Married to the mafia boss Series

I spend all day figuring out what I want to bring to Italy and looking online for new luggage, that I completely forgot to be afraid of the dark. Forgot to be afraid of the knock on my door.

“Arabella,” his wicked voice sings.

“Go away!” I scream and close my eyes tight.

Leonardo grabs the doorknob only to find the door lock. Seconds later he kicks the door open with his foot. He rolls his sleeves up and licks his lips.

“I’ve been waiting for you. Are you ready?”Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

“Get away from me!” I run to the other side of the room and toward the door. He blocks my entrance but I still try and fight my way through.

“Come on, Bella. Don’t make things difficult. I always liked how easy you were. There’s no need to change,” he wraps his arms around my waist and pins me down to the floor.

I struggle under his body as he forces his dirty mouth on my skin. I push at his head and punch his shoulders further aggravating him. He growls and his grip on me only gets tighter. It’ll most likely leave bruises on my hips.

The perfect opportunity comes and I knee him in the balls and I have the chance to bolt for the door. I rush down the stairs and toward the elevator. When I get to the lobby of the building and outside into night, I call for a taxi passing by.

“Where to?” He starts to drive down the block.

I let him get about three blocks away before I say “I don’t have any money but-”

“Then get out!” The cab driver slams on the breaks and screams in a harsh Chicago accent.

“My last name is Moretti, still want to kick me out?”

“Prove it,” his eyes narrow.

I go to reach for my purse realizing the only thing I brought with me was my phone that’s still in my pocket.

“Get outta my cab! Go on! Get outta here!” He kicks me out.

Back out on the streets I call the one person I know will protect me. I pull out my phone and dial his number. It rings about four times before he answers in a solemn voice. “Hello?”

“Carmelo!” I cry. “You have to help me!”

“Arabella? What’s wrong? What happened? Where’s Leonardo?”

“Please. I need you! You have to come pick me up! I’m in danger!”

“Shit,” he curses and hesitates before asking, “Where are you?”

I give him my location and wait in the lobby of the nearest building to get out of the rain. To my utter surprise it doesn’t take long for a black SUV to show up and for Carmelo to step out looking for me.

I rush out of the lobby and into his arms. “Get me out of here!”

He opens the passenger door for me and drives us away from Rocco’s penthouse. I don’t say anything and neither does Carmelo as he continues to drive. He doesn’t ask any questions and I’m glad he doesn’t, I’m afraid I won’t be able to give him a truthful response.

“Where are we?” He parks in a community parking lot. We walk until we reach a door that leads into a building.

The decor of the halls tells me it’s nice, but not expensive. Antonio and Rocco live in expensive apartment buildings and of course have penthouses worth a million dollars or more.

“My apartment. I haven’t been here in a while but seeing as I don’t have a job as a bodyguard right now,” he scratches at the back of his neck, “I am staying here.”

He unlocks room seven-fifty-two and inside it’s quaint, non-decorative, a little dusty but has all the essentials. “Would you like to tell me what happened? No one is following us, so I don’t think we’re in any immediate danger, but I have to know what happened.”

I shake my head fighting back tears. I’m tired of being strong. I begin to break down but I can’t. I can’t in front of Carmelo. My eyes sting as I try to hold the tears in.

“Arabella?” He frowns.

“I’ve missed you,” I force a smile. “Ever since you left. We’ve spent a good few months together it’s weird not having you with me at all times.”

“Bella,” he sighs, “What happened?”

“Nothing. Just… just hold me?” I hate how meek I sound.

“You know I want to protect you,” Carmelo wraps his arms around me. “I’ve known you for a long time, I care for you like I would any friend. Let me know what I can do. What happened to make you leave Rocco’s place-to make you leave Leonardo?”

“I’m going to Italy.”

He raises an eyebrow. “You are?”

“I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. I’m leaving in a week,” I say nonchalantly trying to keep my fake smile on my face.

“Oh? Is that why you ran away? You don’t want to go to Italy?” Carmelo tries to make sense of the madness.

“My brother is there and so is my grandfather. I miss them. I’m happy to go to see them.”

“But?”

I shrug my shoulders and keep my face planted into his chest.

He pulls back from our embrace and grabs my chin tipping my head up to look him in his eyes. “Something is bothering you.”

“I’m just worried about you,” I half-lie. “Did Antonio punish you too harshly?”

“I’m alive, aren’t I?”

“Yeah, but…” I trail off.

“I’m fine, Arabella. You couldn’t have just run away because of me.”

“I’m a very caring friend,” I chuckle and sniffle.

Carmelo’s phone rings and he looks at the caller ID with a wrinkle between his eyebrows. “It’s Rocco. He probably wants to know where you are.”

“Ignore it!” I grab his phone out of his hand.

“Arabella,” he says in a warning tone. “I’m already on thin ice.”

I bite my lip nervously and hand his phone back to him.

“Hello?…. No, I haven’t…. Okay…. Yeah, I’ll keep my eyes out for her…. Okay….,” he hangs up the phone. “Now, will you tell me why you’re really here?”

You can trust him! The voice in my head shouts. He just lied to his boss for you!

“Can we just… be together right now. I need you.” I need comfort. I need familiarity. Security. Protection.

Carmelo wraps his arms around my body and hold my hips pulling me against him. “Is that what this is? A late night booty call?” He laughs.

His smile is infectious and I genuinely smile back. “I just need a friend right now.”

“Why not call Liliana? I’m sure she’d love to see you.”

I couldn’t, not with Leonardo as my bodyguard.

I press my lips against Carmelo’s, immediately we’re hot for each other and clawing at our clothes anxious to be naked. He lifts me into his arms and we don’t break the kiss as he walks us into his bedroom.

Needing a sense of control I take the reins on top and he lets me, just he did the first time we had sex. It’s exhilarating being with him, my troubles fade away into something nonexistent. I forget myself until I feel only pleasure. Until the only thing I can focus on is the incredible size of him and the sensation of his hands roaming across my skin giving me goosebumps.

When I finish, I stay on top of him. I look down and watch his amber eyes glow with satisfaction and exhaustion. I lean down, my hair curtaining around us. I run my hands along his muscled pectorals and relish in the feel of his smooth skin and sparse chest hair.

He tucks my hair behind my ear and gives me a sympathetic look. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I lie.

He shakes his head. “Is it me? Can you not tell me because it’s about me?”

“No,” I say with reassurance in my tone.

“Then what? You know I’ll always protect you.”

Tell him! Now!

For the first time in year I take off the beaded bracelets on my wrists and show him the scars. Instantly he grabs my wrists and analyzes them. He sits up so his back is against the headboard and we’re eye level with each other.

“These are… these are old wounds,” he states.

“I did them when I was a teenager,” I admit. My heart is beating out of my chest. What will he think of me now?

“Why?” His thumbs absently rub across the scars in a soothing back and forth motion.

“Because of Leonardo.”

Carmelo blinks and stares at me for a long time. “Leonardo? Your bodyguard?”

“He used to come into my room at night and touch me,” the words feel disgusting coming out of my mouth. I suddenly have a wave of nausea hit me as well as a dizzy spell.

Carmelo opens his mouth, his eyes are wild with destruction and he looks as though he is about to yell or curse or protest, but nothing comes out. It’s as though he can’t find the right words for the situation. I don’t blame him.

“How long?”

“Four years,” I whisper and stare down at my nails trying not to see whatever judgement may lie in his facial expression.

“That bastard touched you for four years?!”

I nod my head and repeat, don’t cry, like a mantra in my head.

“Arabella,” he grabs my shoulders gently which grabs my attention. There is empathy and anger and sadness written across his face. His eyes are kind with understanding, but the way his jaw ticks tells me that he is ready to punch something. “Why didn’t you tell anyone? Fuck. I mean we all left you alone with him! Did he… did he touch you again? Is that why you ran away?”

“No, he didn’t,” I shake my head, “but he was going to. I-I was so scared and I didn’t know who to call.”

He pulls me into a tight hug that knocks the wind out of me for a brief moment. “You can always call me when you’re in danger. It’s my sworn duty to protect. I have to call Antonio and tell him what’s going on.”

“Now?” I begin to panic. I’m not ready for everyone to know. I don’t want them to see me for less than I am.

“They’re all looking for you,” he says softly.

“I just want to be lost to the world for a little while longer,” I press my ear to his chest and he lays flat on his back.

He holds me on top of him as his fingers trail up and down my spine. When I start to shiver he pulls the comforter over us and I find comfort in his bed and on his body.