Married to the Mafia Boss

Evgenii

I straighten my bow tie and ensure my tuxedo jacket is straight. I’m both nervous and excited, and that frustrates me a lot. I feel like I should just shoot someone to calm down because killing idiots has always made me feel better.

I’m waiting for the driver to arrive. It’s a rented-out limousine from one of our distant cousin’s company. Ivan’s having them pick me up first, and then we’ll get Ivan and Tori and make our way to the event.

I hadn’t realized Ivan was invited until I mentioned to him that I was going. He seems weary of me spending time with Shirley. He doesn’t want my relationship with her to affect our families.

I had to assure him I wouldn’t hurt her in any way, or he’d have to intervene. I also had to assure him that it was just harmless fun.

My guards let me know the limousine is outside, and I pocket my wallet and cell phone and walk out. It doesn’t take long to reach Ivan, and our cousin has included some drinks for the drive. Once we are on our way to Miguel’s event, Tori glances at me. “Evgenii. I have to ask. How do you know Shirley so well?”

I glance at Ivan because, clearly, Tori doesn’t know what happened.

“Don’t forget to bid on something useful this time,” Ivan says to Tori, trying to redirect the conversation.

Tori nods and looks back at me. “Did you know each other before?”

Ivan gives me a warning glance, and I smile. “Suffice to say, we were a couple once, and I broke her heart. Now we’re just friends.”

Tori nods, and Ivan squeezes her leg. “Something to talk about another time. Let’s enjoy the evening while my wife bids on everything to support charity.”

“It’s a good charity, and it makes us look good,” Tori says. “We could use some good press right now.”

When we arrive, there’s a red carpet rolled out from where we step out to the entrance of the art gallery where the event is being held. I see a few celebrities ahead of us as we climb out. There are also some politicians, and the people of the press are shouting questions at them.

Ivan takes Tori’s arm and leads her down the red carpet. Tori looks beautiful in a powder blue gown that trails after her. The press instantly starts snapping pictures of them together and hurling questions, which Tori answers diplomatically.

I follow at a distance because the press doesn’t like people being in their shots. As we pass some of the more high-ranking people we know, we greet them, shaking hands and kissing cheeks.

As we walk into the main area, I take note of everything around me. There’s a large area in the center for dancing, and to the far side are tables set out for dining-a bar to the left and a band on a platform to the right. I see an open door, and I know it leads to a room where the auction pieces are kept for viewing.

I spot Shirley standing with Alessandro, Katya, Frankie, and Amelia. Shirley holds my complete attention, though. She’s wearing a deep emerald figure-hugging gown that ends just above her feet. It’s sleeveless and has a tight bust section that makes her breasts look like they’re ready to spill out.

It’s an instant turn-on.

A smile breaks across my face, and Ivan nudges me. “That’s the goofiest smile ever. You look like an idiot.”

I chuckle and ignore him, walking over to Shirley ahead of him. Shirley turns to me and looks me up and down.

“Evening, Don Sorvino. Francesco.” I nod to the two men and then give a slight bow to their spouses. “Ladies, you look beautiful.”

I turn to Shirley. “No wonder the jaws around here are dropping to the floor.”

Shirley rolls her eyes and shifts her weight slightly. I offer her my arm. “I’ll hold you up.”

Shirley shakes her head with a small smile and loops her arm through mine. I can tell Alessandro and Frankie don’t like it, but they don’t say anything as Ivan walks over. Everyone greets each other, and the ladies drift to one side to start chatting. Not Shirley, though, she stays on my arm.

Several people come to the group to smooth-talk Ivan or me. Same for Alessandro and Frankie.

The music starts, and several couples start dancing as drinks are brought to us. It’s a round of whiskeys and a fine one by all accounts. The women take champagne, except Shirley, who takes a whiskey. She’s clearly trying to prove a point.

Ivan and Alessandro start discussing a new business venture, and I glance around. I hate talking about work at a party, so I lean to whisper in Shirley’s ear. “Want to go dance?”

Shirley nods and sets her glass down. “Why not.”

I smile and set my glass down, excusing us from the group and sweeping Shirley into the center of the room. We start to dance, my hand on her waist and the other holding her hand. It’s old. It’s traditional. But I think it’s romantic, and the way she’s looking at me, she might consider it romantic too.

We dance in silence for two songs, break for a quick drink and then return to the dance floor. At this point, I study her face and ask, “I don’t understand something. Why did you forgive me?”

A strange expression quickly crosses her face, something too fast for me to pinpoint but definitely a reaction to what I said.

She looks away from me and takes a deep breath before looking back at me. “I’m not a teenager anymore, Evgenii. The things I’ve done and the things I’ve seen. The people I’ve gotten rid of, both in person and not, have shaped me and changed how I see things. I grew up and realized that what you did was just business. It’s a hazard of the occupation we’ve chosen. Business is business, and I can’t hold that against you because you just did what you had to.”

I mull over her words. Although they weren’t said harshly, I feel scolded for some odd reason. Like a knife has been plunged into my chest to remind me, I betrayed her so badly that she doesn’t feel anything at all.

We dance again in silence until it becomes unbearable for me. I don’t understand how she isn’t bothered by it.

“You know, toward the end, it wasn’t all business.” My voice is trembling slightly, and I take a breath to calm myself. I’ve never had a shaky voice, not even with a gun to my head. Something about Shirley sets me off.

Shirley turns her head away from me, but I can see her eyes are hard with anger.

“Shirley, in the end, I didn’t want to hurt you. I fell for you hard, and I wish I could go back and change it.”

“Don’t try to make me feel better,” she snaps at me, quietly enough that no one notices but that I hear her tone. “I was naive and young, and I paid for my decisions. You don’t have to pretend it was anything other than it was. Fishing for information.”Exclusive © content by N(ô)ve/l/Drama.Org.

Anger boils inside of me. I know I was a dick, but I’m baring my heart here. I’m being vulnerable, and isn’t that what all women want? It raises my suspicions. If she holds so much resentment toward me, why is she dancing with me? Why did she come home with me and let me fuck her brains out? Does she really think that we mean nothing at all? That we meant nothing to me?

The song finishes, and we stop dancing, our hands falling to our sides. The next song starts, but we don’t resume dancing. We just stand in the center of the dance floor, looking deep into each other’s eyes. I lean forward slightly, thinking maybe a kiss could ignite any sort of passion within her, but she turns her head slightly, and I know it’s unwelcome.

I nod and clear my throat.

“Let me get you back to Alessandro,” she loops her arm through mine reluctantly, and I escort her back to our group. Ivan and Tori are dancing, and Frankie and Amelia are seated at a table nearby. When I stop by Alessandro, I drop her arm and nod. “Please excuse me. I just need to step out for a moment.”

I walk toward the sign that indicates where the bathrooms are. A few guys are there, and I take the first stall. I put the toilet seat down and sit on top of it. I just want a break. I need to get Shirley out of my head. She’s made it clear there’s nothing left between us. Nothing that means anything.

But there’s a raging, fiery piece of me that is demanding I fight for her. That I show her that I really did fall for her and that she and I could be something. I mean, fuck, our families are joined through marriage. This is something no one ever thought would happen. They wouldn’t have even considered it. Yet here we are, and if Ivan and Tori can be in a loving relationship, then so can Shirley and I.

There still has to be love there. There was an intensity to her anger-a passion. I just need to remind her of her passion for me.