Marrying the Mob Prince

Evie

I'm grateful for sweet dreams.

Where am I?

Soft keys chimed from a piano. A harmonica played somewhere, accompanied by a ukulele. My eyes flared open to a vast ballroom packed with glamorous guests. Creamy linen and florals decorated the space. My gaze followed the trail of petals to my table, where I sat in front of elegant china, a glass of wine, and a flute of champagne. White lace wrapped my lap.

I wore a wedding dress.

What the hell?

A man stroked my palm under the tablecloth. Tony was beside me, clean-shaven and gorgeous in his tux, wearing a darkly seductive grin. He brought my hand to his lips and kissed, the heat flaring across my knuckles. "Nice of you to drop in, Mrs. Costa."

I don't get it.

I stared at him, bewildered. "But we're married already."

"Well, obviously." He rolled his thumb over my ring, a black opal sitting on a platinum band.

"Oh my God. I fucking love this ring."

"I'm glad, hon." He leaned over and kissed me behind my ear. "I can't tell you how intimidating it was to pick an engagement ring for a jewelry designer."

"It's beautiful but...I thought it looked different. And we did this months ago." I gaped at the fresco on the ceiling, mouth dropping open. "Okay, this isn't right. Our wedding was nothing like this."

Tony grabbed my drink. "I think you've had enough of this."

He drank, making an appreciative sound. I couldn't get over his friendly vibe and the megawatt smile. He was older, but he sparkled with life and energy. Then Tony's arm slid across my lap. He hovered close until I counted every lash hiding his slanted gaze.

"You seem happy."

"I am. I feel like I hit the jackpot with you. Can't wait until our honeymoon," he whispered in the shell of my ear. "I've booked five-star hotels all over Italy. The Mediterranean. Amalfi Coast. Rome. Florence."

"Shit, really? I've never been out of the States."

"You'll love it, Evie," he promised, his eyes gleaming. "Everything's better-the coffee, the prosciutto, the wine-"

"Pizza?"

"That, too."

My pulse raced. "Can we sightsee?"

"We can do anything. As long as you're in my bed for most of it."

My heart thudded once, then settled into its natural rhythm.

"I hope I'm not coming on too strong, Evie. It's just that I feel so lucky to have you, and I've been waiting for the right girl for years. I'm excited. I can't wait to start a family with you. I hope you don't mind me saying that."

I almost fanned my cheeks. "I-I don't know what to say."

"We can change the subject."

"No, it's okay. I think it's sweet. It makes me feel special."

"You are." His raking gaze slid down my neckline. "Everything inside me aches for you. I've fantasized about you becoming my wife and the night I get to fuck you in this dress when you're legally mine. I've dreamed about knocking you up, what it'll be like when your body swells with my baby. I can't stop thinking about it."

I'd heard Italian men were forward, but damn. This guy gave the bikers at home a run for their money. Heat stole across my face as he grasped my chin.

"Do you want kids with me, Evie?"

"I-I mean we just met, but yes. I'd like that, someday."

"Of course. I don't want to rush you." He kissed my cheek and smiled. "Tell me something about you."

I played with a strand on my collar. "My birthday is March fifteenth. I work in jewelry design. It's my passion. What about you?"

"I was born on Valentine's Day, which is the worst day to have a birthday for a man. My girlfriends always made it about them." He pulled an ankle over his knee. "What else? I graduated from Bourton's with a major in Psychology. I'm on the board of several nonprofit charities. I'm a decent piano player and an amazing dancer."

"Thank God one of us is."

"You don't know how to foxtrot?"

"No. Dancing wasn't exactly a priority, growing up."

Tony offered me a hand, beaming. "We should open the floor anyway."

"I'm hopeless at dancing."

"You just didn't have the right partner." Tony gave me an affectionate squeeze, and my heart flipped. "Come."

We stood.

I floated on his arm like a puff of dandelion as he brought me closer to the music. This man could've led me anywhere, and I would've followed.

A current zagged through me as he nuzzled my neck.

"Try to avoid looking at your feet," he said when I bumped into him, laughing. "You're doing so great, hon."

Hon. "You're a million times nicer than I'd imagined."

"Only because my bride blew my every expectation out of the water. I thought you'd hate me. Most girls don't dream of marrying a man like me, in these circumstances."

I swallowed hard, revolving in his tight embrace. I was dizzy from all the dancing. "All of this feels too good to be true."

"That tends to happen when you find the right person."

"Honestly, I'm not quite sure how I got here."

"That's okay. We have plenty of time to figure it out." His lips pressed into my neck, and I shivered. "The rest of our lives, in fact."

My eyes burned. "Thank you for being...so perfect."

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"You're easy to please, but I'll take the compliment." Tony pulled me close, until I could feel his heartbeat pounding my palm. "A man is measured by his actions. What he does and doesn't do, not the pretty things he says to his wife." "I can't believe we're married."

"I know. Isn't it wonderful?"

He was full of sunshine.

We danced through the next song as a burning question fought to escape from my chest.

I could ask.

He wouldn't mock me.

"Tony? Do you think we'll fall in love?"

He pulled back slightly, a slight frown furrowing his brows. "I think that you're an amazing girl, and I can't wait to get to know you."

A warm glow flowed through me. "I feel the same way about you."

"Then we have nothing to worry about."

He took my cheeks and finally closed the distance between us. His mouth covered mine hungrily, breathing life into my lungs. My chest flooded with heat that zipped to my groin. I leaned into the passion of his kiss. I grabbed his head, grinding my body against his. He chuckled in my lips-

Light shot into my gaze, blinding me.

Ow.

I pulled away, clinging to Tony.

He still wore the tux but the room had darkened. I couldn't see anything beyond us and the glowing floor.

Huh. Where are the guests?

Shadows carved grim lines on his face. "Sweetheart, you need to wake up. You know you're dreaming."

My smile faltered as he stilled, no longer dancing.

"This feels like what should have happened." I caught his worried stare, my stomach sinking. "You're nothing like this in real life."

"Get out," he said forcefully. "Wake up."

"No, I'm staying. I like this dream."

"You have to go." He grabbed my shoulders and shook me, yelling. "Wake up. You have to get up!"

"I don't want to wake up."

"You need to!"

He fell away from me, pulled into the darkness.

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No!

Light pierced my eyes.

A hard surface dug into my back. The world tipped, and my lungs filled with air. The light blinded me. I was naked, lying on a rough surface. My body shivered. A man in dark blue scrubs hovered above me, flicking a penlight. "What happened?" I didn't know where I was, or who this man was. "Why am I on the floor?"

"Look at my light," the man in scrubs murmured. "Stay calm."

My body felt lifeless. "I can't move. Tony."

He balled my hand in his, squeezing. "I'm here."

My stomach lurched.

The voice was wrong.

A second face swam into my vision. K's brows furrowed as he leaned in, stroking my shoulder. "Is she going to be all right?"

"Help me!" I tried to grab at the other man, but my hand was too heavy. "He abducted me. Please help me."

"Yeah, she'll be fine." The man in the blue scrubs switched off his penlight and tucked it in his shirt pocket. "You're lucky you had an EpiPen."

"Otherwise, she's healthy?"

"Blood pressure's good. Heart and lungs sound normal-"

The men talked over me like I didn't exist, rattling off a list of things as I slowly got my bearings.

K gave a wad of cash to the man. "Thanks, Doc."

The man turned away, ripping off latex gloves. He packed a small black bag and disappeared. A distant door closed, and K unzipped his wool jacket. He shoved a thin cigar in his mouth.

"Close shave." He lit the cigar and blew smoke from his nose. "By the time I got you in the truck, you'd stopped breathing. I stuck you with an EpiPen and hoped for the best. I thought I'd have to spend the next four hours digging a grave, but you pulled through. Good for you."

He gave me a thumbs-up.

There was no bigger piece of shit in the universe.

I crawled to a seated position, trembling from the cold. I seemed to be in an upscale hotel room. He had to have a phone somewhere. My head swam as I climbed on the sofa, which strained my biceps. I was so weak, I could barely lift my legs. "Are you feeling better?" He patted my head like I was a golden retriever.

Acid burned my throat.

"Don't fucking touch me."

"Remember that you're a slave," he repeated, his mild voice rising. "You will address me as master until tomorrow."

"What's-what's tomorrow?"

A bright flare sprang into his eyes.

"I'm selling you at the auction."