A story about an oppressed young woman and a ruthless Mafia man arranged to be married in a world neither of them asked to be born in.
Slow Burn Romance.
Morally grey Male lead.
COMPLETED STORY WITH BONUS CHAPTERS ONGOING.
I watch the door Ares just walked out if, wiping away my tears. I'll call him-
The door opens again and he enters, the same solemn look pn his face.
"I know you don't want me here, but please eat." he says, opening the bag of food.
"Okay, bring it here and put him down in his little cart." I say to him.
He takes the baby from me, putting him down and making sure he is bundled up then hands me the containers.
"Did you eat?" I ask him. Ares looks at me, his eyes softening as they trace my face.
"No, I was not hungry." He says. "But you should eat now," he gestures, going back to patting the baby who stirred in his sleep.
"Can we talk first?" I ask him. He looks at me, then nods, walking towards the bed when I pat it for him to sit.
"I am not going to say what you did didn't hurt me. Or that I have entirely recovered or forgiven you. But I love you. So much. And I can't bear to see you in pain and suffer alone. I need to be there. I might be the biggest fool but I know you didn't do it on purpose, and I have forgiven people for much worse, people I do not even retain any love or respect for." I gulp down the tears. "I need to stop treating this like I would any conflict between us, this time is not the same. We have a relationship to save, something to hold on to. We have a baby." I sniffle.
"I want you to know, I am not leaving you, I can't if I wanted to. You have shown me over the last 8 months what I mean to you and I am very thankful. But please don't push me away. Let me in. I need to know what's going on because I want to help." I grab his hand, pulling him to sit closer. "I love you, Im sorry that you're hurting." Ares scoffs.
"Baby please don't say sorry. For any reason. I love you. Beyond words, I am in love with you. Im sorry that I hurt you, it is not my intention but I am foolish and dense and I am forever apologetic." He kisses my hands.
"I want to pretend like we're okay." I say to him.
"What?" he asks.
"I want to delay me acting mad." I explain. Ares' face turns completely baffled. It's very cute. "We can pick up here when I am feeling better, right now I want to enjoy the birth of our baby. Who by the way still does not have a name." I point out.
"You're serious." He says. I nod, grabbing the food container with rice in it. "Okay. How much trouble am I in?"
"The Panda Express cushioned the blow." I wink at him making him chuckle.
"I thought we already talked about the name." He brings up, handing me an egg roll.
"Youre still good with it? I like the idea of keeping the 'A' for his name." I bite my lip, not being able to hold my excitement. I love the name we settled on a month ago.
"Sí, I like the name, and we know ma and papa like it." He says.
"Ace Alessandro Moretti." I say it out loud.
"Sounds like a Don." Ares smiles.
~
"The doctor told me you have tears?" Ares asks after we're done eating, and cleaning up our mess.
"Tears? Oh like down there? Yeah I was trying to tell her that it hurts too much but she wouldn't listen, apparently it's because you're so tall." I whisper.
"Im sorry." He leans in to kiss me.
"For being tall? It's not your fault." I shrug.
"Well I am still sorry. By the way baby, I saw the video you were watching the other day, then you proceeded to heart it. So I got you a present." He says, with excitement in his eyes. I smile.
The video was of a husband getting his wife something called a push present. I thought it was very sweet.
"What kind of present?"
"The kind you will like." He smirks, getting up and taking something from a table on the other side of the room. He walks back over with a box in his hands. "But if you don't like it, can we postpone the punishment so I can have it all together." he asks.
"A compelling offer, I will think about it." I say, holding out my hand for it. I take the wrapping paper off of it to reveal a light green Swarovski box. I quickly open it to reveal the very necklace I suspected it would be.
"How did you know I wanted this!" I laugh, quickly taking it out of the box.
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"You have several pictures of it in your phone. I don't understand why you like it though. It looks like something a 10 year old would want." he says.
"I think maybe that's why. I didn't have any jewelry before we got married." I say mindlessly, admiring my new necklace. "And I have so many grown up necklaces, I think this ones super fun." I smile, looking up to find him already staring at me, with a look on his face that looks almost sad. "What's wrong." I ask him.
"Can I say something?" he asks. I nod.
"I think we should both consider therapy." My stomach drops. In a good way.
"Really?" I ask him. "Ares I've been thinking the same thing." I laugh in amazement. "Oh my god you don't know how relieved I am. This is what I would have talked to you 'later'" I hint.
"Well then I think we just figured out that we really are perfect." He says quoting or should I say mocking me.
"I love you, I think this will make us great parents."
