Page 13 of Savage Union (Rosso Mafia #1)

Rina

Sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows wakes me, momentarily disorienting me before I remember where I am.

I give myself a second before opening my eyes fully.

Vito's gone. The sheets are slightly disturbed where he slept, still holding a faint warmth that tells me he hasn't been gone long.

I didn't even feel him leave the bed. There's no trace of him—no cold, imposing figure trapping me beneath him, no voice that makes my pulse race with fear and something else I refuse to acknowledge.

Just the stillness that makes me feel... strangely alone.

I sit up, rubbing my eyes, sleep still clinging to my limbs like cobwebs.

The weight of last night still presses on me—his presence, his dominance, the way he made it clear that everything in this world, even me, belongs to him.

But that's nothing new. He's the Don of the Italian Mafia, for fuck's sake.

What's new is how it feels waking up without him.

I don't have much time to dwell on it. The door opens, and Antonia walks in, this time with none of the silent treatment from yesterday.

"Good morning, Miss Rina."

"Hmm, not really. Since I'm not ready to get out of bed." The annoyance in my voice is unmistakable.

"I'm sorry. Don Vito has ordered you to get out of bed and eat breakfast. You need your strength." I look at the clock on the dresser. It's seven in the morning. What the hell is wrong with him?

"I'm not hungry."

"Miss Rina, you can't skip meals. The Don wants to ensure you are healthy." There's something almost maternal in her tone now, a stark contrast to yesterday's cold efficiency.

"Sure, go with that." I slide out of bed, the silk nightgown falling around my thighs. I tug it down self-consciously, hating how exposed I feel.

"If it helps," Antonia adds, not meeting my eyes, "Dante will wait in the kitchen for you. He has something for you."

Something about the information makes me curious enough to hurry. I barely take time to splash water on my face and run fingers through my tangled hair before heading downstairs, still in Vito's silk nightgown. Whatever Dante has, it must be important if Antonia thought it would motivate me.

Dante sits at the breakfast table, spinning a small black object on its edge like a coin trick. When he sees me, his serious expression breaks into an amused smirk.

"Morning, princess. Nice outfit." He nods at the nightgown. "Very royal."

I cross my arms over my chest. "Shut up."

"And charming as ever." He slides the object—a cell phone—across the table. "Your royal communication device, Your Highness."

I eye it suspiciously. "What's the catch?"

"No catch." He leans back in his chair, the picture of casual ease. "Boss said to give you a phone. I gave you a phone. Though I suggested one of those giant early 2000s ones with the antenna —you know, to match your sunny personality." His grin widens. "Boss didn't go for it."

Despite everything, I almost smile. Almost. "Very funny."

"I try." He pushes the phone closer. "It's got four numbers programmed. Boss, your mom, your sister, and yours truly for when you inevitably need rescuing from yourself."

I take the phone cautiously, as if it might bite. It feels strange in my hand. A gift from Vito? It seems unlike the monster I've come to know, too good to be true. Is this a trap? Vito doesn't strike me as the type to give anything without hidden strings attached.

But here it is—a cell phone with the numbers that mean the world to me.

My heart twists in my chest. I don't understand his motive. This glimpse at something more complex beneath the layers of ruthlessness and control confuses me. I nod slowly, not trusting myself to speak at first.

"Thank you," I manage, my voice softer than I intended.

"Don't thank me. Thank the boss." Dante stands, stretching. "Though if you want to show gratitude, you could try not destroying any more of his property. My job's hard enough without you going all paper-shredder vigilante on me."

"I'll take it under consideration."

"Generous of you." He grabs another apple from the fruit bowl, tossing it in the air and catching it. "I'll be nearby if you need anything. Try not to need anything."

"Where's Vito?" I ask before I can stop myself.

Dante's eyebrows shoot up. "Miss him already? It's only been—what—seven hours since he had you pinned to the mattress?" At my horrified expression, he holds up his hands defensively. "Ease up, princess. Security cameras, remember? I'm just messing with you."

My face burns with humiliation. "You're disgusting."

"Part of my charm." He takes a bite of the apple, speaking around it. "Boss is handling business. He'll be back tonight for dinner. Try not to burn the place down before then." He winks and saunters out, leaving me with the phone and my mortification.

I stare at the device, turning it over in my hands. Connection to the outside world. To my family. But also... a potential lifeline to others. My thoughts drift to the arrangement I made mere weeks ago, before Vito burst into my father's restaurant and changed everything.

The Irish.

I contacted them in desperation after witnessing my father's latest explosive rage against my mother.

Liam Costello, heir to the Irish mob, had been surprisingly receptive to my proposal.

My hand in marriage in exchange for my father's death and my family's protection.

It had seemed like my only way out at the time—one monster to escape another.

And then Vito had appeared, killing my father before Liam could make his move. Did the Irish think I'd backed out? Or worse, betrayed them? And what would happen if Vito ever discovered what I'd done?

I push these thoughts aside. One problem at a time. First, I need to hear my mother's voice, make sure she's truly safe.

I call her first. Four rings later, I find myself thinking the worst. Has something happened to her? Oh God. This can't be happening. But then her voice comes through—shaky but warm, the voice that soothed me to sleep as a child.

"Hello," my mother greets me.

"Hi, Mamma."

"Rina? Is that you?"

"Yeah, Mamma. It's me."

"Oh, thank God. I've been worried sick. Where are you? Are you safe?" I swallow, trying to push down the knot in my throat.

"I'm fine, Mamma. I'm safe." The lie tastes bitter. "How are things with you and Sofia?"

"We are fine as we can be. They are treating us well at the Greenhouse."

The Greenhouse—Vito's estate in the Hamptons. So that's where he's keeping them. "That's good to hear."

"Is it safe for you to speak? I don't want you taking unnecessary risks."

"I'm not taking any risks. One of Vito's men gave me the cell phone." She exhales. Even through the phone, I can hear her exhaustion.

"You need to be careful, Caterina. There's so much going on. I've heard things. Stay alert."

My pulse quickens. "What have you heard?" I ask, lowering my voice and moving toward the massive windows overlooking the city.

"Nothing good. Your father's death was only the beginning." I check over my shoulder, making sure Dante isn't hovering nearby.

"What does that mean?"

"You are to be his bride." She pauses. "But there are others who had... plans."

My blood runs cold. Does she know about the Irish? "What plans, Mamma?"

"I've overheard the guards talking. The Irish are making moves, challenging territory. They're saying it's because of a broken promise."

I close my eyes, guilt washing over me. Liam. He thinks I betrayed him. "Mamma, I have to go. But I love you."

"I love you too. Please stay safe."

The call ends with her warning still ringing in my ears. I take a deep breath before dialing my sister's number. It rings twice before her voice cuts through.

"Who's this?" Sofia demands.

"It's me, Sofia."

"Rina, thank God! I didn't know if I'd ever hear from you again," she says, relief and anger tangled in her voice. "Where the hell are you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Sofia. I'm safe," I tell her, but the words feel hollow. Safe? In Vito's world? What does that even mean? "I'll explain everything later. But listen, Mamma's worried. You need to keep her calm. Promise me you will."

"I will. But I swear if you don't get out of there soon—" I see Dante approaching from across the room, spinning his keys around his finger. I turn away, lowering my voice.

"I'm working on it," I whisper. We both fall into a silence that's too heavy for words. Finally, she speaks again.

"Just find a way to leave wherever you are. He is dangerous. I overheard something about the Irish looking for you. They're angry, Rina. What did you do?"

My heart stops. If Sofia has heard rumors, it's only a matter of time before they reach Vito. "Don't worry about me. Just stay safe and take care of Mamma. I have to go."

"Okay. I love you, sis."

"I love you too."

The call ends, and I lean against the window, feeling the cool glass against my forehead. I'm caught in an impossible situation—trapped between two dangerous men, with my family's safety hanging in the balance.

Vito confuses me in a way I hadn't expected. Last night, he was all cold authority and dominance, threatening me with crude promises if I didn't obey. Yet this morning, he gives me a connection to my family—the one thing I desperately needed. Why? What game is he playing?

I've seen the darkness in him, the calculated control with which he runs his world. But I've also glimpsed something else— moments where something almost human flickers behind those dark eyes before vanishing like smoke. It makes me wonder what lies beneath his carefully maintained facade.

This line of thinking is dangerous. If I start seeing Vito as anything more than my captor—if I acknowledge the strange pull I feel toward him despite everything—I risk losing myself in a game I can't win.

I can't afford to feel anything for the man who murdered my father and forced me into this sham marriage.

Especially not with Liam Costello waiting in the wings, expecting me to honor a promise I made in desperation. The Irish don't forgive betrayal. If Liam thinks I chose Vito over him... the consequences would be devastating.

I'm trapped in a web partly of my own making. If Vito discovers what I've done, any kindness he's shown will evaporate instantly. And if Liam decides to make his move against Vito to claim what he believes is rightfully his...

This war will be bloody, and I'll be at the center of it.

I push away from the window, clutching the phone. I need to figure out a way to navigate this minefield before everything explodes around me. My family's safety depends on it.

God help me. I don't know if I'm ready for what comes next.