her Allen, not this man she just met some minutes ago.

Sergio stared deeply at her. Even with the veil that covered her face, he could still see how beautiful she was. Her blue eyes were the first to fascinate him. They were the prettiest yet saddest pair of blue eyes he had ever seen.

"Finchè morte non ci separi" [Till death do us part] He repeated the vow and slipped the gold ring into her dainty finger.

"With the power vested upon me as the High Priest of the country, I now pronounce you man and wife!" A loud applause erupted from the congregation who stood to their feet to honor the newly wedded. "You may now..."

Before the Priest could finish, Sergio had already unveiled the bride. He was curious to see the face behind the white veil.

Rosana was curious too. She wanted to see the face of the man she was marrying. She had only heard stories. But she wasn't ready to accept the reality of things. She wished she still had time to hide under her veil where she could wallow in self-pity without anybody knowing.

Slowly, she looked up at the man who was now her husband and her jaw nearly dropped at the sight of him. Her stomach lurched to her throat and she gulped hard. How could someone look handsome and dangerous at the same time?

"Sei bello!" [You are beautiful!] Sergio muttered, causing her heart to skip. Did he just say she was beautiful? She wondered.

"You may now kiss your bride"

He took a step closer and her heart thumped in her chest. A voice in her head was screaming for her to run but before she could think of it, Sergio wrapped his right hand around her small waist. He pulled her closer to himself and stared into her green teary eyes.

Rosana turned cold being so close to him. The only man she had ever been this close to was her Allen but now...

"I do not want to marry you!" She whimpered, tears clouding her vision.

"Too late" He smirked. "Sei mio, amore" [You're mine now, love] With that being said, he crashed his lips on hers, kissing her fiercely.

*

Rosana had expected a dance and a couple of celebrations afterward. But none of that happened. Instead, she was led into a black limousine by Sergio who got in afterward.

She wasn't even allowed to hug and kiss her mother goodbye. Her father had been quick to step in and whisper into her ears "You're doing this for Nino" before he disappeared.

Nino was her older brother who died a couple of years back. She was only ten when she learned about his death. She had cried so hard and begged her father to let her return to Italy for his burial but he refused. When she finally returned two years later, no one said a word about him and she was scared to ask.

But now, he mentioned him freely, leaving her confused and clueless. How was she doing this for her late brother? What did being betrothed to the ruthless Sergio De Niro have to do with him?

Breaking out of her thoughts, she looked up at Sergio and caught him smoking from his pipe while scrolling through his phone. When he raised the pipe to his lips and stuck it inside his mouth, she stared hard in disgust. She couldn't believe he had kissed her with that same mouth.

"You know you have all the time in the world to drool over me, Bambolina. I would advise you to breathe. You look dead" He looked up at her and returned his gaze to his phone. [Babydoll]

Rosana stared at him in disbelief.

Did he just accuse her of drooling over him? She couldn't even look at him without feeling irritated.

"I look dead because I was forced to marry you against my will. I do not love you and I do not want to be with you!"

He chuckled lightly but she considered it dark. How could she be with a man whose mere laughter terrified her?

"You will learn to be with me, Bambolina, because you are mine"

"No, I will not!" Rosana rebuffed. She dipped her hand into her cleavages and pulled out a ring. "I was engaged to the one I love before you and my father came along and took me away from him. I do not love you and I never will!"

She was stubborn and adamant, Sergio could tell. He stared at the ring she was holding without saying a word.

She had expected him to say something. To apologize for the whole trauma and heartbreak he had put her through within the past few hours and terminate the marriage. She had hoped for all of those but instead, she got nothing. He just sat emotionless, staring at the ring with a void expression on his face.

Rosana was shocked. Did he not understand everything she had just said?

"I do not want to be with you. Do you not understand?" She yelled out in frustration. "I want to be with the man I love!"

A minute passed before he asked quietly. "What is the name of this man you love so much?"

"Allen... Allen Iverson"

He nodded and then picked up his glass of whiskey. He downed the whole content and resumed scrolling through his phone like he had not heard her.

Rosana waited for him to speak but he didn't. She kept out an exaggerated sigh and looked out of the window sadly. What was going to become of her? She thought, fighting back the tears that threatened to roll down.

*

The limousine finally pulled up in front of a gigantic mansion and before Rosana could decide whether to step out or not, the doors were thrown open.

She sluggishly got down from the car and looked around her in shock and admiration. Her mouth dropped. She had expected Sergio to own one of the biggest houses in the country but she had not expected it to be so beautiful and wonderfully built.

She was lost staring around and wasn't aware of the men that bowed to her with their heads almost touching the ground.

"Where is he?" Sergio inquired, standing beside Rosana.

"We have him, Boss." Alfonso, one of his men replied, still bowing. "What should we do?"

"Take me to him, I will take care of him myself" He then turned to Rosana who stood clueless, and offered his hand. "Shall we?"

Rosana didn't know what was going on but she followed him anyway. She kept admiring all the places they walked by until she heard someone crying and screaming.

She was terrified. She wanted to stop and run back but Sergio held her firmly, forcing her to walk with him. Finally, they entered the room and everywhere went quiet. Even a pin drop could be heard.

Rosana blanched at the sight in front of her. The man who was tied to a chair was bleeding profusely from everywhere. His right eye was pulled out and his fingers were chopped off.

Quietly, Sergio unbuttoned his suit and with the help of Alfonso, he took it off. He then rolled up his sleeves, exposing his strong tattooed arms. He cracked his neck and finally stepped into the light.

"I heard you tried to attack me" He started, walking over to a table in the room which was filled with torture equipment.

"I... I was ordered by Grasso Romon!" The man confessed without being asked.

"È così, hmm?" [Is that so?]

"He has my family!" The man cried. Tears rolled down from his left eye and blood from his right eye socket which no longer had an eye.

"You should have let them die rather than make such a mistake"

Sergio picked up a hot blazing knife from the furnace and dived it into his stomach. A loud ear-piercing scream erupted from both the man and Rosana who stood in the middle of the room.

But Sergio wasn't done.

Instead of retrieving the knife, he let it burn his insides till they spilled out of him. The man could hardly breathe. He was barely alive.

Sergio picked up a knife and drove it into the middle of his chest. He carved it down and drove it to the left, right under his heart. When he was done, he stood to admire his work before digging his hand into his chest to pull out his heart.

Rosana screamed again, her heart racing wildly. All the blood drained from her face and she was left in shock. She couldn't believe it... She just couldn't.

The man was now dead and Sergio stood with his heart in his hand. After looking at the vital organ for some seconds, he threw it on the ground and turned to Rosana. She looked pale and couldn't even move or speak.

"Let's go, Bambolina," He said to her and grabbed her hand, taking her away. She couldn't even think or ask questions, she just followed him.

Rosana followed him quietly. She was too traumatized to speak or notice that he was holding her with his bloodied hand. The same hand he had used in pulling out the man's heart.

When they finally arrived in their bedroom, Sergio opened the door and ushered her in. "Welcome home!"

She looked around the room in fright and finally turned to look at him. He was still standing behind the closed door, not making any attempt to step further into the room. She lowered her gaze to his hands and shivered when she saw it covered in blood.

"Why?" She croaked, tears shimmering in her eyes. "Why did you kill him?"

"He deserved to die, Amore"

"Aveva una famiglia" [He had a family]

Sergio scoffed and started walking towards her, causing her heartbeat to accelerate unusually. She took a step backward, trying to avoid him. If she had her way, she would've vanished completely.

"Do not try to run away from me, Bambolina" He groaned and took another step closer but she stepped away. She was shaking visibly and sobbing at the same time.

"No, stay away from me. You killed him... You..."

Before she could take another step backward, he caught her by the arm and pulled her to himself. "You cannot run away from me. Do not ever think you are capable of doing that!"

His voice was gravelly and it caused chills to run down her spine. She was so scared. She was scared of his cold voice, the deadly look in his eyes, his nearness... Everything about him scared the living hell out of her.

He finally stepped away from her and she heaved in relief. He had finally granted her wish, she thought to herself unknowing to her that he was only moving away so he could examine her wedding dress and how to take it off.

"Take it off" He ordered after what seemed like a minute. Rosana looked up at him in confusion, wondering what he was talking about.

"No!"

"No? Let's see about that!" He stepped closer and began pulling the gown from all angles. He was on the verge of tearing it with his hands.

"Stop... Stop!" Rosana's voice quivered and tears of fright brimmed her vision.

She couldn't stop crying because she witnessed a person being murdered for the first time in her life. Right in front of her, her newly wedded husband had tortured and murdered a man mercilessly.

"Stop, please..."

"No... Stop touching me. Take your bloody hands off me!" His white shirt was stained too and there were prints of blood on his face. But he didn't care. All he cared about was how to get rid of her wedding gown which was now ruined by the blood on his hands.

"What did you just say?" He paused and looked down at her with dark metallic eyes.

"Stop touching me!"

He grabbed her neck and she gasped, her eyes widening in shock. That was the last thing she expected him to do.

"You should not make me do this on our wedding night, Bambolina. You are mine and I will take whatever I want, whenever I want, wherever I want, and however I want, till death do us part, Mi Amor"

His eyes were swimming in darkness and she felt a trail of shivers running down her spine just by his stare. Without warning, he crashed his lips on hers, his mouth encompassing hers.

With his hand still wrapped around her neck, he tilted her head and angled for deeper contact. "Kiss me properly!"

But instead of that, she pushed him away and sent her shaky palm to his cheeks before she could even process it. Her body trembled in realization and her pulse pounded heavily. What has she done? She wondered in terror.

Sergio stilled. He couldn't believe he had just been slapped so hard. When he finally looked up at her, his eyes were bloodshot and dark. His hands were itching to retaliate so badly that they started hurting.

"Mi dispiace. I... I am not used to people forcing themselves on me" [I'm sorry!] Rosana uttered, keeping her head up and shoulders high. It took everything in her to stifle the panic that sliced through her.

"Non avresti mai dovuto farlo, Bambolina. Not even by mistake" [You should never have done that]

***

After hours of sitting and staring at the window, Rosana managed to slip out of her wedding gown and decided to take a shower. After taking a shower, she stepped out of the bathroom, wondering what she was going to wear. Her father had not even allowed her to pack her bags.

She walked up to the wardrobe and threw it open. She needed to get dressed before Sergio returned from wherever he went. He had walked out of the room like an angry lion and Rosana was still scared of what he would do when he returned.

To her surprise, there was plenty of female wear in the wardrobe ranging from different colors of underthings to sexy night wear and expensive dresses. Did Sergio get all those for her? She wondered.

She heard a soft knock on the door and gasped in fright. Who could that be? She thought as she quickly dressed up. She grabbed one of Sergio's long coats and covered herself up because the nightwear was too revealing.

"Good evening, My Lady" The older woman bowed once Rosana threw the door open. "Your dinner"

"Come in" The woman walked in and began setting the table. "Who are you?"

"I am Viola, My Lady. Your husband assigned me to take care of you"

"You can call me, Rosana. Rosa in short" She corrected but Viola shook her head immediately.

"I cannot do that, My Lady. The Don will have my head"

Rosana saw how terrified she looked and sighed. She couldn't blame the poor woman. She was also afraid of her own husband.

"Where is he? Are we not supposed to have dinner together?"

"I am afraid I do not know, My Lady," Viola responded, still bowing. "But you have to eat before going to bed"

The response didn't soothe her nerves. She had anticipated to hear that Sergio was not going to have dinner with her. That she was never going to see him again.

Quietly, she started eating alone with Viola keeping her company. Rosana noticed she kept bowing and wouldn't speak unless she was spoken to. Poor woman, she thought.

"Thank you for the meal, Viola, I enjoyed it" She lied. Viola smiled in satisfaction and started packing up the plates. "I want to go outside."

"It is late, My lady."

Rosana frowned. She wanted to take a tour around the house and see if there were any chances of escape.

"Can you lend me your cell phone? I want to call my mother and ask if everything is okay"

"I do not have a cellphone."

Rosana sighed in defeat. "Alright, then I will follow you around. I am bored and cannot stay here like a prisoner. Please do not tell me no, Viola, please!"

Viola could tell that Rosana was in deep distress. She felt sorry for her too. But she was scared of what Sergio would do when he found out that she had led his wife out of his room without his permission.

"Per favore, Viola, I will be quiet. I will return as soon as you do not need me anymore" [Please]

Taking a deep breath, Viola responded. "Alright, My Lady."

Rosana followed her around, admiring the interior of the house. All the maids and soldiers they came across kept bowing to her. After some time, she decided to return to the room with Viola behind her.

"What was that?" Rosana asked. It was the sound of something pleading desperately. "Can you hear it?"

"My Lady I..."

Before she could complete what she was saying, Rosana dashed toward the direction the sound came from. When she finally got there, she froze in front of the slightly opened door.

"My Lady!" Viola whispered and rushed over. Without looking into the room, she shut the door and led Rosana away.

"Who is she?"

"I am sorry, My Lady..."

"I said—Who is she, Viola?" Rosana had seen the lady who knelt before Sergio but she couldn't see her face.

"She... She is his mistress"

Rosana was dumbstruck.

If Sergio had a Mistress, what then did he want with her?

NEXT-MORNING

After tossing and turning in bed countlessly, Rosana was finally able to sleep at dawn. She had expected Sergio to join her in bed but he didn't. How could he when he had his Mistress with him?

Soft beams of morning glow fell into the room, causing her to stir a bit. She didn't have enough sleep and that was because she didn't want any. How could she sleep peacefully after what she witnessed when she first arrived?

Besides, she had not forgotten the deadly look on his face after she slapped him. Rosana sighed and rubbed her eyes lazily. She was not fully awake but she could sense another presence in the room. Someone else was in the room, beside her. Immediately, she forced her eyes open and the first person she saw was Sergio.

He sat beside her on the edge of the bed with a glass of whiskey, watching her with a pair of soul-piercing dark metallic eyes. Rosana forced herself not to stare at him. He was shirtless and beautiful, even with the inks all over him but he looked even more dangerous too. The sight of him did nothing but cause a shiver of trepidation along her spine.

"Good morning, Amore Mio!"

"What are you doing here?" Rosana asked instead, raising her upper body from the bed.

"Watching you"

Rosana scoffed. She was never going to believe a word from his mouth. "What do you want from me?"

Sergio smirked and slowly lowered his gaze to her chest. When he stared longer without uttering a word, Rosana had to check what he was looking at only to find out that one of her bre@sts had slipped out of the nightwear.

"Holy fuck!" The profanity flew out of her mouth as she immediately grabbed the duvet to cover her body. She was utterly mortified.

"Don't you dare!" Sergio warned and pulled the covers away from her body. Before she could think of slipping away, he grabbed her hands with one hand and pinned them above her head.

"Let me go!" She yelled and tried to escape but she couldn't. His upper body was now above hers and his grip was too strong. "Let me go!!!"

"You belong to me, do you understand? Every fucking bit of you is mine."

Her hands started hurting with each struggle and she slowly gave up fighting. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest and her pulse pounded violently. His closeness was too much for her to bear, almost to the point of near brain death.

"What do you want from me?" She quivered, staring up at him.

"Everything, Bambolina, everything" With that being said, he lowered his head and nuzzled the hollow between her neck and her shoulder, sending goosebumps across her skin. "You smell like fucking paradise, Amore, my fucking paradise"

When he licked her, she shivered violently, her body almost leaving her soul. She couldn't stand what he was doing to her, she didn't want it. The only man who had made her feel this way was Allen and she had promised... But with Sergio, everything felt different. So maddening, so electrifying.

"Stop!" She shuddered and started fighting once again.

With one hand still holding her down, Sergio moved the other to her cup her bare bre@st. He grazed her nipple with his calluses, then he rolled it between his thumb and finger.

"No... Stop... Please...!"

He looked up at her and saw the desperate look on her face. She would do anything to make him stop. She never wanted any other man to lay hands on her, not even her husband, Sergio De Niro. She was scared of what his touch would do to her, what it would make her become.

Sergio smirked and lowered his head to her chest. With his eyes pinned on hers, he watched her breath cease while he licked her nipples, one after the other before suckling on them.

"Stop! Stop!"

He looked up at her and smirked. By the time he was done with her bre@sts, they were engorged and her nipples looked like tiny rocks. "Now, let's see what you are made of, hmm?"

The wave of adrenaline had vanished from her system, leaving a tremor in her limbs. She was helpless. She already knew that no amount of struggle would make him stop so she laid back and watched him invade her body and soul.

Sergio lowered his hand to her waist. When he dived it between her legs, her body stiffened beneath him. She started thrashing and yelling on the bed but it did nothing to stop him. Instead, it gave him more access to her V area.

"Sergio... Sergio please..."

"Sì, Bambolina" He responded, slipping his fingers under her panties. "Sei così fottutamente bagnato!" [You are so fucking wet]

Using his thumb, he rubbed her clitoris gently while sliding his middle finger into her wet pûssy. She arched her back off the bed, writhing beneath him as sharp pulses of pleasure racked her body.

"No... Sergio!"

"I know you can be a hell a lot louder than that, Bambolina" Still stroking her clit, he began thrusting his finger inside her wetness. Torturing and tormenting her at the same time.

She couldn't stop yelling and calling out his name. With his eyes pinned on hers, he withdrew his middle finger and licked it, along with the pads of his thumb. His actions caused her eyes to widen in shock as all the muscles in her throat clenched. He just tasted her.

"So fucking good!"

Rosana lay on the bed, her nerves disarrayed. Sergio had released her and was now standing to watch her quietly. "Get ready"

"Why?" Rosana asked. Her voice was shamefully quiet and embarrassingly stunted.

"You do not question my orders, Bambolina. You do as I say"

"Why?"

"Because I will not be this nice the next time"

After he left the room, Rosana took a shower and started dressing up. There were so many beautiful black dresses in the wardrobe but she refused to wear any because she didn't want to look like the rest of them. She had noticed that all the men wore black, including Sergio. Finally, she settled on something light and casual, one that wasn't black.

She couldn't stop thinking about what had transpired between her and Sergio. How did she let it happen? She kept wondering.

She was supposed to feel repulsive after what had happened but instead, her body kept acting funny. She shook her head, clearing out the thought from her mind. She was never going to let it consume her. She belonged to Allen and nothing was going to take her away from him.

***

"And you are Rosana, sì?"

"Yes," Rosana responded, staring back at the elderly woman.

When Sergio had informed her that they were going to have breakfast with his mother, she had started imagining what the woman would look like. Would she look dangerous and ruthless like her son or Kind and loving?

The latter was never going to be possible, she concluded.

"I am Munika, Sergio's mother. Welcome to the family, Rosana!"

*

"She is not welcome here, Sergio. "Non mi fido di lei!" [I do not trust her!]

"That is not your choice to make, Mammà." Sergio responded, still facing the window. "I told you not to come to Italy"

"Why? Why do you keep me away, Sergio? You married that girl after I told you not to. You did your wedding without informing me!"

Sergio sighed and turned from the window with his right hand tucked inside his trouser pocket. He was dressed in black neatly tailored trousers and a black shirt, leaving the first three buttons open.

"Faccio quello che voglio, Mammà. Now, I will ask you one more time. Go up to your room and have some rest" [I do whatever I want, Mama]

Munika let out an exasperated sigh and glared at her son. She knew she couldn't push any further because the next decision he was going to make wouldn't end well with her.

"I do not trust that girl. I hope you do not regret this later, my son" She said finally and turned to walk out.

"She is my wife. And you will treat her with respect."

Munika paused on hearing his voice. Without turning, she nodded. "Sì, lo farò" [Yes, I will]

SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA, USA.

"I'm glad you could join us for breakfast. And oh, where's your fiancée?" Samantha asked, stirring the pot of stew on fire. "I can't wait to see her"

Allen took a deep breath and turned to look at the dining table which was filled with different kinds of dishes his mother had prepared. She was hosting a family celebration for his engagement.

"I'm almost done. Just give me a minute."

Allen pecked her and walked out of the kitchen. He pulled out his phone once again and checked but still, there was no call or message from her.

Taking a deep breath, he dialed her number for the umpteenth time, hoping he'd get a positive response but It was still the same. Her number was not reachable. He sighed and rubbed his forehead, thinking hard. There was only one question that kept ringing in his mind.

What happened to Rosana?

"Allen honey, it's time to eat!" Samantha announced from the dining room. "I'll go get your father"

During breakfast, everyone ate in silence. His parents kept glancing back and forth, silently communicating with their eyes. Allen knew what was going through their minds. He knew they both had questions. Questions he didn't have answers to and questions he didn't want them to ask.

"So..." His father, Mr Stanley, started, "Where's your fiancée, Allen? You said you were bringing her for breakfast today"

"Yes Dad"

"So where is she? I don't see her sitting in one of these seats or eating the meal your mum prepared with so much effort"

"Oh, Stanley, it was nothing," Samantha chipped in with a smile. "I just prepared breakfast, that's all"

"I'm sorry, she couldn't make it," Allen replied, dropping his cutleries." Rosana had to rush back to Italy two days ago. Her father called her back for something important"

"Something like what?" His father asked, earning a glare from his wife. "What? I'm just asking, Sammy, we need to know. What if she never returns? What if she ends up ditching our son for some Italian dude?"

"No, Dad, never! Rosana will never do that. We've been together for years and I trust her"

His father sighed and they resumed having breakfast quietly. After helping his mother to clear up the table, he went outside and tried Rosana's number again. He still got the same response but he was never giving up.

Rosana will return to him, he kept telling himself.

"Honey, are you okay?" Samantha asked and went to stand beside him. She searched his face and saw the lines on his forehead. "Is anything the problem?"

"I don't know, Mom. It's been two days and I haven't heard from her"

"That's strange" She noted with a frown on her face. "But it's okay. You said it yourself, she's gonna come back"

"Yes, she will." He repeated and leaned closer to peck her cheeks. "I have an important meeting at the office, I gotta go"

Allen walked towards his car and went through his phone once again. What could she be doing in Italy? He wondered. Rosana was not the type who could stay a day without calling or texting him. So what changed? What happened?

An idea popped into his mind and he immediately dialed his Secretary's number.

"Clear all my schedule for today. And tomorrow... And the next. Whatever George, cancel everything until further notice"

"But Sir... All the meetings are important. The executives just arrived from Korea and Australia"

"Book another flight and send them away. Then book a flight to Italy for me"

"But Sir..." He ended the call.

He was determined to find Rosana. He wouldn't get all the answers he needed if he remained in California.

***

***

After having lunch, Rosana returned to her room and fell heavily on the bed. She still couldn't believe that this was her life now. The only time she could leave the room was during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The rest of the time, she remained in the room, doing nothing.

After her wedding night, Viola had stopped going to see her and she wondered why. She didn't even have anyone to talk to or keep her company.

"Where is Sergio?" She asked one of the soldiers she met in the hallway.

He bowed. "I am sorry My Lady..."

"Sergio... My... My husband"

"This way." Rosana followed and soon they arrived at the other end of the mansion. "Wait here!"

She nodded and waited patiently. After a while, the man returned with Alfonso. Rosana quickly recognized him. He was the man who welcomed them when they arrived after the wedding.

"I am sorry My Lady but the Boss is busy. He will send for you later"

"I do not care. I want to see him, right now!" Rosana huffed. She was tired of sitting around and doing nothing. She needed to leave this place. "Take me to him!"

Without waiting for his response, she stomped off to the room and pushed the doors open. Immediately she saw what was going on, she gasped in shock. Once again, a lady knelt before Sergio and was about unbuckling his belt. Aware of the uninvited guest, she paused and turned to glare at the intruder.

Rosana, still in shock, looked up only to meet Sergio's dark metallic eyes. Her heart started thumping in her chest and she instantly regretted not listening to Alfonso. Now, how would she clear the image of how huge he looked in his trousers from her mind?

"Are you lost, Bambolina?"

"I... I wanted to see you. I..."

"Come closer!" He ordered and she gulped, fear gripping her entire system.

Seeing the deadly look in his eyes, she knew she couldn't protest or annoy him any further. Instead, she walked towards him with wobbling legs, praying he doesn't snap her into two.

Sergio looked down at the lady who was still waiting to continue from where she stopped before Rosana barged in. She couldn't wait for him to take her hard and fast in the mouth, almost tearing up the back of her throat like he used to.

"Leave"

Disappointed, the lady scrambled to her feet and bowed before turning to walk out. Her eyes met with Rosana's and the latter could tell from the look in her eyes that she was upset. Who was she? Rosana wondered as she walked out of the room. Was she the same lady from the previous night?

"Kneel"

Rosana paused and stared in shock. Surely she had not heard him clearly. "What?!?" He had tucked himself in and that was a relief. At least, he wasn't planning to make her take the same position the lady had gotten up from.

One minute she was standing and the next, she was shoved hard against the wall with a hand on her throat. "I was trying to take it easy on you, Bambolina. But now, I know you do not like easy. You want hard, you want the demon, you want the beast"

He was choking the life out of her and she could feel herself slipping off. "No, please... Please..." She wheezed and tried to fight his hand off her neck.

"I made a promise to your father that I will not end you. I am trying but I am slowly changing my mind, Bambolina. I do not have enough patience, especially for people who try to go against me"

"Please... Sergio!" She cried, her eyes almost rolling to the back of her head.

He released her harshly and she fell to the ground, coughing out blood. Her heart was almost beating out of her chest and her vision was blurry due to burning tears.

He had almost killed her. She thought and hurriedly filled her lungs with air as tremors jolted through her limbs. Goosebumps covered her skin just thinking about it.

"Get on your knees, Bambolina or I will make you" She immediately rose from the floor and knelt before him. "Take it out"

She wanted to plead but she couldn't. Instead, she whimpered and did as he instructed. She didn't wait for his next command because she knew what she was supposed to do. She knew what he wanted.

Her mouth dropped open at the sight of him. He was bigger and harder, and not even compared to Allen's, she thought. Pushing the thought aside, she started stroking him, expecting to get a reaction from him but didn't. He just stood stiff like nothing was done to him. When she finally looked up, she found him staring down at her with dark eyes.

"Hai finito di giocare?" [Are you done playing?] He asked and grabbed a fistful of her hair, almost uprooting her scalp. She yelled and felt hot tears brimming her vision.

When she opened her mouth to take him, she had expected him to go slow and let her adjust to his size. But instead, he drove right in, slamming the back of her throat brutally. Her eyes widened and she ceased to breathe.

He pulled out and barely allowed her to breathe before thrusting back into her mouth, deep and hard. Her gag reflex shot up and she tried to pull away from him but couldn't. With his hand at the back of her head, almost pulling her hair from its roots and holding her firmly, she couldn't escape.

He went hard, fast, and deep, fucking her mouth brutally until she passed out and collapsed on the ground.