Chapter 3

Marcella's Pov

“Your terms.” l asked.

When I was young when my stepmother always made it a point to remind me how stupid I am and I thought that she was just a hater but maybe she was right because this is probably the worst idea I've ever come up with.

"I don’t sign marriage papers in drive-thrus," he said. "Even though this happens to be a fake marriage, I would really like my first marriage to be a lot more than that. My car is outside, so we sign at my place."

Before I could process what was even happening, he was ushering me toward the exit. I looked back to see Anita, who was staring at me with her mouth open, pleading with me not to do something crazy. I gave her a small nod to say trust me and let a stranger lead me away.

I couldn’t even process everything that was happening. The next thing I knew, I was in a car, and then we were on a private elevator which led us into a penthouse overlooking the entire city.

It was floor-to-ceiling glass with marble floors, and this place actually screamed rich. I don’t think this man actually needs US$10,000, and I was starting to maybe question what exactly I’m about to do.

Sitting on one of the sofas was an older man wearing a gray suit, holding some papers.

"Don—" the older man began, standing up, but he cut him off midsentence.

"Giuliano, the papers please," he commanded.

He has a commanding energy that is even more scarier than anyone I've met and I grew up in a mafia family so I'm used to scary but this is something else something different.

The man pulled out some documents, and I hurried over, grabbing a pen from the desk. "Let's just sign the standard registry forms so I can get my copy."

"Not so fast," he said, his voice dropping as he stepped behind me.

I held my breath because his presence affected me, but then he reached around me and pulled a different document over the registry paper.

"This is a prenuptial agreement. You sign this first."

"Clause one," he interrupted, leaning down until his lips were inches away from my ear, his breath fanning over my skin. "The marriage remains legally binding and non-negotiable for a minimum of six months.

Clause two: you stay under my roof for protection. And clause three: neither party dissolves the marriage without mutual written consent, even after that six months is over."

"Six months?" I gasped, turning to look at him. "That wasn’t the deal"

I don't want to stay married to him for 6 months and we don't have a reason to stay married for that long because we're not going to see each other after today and I just need his signature certificate.

“Listen this doesn't have to take any longer than 2 weeks at most and we just have to get married today and then I'll fail for an annulment as soon as I show my father the marriage license and we'll both go our separate ways and be happy.” I said trying to help him see how easy this could be for the both of us.

"That is the deal," he said. "You came to me asking for a bad decision, principessa. Did you think it wouldn’t come with a price? Sign or walk back out," he said.

“Why?” I asked because I feel like there's something else going on here and I could potentially be putting myself at risk and I don't know why but there's something wrong and I just can't put my finger in it.

He just looked at me then the papers I front of me.

My throat went dry, and I looked over at the clock. The wedding was in less than ten hours now, and if I walked out the door without a legal paper, my father would drag me down the altar with Don Cavaliere anyway.

So six months with a stranger was better than a lifetime of torture with a sadistic mob boss.

And he seems more like a well-established businessman, and I thought that was a lesser evil than this despicable godfather that I was supposed to marry.

"Fine," I said.

My hand trembled a little bit, but I signed everything I needed to. Then he took the pen from my hand, his fingers lingering on mine just for a second too long, and he signed his own name as well. I just couldn’t bring myself to look. Then the man who brought the papers signed them as well, and he gave me a copy of the legal marriage certificate.

I held it with both hands, laughing to myself because I did it. I’m legally married, and the contract my father signed with Don Cavaliere is null and void.

"Thank you," I said, looking at my new husband with a big smile on my face. "You have no idea what you just saved me from."

"Is that so?" he asked, leaning on the table.

"I don't know about you, but I feel like my surname should and me a lot more than 10K.” he said moving closer towards me.

“Wha-t what do you want.” the look in His Eyes was making me very nervous and my body was reacting in a really different way.

“ I'll take a kiss as well.” he murmured and before I could even register what he said, he closed the distance between us, his massive frame trapping me against the wall.

His hands came up to frame my face, his thumb moved my head back and my breath hitched as he leaned down, his piercing gray eyes searching mine for a second before his lips pressed against mine.

​The kiss was sudden, intense, and possessively, deep, hard and it sent shockwaves of heat straight to my core.

He tasted like expensive whiskey and power, his thumb stroked my jaw as he deepened the kiss, stealing the last bit of air out of my lungs.

I had to break my hands around his neck to balance myself because my knees were weak and heavy as my body betrayed me and everything around me was studying to look hazy and I moaned.

When he finally pulled back, his lips brushed against mine one last time, leaving me gasping for air.

“ I'll have my driver take you home, get some rest Marcella.”

“ I– I didn't tell you my name.” I said even though I was still feeling the after shocks of the kiss.

“l know.”