Page 13 of Arranged Mafia Marriage

I follow behind as Elena leads us to a set of double doors. She opens them with a flourish, revealing a spacious bedroom decorated in soft blues and creams.

“This will be your room, my dear. Mr. Pimaslov’s room is right next door, through that connecting door.” She points to a door on the far wall.

Felicity seems startled at having separate rooms, but she nods. “Thank you. It’s beautiful.”

“I’ll leave you to get settled,” she says. “Lunch will be ready in an hour. I’ve made borscht, my specialty.”

As Elena leaves, I turn to Felicity. “Is there anything you need?”

She shakes her head. “No, I’m fine. Thank you.”

I nod, sensing her desire for space. “I’ll be in my office if you need me. Feel free to explore the penthouse, but if you find anything unusual, it’s best to leave it alone.”

I leave her to unpack and settle in, retreating to my study where I’m able to relax with a cigar. I trust Felicity so far, especially since what happened after the wedding, but there’s always goingto be an edge of uncertainty until she settles in and accepts her role as my wife.

I’m trying to be trusting, though. I’ve left my guns and things around the place, not bothering to pack them up. If Felicity wanted me dead for what I’ve done to her, she’d take matters into her own hands rather quickly, I assume, but I believe I’ve done a good enough job convincing her otherwise.

Smoke rising from the end of my cigar as I recline in my seat. I can’t stop thinking about the sounds that were coming out of Felicity’s pretty mouth, the way her brown eyes lit up when she was so close to the edge. It’s going to drive me crazy until I can have her again, but I don’t want to overwhelm her. I must give her time to adjust. She’s probably still sore.

An hour later, my cigar is nearly finished, and Elena’s voice calls us to dinner. Felicity is sitting at the dining table when I walk in, looking slightly more relaxed. Her shoulders aren’t pulled up quite so high, and her eyes are bright with the anticipation of good food.

The rich aroma of borscht fills the air as Elena serves us. Felicity takes a tentative sip and hums her appreciation. “This is delicious, Elena,” she says. “I’ve never had borscht before.”

The housekeeper beams. “I’m glad you like it, dear. It’s an old family recipe.”

As we eat, I observe Felicity. She’s still tense, but some of the fear has left her posture. It’s a start. “Tomorrow, we’ll need to discuss your security detail,” I say to her as I spoon soup into my mouth. “And we should go over the household rules and expectations.”

Felicity nods, her spoon pausing halfway to her mouth. “Of course. Whatever you think is best.”

I frown slightly at her resigned tone. “Your input matters too, Felicity. This is your home now as well.”

She looks up, surprise flickering across her face. “Oh. Thank you. I’ll try to think what I’d like, but things are already nice around here.”

I’m irritated at her sudden complacency, though I should be happy to have her cooperation. My goal was to put her in a mental box labeled “Wife” and only deal with her when I had to but meeting her has ruined everything. Now, I have feelings, and those tend to makes things more complicated than they should be.

By the time we finish dessert, Elena’s homemade apple pie, Felicity looks more at ease than I’ve seen her since our first meeting.

“Thank you for lunch, Elena,” she says when the housekeeper comes to collect the dishes, stifling a yawn. “It was wonderful.”

Elena pats her hand. “You’re very welcome, dear. You look like you could use a nap.”

Felicity seems ready to demur but yawns again. “Maybe so. The last couple of days…” She trails off with a long sigh.

As Felicity stands, I rise as well. “I’ll walk you to your room.”

We move down the hallway in silence. At her door, she pauses, her hand on the knob. “I’m really going to try to adapt. I just wanted you to know that.”

I nod, unsure how to respond. “Have a nice nap, Felicity. We’ll talk more over dinner.”

She gives me a small smile before slipping into her room. I stand there for a moment, listening to the soft sounds of her moving about.

This isn’t how I imagined my marriage would begin, but as I head to my own room, I’m oddly hopeful. Perhaps, in time, we can make this work as true partners, not just business partners. It’s a strange and heady thought, though opening myself to having feelings for her raises the stakes. It would be bad to lose a wife with whom I have a respectful accord, but it would be devastating to lose one I truly love.

7

Kiril

Over the next few days, I watch Felicity closely as she tries to adjust to her new life. Her movements are tense as she constantly looks around the penthouse. She jumps at unexpected noises and flinches when anyone approaches her too quickly. It’s clear she’s struggling with the sudden change in her circumstances.

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