The Mafia’s Forbidden Desire

ROSALINDA.

I was seated on the front porch, gazing at nothingness and deep in thought, when Papà’s car pulled up in the driveway, grasping my attention. He scrambled out of the car and walked hastily towards the front door. Noticing his disheveled appearance, my eyes widened, and I jumped full steam on the worry train.

He looked like a total mess-clothes were stained with dust and debris, hair disheveled, and skin covered in soot. What the hell happened?!

Without hesitation, I jumped to my feet and inched closer to him. “Papà.” I called, concerned, as my eyes travelled all over his body. “What happened?”

He opened his mouth to talk, but his words died on his lips when the sound of a car revving distracted him. We both drifted our gazes to the source of the noise, and my eyes squinted when I saw Antonio slipping out of his car. He was here earlier; what was he doing here again?

“Holy shit!” Antonio took a sudden pause, his eyes roaming over Papà, when he noticed the state he was in.

“What happened?” He added as he started approaching Papà. “Why are you like this?”

“The Petrov family.” Papà groaned as he frustratedly swiped his palm over his face. “They have started retaliating for what Diego did.”

“What? That’s bad.” Antonio shook his head, a scowl on his face. “What exactly happened?”

“I was with Diego today, and his car blew up.” Papà revealed, blowing out a sharp breath.

Antonio didn’t seem surprised, and a hunch began to tick. Earlier, he told me that he would help me prevent the marriage, and when I asked how, he told me that I would know when it’s done. This couldn’t be it. Antonio wouldn’t blow up a car just to prevent that marriage. Or, would he?

He raised a brow. “I hope there was no fatality.”

“No. No one died.” Papà told him, sighing. “So, do you need something? Or why are you here?” He asked curiously.

“I forgot my phone in your office. So I came to get it. I would have come earlier, but I was busy.” Antonio told him, sighing.

The more I stared at him and his every reaction, the more the hunch clung tightly to my chest, and the more I desperately wanted to ask him if he did it.

Nodding slightly, Papà muttered. “You can go and get it.”

Turning around, Papà trudged to the front door. And as Antonio began to trail behind him, he briefly glanced at me.

“Did you do it?” I mouthed, my eyes widening in perplexity as I stared at him.

Hoisting his index finger up, he placed it over his lips and smirked before darting his eyes away from me.

He did it! That man terrified me!

I had never expected him to go to such lengths just to warn my Papà. He took a great risk. A risk that might spark a feud if they ever found out that Antonio was behind the explosion and not the Petrov family as they believed. Why would Antonio take such a risk just to prevent the marriage? It just didn’t make sense. At all!

My mind still racing with thoughts, I headed to my room to wait for him. He would show up before leaving; of that, I was sure.

I didn’t even have to wait for too long before my door was swung open and he appeared before me.

A smirk curled on his lips as he approached me. “Hello, princess.”

“You did it, right?” I accused, and he nodded in confirmation.

“You know how dangerous that is, right?” I asked firmly, a frown masking my features.

“Of course.” He muttered, shrugging.

“Antonio, are you out of your mind?!” I exclaimed, my breathing getting ragged. I couldn’t fathom why he would ever go to such lengths for me. A very dangerous length.

“Don’t you get it?” He asked, slowly closing the distance between us. “I’d do anything for you, Rosalinda. Anything.”

“But–” I trailed off, raking my hand through my hair as I tried to wrap my head around it.

“What if you get caught?” I breathed out. “What if-”

He placed his finger over my lips, shutting me up.

“But why?” I pressed on, staring directly into his eyes. “Why did you take such a risk for me? You aren’t even engaged to my sister anymore; talk more about saying you did it because I was your sister-in-law. Why, Antonio?”

“I did it for you, Rosa.” He blurted out, cupping the side of my neck with his big palm.

“But why?” I questioned, my eyes brimming with a multitude of emotions. Gratefulness, curiosity, perplexity, and desires.

“I think you know why already. It’s clear as day. But if you want me to spell it out for you, I would.”

“I don’t–” I tried to interject, but he didn’t allow me to speak as he continued.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“I like you. I am crazy about you. Whenever I am with you, I can’t think straight. The only thing I keep thinking of is how I want to kiss you like I own you.” He spurted out.

I stood there, transfixed by his confession. My heart started beating so hard against its ribcage as I batted my lashes uncontrollably. As much as I hated to admit it, I liked him too. I was drawn to him in ways that I shouldn’t. He was the very first man I ever liked this much, despite being my brother-in-law, despite kidnapping my best friend and torturing her, despite almost losing my life as a result of his actions, despite giving me a million reasons to hate him, despite all the darkness he was made of. I still liked him. And I was insanely attracted to him.

“And I know you feel the same.” He added, gently massaging the side of my neck.

“I don’t feel the same.” I denied, my breathing ragged.

“Really? Then why can I feel your heart beating so fast? Why has your breathing quickened?” He slowly brought his face close to mine, his hot breath blowing on my face. Connecting his nose with mine, he continued. “It’s really hard for me to control myself around you.”

I opened my mouth to talk, but he suddenly placed his lips on mine, and my already rapid heartbeat accelerated. As I had a taste of his lips, I couldn’t hold back anymore, and my last shred of control snapped.

He waited for a few seconds, making sure he had my approval, before starting to gently suck my bottom lip. I reciprocated, gently sucking his upper lip. In a split second, what started off as a gentle, sweet kiss escalated into something more aggressive, more demanding, as our lips began to smack roughly against each other, the intensity growing with each passing moment.