Page 133 of Vows of a Mobster

“What is worrying you so early in the morning?” Mateo’s voice startled me, his eyes still closed.

“I thought you were still sleeping,” I murmured. I realized suddenly, it was the first time since I stayed with him that he was still in bed when I woke up. Usually he was gone before I woke up. The morning at my cottage was an exception.

His eyes slowly opened. “I was resting my eyes for a bit longer.” He looked me in the eyes, watching me. “Second thoughts?”

I frowned. “About what?”

“You forgot already?” He laughed but it didn’t reach his eyes. “About marrying me.”

Was I having second thoughts? I didn’t think so but it wasn’t exactly how I thought it would happen to me. But then, nothing has gone right over the last five years. Maybe this would be a good, new start. Why did it feel like there was a hole in my heart then? I wanted love and devotion, everything.

“No second thoughts,” I finally answered his question.

“You sure?” he questioned me.

I pulled the sheet to my breast and then brought my knees to my chest.

On a deep sigh, I tried to explain the best I could. “No second thoughts.” I chewed on my lower lip, while debating how best to phrase my next statement. “I don’t know about you, Mateo, but I haven’t seen too many happy marriages. Actually, I only remember one.” He remained quiet, his green gaze drilling into me, seeing too much. “I don’t remember much from the time my mom was married to my real dad, but the little I heard wasn't good. My dad was never the same. And my stepdad and mom’s marriage was,” I searched for the right word, “dysfunctional. Yes, I think that is the right word. She made him miserable.”

“Are you scared our marriage will be miserable?”

I took a deep breath. I didn’t want to hide, so I met his gaze. “I don’t know. God, I hope I’m nothing like my mother. But I’m scared. I’m not even sure what a real marriage should look like. I didn’t get to see my grandparents much and Grandpa died before my dad.”

He took my hand that was fidgeting with the hem of the sheet. “We will figure it out together. My parents didn’t have a good marriage either, but divorce is never an option in my family. We will have each other’s back. As long as we are honest with each other and keep our vows, everything else will shift into place.”

“Okay,” I choked out the words. The problem was I couldn’t give him all my honesty. There was one secret I could never share with him.

He got out of bed and strode to his dresser, pulling a pair of jeans out and putting them on. Then he left the bedroom. I held my breath, tension flowing through my body. I wondered if maybe he knew that I was lying and decided I wasn’t worth it.

He came back, and I soaked his strong, tanned chest. His abs were mouthwatering and even twenty-year-olds would be jealous of it.

He creeped over the bed, getting close to me and I noted a black box in his hand. “I want to marry you in two days’ time,” he murmured, pressing a hungry kiss on my lips. “Please.”

“Two days?” I exclaimed in shock, pulling a few inches away from him. I wanted to see his expression, he must have been joking.

He opened the box, and the most beautiful ring I had ever seen sat there. It was a huge emerald, surrounded by diamonds, each stone sparkled more than the other under the morning sun that seeped through our windows. He pulled the ring out, then took my left hand. He gently slid it over my finger. I noted little diamonds covering the entire band too.

“It fits perfectly,” he spoke softly. “It belonged to my mother. We’ll get you another one too; you can pick what you like best.”

“It is beautiful.” My voice shook, and so did my fingers. Emotions swirled inside me, and I felt tears pricking my eyes. Then as if they won the battle, one lone tear escaped, rolling down my cheek. Why was I crying? I shouldn’t be crying at the moment like this; I should be laughing.

He took my chin between his fingers, forcing me to meet his emerald gaze. “Why the tears, amore?”

“I think they are happy tears,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “I like the ring. It reminds me of your eyes.”

He smiled, then leaned over, catching a tear with his lips and kissing it away.

“I will make you happy, Brianna. And keep you safe.” His words were spoken in a soft vow. No witnesses, no curious eyes; just the two of us. “In two days, you will be my wife. The only thing you need to worry about is a dress. Everything else will be taken care of.”

My chest swelled with so many emotions of love, hope but also fear. “Isn’t it kind of rushed?” I questioned in a low voice.

“Are you having reservations about marrying me?”

“No, Mateo,” I muttered. “But why such a rush?”

“Because I want the whole world to know you are mine. And any man or woman that dares to even think about hurting you or Emma, I’ll hunt down and kill.”

Tension slowly seeping out of my body, I laughed softly. “Well, that’s the most romantic thing I have ever heard.”