The Thorned Rose

44

"What if someone recognises me?" I said frantically, looking at myself in the mirror. I was wearing a stunning jewelled burgundy gown, that hugged my figure. My leg came out through a pretty high slit, and I paired it with gold accessories.

"What do you mean?" asked Fabricio, wearing white-tie attire, with coattails, which I always thought looked pretty funny.

"As the person who killed Erasmo Pasquini, at the masquerade ball in summer?"

"Oh, everyone knows that already... you didn't know? Someone filmed your fight with the gang leader after you fled from the hospital, and everyone knows your face as the assassin working for me."

"WHAT?! What about the police?"

"I own the police," he shrugged, "the video was only passed in between gang members and mafia members anyway, not posted online anywhere."

"Still, I don't want people knowing who I am."

"This is where my other Christmas present to you comes in," he smiled at me.

"What?"

"Your parents, I did some digging, with the help of Nadia, the man who wanted your father dead is dead himself, not by my hands, no one is looking for them."

"What if they try and get to me by getting to him?"

"Then they are fucking stupid, but they can come out of hiding now. They've moved to a lovely apartment in Poland, where Aleksander's men watch over them day and night, just in case."

I ran over to him and pulled him into a huge hug. "That is the best gift you ever could've given me." I pulled his face into mine, and we kissed.

"Baby, we are going to need to stop, although I don't mind recreating the last few days in that cabin..." he trailed off, licking his lips seductively. Oh yeah, the last few days we did exactly as I said we would when we got a cabin: we fucked and fucked and fucked.

"I wouldn't be surprised if your contraception just gave up," he smirked.

"I can't get pregnant right now, at all! Anyway, we need to see if we can deal with a dog before a baby, I don't even know if I want a baby, oh god, that is a whole other ball park, please let's not talk about this yet!"

"What contraception are you even on?" he asked, slightly concerned, for some reason, like it mattered to him.

"My tubes are tied. I had surgery. The only way I can have them untied is surgery, and the only way I can get pregnant is to get them untied. No accidents for me, no thank you," I smiled and he smiled back at me.

"Only when we're ready?"

"Only when we're ready. You're the one who was complaining about poop and pee by the dog, babies are worse! I think." This just caused Fabricio to start chuckling.

The ball was actually a lovely break away from the Russos, the capos and Nadia, and it was so nice to leave the house, get a bit of fresh air and just interact with other people, even though the other people asked Fabricio and I a shit tonne about our relationship, especially about when we were going to get married. Fabricio was being so caring that night though, and always made sure I was okay, whether it was with his words, his eyes, or a reassuring hand on my waist or shoulder, it was really sweet.

"I remember you rejecting my bottle of champagne last time," he smirked at me.

"Order one for me again," I winked, so he went over to the bar, as I sat at our table, and he got a bottle sent over to me, whilst he stood grinning at the bar. I watched the waitress come over, give me the bottle and tell me who it was from.

"Tell him thank you, but I am not drinking tonight," I said, and I couldn't stop giggling at his face when he saw I rejected it again. He stormed over, fire in his eyes.

"Sav!" he grabbed my arm so I was standing and stared at me straight in the eyes, but I was giggling so much I couldn't keep eye contact. He couldn't keep a straight face either, which was hilarious, because I could see the corners of his lip give way slightly every so often. Once I had calmed down, I told him to sit down and that I was going to the bar to buy myself a drink.

"But you said you weren't drinking!" he complained, looking like a bit of a puppy dog.

"Shutup," I smirked at him, and walked over, knowing he was staring at my ass the entire way.

When I got to the bar I waved to the bartended, who came to me immediately.

"I would like to send a bottle of champagne over to Don Arcaro, may you do that for me?" I asked. He looked nervous. "I am his girlfriend, don't worry." The bartended settled slightly at my words, and sorted out the champagne. It was my turn to grin at him as the champagne arrived. At first, he looked angry, that someone dared to hit on him when he was there with his girlfriend, and furious that the bartender actually allowed this to happen. When the waitress pointed over to me, however, his furious face turned to shock, confusion, and then he burst out laughing, causing me to burst out laughing from across the room. He took long strides and came to me, putting an arm either side of me on the bar behind me so that I was caged in his embrace.

"What are you doing to me?" he asked.

"I don't know what you are talking about," I smirked.

"I am a lucky man."

"You really are, because I have made you the biggest and most feared Don in Italy, free of charge," I was teasing him.

"Free of charge hmm, what do you want then, milady?"

I stood on my tiptoes and whispered right into his ear, so that no one would hear except him, "I know a couple of things you can do." I felt one of his arms snake around my waist, pulling me in closer towards him, so that we were chest to chest now, body to body.

"Careful Savannah," he whispered in my ear, making me tingle as his lips brushed my ear, "because all I can think of right now is fucking you over this bar."

"Oh really?" I teased.

"Really." I kissed him on the cheek softly, but lingered it, still teasing him, before breaking out of his embrace. I took his hand and dragged him to the dancefloor.

We danced, tangled up in eachother's arms, slowly, feeling the music. Anyone looking at us could see we were in love, and absolutely immersed in the moment. I felt like there was no one else in the room, as cliché as that sounds, and believe me, I fucking hate a cliché, but as I looked into his eyes, everything else was shut out. Once the dance finished he pressed his lips against mine and kissed me softly and passionately, but also with a wild hunger behind it. I kissed him back with the same amount of passion he gave me. He pulled away from me, leaving me cold, begging for his touch again, before he swept me off my feet and carried me bridal-style back into the car.

"Baby, we're going back to the cabin, fuck the ball," he smirked down at me, and I could see he was using all his energy to not ravage me then and there, which made me laugh at him. "What are you giggling about?" he asked, looking down at me.

"Just you."

"Hmm. What about me?"

"You're just funny," I smiled.

"Oh, just you wait till we're in the car."

"What about the cabin?" I asked innocently.

"I don't think I can wait." I laughed at him again.