Page 9 of Crimson Vows

“Think about it,” he urges, leaning forward. “If we go ahead and get married, you will be given the respect of the woman whose husband is one of the top leaders in this family.”

“You mean, I’ll be a laughingstock when people see I was set to marry the head of the family, and I was tossed aside and given to you as some sort of consolation prize.”

He leans forward, his eyes searching mine for any signs of surrender. “Fuck that! I will kill anyone who dares to disparage my bride. I mean it, Gia. Marry me now.”

My mind reels, trying to process his audacious proposal. He wants me to marry him? I’ve only barely wrapped my mind around our current arrangement. I push aside my initial shock and meet his gaze head-on.

“Marco, I agreed to date you for a year. That’s it,” I say firmly.

Marco sighs, frustration etching lines onto his forehead. “I promise, with our marriage, you’ll have the respect and authority you deserve. As my wife, you’ll hold a position of power within the Mafia world, a position that would make it easier for you to run all the businesses that once belonged to your father.”

His words hang in the air, tempting me with the possibilities and raising countless questions and doubts in my mind.

“What do you get out of this? Why do you even want to marry me?”

Marco’s eyes soften, his voice taking on a tender note. “Will you sit next to me?”

I hesitate for a moment, torn between resistance and curiosity. But something in Marco’s earnest gaze makes me move, sinking onto the couch beside him.

He reaches out to brush a strand of hair behind my ear. “I didn’t grow up in a home with parents who loved me or each other. My mom cared more about her next fix, and after my dad died, the only family examples I saw were my uncle Edward and my cousins.”

“What does this have to do with us?”

“That summer I drove for you and your father, I loved seeing how you two cared about each other. It was the first time in my life that I thought maybe one day I might actually want a family.”

I can’t stop myself from laughing. “Yeah? You want to have a daughter who kills you one day, huh?”

Marco shakes his head. “Stop that. You can’t keep doing this to yourself. You saved our lives that night, and as terrible as it has been for you, I saw a woman who would never back down from her convictions.”

I sigh, not wanting to hear anything more about that terrible night. “You still haven’t explained why you would want to marry me. Realizing you want a family because you saw me with my dad doesn’t mean anything. What is it about me that makes you want this?”

“When I found out you were supposed to marry Vincent, it pissed me off so fucking much. I was so confused why it made me so mad, and that’s when I realized it was because I wanted you. When I look at you, I see a woman who is so much more than someone’s possession. You’re not only one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen, but you’re also strong, smart, and fiercely loyal to those who deserve it.”

I shake my head, unable to see myself as the woman Marco describes. “You can’t say that. You only think you know this stuff about me.”

“Gia, you’ve always been different from the rest of them,” Marco replies. “And when Vincent screwed up the opportunity to marry the perfect woman, I couldn’t help but see it as an opportunity.”

A mix of emotions swirls within me—confusion, doubt, and a flicker of something I can’t quite grasp. Marco’s words touch something profound inside me, awakening a desire for more.

But marriage? A lifetime commitment to a man I’m not sure I love? Hell, the idea of giving myself to one man for the rest of my life is probably scarier than anything I’ve ever faced.

“When I think about you, all I want is to protect you and be by your side every step of the way. If marrying me would provide you with the security and authority you need, I would feel honored to be your husband.”

I search his eyes for sincerity and find only earnestness staring back at me. Maybe this proposal is worth considering.

“What if I never love you?” I finally ask the question that has been lingering between us.

Marco’s gaze softens, his voice gentle as he replies, “I believe you will because I know I am committed to spending every day of our lives showing you why you should. But even if you don’t, I know our marriage can still work.”

“You really think you could be happy, knowing I don’t love you?”

He shrugs. “I guess I’m pretty confident you will love me.”

“I know you think you love me now, but you have no idea how hard I am to actually love. I meant what I said when I told you I wanted to see other men.”

“Are you saying you would still want to see other men after we are married?” Marco pauses, his voice tinged with a mix of surprise and uncertainty.

I tilt my head. “If I’m going to agree to this, I want to be clear about my expectations. I need to maintain my autonomy and the freedom to explore my own desires.”

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