VIOLA
Our cars pulled into the Mancini estate where many other cars were parked. There were a lot of sub-families in the Cosa Nostra such as cousins, aunts, and uncles. They must have been invited to the engagement party.
My father left the car first. Mother followed after him and gestured for us to follow them. Marco and I stayed close as went into the house behind Mother and Father. The house I was looking at was as huge as a castle and in vintage design as well.
There was security everywhere with coms and huge guns. Some stood by the door while the rest patrolled the area.
The huge majestic doors were opening with light seeping through, illuminating the compound even more. Music and chatter were coming from the inside, alerting us that the party had already started.
When we went in, someone took our coats and we walked in further.
A huge chandelier hung from the wall and a spiral staircase leading upstairs was directly in front of us. When I looked up, I realized the house had many floors. It was five times bigger than our mansion.
"Antonio! Susanna!" A tiny woman exclaimed as she approached us, coming from a room to the right.
She was blonde with striking green eyes, a slender body, and a few wrinkles on her face. She was gorgeous though I suspected she kept the aging process at bay using Botox.
She pulled my mother into a hug, showcasing her hospitality and bubbly personality.
"Lucia! It's nice to see you." Mother responded but her smile was fake.
She shook Father's hand as well as Marco's. When she saw me, she smiled widely and held out her hands to me.
"Oh my, Susanna! What a gorgeous girl you have raised. I'll be proud to call her my daughter-in-law."
She pulled me into a hug and held me in her embrace tightly. For me, the hug was awkward because it was something Mother never did.
"Come, let me take you to Nikolas," she said to me and turned to my family saying, "The ballroom is that room on your right. Enjoy yourselves!"
She and I went upstairs hand in hand. I kept stealing glances at her wondering if her nice attitude was just an illusion. No one was that happy in the mafia, especially as a Mafioso Queen. That would mean her husband was nice to her.
Impossible!
Granted I had only met Tommaso Mancini a few times, it was wild for me to assume he was bad. But he had to be. All the men in the Mafia were bad.
"Relax a little, Viola. You seem very tense." Lucia commented.
I smiled at her and nodded. She led me to the second floor which only had one room. We stood outside one of the rooms which had huge brown mahogany doors.
"Nikolas is in there. Go in and bond a little before he brings you downstairs where you can meet the rest of the family,"
Without waiting for me to process what she had said, she left. My hands wouldn't stop shaking and my heart wouldn't stop beating loudly.
I was too scared to talk to Nikolas but I had to show him I was brave and confident during our first meeting so he would treat me with respect. Mother had insisted time and time again that men capitalized on fear.
Unfortunately, I couldn't bring myself to be in my future husband's presence.
Just as I turned around to leave, the door opened and a deep voice said, "Going somewhere?"
I froze. That deep voice sent shivers down my spine. I'd never heard a sound so alluring and compelling. I could listen to him talk all day.
Taking deep breaths to appear calmer than I was, I turned around.
Holy shit.
The man I was looking at was beautiful. His eyes were as green as the jungle and his bronze skin was as smooth as a baby's skin. He used his one hand to lean on the doorway as he looked down at me.
Even in heels, my head barely reached his chest.
His face was perfect—perfectly sculpted and chiseled with a perfect nose and inviting full lips. His hair was messy with a few strands covering his forehead. I noticed he'd shaved a line in his eyebrows which made him look even hotter.
He was in a suit but the first few buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing some tattoos. And that wasn't even counting the one on the left side of his neck.
"You might want to take a picture, bellissima. It lasts longer." (bellissima- beautiful)
Only then did I realize I was openly ogling him. Blushing in embarrassment, I cleared my throat and looked away. No matter how many deep breaths I took, my heartbeat wouldn't slow down and my hands wouldn't stop shaking.
For the first time, I was unable to master composure.
"Signora Lucia asked me to come to your room."
His cold eyes inspected my face then they went down the rest of my body. I didn't miss how they lingered on my chest longer than they were supposed to. I was used to that kind of look from men, even the ones that were old enough to be my fathers.
What I wasn't used to, was feeling that kind of intensity when being looked at by a man. I felt his gaze everywhere leaving a trail of fire in its wake. His gaze alone was enough to bring every single electrical nerve in my body to life.
"Come in," he uttered and dropped his hand from the frame so I could pass.
He still hadn't smiled or revealed what he was thinking. I didn't even know if he hated or liked me.
As I went into his room, I felt the weight of his gaze on my back, particularly on my ass. I kept blushing like the idiot I was.
His room was very huge, huge enough to be a suite or an apartment. It had an opulent and Gothic aesthetic with a dark and rich décor.
The bed was positioned centrally and it had a grand upholstered headboard adorned with elaborate designs.
The ceiling showcased a stunning coffered design with intricate moldings, and a chandelier hung from the center, casting a warm glow over the place. Heavy drapes framed the large windows.
The room was furnished with elegant pieces, including nightstands with ornate lamps, an armchair with a throw, multiple light fixtures, and a decorative black chest at the foot of the bed.
The floor was covered in polished tiles, and a dark patterned rug lay beneath the bed, adding to the room's sophisticated and moody vibe.
There was also a modern fireplace opposite the bed and a flat-screen TV mounted above it. On the right side of the bed was the door to the balcony and to the right were three other doors that most likely led to his closet and bathrooms.
"My name is—"
"I know who you are," Nikolas answered as he walked even closer to me. His hands were in his pockets and his gaze was almost predatory. He blatantly looked at my body like it was a snack.
It took everything in me to remain rooted to my spot. I didn't want to retreat and show him I was scared.
"Give me your left hand," he said as he held out his hand.
He reached into his pocket and removed a small vintage ring box. He took out a ring and took my finger, putting it where it belonged. The green diamond was huge and it looked vintage too.
His huge fingers still engulfed mine and it was the first time I noticed he had tattoos on his left hand. He had black rings on certain fingers—fingers that were clean and neat.
I guess I expected them to be dirty and full of blood or something.
He pulled me close to him by my hand. Our chests were touching, and our breaths mingled as he stared down at me and I at him.
"You have on dark makeup trying to look fierce but all I see is an innocent girl ready to be corrupted by me."
I took in a sharp intake of breath and tried to step away from him. He stopped me by putting his hand around my waist and pulling me back close to him.
"You're mine now, Viola."