Married to the Mafia Boss

Miguel

Those passionate eyes. I studied them for so long that I could never forget them. I’d remember every speck. I lower my head, and we kiss gently. I let go of her wrists, and she rests her hands on my chest. I hold her arms more gently. We continue to kiss gently, and as I inhale the scent of her soap, I kiss her more aggressively. She whimpers in my mouth but returns the kiss, so I press her against the wall, forcing our bodies together. Where we touch is that old spark that we had thirteen years ago.

I break the kiss to kiss down her neck, and she tilts her head to let me make my way down to her collarbone. I take her breasts in my hands and squeeze them gently. I kiss her other collarbone and kiss back up her neck. I breathe heavily into her ear, pausing.

“I don’t know what to do, Kira,” I admit finally, nuzzling the side of her head with the side of mine.

She takes my face in her hands and turns me to face her, she kisses me again, and I groan into her mouth. Everything about her is as I remember.

She breaks the kiss and whispers, “You need to let me go, Miguel, because while I’m kept here, Alessandro won’t give you access to Raphael. He’ll want me to confirm you’re the father.”

“There was no one else?” I ask, feeling as though my voice might crack.

“Never,” she breathes, and we kiss again. She slides her arms around my neck, and I wrap mine around her waist. We part after a moment, and the space between us feels cold.

“I will let you go if Alessandro agrees to my terms,” I say finally. “I have to take care of family business, Kira. It’s nothing personal.”

“I know,” she says, looking up at me. “Just do the right thing, though.”

“I will,” I say, stroking her hair out her face. “Go to your room. I’ll let you know once we’re ready to go. It won’t be safe for you if my father comes here. He wasn’t happy about the news.”

“Okay, I trust you, Miguel.”

She leaves and goes upstairs with Jarred in tow.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

I take my phone out and message the family to come to the house, meeting in the dining room. I order the maids to clean up quickly as we’re having guests.

I touch my lips where we kissed, and I close my eyes. I’m sure there is still magic, but I have to let her go. It would never work between us. We’re two different families now united by a little boy. I plan to use that as leverage.

The men of my family arrive, including my rather annoyed-looking father, and they all sit down in the dining room. I stand at the head of the table, and as I’m about to speak, my father opens his mouth, “We’ve already discussed what you should do with the girl.”

“You would go behind your Don’s back to make decisions without him?” I ask, looking at each person. They all avert their gazes. “I won’t hear your idea because this child unites the Rossi and Sorvino families, so I plan to use that to our advantage.”

“You can’t negotiate with the Sorvinos for territory or money because your bastard is one of them,” my father roars.

“And yet, that’s what I’m going to do. Now, you have all shown great loyalty to me. We have made so many advancements for the family together. Would I really steer you wrong with this?”

Several of them murmur, but my father stands. “I will not recognize a Sorvino relative as a Rossi. It’s not how things are done.”

“Then you deny your own blood, and that is not done,” I spit back, and my father does a double take. “If you don’t want to accept a Rossi, then leave the Rossi family because we’ve always protected our own.”

More murmurs from everyone, and Lyle steps forward. “I trust you, Don Rossi. I trust you will do what’s best for us.”

There is a general agreement though two or three people look unconvinced. My father just stands there, silent.

“Padre, I know you don’t want this, but sometimes we have to make necessary changes that are better for the family. I want your blessing on this.”

My father looks at all the faces turned in his direction and sighs. “This will not end well, but I hope you prove me wrong, Miguel. You have my blessing.”

My father knows he was outvoted, especially because he denied his own blood. It was his biggest mistake.

We go over a few details together before I send them all away, except Lyle.

“Go get her,” I say. “She’s coming with us.”

“He could just take her then,” Lyle comments.

“I know what I’m doing,” I say, though I have a seed of doubt in my heart.

Lyle leaves to fetch Kira while I slide into my suit jacket. She comes down, and I gesture to the front door. “The car is waiting.”

She looks up at me with wide eyes, so I quickly say, “Don’t hug me. I have a reputation to maintain.”

She nods, and we leave through the front door to the car.

“Where are we going?” she asks quietly once we’re on the motorway.

“I told Alessandro to meet me at Central Park,” I say, unable to look at her. I know what this means for us-I have to let her go.

“Thank you, Miguel,” she says softly, and I feel her hand take mine and squeeze. I squeeze it back and then move my hand away.

We walk into Central Park together, and I see Alessandro already seated on the bench, smoking a cigarette.

“Alessandro,” Kira gushes. He gets up and opens his arms. She rushes into them and hugs him tightly.

“Were you hurt?” he asks gruffly.

“No, Miguel treated me well,” Kira lies. I didn’t treat her well, I hurt her, and she will probably never forgive me for that.

“Don Sorvino,” I say seriously, “I am willing to let your cousin go home with you now if you agree to my terms.”

“Name them,” he says, looking at me distastefully.

“Raphael is my son and, therefore, future Don of the Rossi family by birthright. I want to see him and teach him about his Rossi family.”

“Is this true?” Alessandro asks Kira, and she nods. Alessandro looks back at me.

“When he is Don, I expect the Sorvinos to pay tribute by giving the Rossi family the territories that would go to the next in line in the event of Sonny Sorvino’s death. They are his then, not yours or under you.” I keep my eyes trained on his.

Alessandro looks down at Kira. “Is that why your father made you leave?”

“He thought he was doing what was best for me,” she says softly. I know she’s defending her father because Alessandro is not above killing his family members if they cross the line.

“Agreed,” Alessandro says at last. “However, only two of the territories can go to Raphael. I’ll ensure they’re the bigger operations, so the Rossi family makes good money from them. But only once he is Don.”

I hold my hand out, and Alessandro shakes it. “Now come, Kira, he misses you terribly.”

Kira holds onto Alessandro as they walk past me. Our eyes meet, and I see a sadness there that I haven’t seen before. Although I secured my family’s future, I feel defeated. Because Raphael is a Rossi, they will respect the Rossi territories out of respect for Raphael. That protects my family, and we will have a higher income later.

But at what cost?

I watch Kira walk away, and I know I’ve lost out because what I should have done is professed my undying love for her and begged her to stay with me-begged her to let us be a family together instead of a family apart.

She glances back as they reach the gate, and I hang my head. I can’t look at her. I will wait until they’ve definitely left before I take my own leave.