Cruel Prince: A Dark Mafia Arranged Marriage Romance Page 10

  The entire scene was surreal and if I had any gumption left, I would turn on my heel and run as fast as I could. But where would I go? As I moved up the two stairs leading to the altar, I couldn’t stand the thought of looking into Matteo’s eyes, pretending that I cared about him in the least.

  He took my elbow, forcing me to face him. The stark contrast in his eyes was startling. He now appeared to be the dominating man he’d been when barging into my apartment. He swept his gaze down the front of me, flaring his nostrils, hunger now replacing the ugliness in his eyes. Fearful I would faint, I gritted my teeth, ready to beg the priest to get this over with.

  My family hadn’t been practicing Catholics for many years, but I felt a hint of the reverence and it sickened me.

  As the aging man began to speak, the congregation quieted down. His words were eloquent, spoken in Italian but I’d been to enough weddings in my life to gather what he was saying. Even still, I floated off into another location, protecting my mind from what I was about to do.

  Until I couldn’t put off the inevitable any longer.

  I recited the vows as required, the priest’s English almost perfect as he guided me through the words. All I had to do was repeat them. While stilted and without any emotion, I managed. When the ring was placed on my finger, I bristled, my blood curdling. It was all I could do not to slap the roses across Matteo’s face.

  Yet the single touch was enough to send a rocket of electricity shooting into my system. Our connection seemed stronger, my hand shaking as I was forced to slide the ring on his finger. The jeweled band of gold was elaborate and beautiful, but the sight of it continued to make my stomach churn. By the time he leaned in for the obligatory kiss, tears had formed in my eyes.

  He lifted my chin with a single finger, shaking his head back and forth. “I do adore you, my bride. We will enjoy our life together.”

  As he gathered me in his arms, I did everything I could to keep my lips pressed together. If he thought that taking me was going to be easy, he had another think coming. When he wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, digging his fingers into my skin, I knew it was meant as a reminder to be compliant.

  The perfect obedient wife.

  I shuddered and finally opened my mouth, every part of me trembling. But as the kiss continued, a roar of hunger stifled my breath. My heart skipped several beats as a jolt of electricity shot down my spine. The oohs and ahhs from the congregation brought another wave of sadness. Pretending to care about a monster was just the beginning.

  Soon, he would make an attempt to break me down, taking what he’d just claimed as his possession.

  My body.

  My will.

  My soul.

  But while he might succeed, he would never be able to claim my heart.

  The guests had left.

  The cake had been served.

  The required first dance had been suffered through.

  I’d even acted as if I’d enjoyed the expensive champagne as well as the countless photographs that had been taken by a photographer hired to capture every move we made. I’d managed through all of it to keep a smile on my face, even keeping my body from flinching every time Matteo touched me.

  I’d been the perfect actress, the dutiful wife.

  Now there was only one thing left in the day’s disgusting activities.

  The wedding night.

  I’d yet to undress after the wedding, although Maria had already removed the long train. At least I hadn’t stumbled around all night from the yards of material trailing after me like a noose. Now I stood in the master bedroom of the house staring out the doors leading onto the veranda. It was his room to be exact, the wretched creature who’d forced me to take his last name. Mrs. Matteo Benedetti.

  I turned in a full circle, studying the suite, still surprised at the luxuriousness of the estate, the room itself no exception. It was huge, almost as large as my entire apartment, complete with a stone fireplace and thick pile carpet. The bed was a masterpiece of its own, the massive headboard carved out of rosewood or mahogany. Every piece of art was gorgeous and vibrant in color, the choices sensual and elegant. I honestly couldn’t imagine Matteo enjoying a room this plush. It wasn’t quite… masculine enough for him.

  Sighing, I moved closer to the fireplace, eyeing the three pictures on the mantel. His family. They were more candid shots, including one at Christmas. It was just another thing that caught me off guard. They appeared so normal in the photographs, when I knew they were anything but.

  From the reactions of the majority of guests, I’d been able to confirm Matteo’s claims about the powerful hold his family had over the entire region. The faces of so many had shown a combination of fear as well as respect. How could they not feel extreme trepidation given the number of armed men who had been outside the church as well as combing the grounds of the estate? Maybe that’s how the majority of people lived in this region.

  Everything in the room reminded me of the perfect moment of seduction. There were candles on almost every surface, flickering together as if listening to the same beautiful piece of classical music. The warm glow gave the setting in the room a surreal feel. Captivating. Sultry.

  There were bouquets of flowers in huge crystal vases on several of the tables, the perfumed scent almost too much to bear. Sadly, the number of them reminded me of a funeral instead of a day of celebration. The bed had already been prepared, the comforter and sheets turned down in exacting measures. Some employee had taken a significant amount of time to facilitate a detailed setting.

  My mind couldn’t help but wonder what would happen to any staff member who didn’t follow his directions to the letter.

  Were they also punished?

  I studied the picture he had of his three brothers taken at a wine tasting. Maybe they really did value the legitimacy of a portion of their business. Laughter bubbled in my throat. Was there anything about the family’s operations that was legitimate?

  At some point perhaps I would find out. Would Matteo trust me enough or was I just arm candy and nothing more? As I returned toward the veranda doors, I rubbed my hand across the soft comforter, surprised I could smile. Flower petals had been plucked from dozens of stems, scattering across the bed in preparation. Maybe Matteo had also snowed his staff into thinking we were in love.

  Laughing, I moved toward the door, peering outside.

  I pressed my hand against the cool glass, staring down at the sparkling ruby and diamond ring I’d been given. My engagement ring. A cold chill shifted through me as the pitter-patter of my heart increased given the anticipation of what was to come. I could see the reflection of the bottle of chilled champagne and two glasses, the gorgeous table covered in rose petals and silver tiered trays of incredible food. Shrimp. Caviar. Lobster. Matteo and his family had spared no expense in attempting to make the wedding and reception the party of the season.

  And all I wanted to do was to crawl under the covers and pray for another life.

  At least I’d been able to see Matteo in action, observing the various people he had rather heated conversations with. I’d stored the information. Maybe at some point what I’d learned would come in handy. I’d also dared to engage in limited conversation with the two soldiers who’d remained close by Matteo’s side. Gio I remembered from New York, the one who’d kept me in a strangle hold as Matteo had injected me with a tranquilizer. Lorenzo was almost a carbon copy, both men standing at least six foot four, weighing two-hundred-fifty pounds or more. Both had been disenchanted with my attempts at conversation, although I knew they were fluent in English.

  It would seem the only staff member allowed to speak with me directly was Maria. What a glorious stay I was going to have.

  As another shiver slithered down my spine, I took a deep breath and held it as Matteo approached. He’d left me for almost twenty minutes, claiming he’d had business to attend to. Lorenzo had remained guard like the big gorilla he was.

  Matteo swaggered closer, t
aking his time to pour two glasses of champagne. He’d removed his jacket and bowtie, unbuttoning his shirt and even rolling up his sleeves. He said nothing as he completed his actions, but I was able to hear his heavy breathing.

  As he closed the distance, I shifted backwards, narrowing my eyes.

  His smile reminded me of a barbarian who’d won a conquest, smug and arrogant. He handed me a glass as he cocked his head, pulling his close to his nose. As he took a deep whiff, he closed his eyes. “Perfect.” After taking several sips, he gave me a stern look. “Take a sip, Catherine.”

  I did as he requested, hating the time shared and the fear trickling through my veins. At least the champagne was cold and refreshing, the glass allowing me to pretend I was able to hide behind it.

  “The estate has been in my family for over two hundred years,” he said proudly. “Unfortunately, a significant portion of it burned to the ground almost fifty years ago. My grandfather worked very hard to bring the vineyards as well as the olive trees back to their former glory. Did you know that several of our wines have won awards?”

  “No. I didn’t delve that far into your family’s history.”

  He chuckled as he took another sip, placing the glass on the table. Then he opened the doors leading to the veranda, taking a deep inhale and holding it for a few seconds. “I’m certain you were more interested in the other aspects of our business.”

  “If you mean the illegal ones, yes.”

  “I’m not going to lie to you, Catherine. We are a family with many interests, some of which are considered illegal. That is all my brothers and I have ever known. My father not only continued building what his father and grandfather had strived to achieve but he also made the corporation even more successful.”

  “Do you plan on continuing in your father’s footsteps?”

  “Absolutely. We have an empire that is far too important to the economy.”

  All I could do was laugh. “You make it sound so glorious and chivalrous what you do.”

  “We employ hundreds of people, some of which would find it difficult to secure another position. Yes, I’m proud of what we’ve managed to accomplish.”

  “But you also hurt people.”

  Matteo turned toward me, studying me carefully. As he walked in my direction, I found myself slinking further into the room. After returning inside, he stopped short, shaking his head. “Have we been forced to handle certain difficult situations in brutal manners? Yes. But I assure you that our preferred methods have nothing to do with violence.”

  “And you expect me to believe that?”

  He shifted closer, coming to within a few inches of where I was standing. “You can choose to believe what you would like. The fact remains that we are a force in Italy and the surrounding countries, and I don’t intend to allow that to change.”

  “And you really believe that my father had something to do with your father’s murder?”

  “I know that he was involved. While he certainly didn’t pull the trigger, he was one of the three men behind the order given to Michael O’Sullivan’s soldiers. He would never get his hands dirty when he could have the Irish mob take care of his problems for him.”

  “I just don’t believe that.”

  “Don’t you? I could tell by the look in your eyes that you did believe me when I told you about your father’s foray into unscrupulous activities. You’ve known for years. Isn’t that why you went into an entirely different level of law enforcement?” He eased a strand of hair from my face before reaching behind my head, removing the two decorative hair combs that had kept my long locks in place. After tossing the pieces onto the nightstand, he fluffed my hair around my face, running his fingers through several strands.

  “I don’t know what to believe any longer.”

  “Understandable.” He took the glass from my hand, putting it on the nightstand next to my hairpins.

  When he cupped both sides of my face, I felt so small in comparison. He rubbed his thumb back and forth across my lips then lowered his head. The first touch of his lips against mine was breathtaking, our chemistry exploding. I was lightheaded immediately, pushing one hand against his chest and placing the other around one of his wrists.

  He held the position for a few seconds, moving my lips with his. The moment reeked of passion, the intimacy something I’d always desired. While I remained tense at first, my body reacted, my back arching as I clung to him.

  As he finally captured my mouth, slipping his hot breath inside, I shivered all the way to my toes. I never expected to enjoy kissing him, but as he pushed his tongue inside, I moaned into the kiss.

  He dominated my tongue almost immediately, sweeping his back and forth slowly at first, then with more vigor. As the seconds passed, he became more aggressive, taking what he wanted as he drank from my mouth.

  Everything about him was so controlling yet he was taking his time with something I would never have thought he would care about. Lights pulsed in front of my eyes and I was enthralled by the moment.

  When he finally broke the kiss, I took several gasping breaths.

  “You are mine.”

  At that moment, I accepted the fact that I belonged to him.

  “Turn around.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I asked you to.”

  I chose not to retort, doing what he asked, shivering when he moved even closer. He eased my hair away from the back of my dress, exposing my neck. The feel of his hot breath cascading across my skin was invigorating yet fueled the apprehension.

  “I’m never going to hurt you, Catherine, at least not in the methods you must be thinking. While I am a dangerous man, some would say savage in nature, I truly believe in the sanctity of marriage.”

  “But you only wanted this marriage to spite my father.”

  “That is not the only reason. You are a breath of fresh air. I’m hoping you’ll actually bring joy back into the lives of my family.”

  “How am I supposed to do that when I can’t stand you?”

  “That will change with the birth of our children.”

  I hadn’t dared to venture a thought about something so horrible, but the words forced me to suck in my breath. As he began to unbutton the back of my dress, I couldn’t stop shaking. Children with him? I’d never wanted to be a mother and the thought forced a lump into my throat.

  “You might surprise yourself how much you enjoy living in such a beautiful location.”

  Swallowing, I closed my eyes and tried to envision children. No. That was just too repulsive to think about. How would I ever be able to love them? I wiped away a tear as he continued unfastening, his presence alone sending wave after wave of sensations into every cell and muscle. By the time he was finished, I was aching all over.

  Matteo shifted his attention to the necklace that remained surrounding my throat. As he unclasped the chain, easing it away, I felt a moment of suffocation, my throat closing.

  “My beautiful wife will always have the finest of everything,” he whispered.

  I turned my head, watching how carefully he placed the necklace on the nightstand, even fingering the jewels. He wasn’t just complicated, he was covered in layers of armor, hiding secrets that had created him even more than being born and raised in a crime syndicate family. I expected him to return, peeling away the rest of my attire, but when I no longer felt his presence, I slowly turned around.

  He’d positioned himself on one of the plush chairs. His hand was wrapped around his glass of champagne, his legs wide open as he leaned against the cushion. While he appeared relaxed, I could tell otherwise. He was as tense as I was, uncertain of his new bride.

  There was an awkward moment of silence between us, but the chemistry we shared continued to build. I held my arm across the bodice of my dress to keep it from falling, uncertain what he wanted me to do.

  “Undress for me, la mia piccolo principessa.” No longer was his tone commanding. Now it was ripe with lust and need and even from where I
stood, I could tell his eyes were dilated slightly.

  I slowly eased off my shoes, carefully placing them together and out of the way. I was so nervous I could barely catch my breath, my heart continuing to race until my pulse was in my throat. Inhaling, I pulled one side of the dress over my shoulder then the other, still holding the bodice for a few seconds.

  He seemed enthralled, as if I was doing a striptease for him. As he rolled the rim of the glass back and forth across his lips, I allowed myself a few seconds to admire his handsome features. A warm flush slid along my neck as I finally tugged the material down to my waist, fighting embarrassment as I pulled it to the floor. While a part of me wanted to rip it to shreds, the gorgeous piece didn’t deserve to be destroyed because of my anger.

  I gently placed it on another chair located near the bed before padding back in his direction.

  He took his time studying me as he sipped his champagne, licking drops from the edge every few seconds. “Come to me.”

  His words were laced with such darkness and need that I could barely hear them. I obeyed, although I struggled to walk closer, one arm crossed over my breasts.

  “You are nervous around me,” he added.

  “No.” The flush slipped up to my cheeks, the heat creating a single bead of perspiration over my lip. I licked it away, staring at him defiantly.

  “Soon you will beg me to take you.”

  He had another think coming. I would do nothing more than tolerate his carnal actions, pretending I was somewhere else the entire time.

  “I said. Come. To. Me. Do not make me ask you again.” His tone was more commanding, the sound floating all around me.

  I moved within inches of him, fighting the new round of anger boiling my system.