Page 9 of The Casella King

“I will be marrying an outsider; her name is Aries,” I confess, and they both stop what they’re doing and turn to look at me, like I just announced something preposterous. Mother stands and yells every Italian profanity in the dictionary known to man.

“Stupido! Idiota!”She paces back and forth. “How can you do this, Ezra? Huh?” she yells as I stand, wiping my mouth with my napkin and throwing it on the table. “You spit on your father’s grave if you do this!”

“It’s done. We will be getting married in a week. Make the reservations.” With that, I leave, the tension in the room rising, bubbling to the top as she continues to swear at my back, but I couldn’t care less. I’m not about to do things the way my father did.

I have more important things to worry about now.

To convince my future bride to marry me.

I decided to take the Porsche today, given she’s been sitting in the garage for a few weeks, and when I make it to Aries’s home, I text her to let her know I’m outside.

Ten minutes pass.

Then another ten.

There is no response from her, then I realise she isn’t home. Annoyance and anger sizzle in my gut as I call our on-call inspector and tell him to track her down. I’m not used to being turned down or stood up, so when it happens, of which this is the first, it makes me feelmurderous. I can’t afford to show her my true self yet. She’s too much of a flight risk already. I need to convince her in other ways.

A few moments later, I see my phone light up with a location on Aries, and I floor it to her location with every intention of making it known who she’s dealing with. There is absolutely no chance she’s getting away from me. I’ll fucking make sure of it.

As soon as I enter the bar, everyone’s eyes are on me, except hers. She’s too busy staring into her drink to notice. I nod at the bartender, and the music stops, the lights come on, and the entire place is empty within seconds. She looks to me and stands, her silky satin dress falling past her knees, the rest of the material resting between her breasts. She’s lucky she’s fuckingsexy, otherwise I wouldn’t be so nice about this. She’s not ready to see who I truly am, not yet.

“There you are, sweetheart; I’ve been looking for you.” I walk over to the bar, lean over it, and grab myself a bottle of whiskey and a glass. I begin pouring myself a shot, and I feel her eyes watching me. I don’t usually drink, but tonight I need it. The pressure of taking on my father’s role, combined with the pressure of needing to secure our line, I feel like I’m being chewed up from within, and that’s not normal for me.

“How did you find me?” Her voice is almost a whisper.

“You really think I don’t get what I want?” I take a sip and watch the fear in her eyes multiply as she begins adding things up, sizing me up, and finally getting the point. “Take a seat.” I motion to the barstool with my glass as I sit beside her.

“What do you want? I tried to say no, but you don’t take no for an answer.” She takes a sip of her cocktail and watches me.

“That’s right, sweetheart, I don’t. You’re learning.”

My eyes skate over her chest, the material of her dress clinging to her skin. Her chest rises and falls, her breasts following suit. I don’t bother with hiding my obvious staring because it’s no secret I’m so fucking attracted to her.

“I want you to go on a date with me, then I want you to marry me.” I watch her face go from scared to amused within a second before her laughter bellows through the empty bar.

My face is set in stone.

She regains her composure and looks back at me, her laughter fizzling out.

“Wait, you’re joking, right?” She smiles.

“Do I look like a man who jokes?” My tone is sharp. I’m about ready to fling her over my shoulder and take her home with me. I’m getting bored of doing this the nice way. “I think this can be mutually beneficial.” I expect her to protest, but to my surprise, she listens. “I know you’re struggling with finances, and I knowyou live with your sister in a small place. Would you not want to have some space of your own?”

She looks down at her palms.

“We will only be married for a few months, then we can file for divorce and go our separate ways. It wouldn’t have to mean more, or less.”

The way she plays with her lip between her teeth does something to me, and I feel my cock harden beneath my pants. I start planning what angle of attack I want to take next, in case she shoots me down again.

“What doyouget out of it?” she asks.

“It’s simple. I get my family off my back for a few months whilst I deal with some…issues.”

She looks down at her drink as she considers my offer, and I can practically see her brain working through her furrowed brows.

“Do you know who I am?” I have to ask, because I need to know how much she knows about me and my family.

She looks to me and nods.

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