Mila  I had been cooped in that room for hours and the only interaction I’d had was with Mrs Gracia who had come up with a tray of snacks and encouraged me to eat but I had been too tense to even think about food. The thought of eating anything had made me feel sick. But I had thanked the kind lady nonetheless and had told her I would eat when I'd feel like it. I hadn’t touched anything on that tray as I had been too busy pacing the room, worrying where Jonathan was and what was taking him so long to come to me.I had guessed that it was Jonathan’s old room courtesy of the pictures of him with his brother on the mantle above the fireplace and another with him and an old man in front of a winery. But what I hadn’t known was why the hell I was here. And that particular question had been driving me crazy. 

Mila   The girls came back right away after Jonathan left and Jean fussed over my smeared kohl as she tried to wipe it and do the under eyes again. Mira came to me with a dress in her hand. “Shall we?” She asked. I nodded and stood up, untying the robe I was wearing. Ten minutes later the dress was glued to my skin as Jean pulled the laces tight over the corset I was fitted into. Mira clapped her hands. “Prevoskhodno!” Excellent! She said with a big smile on her face, at least someone was happy because I wasn't. She held out four inch silver heels and then proceeded to sit on the floor as she helped me into them. “You look very beautiful, Miss.” Jean said as she finally stepped back after pulling all my hair back from my shoulders, she had decided to straighten them instead of putting it up together in an updo.

Mila     I tuned out the ceremony with every word from the Priest's mouth. I felt going far away from the present until Jonathan’s words pulled me out of my daze when he said in his deep voice filling me with surprise. “I wrote my own vows.” Gazing up, I met his grey eyes as he pulled me closer, holding the fingers of both my hands in his, his thumbs making small circles at the back of my hands. I felt a tremor run through me as he started speaking, “Io, Jonathan Byrne Sokolov, giuro di proteggerti, Carmella Sicilian, per il resto della mia vita.” I, Jonathan Byrne Sokolov, vow to protect you, Carmella Sicilian, for the rest of my life. I stared at him as the Italian words registered in my mind. My mind spun and my heart beat double it’s rhythm. “Giuro che ti amerò sempre, ti amerò e ti metterò al di sopra di ogni altra cosa..” I vow I will always

Mila I watched as his grey eyes hardened and he looked furious. Good. I was too. And I wasn’t just furious, I was heartbroken. I was tired. I was sad. I hated the man I loved. And all I wanted right now was to curl up on the floor and give up even as my body wanted to step further and hide into his chest.He stood up and closed the distance between us as he said, “I didn’t marry you just because of our family’s rivalry. I married you because I love you. I married you because I wanted to keep you safe. I married you to keep your brother safe because he is important to you.”I swallowed the rush of tears and suppressed the way my heart soaked up his words, and looked away from him. I said, “It doesn’t matter. You knew….” I took a shaky breath as I continued, “You knew that this was going to happen and you di

Mila I dropped down on my knees as I said, “Now, it’s my turn.”Last night I was in need of the comfort that only his arms around me could provide. I slept hearing his strong heartbeat and cocooned in his warmth but now all I needed was to make him feel good after everything he had done for me even though it wasn’t what I wanted. Now as he looked down at me, his grey eyes were clouded with lust and love, I thought to myself that how fucking beautiful he was. All golden and tamed strength just for me. So fucking enticing as I gazed up at him.His hard length bobbed in front of me and I wrapped my fingers around him, feeling him twitch against my palm. I felt his hand coming down at the back of my head in a light caress. I pressed a soft kiss on the tip of his cock and delighted in the soft exhale he let out. It was a miracle that a man like hi