Chapter 2
CHAPTER 2
MAX
I f this is what a death sentence looks like, I’ll willingly sign that dotted line. No coercion needed.
Fuck, she smells like trouble on a rainy day.
The fact that this was too wrong to follow through was shoved to the back of my mind as I held the Battaglia princess in my arms and slowly swayed to the sexy tune.
Don Battaglia had saved my life by taking me in. Both he and his grandson, Matteo, took a chance by accepting me into their family, overseeing the fucking broken goods they were welcoming into their circle.
I was the epitome of a rotten apple, someone who had turned on their own, and still, business or not, they did it, and for that, they had my unwavering loyalty and respect.
Earning their trust would take time and commitment, not to mention it would come that much harder for me than anyone else. I had a lot to prove, and falling for a Battaglia surely wasn’t the way to go.
Their precious little princess at that!
I’d only been here for a couple of months, so this was the first time I laid eyes on Alison. Despite the detailed and not-so-tame descriptions from my fellow soldati , nothing could have prepared me for the gut-punching moment my eyes were set on hers.
They had no permission to wander down her body, and yet, they still needed none. Every curve, from the one of her smile to the one that shaped an immaculate ass, I took it all in.
She stood out from all the shady auras that lined these walls. An angel of light walking into the gates of hell, spreading her ethereal glow to every corner. All heads turned to watch her pass, her firm walk completely clueless and unassuming.
Every Battaglia capi and soldati was suddenly memorizing the floor tiles, averting their gaze to avoid being burnt. But not me.
I was automatically entranced by her beauty and even more so by the light in her wide smile. She lit up a dim fucking room with her presence alone, and right there, as I set my eyes on her for the first time ever, I was bewitched. There was no punishment grim enough to make me look away.
I fed off of her blinding sunshine. Like the moon, I absorbed her light to reflect my own. But did I actually have any light left in me? No. Eerie craters and cold, dark shadows were all I had.
I didn’t have to ask who she was. Her resemblance to her brothers was uncanny. And straight away, I knew she was so far out of my spectrum that I shouldn’t even be able to see her through the scope of a long-range machine gun.
The Battaglia’s were a force to be reckoned with. A powerful unit that could instill fear and respect even across the fucking globe, and my place was well-defined in the boundaries of my mind.
Alison, on the other hand, was oblivious or just simply couldn’t give a fuck about conventions, but tonight, she might cost me my new position. Probably even my head.
She walked past me, grabbed my hand, and pulled me behind her to the makeshift dance floor. And without any formal introductions, we were dancing to the hum of a slow, sultry tune.
Emerald green eyes held me captive, the limits I shouldn’t cross being completely obliterated by a raven-haired beauty with the power to melt the sun.
“Dance with me? Please?” She whispered. Her brows knitted together in a doe-eyed plea I couldn’t refuse, even though we were already swaying. She tucked her deep-red lip between her teeth, and my will to survive the wrath of the Battaglia’s flew right out the fucking window.
“You trying to get me killed, Miss Battaglia?” I teased, trying as hard as I could to keep my treacherous fingers balled around the fabric of her dress and not run them up and down the smooth skin of her exposed back.
“Alison. My name is Alison. I see you already know who I am, but I’ve never seen you around. What should I be calling you?”
Fuck my life. Call me Daddy, Signor, Capo…
I was stuck, like a deer in headlights. She was a fucking princess indeed, with features and poise set for royalty. But I had no kingdom to give her, other than an arid land of nothing and ash.
“So?” She insisted, snatching me from my reverie.
“Max. You can call me Max.” I managed to blurt.
If thoughts could kill, I would be sinking to the bottom of the Hudson with a brand-new pair of concrete shoes.
“Max,” She repeated in a hushed whisper while her juicy lips curled up into a crooked smile. Her voice was as soft as a feather, knocking down the solid walls that kept my soul at bay. My name on those lips was pornographic in its allure, and I immediately craved more.
This is a bad idea. What violent delights…
“I can see you’re one of my brother’s men,” Alison stated, her thumb running the length of my holster’s strap beneath my suit jacket, “New to the business?”
“Not exactly.” Half-truths went well with half a life, and that’s all I had. Borrowed time before the past catches up.
“Vague. Why is it that all you Mafiosi men have to be so evasive all of the time?”
“Secrets are the soul of the business, Miss Battaglia.”
“I thought extortion and blackmail were.” Her lips curled into the most deliciously mischievous smile. If she was anyone else, her bed would be empty and cold tonight because there was no way she wouldn’t be leaving this place with me. “And it’s Alison.”
“Beautiful and sassy, Alison .” My mouth ran off with the truth before I could catch it. Was I flirting with her?
“Careful, Maxy Max, you wouldn’t want to get killed.” I was as good as dead already. She was just a prettier executioner.
“I think that premise has left the building. I can feel the daggers your brother is sending my way already. Now tell me, to what do I owe this sudden death-sentencing dance?”
“My mother–”
“Remind me to thank her.” Her light was spilling into me, penetrating my skin and reaching my bones, so much so that I was making jokes just before my date with the guillotine.
“She invited a couple of suitable bachelors she thinks are a good match for me. She’s been bugging me since before I got here to meet them. One of them is particularly insisting. But if I’m hanging off another man’s arm…”
“Got it. I’m your decoy. I’m not sure it will work, though. Mr. Battaglia won’t exactly be thrilled.” Under-fucking-statement.
“I’ll deal with Matt. No one’s dying tonight.” I watched her eyes shimmer with a light of her own. Every spotlight in this restaurant was dimmer than her.
“My princess charming, swooping in to save me on her white horse.”
“Some princess. I don’t even own a crown. My brothers make it their mission to keep me away from the family business.” I was glad she didn’t own that mafia princess crown. Keeping her out of this fucked up criminal life was the best decision her brothers had ever made.
Yet, how long would that last?
“Those are for queens. You’ll have yours one day.”
“Along with a gilded cage?” My smile dropped at the ring of her words. “I know how it goes. I was born into it, remember? My mother got lucky, or so she thought, married the love of her life. Look how that turned out for her. Maybe an arranged marriage wouldn’t be so bad after all.” She let out a loud sigh, her light flicking weaker than normal. “I’m sorry. I’ve just met you, and here I am digging too deep into the personal.”
“It’s okay. I already know more than you’d think.”
“I like you, Maxy Max. I like that you respect my brother enough to know that he’s watching you like a hawk while probably even spewing death threats under his breath, and still, you haven’t run away from me. That’s definitely a first.”
“How anyone could run away from you is beyond me. There’s no better place to be than right here.”
There was no doubt I was getting myself into murky waters. And still, absolutely no fucks were given.
“Since that’s the case, I need a favor from you.” I quirked an eyebrow at her words, curiosity almost making me stop swaying to the music. “You’re valiant. You can take it.”
I couldn’t help the deep laughter that rumbled through my chest and escaped my mouth without permission. I couldn’t even fucking remember the last time I laughed like this.
Who was this woman, and what spell has she put me under?
She watched me with a smile. One so pure and true that you could see it shining through her eyes.
“Let’s hear it.”
“I’m not so sure just dancing with you is going to help me achieve my goal.”
“About the fucker in white pants?”
“Yeah, him. We might need something more drastic. Something… something more graphic and intimate to make him believe that we’re together. You being a mafioso might help to scare him away, too.”
Sensing my hesitation, Alison’s hand slid from my shoulder up to my neck while her body pushed further into mine.
“Please? I think he was about to propose.” I had just met her, but somehow, picturing her in a white dress marrying that insipid waste of space had my blood curdling in my veins.
Be logical. You need to stay in New York. You need to become a Battaglia soldato.
“There’s a line I can’t cross, Miss Battaglia–”
“Alison.” She corrected, “Besides, it’s just for show, and it doesn’t have to be out here in the open for all eyes to register. I’ll make sure my grandfather and Matt don’t see us.”
“I won’t kiss you,” I warned. I’d be a goner if I tasted her lips. I’d never stop. I’d never have enough. I’d never need to take another breath so long as I kept on kissing her.
“Umm… sure.” Alison almost stuttered. The expression on her face painting a picture of her thoughts. She thought I didn’t want to. How she thought any man on this damn planet would reject this fiery beauty was beyond me. My reasons, as life-saving as they were, were quickly fading as I watched her taking in the rejection.
Alison swallowed dryly before squaring her shoulders as she carried on talking about this murderous little plan of hers. “You won’t need to kiss me. The illusion that you are will be enough.”
It was clear that my warning had thrown her off. Her tone changed to less playful. Less caring. She’d put up an invisible shield, trying to protect what was left of her dignity.
“You’re staring. If you’re debating if I’m this delusional every day or if this is an exception, I can assure you, I just want to get rid of Mr. Snooze over there. I’ll make sure you stay off my brother’s shit list, don’t worry about that. So, do we have a deal?”