CHAPTER FIVE: A Hell of a Husband

“My husband.”

The entire room fell silent Jesse could almost hear his own heartbeat.

The head of the Cascio family, Vittorio, glared at Donato. “Your husband?”

“Yes.” Donato placed a possessive hand against the small of Jesse’s back, returning the lethal stare. “Meet Jesse Miller.”

The silence shattered into utter chaos. Shocked, angry voices rose from every corner of the ballroom.

“You made a decision like this without consulting the Commission?!” an elder Capo from the Sindacato clan raged.

Donato stood perfectly still, letting the noise build around him, as though the chaos meant absolutely nothing.

Then he spoke. “Distinguished guests.”

His voice boomed through the grand hall, cutting through the uproar with terrifying authority.

The voices gradually died down.

“I am canceling the political alliance with the Cascio family,” Donato announced flatly. “There will be no marriage between Ginevra Cascio and me.”

A collective, horrified gasp echoed beneath the ceilings.

“That arrangement is finished.”

A few feet away, Ginevra looked as though she had been struck. Her face had gone pale, her smug smile disappearing as shock and humiliation took over.

“Donato,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “What is the meaning of this?”

Donato turned his head slightly toward her, his gaze held indifferent. “The meaning is simple.”

Ginevra's eyes shifted to Jesse. The young man standing beside the most powerful Don in the city looked far too comfortable. Her hands curled into fists at her sides. For one vicious moment, her fingers itched for the blade hidden beneath her gold silk gown.

She wanted nothing more than to cross the floor and plunge it into his throat. But she stopped herself; there would be plenty of time for blood later.

Ginevra took a slow breath until her fingers relaxed. When she looked up again, a beautiful, venomous smile had settled across her face. She glided toward them, the gold silk of her gown sweeping across the floor.

“So,” she said, her voice calm, “if you're married, then you're married. There is nothing we can do about a done deal.”

Donato remained impassive, but a subtle flicker in his eyes betrayed his alertness. He knew her too well to believe she was conceding this easily.

Ginevra stopped, looking directly into Donato's eyes. “But surely a man of your stature can make room for one more?” Her gaze slid toward Jesse. “I am, after all, meant to be the main one. The legal union between you two is just paperwork.”

A wave of uncomfortable murmurs rippled through the ballroom.

Jesse looked from her to Donato. He understood exactly what she was doing. She wanted to regain control of the room.

He felt a spark of defiance light up in his chest. So he smiled politely. “I'm sorry.”

Ginevra arched a perfectly groomed eyebrow.

Jesse didn't back down. Instead, he slipped his arm even more securely around Donato's, anchoring himself to the mafia boss.

“But I don't share what's mine.”

Donato slowly turned his head. For the first time that evening, Jesse saw his flawless mask crack. The Don's face passed a look of unadulterated surprise.

Jesse held his gaze. He knew he had gone completely off-script. But they were supposed to look married, and he would make them believe it.

Donato's gaze remained on him for another second. Then his hand moved to Jesse's waist. Jesse barely had time to react before Donato pulled him forward and crashed their lips together.

The kiss was sudden enough to steal the air from Jesse's lungs. When Donato finally pulled away, the entire room remained frozen.

Jesse's face felt hot, but he kept his expression composed. If anyone noticed how fast his heart was beating, he certainly wasn't going to admit it.

Donato looked at him for a moment longer before turning toward the crowd.

“I believe this isn't the first time a man is getting married, is it now?” He addressed the stunned crowd with his eyes. "Enjoy the rest of your evening, everyone."

---

The drive to Donato's estate was strangely quiet. Jesse sat beside Donato, staring through the tinted window; his mind kept replaying the events of the evening.

The announcement. Ginevra's face. And...

the kiss.

Jesse mentally shook the thought away.

It was just part of the act, Jesse, nothing more.

The car eventually slowed down. Jesse looked up. A massive iron gate stood ahead of them. Two enormous lions were carved into the center, their mouths open in silent roars.  Jesse noticed cameras positioned along the entrance before the gates began to move.

As the car drove through, his mouth fell open. The estate stretched much farther than he could have ever imagined.

Lights illuminated the path ahead, leading toward a massive mansion that look nothing like a home and more like an ancient palace pulled from a history movie.

Jesse stared openly, his pride temporarily forgotten. “Is this really a house?” he murmured under his breath.

Donato glanced over at him. “Yes.”

Jesse turned his head slowly, realizing Donato had caught him gaping. “You live here?”

Donato's mouth twitched. “I own several houses.”

Jesse stared at him, rolling his eyes internally. Of course he does.

The car came to a stop at the main entrance. Before Donato could even reach for the door, it was pulled open from outside.

A man stood waiting. He appeared to be in his fifties, dressed neatly in a dark suit. The moment he saw Donato, he straightened.

“Welcome home, Don.” He bowed his head respectfully.

Donato gave him a brief nod.

The older man's eyes shifted briefly toward Jesse. For a fraction of a second, surprise flickered across his face. He quickly lowered his gaze.

“Your quarters have been prepared as instructed.”

Jesse stepped out of the car, adjusting his suit. He glanced at Donato, then at the butler.

So this was how people spoke to him. There was something in the man's voice—a perfect blend of respect and fear.

Jesse followed Donato inside. As he stepped through the doors, his feet froze. The entrance hall was larger than the entire apartment he had grown up in.

Jesse slowly turned in a circle, taking it all in.

Donato kept walking. After a few steps, he realized Jesse wasn't keeping up; he stopped and looked back over his shoulder. “Are you coming?”

Jesse blinked, snapping out of his daze. “Yeah.” He hurried after him.

Donato stopped near a velvet armchair and removed his bow tie, tossing it onto the chair without looking. “Your quarters are at the far end of the east wing.”

Jesse looked down the long, dimly lit hallway. “So I'm getting my own room?”

“You are.”

“Oh.” Jesse tried his best not to look impressed, but he failed. 

Donato noticed. He closed the space between them.

“Stay in your room. Don't touch anything. Don't leave this house without bodyguards.” He paused, his dark eyes narrowing slightly. “And don't look at me like that.”

Jesse folded his arms. “Look at you like what? Like you're a controlling, arrogant freak who is used to snapping his fingers to get whatever he wants?”

He stepped closer. “I told you before, Mr. Sindacato—I'm not your frightened little housewife.”

Jesse reached up, brushing his fingers against Donato's collar, straightening it with mock sweetness. “I'm your business partner. So stop barking orders at me in your own house.” He paused, shaking his head with a widening grin. “Actually, it's mine now, so let me rephrase: Stop barking orders at me in our house.”

Donato froze. His eyes dropped to Jesse's fingers resting against his collar before lifting back to his face. 

The startling audacity of this man.

Donato's jaw tightened again. His gaze flickered down to Jesse's lips as the memory of their kiss at the party flashed through his mind.

“Get out of my sight, Jesse,” Donato's voice dropped into a growl.

Jesse just smirked.

“Make sure to stay indoors. I'll be going back to the party.”

Jesse stopped. “I thought we officially ended the party with our little stunt?”

“We did.” Donato adjusted his cuff. “But I still need to go back. Some things are left unfinished.”

He started toward the entrance and came to an abrupt pause. “Moreover, this isn't my main mansion. It's more of a place I drop by.” 

Jesse stared at his retreating back. This wasn't his main house? And it was this big? How rich exactly was this man?

Before he could process the thoughts, a loud commotion erupted outside the front doors.

“You can't go in, Miss Cascio!”

A furious woman’s voice cut through the air. “Trust me, I will pull this trigger and blast your head off if you stop me one more time!”

Jesse's eyes widened. Donato didn't even flinch. He simply slipped both hands into his pockets. Of course she had followed them. Ginevra was nothing if not persistent.

The front doors burst open, and Ginevra stepped inside, a gun in hand, with one of her men following behind.

“Miss Cascio—”

“Stay out of this.” She tossed the gun back to her subordinate without taking her eyes off Donato. She surveyed the place until her hazel eyes landed on Jesse. For a second, her face hardened into hatred. Then she looked back at Donato.

"Why such a commotion, Miss Cascio?" Donato asked, his voice was way too calm.

Ginevra let out a dry, brittle chuckle. "Why such a commotion?" She tasted the words, her face scrunching in deep irritation. Her gaze flickered over to Jesse, who stood near the wall watching her with keen eyes.

Ginevra reluctantly dragged her attention back to Donato, the pulse throbbing hotly in her throat. "We need to talk. Now!"

Donato nodded, a silent invitation.

She eyed him with a look that promised a storm before taking a step forward.

"I'll just go and find my room," Jesse whispered, trying to clear out before the explosion.

Ginevra froze mid-stride. She turned her head slowly, glaring a hole through him. Jesse almost flinched, giving her a flash of grim satisfaction.

"Young man," she called out, sounding so calm, "do you have any idea whose family you are messing with?"

Jesse glanced at her, then at Donato. "I don't think love knows any names, Miss Ginevra."

A low chuckle vibrated from Donato's chest.

Ginevra let out a short, humorless laugh. "You find this funny, Donato?" She took two aggressive steps toward Jesse.

Donato immediately stepped between them, acting as a human shield. "I believe we have things to discuss in my office, Ginevra," he warned.

"Of course." She forced a venomous smile, and turned to the grand staircase. The fabric of her gold dress whispered against the floor.

She then pause on the first stair. As if recalling something she spun around and walked straight toward Jesse.

"Ginevra," Donato warned.

But she ignored him.

Jesse braced himself, shutting his eyes tightly in anticipation of a blow. But nothing came.

He cautiously opened his eyes and met her blazing hazel gaze. She held his stare for a long, agonizing second, letting the tension settle into him. 

Then, with blinding speed, her palm met with his cheek. Jesse's head whipped to the side.

Ginevra's lips curled into a bitter smirk. "That is for not knowing your place."

Jesse turned his face back toward her. His cheek burned, but he refused to lower his gaze or even utter a word.

Satisfied, Ginevra started toward the stairs.

"Now," she said over her shoulders, "I'll go have my conversation with Donato."

She marched toward the staircase when Jesse's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"I told you before," he said, casually rubbing his stinging cheek. A smirk carried in his voice. "I don't share what's mine." He let out a low, infuriating chuckle.

"Thanks for the slap, by the way. I really needed a massage."

Ginevra spun around, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the banister.

A ghost of a smile flashed on Donato's lips.

With his rebellious smile still intact, Jesse walked over to Donato and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight, husband," he said, flashing a quick wink.