Crimson Vows: A Dark Mafia Romance

Chapter 19

Aquick rap of my knuckles, and suddenly, seconds stretch into eternity until the latch clicks. The door swings open, and there she is—Gia, her dark hair framing her face like a midnight halo.

“Marco.” The way she says my name is like a siren call.

“Hey, sorry I’m so late,” I say, offering her the bouquet I brought. I’ve been counting down the minutes since I saw her at lunch.

She steps aside, inviting me into her sanctuary. As soon as my boots cross the threshold, the tension in my shoulders eases.

I follow her to the kitchen, where she places the flowers in a vase full of water before offering me a glass of my favorite whiskey. She pours herself a glass of wine then leads me to the couch in the living room, where a blazing fire creates a cozy and inviting space.

We nestle in close together and sit for a while, both staring into the flames, her head resting against my chest.

“Fuck, I’ve missed this,” I murmur as I soak the feeling of her against me into my soul.

“Me too,” she sighs before taking another sip from her glass.

“Sometimes I wish we could leave all of this.” I gesture vaguely, encompassing the only life I’ve known. The confession sits between us, a fragile truth exposed to the light.

She shifts to look at me, scanning my face for a hint of hesitation. There’s none—only the raw need to escape.

“Leave?” She probes deeper, her tone neither discouraging nor encouraging, simply waiting for me to explain.

Knots form in my stomach as I worry she won’t understand. “This is the only life I ever knew. But since I fell in love with you, I dream of starting a family with you. I want to bring my children into a life where danger isn’t lurking around every corner and where their father isn’t some soldier who could be sent to his death one day.”

Gia nods slowly, absorbing the gravity of my words, processing the enormity of what stepping away from the Mafia means—for me, for us. “So you want freedom.”

My chest aches as I realize she does understand. “Yes! Exactly.”

Gia’s face doesn’t change; her dark eyes remain impenetrable pools in the dimly lit room. She sits back against the plush sofa. The silence stretches, taut as a wire, until she finally speaks. “You know that isn’t possible, right? Our world is built on secrets; once you know them, they don’t let you walk away.”

“I know,” I reply, my voice heavy with resignation. “It doesn’t stop me from wishing we could have that life, though.”

Her hand finds mine, fingers entwining in a silent show of solidarity. The fire crackles softly, casting dancing shadows across the room.

“We’ll just have to figure out a future where our children’s father isn’t some soldier doing as he is told,” Gia offers. I want to take comfort in this suggestion, but I’m reminded of her comment about me being the head of the family on the night we all shared Gia’s bed. I had hoped the dangerous idea was a passing thought, but her cryptic words warn me it may not be.

“Dante and Nico came to see me the other day,” I say, watching her for a response.

“Oh yeah?” She doesn’t move her gaze from the fireplace as she watches the flames dance.

I take a deep breath before speaking, relaying the conversation with Dante and Nico that a new leader needed to be installed at the head of the table. Gia listens intently, her expression unreadable as she takes in each word. When I finish recounting the interaction, a heavy silence settles between us, thick with unspoken implications. Gia finally turns to me, her eyes holding a steely determination.

“What did you tell them?” she asks.

“That they can never repeat those words to anyone else,” I reply. “Not if they want to live.”

“They aren’t wrong,” she starts, her voice low, each word deliberate. “You and I know there are far better options to lead this family than Vincent.”

“Better options,” I echo slowly, rolling the idea over my tongue. “I know what you’re insinuating, and as much as I adore the three of you think so much of me and what I do for this family, I don’t want the throne.”

Gia’s gaze lingers on me, searching for something in my eyes I can’t quite decipher. Her following words are measured as if she’s treading carefully on thin ice. “You may not want it, Marco, but sometimes the reluctant leader is the one who deserves it the most.”

I shake my head. It’s not as if I hadn’t given this much thought since the idea was initially planted in my head. At the end of the day, I had made my decision. As angry as I was with Vincent, I would not make a move to unseat him. “I can’t... I won’t... betray Vincent like that.”

Her hand tightens around mine. “It’s not about betrayal; it’s about survival. For you, for me, for all of us.”

“Stop it, okay? I don’t want there to be any more talk about removing Vincent as head of this family. As long as I’m his consigliere, I will do everything I can to help him be a better leader. Who knows, maybe one day he’ll surprise us.”

She scoffs. “I doubt that.”

“I know this is hard for you after finding out what he did, but I need you to trust me,” I plead.

She pulls away, increasing the distance between us. “So what? You lied when you said you would get me justice.”

I pause because her words sting. “I told you I would never lie to you. But justice isn’t always straightforward, not for people like us.”

Her expression hardens slightly, and I glimpse the anger she is trying to hide. “What the hell does that mean?” she demands defiantly.

I rake a hand through my hair before proposing, “I have been thinking about it, and I thought maybe we could demand compensation for the pain he has caused.”

Gia’s dark eyes lock onto mine, piercing. “Money?” Her lip curls ever so slightly. “That’s your solution?”

“It’s... complicated,” I argue. “I will have to tell Vincent I overheard his private conversation just to ask him for that much.”

“Are you serious? You really think you can put a price on the suffering he has put me through?” She stands, arms crossed against her chest.

I watch her, feeling the distance like a chasm. Her walls are up, and I need to act quickly to bridge the gap.

“Wait,” I say, standing as well. “It’s not about money, okay? It’s about exposing him, making sure everyone knows what he did.”

She stops and turns. There’s a glint in her eyes, a spark that tells me she’s intrigued. “How do you do that?”

“Vincent constantly worries about how people perceive him. He’s always worried they will think he doesn’t measure up to his father.” I pace. “We drag him into the light. Part of the financial contribution is that he has to make a public declaration to the captains that the purpose of the payment is to put right what he did to you.”

Her gaze meets mine again, and there’s a shift. Thoughts race behind those guarded eyes, calculating, considering. “What if he refuses?”

I sigh. “Unfortunately, I am willing to bet he will refuse. If he does, we make it public anyway. I’ll find a way to tell everyone the truth, with or without his cooperation,” I announce. “Everyone will know it wasn’t you who killed your father.”

She stares at me, and from her expression, I know she understands the risks involved in my plan. Everything hinges on the idea that Vincent cares enough about me that he won’t kill me for even making the suggestion.

“I told you, Gia,” I attempt to reassure her. “I’ve got you.”

Her lip trembles slightly before she manages to recompose herself. “I know, it’s just—what if things don’t go how we want? I can’t lose you too. Not right now. Not when I feel so alone.”

My heart clenches at the vulnerability in her voice, the fear of losing me evident in her eyes. Moving closer, I take her hands, grounding her with my touch.

“That’s why we have to be careful, okay? Take our time with this plan,” I explain. “We’ll know when the time is right. I have to make him see how hard life would be without me looking out for him.”

“You really think he’ll listen?”

“Probably not, but I’m hoping maybe eventually,” I answer, wishing the desperation wasn’t so obvious in my voice.

She searches my eyes for a beat before nodding slowly, a silent agreement passing between us.

“Marco,” she whispers, her voice uncertain. “There’s something I want you to know.”

Anxiety knots my stomach. “What is it?”

“It’s about us,” she confesses.

“Okay, just tell me,” I urge her.

Her hands tremble in mine, and there is a nervous flutter in her eyes. “I can’t explain it. Honestly, it makes no sense to me at all, but after the other night with Dante and Nico and you, something has changed.”

Fear grips me as I press for her to continue.

“I haven’t been able to quit thinking about it, but I don’t want anyone else but you,” she admits, her voice barely above a whisper. The confession hangs in the air between us, heavy with unspoken implications.

“I don’t understand. I thought that being with other men was something you needed. That it wasn’t negotiable.” I attempt to clarify, nervous to let hope take hold.

“I never thought I would feel this way.” Her words falter as emotion threatens to overwhelm her. “I know sharing me doesn’t come naturally to you, but I could tell that all you wanted was to make me happy.”

“That’s all I ever want.”

Her words are raw, and I can feel their honesty and intensity. “That’s what made that night so incredible. If you can push past the things that make you uncomfortable for me, I want to do the same thing for you. If I ever allow a man besides you to touch me again, I would only want it to be with you as a part of the experience.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m telling you if that’s something you are never okay with, that’s fine. I’d rather never experience something like that again than experience it without you,” Gia admits.

Her revelation leaves me stunned. I never expected her to feel this way, to want me to have complete control over her. “I guess I should probably share something with you too.”

She tilts her head back to look up at me, question in her eyes.

“That night we all had with you was one of the most deeply intimate experiences I have shared with another human being. I haven’t been able to quit thinking about it either. To see the raw pleasure on your face and hear the sounds of satisfaction we were able to draw out of you,” I confide.

Gia’s eyes widen in response. “Well, I didn’t expect that from you.”

I laugh, pulling her closer to me. “I will live every day for the rest of our lives looking for ways to show you how much you mean to me. If that means sharing you with other men, I am happy to be a part of that.” As I hold her there, standing in front of the fire, I can see how unbreakable this newfound bond is.