Chapter 14
Sera
I wake to warmth and the scent of expensive cologne.
I'm so groggy, but unlike before, I remember exactly where I am. Hard to forget considering my husband is currently wrapped around me.
It feels odd to think of Adrian as my husband.
It’s even odder to consider what happened after we said our vows.
Last night was…weird.
I fully expected Adrian to fuck me the moment he took my dress off. After all, there'd been heat in his eyes, the kind that was similar to what happened the first night we were together. And there'd been a part of me that had wanted him again.
And yet…
He'd taken me to our room and left. I took a delightfully warm, not hot, bath, and went to bed. Untouched.
The very opposite of what I'd expect from my mafioso husband who'd knifed a man in the neck. It highlights how little I know and understand Adrian, which scares me.
It also intrigues me, and I can't ignore how the warmth of his body wrapped around mine makes me feel safe in a way I haven't in a long time.
Shame burns through me, hot and acidic.
Because I should be doing more to fight this. I'm not the type of woman who lets a man force her into anything, which is exactly what I've done. I've given up my agency to Adrian, and I fear that I might never get it back.
And yet…Bianca and Gemma both suggested I had power over Adrian.
Too bad I don't really know how to use it.
"You're awake," Adrian murmurs against my neck.
I stiffen. "How long have you been awake?"
"Long enough." His hand moves from my waist to my stomach. Possessive. Claiming. But also soft. He doesn't press on my ribs, instead caressing me softly. "How do you feel?"
"Sore."
He frowns. "Do you need a doctor?"
I shake my head, pulling away slightly.
Adrian's lips brush my shoulder, and I shiver.
"We should talk."
"About?" I ask. There's a plethora of discussions that we need to have.
"How things will go moving forward."
My stomach drops. I don't like the sound of this. "What things?"
"Our marriage. Your new life." He shifts, propping himself up on one elbow so he can look down at me. His silver eyes are intense in the morning light. "There are rules, Seraphina. Expectations."
"Of course there are." I finally pull away, sitting up and pulling the sheet with me. My hair is a mess, cascading down my back in tangles. I probably look like hell. In the span of forty-eight hours, I've learned I'm pregnant with a mafia heir and now married to another heir. It's all confusing.
Oh, and don't forget how I was almost beaten to death.
I sit up, crossing my arms over my chest. I'm fully covered, but the silk of my nightgown is thin, and I don't miss the way Adrian's eyes look at my nipples. "God forbid I ask for some semblance of autonomy."
"You're my wife. The mother of my child. There are certain things that come with that."
"I'm not interested in being your prisoner. I'm more than just a womb, Adrian."
"I'm aware, which is why I'm talking to you about this instead of forcing it on you." His voice hardens. "I'm trying to be patient, but you are carrying my child."
"Our child," I snap, not interested in giving him a pat on the back for doing the bare minimum.
A sharp knock on the door interrupts the fight that is brewing between the two of us.
Adrian's expression darkens in annoyance. "What?" he snaps.
The door opens. Leo steps inside, looking annoyingly composed for this early in the morning. He takes in the scene—me in Adrian's bed, clearly having just woken up, Adrian shirtless beside me—and doesn't even blink.
Adrian shifts, his large frame keeping me from view.
"Apologies for the interruption," Leo says smoothly. "But your mother has requested your presence at breakfast. Both of you. In the main dining room."
"Tell her we'll eat here," Adrian says dismissively. "It's our honeymoon, after all."
Even I know that his mother isn't going to budge.
"She was quite insistent." Leo's tone suggests this isn't a request. "Gemma and Luc are already there."
I look at Adrian. "Who's Luc?"
"My brother." Adrian's jaw tightens. "The spare."
There's something in his voice. Bitterness? Resentment?
"You have a brother?" I'm still processing. Gemma mentioned siblings yesterday, but I didn't realize there was another son. "Why didn't you mention him? Was he at the wedding?"
"He's irrelevant, and no. He must have gotten in last night. Gemma told me he wouldn't make it in time for the ceremony, but Luc has never been able to resist a party."
"Where was he?"
"He lives in L.A." Adrian throws back the covers, standing in just his boxers. My cheeks heat as I look at him. His body is insane, and even though I'm pissed at him, I'm still a woman, and he is still sexy. "Fine. Tell Mother we'll be down in twenty minutes."
Leo nods and leaves, closing the door behind him.
I stare at Adrian. "You have a brother, and you didn't think to tell me?"
"Luc doesn't matter." Adrian moves to his closet, pulling out clothes. "He's the second son. The backup. The one who gets to live however he wants because there's no pressure on him, and he does it by fucking around from city to city."
"And you resent that." It's not a question. It's clear in the way he talks.
"I don't resent anything." I lift my brow but remain quiet. "Get dressed," he says, sounding exhausted. I wonder at what time he came to bed, and I feel slightly bad for how hard I'm making this.
Most women would be ecstatic to be married to a man like Adrian Nero.
"What about our conversation? About the rules?"
"After breakfast." He pulls on pants, a shirt. "Get dressed, Seraphina. You have fifteen minutes."
It's not a request.
The moment I open the closet, and my mouth drops open.
"Holy shit."
Someone had time to fill it to the brim with clothes. Designer dresses, pants, even jeans. There are purses to match. Jackets and coats. And more shoes than one person should ever have.
I'm overwhelmed. Not just because of the clothes, but what they represent. These aren't mine.
They are a costume for my new role as Adrian's wife.
One I don't even know the requirements of, which feels even more overwhelming.
In forty-eight hours, my life has changed, and I've barely had time to process it.
It seems this morning isn't going to be the time.
Grabbing a beige and cream shift dress, I throw it on quickly, trying not to think about how this is my life now. How I'm standing in a mansion, wearing clothes someone else picked out, about to have breakfast with a family that terrifies me.
Adrian is waiting by the door when I emerge.
"You look beautiful," he says.
"I figured those clothes were for me."
"They are." He extends his arm. "Shall we?"
I hesitate. There's a part of me that wants to be a brat and just move past him. Instead, I loop mine through his and allow him to guide me through the house.
"Try to relax," Adrian says. "We're in this together."
I swallow and nod. As angry as Adrian makes me, he's right. We are partners in this.
The main dining room is exactly what I expect. Enormous. Elegant. A table that could seat twenty but currently only has four people around it.
Bianca sits at the head. Gemma to her right. And a young man I don't recognize to her left.
He looks like Adrian. Same dark hair, same sharp features. But there's something different about him. He's lighter, less burdened.
He sees us and stands, a genuine smile crossing his face.
"Adrian," he greets his brother before turning to me. "And you must be Seraphina." He extends his hand. "I'm Luc. The disappointment of the family."
"Luc," Bianca's voice is sharp. "Sit down."
He does, but not before winking at me. Like this is all a game.
I take the seat Adrian pulls out for me. Directly across from Gemma, who gives me a small, sympathetic smile.
"Seraphina," Bianca says, her voice formal. "Welcome to your first family breakfast as a Nero."
"Thank you." I feel ill.
"I trust you slept well?"
The implication is clear. Everyone at this table looks at us, and I try not to roll my eyes. Adrian squeezes my knee slightly, and I'm guessing he doesn't want me to reveal how we didn't have sex.
"Very well, thank you." I keep my voice neutral.
"Good." Bianca gestures and staff appear with food. Elaborate. Excessive. "We have much to discuss about your role in this family."
I glance at Adrian. He's watching his mother with barely concealed irritation.
"Mother," he says. "This can wait until after Sera and I talk."
Bianca's eyes are sharp. "Seraphina is now a Nero. She needs to understand what that means."
"I'll explain it to her."
"Will you?" Bianca takes a sip of her coffee.
The tension between them is palpable.
"Perhaps," Gemma interjects quietly, "we could just enjoy breakfast? Sera is smart. I'm sure she'll figure it out."
"Excellent idea," Luc agrees. He looks at me. "Besides, we should get to know our new member." Luc turns to me, his smile soft and easy. "So, Seraphina. Adrian tells me you work with rare books. That must be fascinating."
"Please call me Sera," I say. "I do." I feel a twinge of excitement. This is the first time someone has asked me about me. Not about the baby or dictated anything to me. It's refreshing.
"You'll be quitting," Adrian says flatly.
The words hit me like a slap. "Excuse me?"
"You don't need to work at that store."
"I want to work. I enjoy my job."
"Not happening."
I feel my temper rising. "You can't just decide that."
"I can. And I have." He cuts into his food like the conversation is over. "We'll discuss it later."
"There's nothing to discuss," I snap. "I'm not quitting."
"Seraphina." His voice drops. Warning. "Later."