We have about a little over an hour more on our flight. A folder lands on my table, pulling me out of my trance. I have a feeling about what it is before checking the contents. Still, I ask, "What's this?"
Mariano levels me with his gaze. He doesn't shy away when staring at me, always carrying an air of confidence with him. It shows in every movement he makes. When he talks, walks, heck—probably even when he breathes. Right now, he's cool and collected—a contrast to me at the moment.
"A contract," he says.
I chuckle, fingering the corner of the pages. "A prenup? You think I'm going to steal your money? Please." I shake my head, recalling what my father told us a few weeks ago that the Morellis were having financial trouble. Hence why they wanted to go through with the marriage order, so they could take everything from us and steal my father's seat. If anything, I should be the one insisting on a prenup.
He mutters something under his breath that I don't catch, and then he scoffs, looking amused as he looks down. "It's not a prenup. But if you'd like, I'll have one prepared for you."
I narrow my eyes at him, wondering why he didn't think about drawing up a prenup in the first place. Doesn't he want to protect his properties or assets? Not like I plan to take anything from him, but I'm just saying.
Looking down at the folder, I flip the cover and examine the contract he wants me to sign. It looks like a standard agreement the kind our family uses. But my eyes zero in on the clause that states that as long as he stays as the Don of the Morelli family and as long as we stay married, none of his people would come after my family. Otherwise: punibili con la morte. (punishable by death)
That's the only thing that I'm concerned about. This is why I'm marrying him. This is why I'm signing this piece of paper. And what I wish he would keep. Because despite what I think about Mariano now, I'm hoping that somewhere in that dark persona he wears like a mask, that guy from the cell I met is still there and he wouldn't go back on his word.
***
I must have fallen asleep sometime during the flight because I don't recall the plane landing and I certainly don't remember getting in the backseat of someone's car. So who the hell moved me? I knit my brows as I scan the interior of the SUV, taking in the two men in the front seat.
The same guy who drove the car back in New York—Jax, I think his name is—is sitting in the front passenger seat. And another man I don't know is currently driving. I scan further to my right and find Mariano leaning back with his eyes closed and his arms crossed. His lips are slightly parted and his breathing is calm like he's asleep. His Adam's apple bobs and my eyes follow the motion, causing me to swallow as well, mimicking his movement.
I squirm, shifting in my seat as I snap my stare to the front, cursing myself. Then I notice something different, making me look down. That's when I realize that I'm wearing a coat that's too big for me. No wonder I feel so warm. And not just any coat, it's his coat—the one he so unceremoniously threw on my lap. Was I too out of it that I didn't even wake up to all of that happening?
His scent permeates my nose and I can't help taking a deep inhale of the warm, spicy, and woodsy fragrance. It smells so…I don't know…sensual? And oozing with masculinity.
Shit. I don't know what I'm thinking. I clear my throat and ignore the urge to take another whiff like a psycho, smelling people's clothes.
I feel someone's eyes on me and I dart my gaze to the front seat, meeting Jax's knowing stare. He doesn't look away, and I know he caught me sniffing out the coat like an addict sniffing glue.
He looks to be the same age as Mariano, or maybe younger, with dirty blond hair and blue eyes. My face heats but I refuse to give him the satisfaction of seeing me guilty, so I arch my brow and lift my chin, challenging him. The corner of his lips curve into a smirk and he shakes his head, and then he faces the road ahead.
Ugh. It's been a few hours since we landed in Chicago and I already think it's a little anticlimactic. I didn't even feel the landing and everything else that happened after that.
There's a movement to my right and I turn to see Mariano rolling his shoulders and neck. I can feel what he's feeling. It's not comfortable to sleep in a moving car.
I risk a glance his way and make a mistake when I meet his eyes. He opens his mouth and I think he's about to tell me something, but then the car takes a turn and dips as we enter a basement parking lot of what I think is a hotel. Mariano averts his gaze and hands me two folders.
"The other one is the prenup. You can go over it tonight. I'll have someone collect them tomorrow," he says without even looking at me.
"What time shall we pick you up tomorrow?" Jax asks as the car pulls to a stop in front of a double glass door.
"Keep your lines open. I'll call you." Mariano gets out of the car and motions for me to descend too.
The cold weather hits my lower body as soon as I get out of the car and I quickly head to the entrance, seeking warmth. It's a lot colder here than in New York, that's for sure.
I'm not sure why we're in a hotel, but I'm not about to argue and insist on staying in the car when out of the three of them, I only really know Mariano. Although I hate him right now, I'd rather be with him than be with those two strangers in the car.
I huff as I stride past him and continue walking through the glass doors where a doorman politely greets us. I feel Mariano's stare at the back of my head as I walk ahead and stroll towards the lobby that should be around the corner according to the sign on the wall, but I pay him no mind.
That is until a whistle sounds behind me and I stop in my tracks. Turning around, I gape at him incredulously as he stands there with his hands tucked inside his pants pocket, looking nonchalant as if he's in a park. "Did you…" I grit my teeth. "Did you just whistle at me?"
"Yes," he answered as a matter of factly, not an ounce of shame present on his face.
What the hell? I'm appalled that I can't speak for a few beats, and then I snap, "I'M NOT A DOG!"
He shrugs. "You turned around. It worked, didn't it?"
I catch the doorman behind him stifling a smile and I glare at Mariano for making me look like an idiot. He is such an asshole. Captain Asshole. But I don't give in—at least, not totally, as I lift my chin and fold my arms under my breasts. I don't fail to see his eyes dip lower for a beat, following my movement—or staring at my boobs—before lifting them again. "I have a name."
"You do." He nods to the side, and that's when I notice the elevators. "This way, Ree. Twentieth floor."
Again with the nickname. Oh my god. I'm about to remind him of my real name but he already turns his back on me and heads towards the elevator that opens after he presses the button. He waits for me to get in first and then follows after me. I'm already exhausted, so I just huff and close my mouth.
As we reach the twentieth floor, I'm beginning to feel hesitant. What are we doing here? Is this where he plans to keep me? My only consolation is that the hotel looks at least like a four-star one. Not that I'm picky as I don't mind staying in a lower-end hotel, but I appreciate that he chose comfort. I don't want any creepy crawlies on the wall.
I trudge behind him as he goes straight to the end of the hallway and stops in front of a door, takes out a keycard, and swipes it at the handle. The door clicks open and he pushes it. I peek around his shoulder, scanning the room as far as my eyes can see. It looks clean, tidy, and luxurious.
"It's empty. No one's going to jump you inside," he reassures as he gestures for me to enter.
Taking a deep breath, I cross the threshold and flinch when the door closes behind me. I turn around, my eyes widening as he advances toward me, and I take a step back. He may have said no one's going to jump me here, but does that include him?
I stop when the back of my knees hit the edge of the bed and I froze. He's still walking over, only stopping a foot away, causing my heart to race and telling me to get the fuck out of here.
I must have bumped my head during the ride over because I don't move. No, that's not it. I don't move because I already signed the document. And I'm not one to break an oath that I've bled for. The cut on my thumb throbs as a reminder of the blood contract I signed my life with right next to his name on a paper while we were on the plane.
Mariano flicks his wrist and I look down to see the keycard between his fingers. "Get some sleep."
I tentatively take the keycard and then he turns around and walks to the door. "Uh… W-Where are you going?"
"To get some sleep. I'm right next door if you need anything." He points to the right and I assume he means the adjacent room to my right. He keeps talking as he walks. "Call room service if you're hungry. I'll see you tomorrow."
I try to catch him before he closes the door. "Wait! Can I have my phone back now? I promise… I won't call anyone." I just need it…My gallery.
Mariano glances at me, his expression unreadable as he holds the door handle. "Goodnight, Ree."
He closes the door, leaving me alone with thoughts…of my past, my present, and my future.
As you see, the chapters I have released so far comes in parts. My releases in the future will also be like this. Instead of a daily chapter release, I will have a fixed schedule during the week, and every release day, it will be posted per novel chapter, some only single, or multiple parts (2-3) indicated on the chapter title.