3. Massimo
Chapter 3
Massimo
T here’s something captivating about this time of the day. Before it really begins, and the world awakens to shatter the calm quiet. I prefer it like this. There’s a solitude to the air that allows me to see everything all at once, even if I’m not truly alone, with my driver in the car.
It’s peaceful now, and the sky is painted in shades of gray and black, the morning not quite having pulled itself from the shadows of the night. Puddles reflect the dim glow of the streetlights, and a breeze blows through the air, sending a chill across my exposed skin.
A crow is perched on a lamppost across the street, its black eyes locked on me, a stark reminder that my reputation is never far behind. Some call me ‘The Crow’ because of how I dress, and others call me it, because when I find something I want, I take it.
I sip on my espresso, leaning against the car, watching as the bird takes flight. Shifting my attention back to the house in front of me, I stuff a hand into my pocket to ward off the chill.
The peace that is a rarity in my world is brought to an abrupt halt by a petite redhead. Right on time . Her hand trails the wall of the house as she moves quietly toward the front from the back, her focus shifting between her feet and the darkness behind her. There’s a careful precision in every step she takes.
She’s even more beautiful than the picture Alvin showed me, and my body warms as she gets closer. But what strikes me in the chest and sends my blood pounding through my veins in a chaotic and yet glorious rhythm is the fierceness rolling off her in waves. It’s followed by a wildness on its heels that has me questioning my decision to wipe Alvin’s debt in exchange for her. I dismiss the thought almost immediately.
She will be a dutiful wife, whether she likes it or not. And if she doesn’t fulfill her purpose, then she will no longer be of use to me. This marriage is only going ahead to get the men from the other families in New York off my back. They’re adamant that I am too young and inexperienced when it comes to life to lead my family and have all, but said if I get married, they will respect me. Normally, I’d just take them out to silence their complaints, but we have too much going on for me to start more wars.
When Margot reaches the front of the house, she adjusts the duffel bag on her shoulder, pulling it higher. I watch, fascinated, as she huffs out a breath and winces when her long straight red hair gets caught in the strap.
It’s only when she’s freed herself and continues along the sidewalk that I push away from the car. “Going somewhere?” I call, my voice cutting through the quiet morning.
My eyes travel the length of her body, lingering on the curves outlined by her fitted long-sleeve top and leggings. I catch the way she stiffens at my words before forcing herself to relax. The action confirms what I already knew: my unwilling fiancée was planning an escape that I just foiled. I roll my lips together to keep my smile at bay. There’s nothing I love more than outsmarting someone.
“Mr. Marino.” She inclines her head, brazen disgust shining brightly in her gaze.
After a beat, she moves to stride past me, but I catch her elbow, forcing her to stop. For a moment, she struggles as she tries without success to free herself. I tighten my grip, waiting for her to look at me. When she finally does, I see the defiance shining bright in the depths of her green eyes, and my cock springs to life at the sight.
“Margot,” I say, my voice deceptively soft. Her lips part, and when she inhales shakily, the corner of my mouth twitches. “I asked you a question.”
Blinking, she drops her gaze to the hold I have on her arm and tugs again. I keep my hold firm, a muscle ticking in my jaw at her rebellion. Her fire meets my ice in an unspoken challenge when she returns her focus to me. “If this is how you plan on treating me, Mr. Marino…” She sneers my name, her petite nose wrinkling in disgust and rippling the freckles dusted across it. “Then you had better prepare for the war I will bring down on you.”
Baring my teeth in a wolfish grin, I yank her toward me. Her eyes widen in shock and she lifts her hand, pressing it into my chest to keep her body from making full contact with my own. It’s probably for the best, given the fact that I’m rock hard at this tête-à-tête we have going on.
I press my forehead into hers until I see a familiar emotion: pain. “Sweetheart, you clearly don’t know who you’re dealing with. But trust me when I say—you don’t want to find out.” Releasing her arm, I step back and pull on the sleeves of my black shirt as I look around the street. “Get in the car, Margot.” There’s no mistaking the warning in my tone.
She looks away, her eyes going glassy before she blinks them clear. A transformation overtakes her. It’s evident in the hardening of her jaw and the narrowing of her eyes. She folds her arms over her chest and asks, “And if I don’t?”
I take a step forward, invading her space and ignoring the fact that a thrill races through me at her challenge. I'm going to have so much fun with her . My voice is just a murmur, but the threat of what is to come is as clear as day. “Then you'll get a taste of exactly how our marriage will work. Your every step, every breath, every thought will be done by. My. Side.”
I see something akin to fear flicker in her eyes before she shuts it down and stands taller. She tilts her head, releasing a laugh, but there's a hollowness to it. “Let me guess. You’re used to women falling in line because you snap your fingers?” She emphasizes her point by snapping her fingers. “Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not like that. There isn’t a world in which I bend to your will and?—”
Her words are cut off when I take her bag and walk to the car. “Hey, where are you going with my stuff?” Indignation laces her words as she follows me.
I throw it in the backseat, and when I turn to face her, she takes a step back. “Get. In. Now.”
“No.” Her hands ball into fists at her side.
My fingers flex on the door and my nostrils flare. Fuck me, she’s going to be a pain in my ass. “Wrong answer,” I growl, grabbing her arm again.
She digs her heels in, but I’m stronger, and within a matter of seconds, I have her in front of the open car door. Her attention shifts to the bag on the far side of the backseat before returning to me. “Where are we going?” she asks, trying to hide the hint of fear in her tone.
Hearing her afraid doesn’t make me feel alive in the way it usually does. But I don’t dwell on it, refocusing myself on the whole purpose of my visit instead.
“I'm taking you wherever it is you are going to meet your boyfriend .” My lip curls on the word. “You're going to tell him it's over and then you’re going to prepare for your future, as my wife .”
Margot’s eyes widen, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps before she looks away, fiddling with the sleeve of her sweater. “I wasn’t meeting anybody. I was going for a walk.”
Liar .
“With a bag full of your things and looking over your shoulder like the hounds of hell are hot on your heels?” I raise a brow in question, amused at her attempt to convince me otherwise.
“My life is none of your business. Whatever deal you made with Alvin, that’s for you to take up with him. Don’t think for a second that you own me because my stepfather can’t handle his debts. I am not for sale,” she snaps. The strength in her tone is admirable, but the fact that she can’t look me in the eye when she’s talking is a giveaway about the doubt she has in what she’s saying.
I reach out, gripping her chin and forcing her to look at me. This close, I can see the gold flecks in her eyes, the fire sparking in the depths. I could claim her, force her to submit, to forget the anger that she so desperately clings to. No. That can wait. The time will come for her to be on her knees, obeying my every command.
“That is where you are wrong, Margot. From the second you were offered to me, you became mine ,” I growl, my frustration building. Releasing her, I inhale, the faint hint of strawberries assailing my nostrils. Cracking my neck, I add, “The sooner you realize that, the better.”
We stare at each other for a beat, her fire still burning bright, before she rolls her eyes and climbs into the car. I half expect her to climb out of the other side; it’s why I put the child lock on, but I’m pleasantly surprised when she sits back, pulling her bag into her lap.
Climbing in after her, I close the door behind me and engulf us in silence. Margot stares out the window, refusing to look at me, her bag in her lap and clutched tightly in her hands. In the reflection of the glass, I can see her taut features and practically hear the cogs turning in her mind. Based on our limited interaction, I’m guessing she’s either trying to plot her escape or figuring out how badly she can hurt me before I can pull my gun out.
“Where to?” I ask out of courtesy rather than necessity because I know exactly where she’s going. That's why I’m here .
She turns toward me, her eyes narrowed and sarcasm dripping from her every word when she retorts, “I’m sure you already know that.”
I chuckle, the sound dark and sinister as it bounces around the confines of the car. Her eyes dart to Renato, my driver, before finding me. Leaning forward, I instruct, “To the abandoned warehouses by Sunset Industrial Park in Brooklyn.”
Nodding, Renato puts the car in gear and navigates down the street, heading for the highway. A charged quiet falls over us; the only sounds are that of the city outside the car. Neither one of us is willing to speak first and so when Margot sighs heavily from her position beside me, I pull out my phone, checking my emails.
As we near the industrial park, I put my phone away. “Our wedding will be taking place by the end of next week. Break it off with him, Margot, or you won’t like what will happen next.”
She inhales sharply, her obvious torment cloaking us as she pleads, “Why? Why are you doing this? Why me ?”
I run my tongue over my teeth, my gaze flicking over her from head to toe. “It makes sense business-wise.”
She scoffs, returning her attention to the passing scenery. “Right, because that’s a normal reason to marry a complete stranger.”
“It is in my world…” I pause, waiting for her to look at me. “There’s one thing I can promise you, Margot. I will keep you safe, but for me to do that, you need to learn the ways of the circles I keep, and that starts with you ending things with him.”
“You can’t make me,” she bites, folding her arms over her chest in defiance, pushing her breasts up and together. My dick twitches in response and I grind my molars, frustrated with my body’s natural reaction.
Shaking my head, I exhale heavily before reaching out for her. My hand slips around her throat like it belongs there, my tattooed flesh a contrast to her perfection. Applying a light pressure, I warn, “Defy me, Margot, and I’ll make sure he doesn’t live to see another day. And if you think I’m bluffing, try me and see what happens, but I guarantee you won’t like it.”
Renato pulls the car to a stop at the entrance of the industrial park, leaving the engine to idle. I see the war she’s fighting inside of herself. She’s questioning if she should take the risk or submit to the inevitable.
Her hand lifts to open the door, but she stops when I say, “I’ll be waiting here, ready to make my move if you’re not back in fifteen minutes.”
Margot steps from the car, the weight of my threat hanging in the air between us before she slams the door closed. I lean back, watching her retreating figure and the gentle sway of her hips. I’ll have no problem making good on my promise if she’s not back here in fifteen minutes.
I draw my gun from the holster at my waist, ejecting the magazine to check the rounds before returning it and racking. Resting it on my knee, I stare out of the window in the direction she walked.