Lahat ng Kabanata ng Keeping my Mafia Husband : Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 20

The taxi pulls up to a store so fancy I immediately want to cringe and clutch my purse. The windows gleam, the logo screams brand-name, and just standing outside makes me feel underdressed.“Why are we here?” I whisper into Serena’s ear the second we step inside. A long line of high-fashion clothes greets us, sleek dresses and sculpted jackets draped on racks like artwork. Even the air feels expensive, like it charges you per breath.“Come on, Claire, live a little.” She grins like I’m being overdramatic, already deeper into the store, her fingers grazing the fabric like she belongs here. She lifts a dress off the rack. “Look at this. It would go so well with your hair.”I catch a glimpse of the tag and do a double take. $1,200? That’s my flight fee, and then some.“No.” I take the dress from her and return it to the rack with reverent care. “Serena, this trip is already expensive enough. I’m not adding to it. Let’s get out of here, find something we can actually afford.”A sound rust

“Get away from me,” I say so vehemently I almost don’t recognize my own voice. Austin doesn’t either. He takes a step back, holds up both hands.“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Claire,” he repeats like if he says it enough times, it’ll mean something. “Just listen to me. I don’t have any money to go back, and if you leave me here, it’s going to be a huge problem for me.” He takes another step closer. “Look, I’m willing to change. I’m serious. What happened with Jenna, it was just confusion. You’re so fucking perfect sometimes, Claire, I was looking for realism. That’s it. You’re what I want.”“I know what you’re here for, Austin.” A small smile touches my lips. “You just want me to pay for your ticket back to New York.” I look him dead in the eye. “You can keep dreaming, asshole.”I raise my key card to the door, ready to leave this man in the dust where he belongs, when he grabs me and slams me against the wall. The breath knocks out of me with a whoosh and my head spin for a second.“Look,

The car arrives, and my lips are still glued to Aleksei’s, chasing his, sucking, licking. I’m spiraling, fevered, dizzy with want. I don’t think I’ve ever kissed this much, or had a man’s hand fondle me in the backseat of his ridiculously expensive car while his driver-slash-bodyguard sits up front, silently navigating the road.Aleksei doesn’t give me a second to question if I’m thinking straight, or if I’ve lost my damn mind, kissing a near-stranger in his backseat. Apparently, the moment his lips touched mine, every question was answered. I moan when he parts my lips and slides his tongue back in, circling lazily, around my mouth, then tracing the soft curve of my lower lip before pulling away.I’m still blinking like I’ve had too much to drink when he takes my hand and leads me out of the car. Night has fallen. I glance up to see where we are, and my jaw nearly unhinges. Sanity slams back into me like a cold shower. I tug my hand from his before he can just walk me in like this is

The elevator doors slide open just as Aleksei releases me. My lips are still tingling, and he takes my hand, guiding me into a long, softly lit hallway. Warm, elegant sconces line the walls, casting gold pools of light against the marble. There’s only one door at the far end, and Niko stands beside it, hands clasped loosely in front of him, at ease.I blink twice before noticing someone kneeling beside him.Aleksei leads me closer until I’m staring down at Austin’s bloody face. My eyes go wide. “Austin,” I move to step forward, but Aleksei pulls me back firmly.Austin screams, “Claire! Why are you doing this to me?” His face is swollen, his nose crooked, blood dripping in slow, thick trails that smear across his cheek. It makes my stomach twist. “How could you send people to hurt me like this?”Niko moves without warning. His hand flashes, striking Austin’s head with a loud thud. Austin collapses onto the carpet, panting hard, a groan caught in his throat.“I’m sorry,” he wheezes, scr

You what!" Serena yells into the phone.I’ve been mauled by Aleksei again, bite marks on my shoulders, a red slap bruise blooming on my ass where he absolutely did not hold back. I feel wrecked in the most delicious way. He pounded into me all night, from the Jacuzzi to the bed and then two more rounds before we passed out.I wanted to say it was too much for me, but I was the one asking for it. I was the one climbing on top of him, riding him while he gripped my ass tight and let me chase my pleasure.I’m insane. I didn’t have a sex drive like this, at least not before I met him.I blink myself back into focus. “I’m getting married to him, Serena.”“No. That’s not what you said,” she snaps. “You said you'd enjoy it for a week and then you'd come back. What happened to New York?”I sigh and tell the truth. “I like him. I think it could work. And I don’t want to say no and go back to my old life. This is new. This is different. I’d rather get burned doing this than always wonder if I s