Bloody City: Temptations

Chapter Thirty Two

Several hours later I was brought back into the Salvatorini Estate. It was a beautiful view in the orange glow of the sunset making the large estate look like it belonged in a travel magazine advert for a luxury hotel.

Alessio's Phantom with its twenty spoke wheels was sitting in between two black Range Rovers that only made the fact the man was publicly a multimillionaire his saving grace even if there was no real answer that said how much the Salvatorini Family was worth and I wouldn't ever need to ask. Looking at the display of wealth and the large hilltop house I wondered if my mother also chose Alessio because he'd never not be able to provide me the lifestyle of royalty.

It made me also wonder if part of the reason Alessio didn't open up was from that suspicion to trust no one. It would make sense that he had those worries especially so early in our relationship. Yet he also seemed like he wanted to let me in, wanted to be more then just a husband in name. Like he wanted there to be more then just the appreciative sex we had, and the kisses and hugs we shared when no one was around.

Parking the Mercedes, Carmilla got out and opened my door letting me leave the vehicle, whilst gaining the attention of Alessio who paused on the steps, and turned to face me dressed in a steely dark grey suit, making me wonder what had happened to the black one he wore this morning.

In long strides he descended the stairs while Carmilla collected the bags of things I'd purchased with one holding the receipt of what I'd bought for the man that stopped barely two feet from me and even through the haze of strong cologne I could smell the iron undertone and the slightly red splotches on his face and hands that he hadn't been able to wash off before returning home.

"Are you okay?" I ask almost immediately and he smiled briefly before the controlled stoicism returned, and I wished he wouldn't hide that part of himself when others could see, even if I understood why he did.

"Yes, I'm not injured," he says looking down at his hands that clearly had been blood stained.

How long had wiping out the Vincenzo's taken?

"Good, I went shopping for your birthday which you tried to hide from me," I say narrowing my eyes at him and he hummed.

"My birthday is nothing to celebrate mon chérie," Alessio quips making his facial features as soft as he could to make me give in to him, and drop the issue.

"Things about you are important to me Alessio, just like I know things about me are important to you," I state narrowing my eyes at him.

"You have me there," he says looking away from me towards the group of gardeners working on the vast colourful flowers that he had covering all of the property.

"Exactly, this marriage won't work if we're not open with one another, and talk, communicating is important," I muse and he gave me yet another small smile.

"Would you like to have a normal evening together, like were a normal couple and not a Mafia Don and princess in an arranged marriage," Alessio mutters and I nodded, though his words reminded me that this was indeed a marriage of convenience, and not love, even if I couldn't put words to how I felt about Alessio, doubted I'd be able to for a very long time. I didn't know what love was but I did know that if love existed Alessio conjured it when I looked at him or was wrapped in his arms. I shouldn't even feel the way I did so soon. It had been seven weeks and there was still ten more to go until I would be wedded to Alessio.

I wasn't scared anymore of being labelled as his, the ring on my finger reminded me of it every day, and unlike many of the other women in this world I didn't feel like it was a cage, I also knew there was no way out of it, unlike more standard weddings where 'till death do we part' meant nothing when there was the option of divorce, death was the only way Alessio and I would be freed. I had thought for years even before I'd been of wedding age, that I would end up marrying someone who I would be horrified of, and wouldn't even have the will to be around them. Alessio hadn't made me feel that, I had always been more afraid of him having more power over me, and having that be his weapon in this marriage. That I'd want him to die like most other Mafioso wives, and instead I couldn't comprehend being a young bride, let alone a fiancé and losing him. Not just because It would be clear if I married again which my family would force me too, I'd be forsaken as a used woman, a dishonoured woman.