Page 31 of Mafia’s Fake Bride

It was the first time in her life that Marie ever felt adored. She’d felt friendship, and even love, towards the women that came in to help her with her mother. Trina gave her friendship too, and that also made her feel like a person that mattered. But what she felt for and from Matteo was different.

She needed him, wanted to be near him, and missed him on those days when he disappeared. In the beginning, she’d been awed by everything happening, overwhelmed at his generosity, and the fact that she was not in Louisiana anymore. She was also trying to deal with far too many things at once.

Her mother’s death, her whole life as her mother’s victim, a new romance, moving, being forced to marry, all of it. She sometimes wondered if she had died, not her mother, and this was heaven. She knew it wasn’t, especially during those times when Matteo was gone, but still, it was the happiest she’d ever been.

She had also started some classes online, just the basics that she’d need to have under her belt to pursue a degree of some kind. She’d settled on business for the moment, but she could always change if something else caught her eye. There was time to make up her mind.

Matteo came home early that day with a gleam in his eye and a kiss for her on his lips. “Guess what?”

“What?” she asked as she settled into his arms, her body already familiar with his. She let her head sink down to his shoulder and held him close.

“We’re going on a little trip. Just a getaway for the weekend, but you’ve been restless lately.”

“That’s because I have nothing to do, Matteo. Even with classes and going out with Trina, there are only so many days I can handle spas and manicures, you know? I need something to do!” She pulled away first before she turned back around. “Wait, where are we going?”

She hoped he’d tell her back to Louisiana so when he answered she was surprised.

“Miami - it’s luscious in the spring. Any later than that and it will be too hot.” He waited for her to show her happiness, but she disappointed him.

“Oh. That’s nice.” Marie turned away to hide her disappointment from him. She schooled her features into a happy smile and turned back. “When do we leave?”

She’d tried so hard to be a good Mafia wife, not to complain or make demands, as Trina had told her a good wife should be. Marie ignored the part where Trina said that’s why she’d never marry a man in the Mafia and focused on what she should do. Trina let a lot slip that Marie chose to ignore, but she stored it away in the back of her mind.

Marie didn’t think Matteo was a murderer, she wasn’t sure she could live with a man that could kill like it was nothing. To Marie, the amount of power Matteo had was intoxicating. She’d felt powerless her entire life, and she felt like some of that power he had rubbed off on her. It made her a little independent, able to take a stand when she needed to.

“When you can get a bag packed. Just bring the necessities, we’ll get what you need down there.” He looked confused and stayed in the doorway. “What’s up, Marie?”

“I’ve just got a lot on my mind, that’s all.” She shrugged and tried to play it off. “I have a lot of time on my hands, too much to think about, and I don’t get enough time with you.”

She went back to him, put her arms around his waist, and grinned up at him. “Ignore me, darlin’, I’m just not myself, that’s all.”

“A trip will do you good then. I thought it would.” He hugged her and she could sense that he wanted to question her further, but let it go. She was relieved when he nodded and rubbed his hands together with anticipation. “Let’s get going, Marie. There’s a place down there, fabulous food, and you’ll love it.”

Not as much as she’d love a bowl of seafood jambalaya from one of the family-owned restaurants back home, she thought but didn’t say anything. Instead, she filled a bag with essentials, dressed in a dress that wouldn’t be too hot when they got down there, and put on a jacket.

By the time they landed in Miami, she was excited to see the place. It was full of skyscrapers and the beach beckoned. “Where are we staying?”

“On a friend’s yacht, right there on the water.” Matteo pointed out of the window at a marina filled with yachts, unlike anything she’d ever seen.

Those weren’t yachts, they were super-yachts. A car drove them down to the marina and the driver carried their bags down the dock to a boat that was more like a city on the water. Marie gaped at it as she climbed aboard and couldn’t believe it.

“It’s a 144-foot motor-yacht. There are ten staterooms, with separate quarters for the crew…” Matteo started but Marie interrupted.

“Crew?” She was confused. “Why does it need a crew? Is this yours, by the way?”

“No,” Matteo answered with a soft laugh. “This belongs to an associate. He’s loaned it to me for the weekend.”

“Are we going out on it?” She sat down on one of the white leather cushions nearest to her.

“No, she’ll stay docked all weekend, I just thought it would be a new experience. We can find a hotel if you prefer?” He saw a member of the crew coming up towards them and nodded.

“I can tell you, madam, that we offer some of the most luxurious services you’ll find in Miami. Anything you can find in a hotel you’ll find on the Platinum Fantasy.” The young woman with blond hair and tanned skin smiled pleasantly over at Marie.

Marie recognized the name of the boat from the script in silver on the dark blue hull of the multi-story yacht. Marie knew next to nothing about yachts but she had sense enough to know that this was a yacht that most people would never even know existed, much less ever step foot on.

“Let me show you around, then you can decide?” the young woman, with a name tag that had Tiffany written on it, added as Marie looked around.

“Oh, it’s not that I don’t want to stay on it, I’m just so… astonished.” Marie knew it sounded unsophisticated but didn’t care. It was the truth.