Chapter Four
Emma
I’m in the middle of sweeping the floors when a knock on the door makes me stop. Leo is gone for work, leaving me all alone in his large house. For a moment, my stomach turns to knots. What if it’s my mother come to take me back? But surely not. She doesn’t know where I am.
Taking a deep breath, I look through the peephole to see a young woman on the other side. Maybe just a little bit older than me. Pretty with long brown hair and an expensive looking shirt and dress covering her body.
I glance down at my own clothes. I didn’t want to wear the nice outfits Leo bought me when I cleaned the home so I’m back to wearing my old, manure smelling clothes. Despite washing them many times now, I just can’t get the smell out.
After steeling myself, I open the front door. “Hello?”
Her smile dims when she sees me. “Oh. Is Alice not here?”
“Who’s Alice?”
“Leo’s maid. She would always let me in while I wait for Leo to come home.”
Leo never mentioned he had a maid before me. “No. It’s me. I’m the maid.”
“Oh. Well…” Her eyes sweep over me in a way that feels very judgmental. “You can let me in.”
“I don’t know who you are.”
“I’m Isabella. Leo’s friend.”
“Um… ok. Sure.” Leo never mentioned having any friends and I can’t deny that the sight of this beautiful woman makes me feel insecure knowing she’s close with Leo, probably in a way I’ll never be.
Isabella gives me a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes as she walks past me and settles on the couch. I still have more cleaning to do so I focus on that but I can feel Isabella’s eyes on me the entire time.
“When did you start working for Leo?” she asks.
“A week ago.”
“That explains it. I’ve been out of town. Just got home today. I wanted to surprise Leo. He always loves my surprises.”
I frown. “What kind of surprise?”
She looks at me for a long hard moment before scoffing. “The kind where we get naked, obviously.”
I blush and stare at the floor, scrubbing one spot on the wood over and over again.
“Right. I shouldn’t have asked.” In all my romance books, the characters would have sex.
My mother would always judge sinful things like that and yet, she would read those books into the late hours of the night.
I knew it was wrong to read those things but I couldn’t help that I liked it.
Leo is not mine, I know that. But I can’t help but feel a flutter in my chest whenever he’s around. He’s just so handsome and kind to have helped me the way he has.
“I’m not sure how I feel about him having a pretty new maid,” Isabella comments.
That makes me stop scrubbing the floor. “What do you mean by that?”
“Well, Alice was old. And ugly. But you’re young and pretty. What is Leo playing at?”
I have no answer for her so I walk away to continue my chores.
After a long hour of silence, Leo finally returns home, breaking it. I’m in the kitchen when I hear Isabella greet him.
“Isabella,” Leo says, sounding surprised. “What are you doing here?”
“I came back from Spain. I thought we could go upstairs like we always do. I have a surprise for you.”
“Well…” He clears his throat. “Now is not a good time.”
I inch closer to the wall to listen to their conversation, even though I shouldn’t.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, now is not a good time. You should go.”
“I met your pretty new maid. What’s that about? I thought I was the only pretty woman in your life.”
“Isabella, we have an arrangement. We have fun when you’re in town but you’re not always in town. I needed a new maid. Alice was incompetent. Nothing else you need to worry about. But I have more work to get to so you need to leave.”
“Is she your new girl?”
I go still from Isabella’s question.
Leo doesn’t respond.
Isabella huffs. “Of course she is. You always did like your pretty girls. I should have known I was just another notch on your belt. But trust me, that girl is not half the woman I am. And she stinks like shit. I don’t know why you like her.”
I flush from her words. I know my clothes smell but I can’t help that. I’ll always be tied to my mother in some way.
I hear the door slam shut and then silence before Leo walks towards the kitchen. Hurrying back, I open the refrigerator door and stick my head inside since I don’t know what else to do.
“Emma,” Leo says. I wince, knowing I’ve been caught.
“Yes?” I ask, forcing myself to close the refrigerator door and look at him.
“Did you let Isabella in?”
“Yes. She said she was your friend so…”
“Right.” He rubs his hand along the back of his neck. “Don’t let people into my house. Even if they say they’re my friend. If anyone comes by, just don’t answer.”
“Ok,” I whisper. “Leo… what did she mean by me being one of your girls?”
“You heard that?”
I can only shrug.
“That doesn’t matter. It’s all in the past. And… you’re not one of my girls. You’re… different.”
“Different how?”
“I can’t explain it. I have more work to do.” He turns away from me but I have one more thing to ask.
“Do I stink? I know my old clothes still smell like manure. I’m sorry for that.”
He gazes at me almost with sadness. “You really are innocent, aren’t you? I am sorry for that, Emma.”
I frown. What does he mean by that? But Leo walks away before I can ask him, leaving me even more confused.
Leo
Isabella saw Emma. That’s a problem. The more people who know Emma is here, the more dangerous this situation becomes. Alessandro and Gabriel don’t know I currently have Emma but it won’t be for long before they all find out.
I want Alessandro to know so I can hurt him. So he doesn’t think he can just come here and start a war.
But if Gabriel finds out, he might take Emma away from me and I don’t want to lose her.
She’s sweet and innocent, even if it’s all an act. I’m still not sure on that. All I know is that I want to keep looking at her pretty eyes.
I have to do something drastic to make sure Emma isn’t taken from me.
An idea hits me. There is one thing in the mafia that bounds two people together forever. A marriage.
If I married Emma, then she would have to stay here forever and I could use her against Alessandro. And when Alessandro is taken care of, I’ll… what? Let Emma go? Kill her? I have no fucking idea.
I can’t be soft when it comes to her. The only thing I can do is make her my prisoner forever and what better way than a marriage? I have to be cruel to her. I have to get her to break and see if she has any information on Alessandro I can use to hurt him.
I can’t care for her but I also can’t risk losing her.
Gabriel would need to approve of this marriage being the boss. But he can’t know who Emma truly is. Not yet.
I rush out of the house, leaving Emma alone once again, and go to Gabriel’s home. He doesn’t like it when people just show up at his gothic style mansion but I’m his right hand man. He’ll make an exception for me.
I’m let in and led to his office. Gabriel sits behind his desk like a king on his throne. “What did you want, Leo? It’s getting late. I have to finish this work so I can spend time with my wife.”
“I want to get married,” I blurt out.
He stares at me for a long moment before scoffing. “You? Get married? You don’t want to be tied down. You love fucking any woman that comes your way.”
“I… met this woman. A while ago. I’ve kept it to myself because it’s special.
But I want to marry her. I am going to marry her but I would like your permission first. It’s not for political gain.
” An utter lie. It’s all for politics but Gabriel doesn’t need to know just yet.
After I’m married to Emma and we use her against Alessandro, Gabriel won’t care as long as his wife is safe.
“You really met a woman you want to marry?”
“Yes.”
Gabriel frowns, eyeing me over. “I don’t believe you, Leo. We’ve known each other for years now. You’re lying to me. What are you not saying?”
“I am going to marry this woman but it would be easier if you gave me your approval.”
“And if I don’t?”
“I’ll still marry her, you’ll be angry, but then we’ll move on. I would just like to avoid the part where you’re angry.”
Gabriel chuckles, shaking his head. “You were always something else, you know that?”
“I know.”
“Who even is this woman?”
“Alice.” It’s the only name that comes to my mind.
“Your housekeeper?”
“No. Another woman named Alice. You will see in time, Gabriel, that this is for the best.”
“Mmm. You are my right hand, Leo. And I do trust you. If you want to marry this woman, then… so be it. Marry her. But I’m not sure you’re ready for marriage. I wasn’t when I married Aurora.”
“You married her so no other man would touch her.”
“I did. Why are you marrying this girl?”
So no man can take her from me until I get what I want from her.
“Because I love her,” I lie.
Gabriel scoffs again. “I don’t believe you. But if you want to get married, then fine. Get married. Just as long as you don’t do anything to fuck up our business. I’m fine with it.”
That’s exactly what I’m doing but Gabriel will learn in time. This is for the best.
I’ve always been impulsive. It’s my one trait I used to be proud of but now I wonder if I’m making a mistake. Emma may not deserve this – to be brought into a world of darkness.
But she also might be deceiving me and I need to find out. If she’s just some girl I kidnapped, I have no claim over her. But if she’s my wife, then she’ll always be mine and I can get the information I need. I can stop using kid gloves with her.
I have to be tough and I can’t get distracted by Emma’s softness.
She will be mine so I can use her against Alessandro. She’s just a pawn in my game. Nothing else.
Emma
I’m woken up in the night to a touch on my arm. I gasp, sitting up, expecting it to be my mother but instead it’s only Leo. In my bedroom. At night.
There’s a wild look to his eyes that makes me shiver. Thank goodness I’m in one of the silk nightgowns he bought for me. It makes me feel more womanly. More attractive. But that shouldn’t matter because Leo is not mine.
“Leo?” I whisper. “What are you doing?”
“I had to ask you something, Emma.”