14

MILLIE
I curled up into a ball, feeling small and defenseless. Despite my efforts, I couldn’t control my emotions.
Gio moved, and a soft light flooded the room as he turned on a lamp. I kept my face hidden, hoping he would leave. Instead, he touched my arm, causing me to jerk away in fear. But he pulled me closer, and his voice softened, “That’s enough.” His voice had a commanding presence, and I lay still like a statue, facing him as he looked into my eyes. “Look at me,” he ordered.
I complied, feeling the weight of his gaze on me.
“I want you to stop crying. I want you to stop flinching from my touch,” he said firmly.
Numbly, I nodded, but he saw through the facade. He knew my fear wouldn’t disappear so easily.
“I’ll swear an oath,” Gio declared, surprising me. He took my hand and pressed it against the tattoo over his heart. I felt his warmth, and it contrasted with the harshness I expected.
“Born in blood, sworn in blood, I swear that I won’t try to steal your virginity or harm you in any way tonight,” he vowed, his lips curving into a half-smile. “I already bled for you, so that seals it. Born in blood. Sworn in blood.”
He wanted me to repeat it, and I whispered, “Born in blood, sworn in blood.”
With the oath made, he turned off the light again and returned to his side of the bed. I listened to his breathing, knowing he was still awake. Although I closed my eyes, I couldn’t sleep. However, deep down, I believed that he wouldn’t break his oath.
~*~
Sunlight washed over my face as I woke up. I attempted to stretch, but my movements were restricted by an arm thrown around my waist and a solid chest pressed against my back. Slowly, the memories of yesterday came back, and I realized I was in bed with Gio, my husband. Panic started to rise within me.
In a groggy voice, Gio mumbled, “Good, you’re awake.”
Still trying to process everything, I managed to say, “Gio, you kept your promise, right? You didn’t… we didn’t…”
“No, we didn’t consummate the marriage,” he assured me, seeming almost relieved. My eyes met his as he turned me onto my back, and I couldn’t help but feel a strange mix of curiosity and uncertainty.
His hand gently gripped my hip, and he observed my face, leaving me wondering what he was thinking. Being this close to a man in bed was a new experience, and I could feel his warmth even without our bodies touching. His scars were less prominent in the morning light, but his muscles were still strikingly impressive. I wondered what it would be like to touch them.
Absentmindedly, he reached up and took a strand of my hair between his fingers, causing me to hold my breath. After a moment, he released it, his expression turning serious. “Soon, our family will come to gather the sheets and witness the spectacle of our supposed wedding night.”
I blushed, feeling exposed under his gaze, but something shifted in his eyes, replacing some of the coldness with another emotion. I couldn’t help but notice the small cut on his arm, already scabbing.
“It will be my blood that proves our union, but we’ll have to lie about the rest,” he said regretfully. “I’m good at lying, but can you lie convincingly enough for everyone, even your mother?”
I asked hesitantly, “You’re worried it’ll make you look weak because you didn’t force yourself on me?”
His fingers on my hip tightened, and I realized they were still there. I remembered Leila’s advice to make him want to be good to me.
“Gio, I don’t hate you,” I admitted. “I may have despised what this marriage means for me, but I don’t truly hate you. And you can trust me because I’m your wife. I didn’t choose this, but I can still make the best out of it and show you loyalty.”
For a moment, I saw something flicker in his expression, maybe a hint of respect. “The men waiting outside are predators, waiting for any sign of weakness from me. If they see it, they’ll pounce.” He revealed. I thought about his father, but he dismissed it, saying, “If he sees weakness in me, he’ll let them tear me apart.”
It was painful to think of him having to be strong all the time, even around family. “At least, women are forgiven weakness in our world,” I murmured.
Gio’s eyes grew harder, and I wondered if he’d give up on all this, but then he focused on me again, and the darkness seemed at bay.
“What about Sebastian?” I inquired.
“I trust him, but he’s too hot-headed. He’d get himself killed trying to defend me.”
It felt surreal to have this conversation with Gio, my husband, as if we knew each other more than we did. “Don’t worry, nobody will doubt me,” I reassured him. “I’ll give them what they want to see.”
Gio sat up, and I couldn’t help but notice his tattoo and the well-defined muscles of his chest and stomach. I blushed again when our eyes met.
“You should wear something more substantial when they arrive,” he said. “I don’t want them seeing too much of your body, especially your hips and thighs. Let them wonder if I left any marks.”
He then leaned closer to my face, and I instinctively closed my eyes, flinching.
He chuckled darkly, “This is the second time you thought I was going to hit you.”
My eyes shot open, and I stammered, “I thought you said…”
“That everyone expects you to have bruises after a night with me? I don’t hit women.”
“I remembered when you stopped my father from slapping me,” I began, recounting the memory to Gio. “You has never raised your hand against me. You know how the men in the Chicago Outfit have their strange code of rules. Like how you can’t stab a man in the back, but cutting his throat that way is fine. I never understood what made one act better than the other. But it seems you have your own set of rules too. Crushing someone’s throat with your bare hands is acceptable, but hitting your wife is not.”
Gio frowned and replied, “It’s about power and perception, sweetheart. Now, let’s talk about this consummation charade we have to pull off. You keep flinching away from my touch. How am I supposed to make everyone believe we’re a real couple if you act like that?”
I retorted, “Actually, the flinching might work in our favor. It’ll sell the lie better, making them think you’re the monster you want them to believe you are.”
Gio chuckled, impressed by my cunning. “You might know more about playing the game of power than I expected.”
I shrugged nonchalantly, revealing, “Well, my father is Consigliere, so I’ve picked up a thing or two.”
He nodded in acknowledgment before reaching out to cup my face. “Earlier, what I meant was, your face doesn’t look like you’ve ever been kissed.”
My eyes widened, and I stammered, “I’ve never… I mean, of course, I haven’t…”
He silenced me with a kiss, his lips pressed against mine, and I felt my heart race. His tongue teased my lips, and hesitantly, I responded. I had no experience, but he took the lead, his lips and tongue claiming my mouth. It was unfamiliar, but not unpleasant. I lost track of time as he kissed me passionately, his hand warm against my cheek.
Suddenly, we were interrupted by insistent knocking at the door. Gio got up, and I blushed as I noticed the bulge in his briefs. He smirked and said, “They want a show, they’ll get a show.”