Page 33 of Forced Bratva Bride

I stepped forward and he whispered. “We’ll take this one then,” before turning away from me, breaking the moment.

I hadn’t even realized the store assistant had walked up to us. Disappointed, I hid it by giving her a smile and nodding in agreement.

Chapter 11 - Gio

I couldn't take my eyes off her. Larissa stood beside me in that midnight blue dress and she was a vision to behold. From the moment we had entered the gala, I had seen heads turn. Women, with envy. Men, with desire.

The fabric clung to those curves I had spent too many nights imagining. That slit, riding up that smooth skin, made me lose myself in a daydream for the briefest second, wondering what it would be like to run my hands up those legs.

We walked through the room, and I waved and nodded at a few people. Every time I did, I sensed her tension as she moved to adjust her dress or flicked her hair behind her ear. I could tell she was nervous from her small tells. Not to mention, her hands were trembling, yet she worked hard to conceal it by clenching them tightly across her clutch.

“Relax,” I whispered, my lips brushing the shell of her ear. “You look like you're about to bolt.”

She turned those aquamarine eyes on me, wide and alert. “I'm not used to... this.” Her gesture encompassed the opulent ballroom, but I knew what she meant was the gathering of the most dangerous people in the city.

“You need a drink.” I caught a passing waiter by the elbow, plucked two flutes of champagne from his tray, and handed one to Larissa. “Liquid courage.”

Her fingers grazed mine as she took the glass, and that small contact sent a current up my arm. At forty-two, I'd thought myself immune to such schoolboy reactions.Apparently not.

“Thank you,” she said, taking a sip. The champagne left a slight glisten on her lower lip that I wanted to taste.

The alterations to her dress had been worth every penny. What had been merely beautiful in the shop was now devastating—the neckline dipping just low enough to hint at the swell of her breasts, the waist taken in to emphasize the hourglass of her figure. Her blonde hair fell in loose waves over one shoulder, and the emerald earrings I'd given her that morning caught the light whenever she moved, making her look like some fantasy creature, too exquisite to be real.

“The earrings suit you,” I said, my voice rougher than I'd intended.

A blush colored her cheeks. “They're the most beautiful things I've ever owned. I still can't believe you gave them to me.”

I shrugged, uncomfortable with her gratitude. “Green is your color.”

Her eyes scanned the crowd again, that hopeful expression making my jaw clench. I knew who she was looking for. The very same people I was, only except we both had different intentions.

“Do you see them?” she asked, standing on tiptoe to peer over the crowd.

I placed my hand on the small of her back, steadying her. “Your brothers won't come, Larissa.”

Her face fell. “But, how can you know?”

“We’ve been here for a while, and my men reported that they did some digging. It turns out your brothers canceled at the last moment.”

A look of disappointment fell over her face, and to be honest, I felt it too. I had planned for tonight weeks in advance. I had shown up knowing that the Ajellos would be here. How I longed to see their faces when they realized they had been hunting for their sister high and low, only to learn I had had her the whole time. How I longed to witness the shock when they discovered she was happy and safe at my side, and would be heading back home with me.

I wanted my revenge. But more than my plans falling apart because of their no-show, I was furious by the disappointment Larissa felt.

A sadness dimmed the light in her eyes, and I felt a twist of something unpleasant in my chest. I didn't want her upset. Ihatedseeing her upset.

“Come on,” I said, guiding her toward a group of guests, hoping to show her a good time regardless. “I'll introduce you to a few people. We might as well have fun while we’re here.”

She hesitated. “Should I use my real name?”

I smiled at her intelligence. By now, she knew how sheltered her brothers had kept her. They had never introduced her to other crime families and had kept her identity a secret. To most of the criminal world, she was just a faceless rumor—the pampered princess of the Ajello crime family. I intended to keep it that way.

“First name only,” I confirmed.

She nodded.

We started making the rounds, and what I hadn't anticipated was how thoroughly she would charm everyone she met. Within minutes, she had an elderly weapons dealer eating out of her hand, laughing at his war stories and asking him questions that made him puff up with pride. She conversed in perfect Italian with the head of a smuggling operation, discussed art with his wife, and even managed to elicit a rare smile from my perpetually serious head of security.

“Where did you find her?” a voice murmured at my shoulder. An acquaintance from a long time ago stood by my side.

---