Revenge Vows: A Forced Marriage Mafia Romance (Ruthless Mafia Sinners)

I open my eyes to see Laura organizing flowers at my bedside. She turns to me, sighing in relief when she sees my eyes open.

I bolt up to find that I am in a hospital bed.

“Where is Mom? What about Antonio and Bunny?” I ask anxiously.

I look down at the IV line in my hand and then at my stomach.

“What about my baby?”

“You mean the baby you kept a secret from everyone?” Laura’s tone is sharp.

I lower my eyes, feeling guilty.

She sighs. “Mom went to get some fresh clothes. Antonio is fine, his brother is fine, and my niece is fine.” Her eyes soften. “Mom tells me that you think it’s a girl.”

I sigh and stretch out my hand to her.

“How did you and Mom know I was here?”

“I contacted them.”

Antonio stands at the door. Laura gives him a tight smile.

“I’ll let you two talk. I’ll be just outside if you need me.”

Antonio walks up to me slowly and takes me into his arms.

“You scared me,” he says shakily.

“I’m sorry.” I barely remembered anything. All I recalled was that I was taken from the cabin by some stranger, and the next thing I knew, someone was aiming a gun at Antonio, and I couldn’t help him.

He finally sits beside me and tells me everything. He and Bunny figured out that Donatello was tailing the car and could hear them, so they faked a fight, so Donatello would think they were no longer working together, but Bunny had just gone to get the police.

“We led the cops to retrieve some laundered money, and they let us be for now.”

I swallow. “And Donatello?”

“Exiled.”

“He doesn’t have the protection of the Russos since Giovanni’s men found out he killed their clan. He will be in hiding for a long time.”

“So it’s really over?”

He looks down at my stomach. “I didn’t know about the baby.”

There is so much regret in his voice that guilt hits me hard. “It’s not your fault.”

“I should have known.”

I grab his chin. “You couldn’t have.”

Our eyes meet, and he inhales. “I don’t deserve you, Alyssa, but,” he inhales sharply, “can we start over?”

He looks at me with eyes that I cannot resist. And under the power of his charm, I nod.

***

Three Months Later

Laura looks at my face with a critical look. “You need some more blush.”

“She’ll look like a clown,” my mother says.

Laura turns to my mother. “I beg your pardon, Mama. Are you her maid of honor?”

My mother sighs. “Laura, it’s thirty minutes until the wedding. The guests are waiting. We don’t want them to start thinking that we have a runaway bride situation going on now, do we?”

“The best bride is a late bride.”

“Who even says that?”

I chuckle softly, tickled by their bickering.

“And what exactly tickles your fancy, miss?” My mother asks, hiding her smile.

I look into the mirror and smile at the reflection. It’s my wedding day, yet it feels so surreal, almost like a page out of a fairy tale.

“I think I need more blush, Mom,” I say.

Laura does a victory dance, and there is a knock at the door.

My mom turns to us with an “I told you so” look.

She opens the door, and a worried Bunny enters the room.

He is dressed in a black three-piece suit that hugs his frame perfectly. His short wavy hair makes him look so much like Antonio that you could mistake them for twins.

“Why are you in here?” Laura throws at him.

“Don’t be bossy, Laura,” our mother says.

Laura scoffs and rolls her eyes. His eyes fall on me, and he smiles softly.

“You look breathtaking.”

Laura grins. “Of course she does.”

“Thank you, Bunny,” I reply.

“He is starting to freak out! Actually, he is standing right outside the door and wants me to make you promise that you’re not running away from the wedding,” Laura says teasingly.

My mom sighs.

I grin. “In his dreams. Tell him today I become Mrs. Russo.”

Bunny chuckles. “I’ll let him know.”

“Your tie is crooked,” Laura says to him, and he looks down in alarm.

“Here, let me straighten it for you, darling,” my mother says, reaching out and adjusting the tie that had edged slightly to the left.

“Thank you, ma’am. You look stunning as well,” he says, admiring my mother’s gorgeous red dress.

My mother giggles. “You can call me mom or mama.”

He smiles.

“You know what, maybe it’ll calm Antonio’s nerves if I go out there,” she says.

Bunny holds open his arms. “It definitely will,” he replies.

My mother slides her hand into his, and they leave the room.

Laura dabs a little more makeup on my face.

“You’re perfect,” she says tenderly.

“It’s all you.”

“Well, you’re right,” she says.

I kick her, and she groans. “I mean, your face did all the work.”

I laugh. “Quit fooling around and get my dress.”

She walks to the closet and throws it open to retrieve the white dress hanging inside.

We slide it on, and it fits over my little bump like a glove.

Laura stands behind me, looking into the mirror, and places my veil over my face before handing me my bouquet.

I turn to see her wiping her eyes.

“Laura,” I chide softly, “you’ll make me cry too.”

“Don’t you dare? I spent hours on your face,” she sniffles.

She looks at me earnestly. “There is so much I don’t understand about your feelings for him, but I am so proud you followed your heart.”

She hugs me, and I place a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Another knock comes, and we giggle.

“Coming!” I call, as she quickly slides on her dress and does her own hair up in a bun.

“Shall we?” I ask.

She nods.

Our venue is in the courtyard, the same place as my first marriage with Antonio. We aren’t telling anyone it’s a second wedding. That would be too confusing.

Unlike my first wedding, the courtyard is beautifully decorated with white and green balloons and freshly cut flowers. On the cotton-white pews are the mansion staff and, of course, Mary, who watches in tears as I appear.

Everyone stands as I make an entrance. I can see Antonio up front with the priest, with Bunny behind him. His frown changes into a relieved smile as I appear.

He has on a black three-piece suit identical to Bunny’s. His short hair is curled beautifully, and most importantly, his eyes are bright. My mother appears beside me and stretches out her hands to me.

“You look so beautiful, darling,” she whispers as I take her hands.

“That’s all because of me,” Laura whispers behind me, and we both giggle.

Soft music starts playing, and my mother walks me down the aisle covered with flowers.

We get to the end, and with glistening eyes, my mother gives my hand to Antonio. He takes it with a bow.

“You look so beautiful. I don’t know if I can look at you without becoming tongue-tied,” Antonio whispers.

“Get a room!” Laura and Bunny call out.

Antonio and I chuckle.

“We are all gathered here to celebrate the—”

The priest’s voice trails off in my head. I am lost in Antonio’s eyes. And I am certain that he is just as lost as me because his eyes linger a little too long on my lips.

“If anyone has anything against this union, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

“I dare you!” Bunny calls.

“I double dare any of you,” Laura adds, and the crowd laughs.

The horrified priest swallows.

“I—I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Finally.

He pulls me into his arms like a man starved for years on end, and he kisses me hungrily as the crowd cheers behind us.

The reception is held in the mansion kitchen. Mary buzzes around, giving orders and ensuring everyone’s plate is full while Bunny and Laura fight over who my mother loves best.

Antonio, who is by my side, leans over. “I need to have you now.”

“What about the baby?” I ask teasingly.

He pouts.

I smile mischievously. “I’m kidding. Come on.”

His eyes light up as we sneak upstairs, but not before I meet Mary’s eyes.

She grins and gives a thumbs up, and I giggle.

Antonio and I fall on each other like rabid dogs as we get behind closed doors. He hoists me up and carries me to the table, kissing me hungrily like a man starved.

He slides his hands into my hair and pulls me tighter to him.

I wrap my legs around him, and he lifts my wedding gown, bunching it around my waist.

I pull away his jacket, and I am just about to start work on his shirt buttons when the door opens.

“Jesus fucking Christ, you’re animals,” Bunny says, shutting his eyes.

“Get out!” Antonio groans, burying his face in my neck.

“You couldn’t pay me to be here, but hold your horses. We need to go down to the club. I hear there’s trouble,” he says to Antonio.

Antonio sighs and looks up at me. “I don’t want to go,” he groans, and Bunny gags.

I stroke his hair. “I’ll come with you.”

Antonio looks up at me. “Are you sure you can handle it?”

I laugh. “You made me train long and hard to be Mrs. Russo.”

“She doesn’t miss a single shot these days,” Bunny agrees.

Antonio grins. “Fine then—although you might want to change.”

“I told your mother and Laura we would be stepping out, so they’ll handle things here.”

I nod and I change into an outfit more suitable for the occasion: jeans and a leather jacket.

We make our way out of the mansion through the back gate, and in no time, our car pulls up at the club.

“Be careful,” Antonio says, kissing my lips.

I nod as we walk into the bustling club.

The guards lower their heads as we appear.

“You interrupted my honeymoon. This better be good,” Antonio snaps.

“We think it’s a break-in, but the men aren’t talking.”

Antonio sighs.

I slide my hand into his, and he squeezes it as we follow the guards to the basement meeting room.

There are two men tied and sprawled on the floor.

Antonio, Bunny, and I sit down as the guards explain how the men were caught.

“Now the billion-dollar question is, who the hell sent you?” Antonio snaps.

The men remain silent.

Antonio gets up. “Throw them into the white room. No food or water till they speak—”

“Babe,” I call to him.

He looks at me with adoring eyes.

“Don’t move.”

He and Bunny look up in confusion. I whip out my gun and fire two shots into the couch and three into the wooden door.

Two men fall to the floor, groaning—one from behind the couch and the other from the door.

Bunny looks up at me with admiration. “Now that’s what I am talking about.”

Antonio chuckles and turns to Bunny, who nods.

“I’ll take it from here,” he says, turning to the men who look ready to talk.

Antonio takes my hands, and he leads me up the stairs back into the club.

He stops suddenly, grabs my waist, and pulls me to him.

“You’re amazing, you know that?”

I purse my lips mischievously, and he grins.

“You have to tell me that every day.”

He nods. “It’s a deal.”

I give him a playful smile.

“Thank you for being Mrs. Russo,” he whispers, leaning over to me. “I love you, Alyssa.”

My eyes rest on his face, awash with love.

“And I love you, Antonio.”