On His Terms

○×38 part 1: mafia bosses & jealous husbands○×

<Every time I look in the mirror I see a person I truly hate. And then I realize it's not a mirror, it's a window>

|Kian|

Friday, July 23, 2021

IT WAS official. Zaverio De Santis was a huge ass.

The bastard was kissing my wife's hand now in goodbye, his ugly lips lingering for too long on her skin. Glowering darkly, I wished to blast those fingers, wreathed in silver rings, away with a gun.

"You are truly beautiful, Jadesola. Donna molto bella. I see why Kian remarried now." He glanced at me, a mocking glimmer in those hooded eyes and pressed another kiss on the tip of her fingers. "I cannot wait for our dance tomorrow night, bella."

Jadesola blushed, red spots on both cheeks, even with the darkness of her skin. She peered at him beneath her lashes, shy. "Thank you, sir."

Did she like this idiot?

Pissed, I narrowed my eyes into slits and jerked Jadesola's body close to mine, wrapping a possessive arm around her waist. A surprised gasp left her lips while Zaverio straightened up, his own lips twitching in a small, knowing smile.

In a brusque tone, I said, "Remember my conditions, Zaverio. You will dance with her for no more than fifteen minutes. After all, it's our honeymoon and I would love to dance with my wife more than any other man."

He nodded his dark head, curls slicked back. "Of course, I wouldn't want to impose on your time with your beloved. That would be annoying." His silver eyes sparkled in amusement.

My jaw ticked, anger fizzing rapidly in my blood. The man made everything a joke, a taunt. Even his first statement had been mocking when he'd arrived. He'd turned to me, arrogant brows cocked up, drawling in that his stupid, accented Italian voice, "Who would have thought that you would finally get married again, Kian?"

Stupid cunt. I hadn't but still.

He glimpsed at the gold watch clasped on his wrist. "While it's been an honor talking with you both, it's time for me to take my leave."

Pushing a strong hand in my direction, he held it out.

I contemplated taking my time to return the gesture but I flicked the thought away. Despite how maddening his actions were, Zaverio was still doing me a favor.

I shook his palm, certain that mine bore a strong dominating grip. The contrast of his skin against mine was striking, warm olive against tanned gold. Trails of his intricate tattoo designs against my own untainted skin.

He retrieved his hand, a mocking tune laced in his words as he said, "Nice doing business with you, Kian."

"Feeling is mutual," I replied in a stiff voice.

Zaverio regarded me for a minute. A stare down, those glittering eyes bore into my skull, piercing and fierce. As if he wanted to know what made me tick.

Annoyance increased the blood flow around my face and I chewed the insides of my cheeks, tense. He got on my last nerves but I wouldn't display just how much exactly. Showing my displeasure to men like him was like walking into a lion's den, unprotected.

I must have passed whatever test Zaverio had evaluated because he smirked and shifted his attention to Jadesola again, his lips curled upwards. "While it was nice meeting your husband, it was nicer meeting you, bellissima."

My right fingers tightened into a knot. Could the moron stop with the endearments? I wasn't dumb neither was I lacking in his language. I could call my wife beautiful in Italian too.