Crimson Vows: A Dark Mafia Romance

Chapter 15

Ifeel the press of skin against mine, a tangle of limbs on cool sheets that have warmed with our heat. Gia’s soft breath against my neck is steady and calming. Nico lies to her right, his hand finding hers and gently squeezing it. Dante’s head rests on Nico’s chest. It’s a nest of affection I never imagined myself in the middle of, yet I am deeply grateful for it.

“Hey.” Nico’s deep voice cuts through the quiet aftermath. “I hope this doesn’t come out as weird or anything, but I wanted to thank both of you for sharing this with us.” He doesn’t look at us, but there’s no need.

Dante lifts his head. “Yeah, this was pretty epic.” There’s a playful twinkle in his words.

Gia stirs, turning her face toward the voices. Her dark eyes are pools of emotion—contentment, surprise, and maybe a little disbelief at the depth of connection we’ve all stumbled into tonight.

We lie there, four souls stripped bare. None of us in this bed are like the regular people in the world. We have a darkness that is needed for us to survive in our reality. We carry secrets and burdens that very few can relate to. We weren’t only pleasuring Gia in this bed tonight, we were releasing ourselves from the chains of our lives, even if it was temporary.

I brush a lock of dark hair from Gia’s forehead, her gaze searching mine. Her lips part, and the words spill out quietly but urgently. “It was pretty amazing,” she admits. “But Marco, I need to know, are you really okay with everything that happened?”

I tighten my hold around her. “Absolutely,” I answer without hesitation. “It was different and intense, yeah, but it felt so good to watch you let go and let me give you that.” I catch her eyes and hold them.

“I mean—” Dante starts with his sarcastic tone. “We kind of were there too.”

My gaze shifts to meet Dante’s. “Yeah, you were there, but let’s be real. At the end of the day, this was all about Gia.”

Nico chuckles at the banter, a rare smile gracing his usually stoic expression. “Can’t argue with that.”

Gia lets out a soft laugh, the sound like music in the intimate space. She nestles closer, her warmth seeping into my bones. I kiss her forehead gently, sealing my promise without words. Nico shifts, his presence reassuring. We’re intertwined, not just by flesh but by the trust we’ve laid bare tonight.

I trace the curve of Gia’s shoulder. She’s still, but I feel the tremors of her heart against my ribs. Delicate. Fierce. Broken in ways she shouldn’t have to be, and I wish more than anything I could take away all the burdens she carries.

“I swear to you,” I murmur, voice low, “I’ll right the wrongs they’ve done to you.” My fingers brush along her jaw, tipping her face up to mine. Her eyes, dark mirrors of pain and strength, meet mine. “Whatever it takes.”

Her breath hitches, and something unspoken passes between us—a silent acknowledgment of the depth of my vow.

Nico stirs beside us, his gaze sharp, alert. “Who wronged her?” he asks, his baritone rumbling through the quiet room. Dante’s blue eyes watch me too, intense and expectant.

The weight of truth presses on my chest. As desperate as I was to keep the secret about what Vincent had done to Gia at the start of the night, things feel different now. These men care for Gia as much as I do, and I’m sure they would agree that she deserves justice.

“Vincent,” I say, the name tasting like betrayal. Gia stiffens slightly in response. “I found out he lied about Anthony’s death.” The words hang there, dense and dangerous.

“What do you mean he lied?” Nico asks, confused by my revelation.

“He told us Anthony died from the injuries he sustained when Gia shot him that night, but it’s not true.” The confession slices through the stillness. “After Gia and I took you to the hospital, Vincent strangled Anthony before he blew up the boat.”

A chorus of curses breaks free from Nico and Dante. They exchange looks, their expressions a mix of rage and disbelief. It’s out now—the ugly truth that taints everything we thought we knew.

Everyone shifts, and within moments, we are all sitting in bed. Nico leans forward, the muscles in his arms as taut as steel cables. “Why the fuck would he do that?”

“Honestly, that part I’m not sure about. Maybe he was worried the other captains would be upset if he made a move against a protected senior member of the crew, but I don’t think that’s it. They all knew Anthony had betrayed Vincent, so nobody would have thought twice about him killing Anthony.”

Gia’s hand falls away from mine, and I hear her breath catch—a soft sound of despair. “I think it was his way of controlling the perception of himself.”

“What do you mean?” Dante asks.

“He was supposed to marry me, and then he puts me aside, the daughter of a captain, to be with someone who knows nothing about what it takes to be part of our world.” Gia’s words are laced with bitterness. “I shot my own father to help all of you escape that night. Think about how that would make him look if he then finishes my father off and still, after what I did, broke off our engagement.”

“I don’t know. That still doesn’t make sense to me,” I argue. “Maybe he was worried you had people in your father’s organization who would be loyal to you if you wanted revenge.”

“Dammit,” Nico curses, slamming a fist into the mattress. The impact sends a ripple through the bed. “Are you fucking kidding me? I can’t believe he could do this to you. If you hadn’t stepped in...”

His words hang unfinished, but they don’t need completion. We all know the debt we carry, the weight of a life saved at the brink of death.

“Everything,” I add quietly, my rage simmering beneath the surface. “We owe you our lives,” I state, looking at my fiancée. The room falls silent.

I shift, the sheets pooling at my waist, the air in the room thick with tension. “I’m sorry. I know you’ve been struggling with a lot of guilt because you thought you were the one who killed your father that night.”

“It’s not your fault,” she assures me. “You told me the truth as soon as you found out.”

“Wait, how did you find out?” Dante asks. “Did Vincent actually tell you?”

“I overheard a conversation.” My chest tightens. “Vincent didn’t know I was standing outside his office when he told his brother-in-law what happened that night.”

Dante’s mouth falls open in shock. “Are you fucking kidding me right now? He told his brother-in-law? He told that piece of shit Ivanov but didn’t tell his own consigliere?”

“He knew I had feelings for Gia. There’s no way he would have trusted me to keep that from her,” I explain.

“Or he didn’t want you to know because he was worried you might turn against him,” Gia finishes for me.

Nico’s gaze hardens, his jaw clenched tight. “This fucking changes everything,” he growls, his fists flexing in his lap.

“What do you mean?” I attempt to clarify.

“He’s alive because of what Gia did for him that night. What she did for all of us,” Nico explains. “Every day, I put my life on the line for him because I believed he would always do what was in the family’s best interest. It’s pretty obvious now, though, that Vincent only gives a shit about himself.”

Dante rises from the bed, pacing back and forth like a caged animal, only wearing his underwear. “He needs to answer for what he’s done.”

Gia looks at each of us in turn, her expression a blend of vulnerability and steely resolve. “Look, I know this is really fucked up, and when Marco told me about it last night, I was about to lose my shit and head straight over to Vincent’s place, but Marco helped me understand if we do anything rash, it will only end up hurting us.”

“He can’t get away with this,” Nico insists.

“And we don’t intend to let him,” I assure everyone.

“We need to be smart about this,” Gia says softly.

“What do you suggest?” Nico asks, and all heads turn to Gia expectantly.

I watch Gia’s chest rise and fall, her breaths whispering through the stillness. “Maybe,” she starts, her voice a low hum, trembling with emotion, “we crowned the wrong King.”

My gut clenches. Caution is a second skin to me, one that tightens with her every word. “Gia,” I say, my tone a soft warning, “questioning Vincent openly... it’s dangerous.” I reach out, my hand brushing against her arm, willing her to understand. “Besides, Amelia made it very clear she has no interest in taking over for her father.”

“That’s not the King I was talking about,” Gia announces.

I exchange glances with the other men in the room before looking back at Gia. “You shouldn’t say things like that.”

“You’re Edward’s nephew. You were practically raised in that house. The captains trust you, and no one questioned it when you went from being a soldier to consigliere,” Gia continues.

I shake my head. “Just saying this could get you killed. Could get us all killed,” I warn her.

Gia’s determination is unwavering. “Vincent’s actions have consequences, and we can’t sit back and let him manipulate everyone,” she declares, her voice steady despite the gravity of her words.

Nico looks at me. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but maybe Gia’s right. If Vincent is more interested in sharing his secrets with the enemy than his own consigliere, why would we trust him? Everything you do is to protect this family. Maybe it should be you.”

“Stop!” I exclaim, ensuring my voice is firm so they each understand that the words they have uttered here today can never be spoken again. “That’s enough. I refuse to hear another word of this insanity. Removing Vincent isn’t an option, and that’s the end of it. As far as Vincent is concerned and what he did to Gia, I will make sure something is done about it.”

The room seems to take a collective breath in and out, and they all nod in response to my words. Gia smiles at me and softly offers, “I know you’ll make things right.”

I draw her into a comforting embrace, feeling the weight of her trust settle on my shoulders. I don’t know how to keep my promise to her, but I’ll find a way.