In fact, something was off with the entire scene. “Rosa!” Lorenzo suddenly shouted, as I heard a screech of tires. I spun around, my eyes widening in shock as Octavio, Mark, and Jules emerged from a car holding their guns high, aiming at Aaron. “Come with us,” Lorenzo said.
My brows furrowed as I took a step toward them to stop them from shooting at my friend, when Aaron pushed me behind his back in one swift move, while taking his gun from under his jacket, releasing the safety, then pointing it right at Lorenzo’s forehead. “Don’t think so, Lorenzo.” For the first time, I heard the hint of an accent in his voice as it lowered in warning. “You won’t like the consequences.”
Right after he finished saying those words, while I tried to put all the pieces together, two Gelenvagens stopped right beside the others, and the Bratva men jumped at my father’s men with their guns. Finally, Dominic arrived, darting in my direction with determination on his face. “Aaron, what’s going on?” I whispered, and he pushed his glasses up, replying to me coldly, “My name is Anton.”
Blinking quickly, I squeaked, “What?”
“I’m a byk of the Bratva. Sorry for lying, Rosa, but someone had to keep an eye on you during your classes.”
Say fucking what? Dominic placed his bodyguard to spy on me?
And this guy, the guy who I considered a friend, actually played ‘double-agent’ games with me and abused my trust. “You freaking piece of—”
Dominic bent down, propping me on his shoulder as he rose up with me while my fists were pummeling his back. “Let go of me, you lying jerk. What the hell do you think you are doing?”
He didn't even bother to reply, just kept on walking to his car as though nothing out of the ordinary happened. He stopped next to Lorenzo, and greeted him through his teeth, “She is mine. Stay the fuck away from her.” And in three short steps, threw me in despite my loud squeal, and joined me inside the car, as he barked, “Airport. Fast as humanly possible.”
The vehicle rushed immediately, and since I didn't expect such force, I would have fallen down had Dom’s strong hands not caught me in time. Slapping them away, I backed into the corner, breathing heavily. “Dom, stop this madness.” He shook his head, refusing. “You promised me you wouldn't do it. You promised,” I whined like a little bitch, but I didn’t care. He couldn't, in one moment, change into this coldhearted man who didn't listen to my wants and needs. This last month proved he could be different. Why destroy it all in one incident? “Are you jealous?” Damn my big mouth for spilling about the whole Lorenzo thing to him. What guy would like his woman being in close proximity to the man her family supposedly tried to marry her off to?
Like a flash of lighting, he grabbed me by my neck and kissed the living shit out of me. His mouth demanded entrance, and despite my reluctance, he bit lightly on my lower lip, making me gasp, which gave him the perfect opening to push his tongue inside and take mine hostage. Lacing his fingers through my hair, he mashed our mouths harder as though he wanted to forever imprint his claim there. Slowly, I started to forget why we argued as my mind got sucked into the incredible sensations only he could provide. Greedily sucking on my tongue, he used his teeth, creating a bit of pain, and I moaned. All at once, he took his touch away from me.
Still tugging my hair painfully, he finally spoke, emphasizing each word. “You. Are. Mine. I don’t get jealous, because why the fuck would I,krasavica moya? No one touches what is mine, sure as fuck not some Italian guy who dreamed of marrying you for ages.” I opened my mouth to correct him that no freaking crush was in question, as said guy had a girlfriend, but he placed his index finger on my lips. “This mouth, body, and soul can only be claimed by me.”
My lips burned from his kisses, and I barely resisted enveloping his finger with my mouth and sucking it. Fisting my hand on his shirt, I whispered, “Then why are you doing this? Why are you ruining everything?” Something akin to pain flashed through his eyes, but it was quickly gone, so I wasn't sure if my imagination had played tricks on me.
“You can thank your father. He didn't honor our agreement, so I no longer feel I’m obligated to follow it from my end.”
“What do you mean?” My voice trembled as I shivered, not really expecting anything good to come out of his mouth.
“Your father ordered the killing of mysovietnik. So much for not declaring a war.”
Gasping in horror, I shook my head. “It’s impossible. Dad never plays dirty.”
He chuckled. “My naïve Rose. You cannot be in the mafia and not play dirty.” His gaze hardened. “So you see, nothing holds me back from taking you with me to Russia where you belong,” he finished, clearly pleased with his logical conclusion.
My head throbbed from all the awful information he spewed at me, as I said, “I don’t want to go.” Meeting his eyes with mine, I stated firmly, “Stop the car, let me go, and go wherever you please.” Sadness was replaced by anger, as it gave me strength to fight the pull against this man who longed to shatter my life without a care in the world.
Dominic, completely shut off, focused his attention out the window. His hands clenched in fists were the only indication how much this scene affected him.
I could have screamed, kicked, and demanded. But what was the point? No one would come to help me. I’d been in this situation before, and I knew how this fucked up shit worked.
An eye for an eye, an absolute mafia law. Just in my case or luck, whichever way you preferred to look at it, the pakhan of the Bratva claimed me as his and took pity on my dad, but ultimately he delivered a hard blow, because I was what he valued most.
God, why did I have to be in the middle of this mess between the two men I loved, and why would whatever choice I made still mean pushing my dreams aside to stay by their side. Dominic wouldn't care much for my surgical career. A mob wife had other priorities.
Wait.
Love and wife?
Dominic
Rosa calmed down and sat with her hands on her lap deep in thought as she stared at the road ahead of us. She was probably contemplating ways of escaping or crying out for help, none of which would be effective considering only the Bratva soldiers surrounded her.
Yeah, a heartless bastard, that would be me. For a small amount of time in her company, I forgot my real nature and that I no longer waited for people to decide something about my life. I made all the decisions and refused to accept less.
Rosa Giovanni, soon Konstantinova, was mine the minute my eyes landed on her picture. And it was about damn time the whole world knew about it, her included.
Finally arriving at the airport and passing all the security checks, Vlad stopped the vehicle in front of a private plane, where Vitya and Michael stood. They had gone ahead to prepare it for taking off the minute we boarded. Grabbing her hands, I picked her up in my arms while she uttered not a single word, and honestly, this silence evoked a suspicion that it wasn't a good sign.
