THE MAFIA'S MISTAKEN BRIDE

CHAPTER 31

Jasmine's POV 
 
Unshed tears cloud my sight as I race into the mansion, making for the staircase to do the only thing that comes to my head.
 
Vicenzo is here.

Xavier is torturing him.
 
Obviously, Xavier is a Mafia just like I predicted. I was right. I should have known but he was hiding that from me.
 
Did Andre know he was a mafia too? Was that why she left him?
 
Vicenzo is covered with blood and bruises. Any man that can turn the dangerous Vicenzo that way is definitely one to be scared shit of.
 
I can't do this.
 
I can't swallow this.
 
I need to go. I can't do this anymore.
 
The pain I feel right now is excruciating. Just like the pain of one who has been shot in the head. 
 
Why didn't he tell me? Why didn't he tell me he was into the Mafia business just like Vicenzo? Why didn't he tell me he had gotten his hands on Vicenzo? How do I convince him that torturing Vicenzo won't stop him from coming after me?
 
Tired of all the thinking, I burst into the room. I shouldn't bother myself about all of this. I need to leave now. I need to leave this house, which is housing two dangerous men that I should be far away from.
 
I rush to the closet, throw it open and begin to pack my clothes, dumping them into a suitcase as the door opens again and a booty man comes in.
 
It is Xavier. 
 
His shirt is wet with blood and he looks more dangerous than ever, making fear run down my spine at the sight.
 
Quickly, I continue to pack my clothes.
 
"What the hell are you doing?!" he thunders loudly, storming towards me. He grabs my arm and whirls me around to face him. 
 
That reminds me of the fact that these clothes aren't even mine. I left Chicago with just the clothes that were on me that night. I didn't come to New York with anything else so I should leave without anything too except the clothes I had on that night.
 
I yank my hand away from his grip as my eyes land on the black jacket and skirt from that night. Instantly, I grab it and begin to untie my robe when he grabs me again, his breath fanning my entire face as he shouts. "I said what the hell do you think you are doing?"
 
"I'm leaving", I burst out, without knowing where the courage is coming from. I am still scared. In fact, I am more scared of him now than ever and all I want to do is get away from here.
 
"Don't you dare", he rough handles me, making me stumble backwards, almost falling to the ground as tears spring to my eyes.
 
The tears are threatening to fall but I hold them back in. 
 
Ignoring him, I continue to untie the robe as I take the jacket from the floor. Before I can wear it, he tosses it away from me.
 
"I am leaving, Xavier. I am not Andre!"
 
"You think I care?" he growls out with dark squinted eyes almost immediately as if expecting that. "You think I believe that? Stop f*cking with me, woman."
 
"Why the hell didn't you tell me you were into the Mafia….", I trail off. Does this even matter? It doesn't. "Let Vicenzo go, please."
 
"No and you are going nowhere!" he points a warning finger at me, making me suspect that the next thing I am going to receive from him is going to be a slap in the face if I defy him again.
 
"I need to go. I can't do this anymore, Xavier. I can't. That man is my worst nightmare and now, you…you..are…"
 
I see hurt flash through his expression at my choice of words. I wish I can tell him how terrifying I find him right now and how much I want to be far from here or anything that reminds me of him.
 
"Please, I am not Andre. I can't stay here anymore. You need to let me go. I don't mind letting you know where I am going till you find Andre but please, I can't. I can't live here with you anymore", I begin to cry while he remains silent, his face as hard as a stone.
 
I continue. "If you are doing this to him because of how he drugged me, just forget it. I forgive him. He will never see me again. I will be far from him…"
 
"You think I forgive people easily?" he interrupts me, taking a step closer and looking deadly. "That bastard drugged you, he almost raped you and you think leaving here is possible? Never! You are going nowhere! You stay here while I get rid of him!"
 
A whimper leaves my mouth as I sink to the floor. "No!"
 
Silence ensues.
 
"I'm scared, Xavier. I won't be able to sleep with the thought…"
 
"You don't need to be scared of him…" his voice is surprisingly calm.
 
"I am scared of you too. You are just like him, Xavier. I don't even know you. How can I live with you? Who the hell are you?!" I yell and rise, throwing my fist into my hair. His face becomes red in anger. "You should have told me when I asked you if you were into the…"
 
"What the hell were you doing down there?" he questions all of a sudden, making me lift my head to meet his gaze. 
 
His intense gaze.
 
I can't find my voice.
 
"So you are not just scared of him, then?" he demands again and I nod.
 
I fear men I don't feel safe with. I felt safe with Xavier because I thought he was a good man who was doing all of that to me because he thinks I am Andre, now I am not sure what I think of him.
 
All Mafia are bad people. They are terrible people involved in crimes and killings.
 
No wonder he asked one of his men to kill someone over the phone the other day. No wonder he behaves this way. I should have known.
 
Or maybe I knew but pretended not to. Maybe I knew but decided not to trust my instinct about him. Xavier didn't hide his true identity. I was the one denying it. Denying that he is a Mafia Lord.
 
The evidences are all around. The building, the wealth, the guards, the dark colors around him and those men from the party the other day as well as the fact that he didn't hide the fact that he knew Vicenzo who is a Mafia from Chicago.
 
I look up at him and take a step back in fear.
 
I can't leave. Fine.
 
But I can't stay here with him. I need to go back to my former room. The one I stayed in before the wedding. That way, things won't be awkward between us.
 
When he notices I am stepping away from him, he looks disappointed and moves closer while I continue to scoot back in fear.
 
My body trembles until my back hits the wall and I decide to stop him with my hands.
 
"Please stay back. Can I go back to my former room then?"
 
"No!" he snaps, stopping right in front of me.
 
"Why?"
 
He doesn't say anything. He just continues to study me like I am a piece of furniture to be studied before being purchased.
 
"I don't need to leave anymore but I can't stay here with you anymore…."
 
"You are my wife and you stay right where I keep you. Don't you dare dictate for me, woman!" he barks at me, making me wish for the wall to swallow my petite figure.
 
"I am not your wife, Xavier. Andre is. The moment she is back, she takes my position and I, Jasmine will have to leave. I am not Andre and I am not your wife. So stop treating me as if I…"
 
Something soft touch my lips, cutting me shout from my outburst and then I realize what it is.
 
Xavier has me pinned to the wall again just like two days ago but this time around, his lips are on mine with his breath venturing into my open mouth filling me with his lovely breath.
 
It feels as if the world is about to end and I don't realize what is happening until his hand touch my almost exposed waist and his lips move on mine.
 
My stomach flips as I open my mouth wide to allow him to explore the insides of my mouth without giving a care in the world if this is my first or not.
 
Or whether it is stolen, unexpected or not.

****
What just happened? Why did Xavier do that? Is it to shut her up or just because he wanted to kiss her?

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