Bratva Sinner (A Possessive Mafia Romance)

She gasped. “Holy shit. I mean, yes, god, yes, of course I will.”

I slipped the ring on her finger. It was a single large diamond with a cluster of smaller stones set around it. She stared, then kissed me when I stood and threw herself into my arms. I grunted in slight pain but held her tight, my future wife, the only good thing in my world.

I was lost before her. I could see it now. I was adrift, moving from day to day like there was nothing worth looking forward to, like my job was my entire life and I was nothing beyond a killer and a thief.

Cara made me into something more, and for that I had to cherish her.

I kissed her gently as she blinked up at me, big wet tears rolling down her cheeks. I wiped them away.

“Don’t be sad.”

“These are happy tears, you idiot.”

“Good. I was worried you were already mourning your single days.”

“Fuck my single days. I have you now.”

I held her for a long while until we finally broke apart and walked back to the truck. She leaned her head on my shoulder, and as we drove back to the house, we talked about where we wanted to make our future home, and I promised I’d give her anything she wanted, anything at all.

And I meant it.

24

Cara

Two Years Later

I lounged back on the chair and basked in the sun.

For a few minutes, anyway. I quickly got too hot and was on the verge of getting sunburnt, so I put the umbrella up and retreated into the shade.

Still, it was gorgeous outside. A sunny, balmy August day in Philadelphia, and our roof deck was the perfect place to stare out across the buildings toward City Hall. I sipped a Coke and savored the caffeine and sugar jolt I felt, and leaned back with a sigh. Just one more sip, and I’d be done, but it tasted so good.

I stretched my legs and turned on my side as the door opened. Luke stepped out wearing a pair of gym shorts, still damp and sweaty from his workout. Scars from his gunshot wounds were puckered on his chest and abdomen, and I thought it made him look sexy and terrifying—just how I liked him.

“There you are,” he said, walking over. He knelt down next to me. “God, you know how much I love that bikini, right?”

I grinned. “I wore the red one just for you.” He kissed my lips, then my neck, then my breasts. “Easy there,” I said, laughing.

“Sorry. Sometimes you drive me wild.”

I grinned as he sat in the chair next to mine, just inside of the shade. Even after two years, he was still insatiable—every time I walked into the room wearing something even remotely revealing, he was all over me. I loved it, couldn’t get enough of it, and he found new ways to make me moan and sweat and beg almost nightly. I didn’t know a man could be so inventive when it came to sex, but Luke never got tired of trying new ways to get me off.

And I never got tired of letting him.

“How’s Park doing?” I asked.

“Oh, you know him. High roller now.” Luke sighed and leaned his head back. He and Park went for a run together most days, even though Park was the nominal Don of the Lionetti family, and Luke still ran the same crew.

Not that Luke minded—Evgeni tried to give him more responsibility multiple times, but he wasn’t interested and I couldn’t blame him.

“At least he loves to act like one.”

Luke laughed. “Park’s that kind of guy, you know? Shows it off. I understand, he’s a single man, likes to get out there. I’m much more understated.”

“That’s not how I’d describe you, but okay, sure.”

He grinned at me and bit my lower lip.

We were happy. He made a lot of money on his side deals, mostly with Park, and we didn’t need the added risk of more Morozov oversight. Business was humming along, and Luke seemed like he couldn’t be happier.

Except there was one thing missing.

“Can we talk for a second?”

He arched an eyebrow. “I thought we were.”

“No, I mean, about something serious.”

“What’s wrong?” He sat up straight, frowning at me. “Is it the cleaning people again? They steal something?”

“Stop, they never stole anything.” I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You’ll still love me when I don’t look like this anymore, right?”

He cocked his head. “I don’t know what the hell that’s supposed to mean.”

“I’m just saying, I’m going to get old. I won’t be young and perky and whatever forever, right?”

“If you think I’m only in this for your body then I haven’t done my duty as your husband.”

I suppressed my smile. “No, you have, it’s just… I just want to make sure you’ll still love me, no matter what I look like.”