Page 18 of Mafia and Protector

“You’re hurting me.” Her voice had taken on a pleading tone.

A hint of doubt crept into my conscience, and I relaxed my grip by the tiniest amount. I wasn’t going to give her too much leeway, though—she’d shown me that she couldn’t be trusted.

She avoided my eyes for the whole dance. She could do whatever she liked, but she wouldn’t be able to avoid me tonight.

We finished the dance and I gladly handed her over to her father for the next dance while I had the dubious pleasure of dancing with her mother.

Mrs. Bonardi talked incessantly about the flowers, the dresses, the guests and the food. Christ, did the mouth on this woman ever stop?

“How wonderfully the wedding has turned out, just like I knew it would!” she exclaimed. She had obviously forgotten her daughter’s childish display at the church, I thought.

I had never really spoken to Mrs. Bonardi in the past. Previously, I had been concerned that Jessica might take after her pompous father, but now I could see that I should really be worried about her taking after her tiresome mother.

JESSICA

Surviving today was a living nightmare.

Not only did I have to constantly monitor the position of my father-in-law in the ballroom, I was now also having to deal with my difficult husband.

Every look and touch from Rafael sent my pulse surging. Repeated waves of panic were threatening to overwhelm me.

I was the center of attention, and it was grueling trying to keep it together when all I felt like doing was huddling in a corner and bursting into tears.

Rafael and I carried on dancing with the required members of our families. After I had finished dancing with my father, it was the turn of the best man to lead me around the dancefloor. Gabriel Santino approached me and held out his arm. I didn’t want to dance with any Santino men today, and that included him.

As we danced, I could feel his stare upon me, and the atmosphere was definitely awkward with my attempts to avoid his gaze.

“Are you okay?” His abrupt question made me jump.

I risked a glance up at him. He was looking intently at me. “I’m fine.”

Neither of us said anything else for a while, although I was acutely aware that he was still staring at me, almost as though he were trying to look into my mind.

“Do you miss her? Juliana, I mean.” I don’t know what made me ask Gabriel this.

I watched as Gabriel gritted his teeth. “I worry for her, about what her captor has done to her already and what he is doing to her now. We won’t stop trying to get her back. It shames us all that they took a Mafia daughter.”

I noticed how he had cleverly avoided answering my question, no doubt a skill he’d acquired as Capo-in-waiting.

Next was another dance with my husband. My feet were hurting in my new shoes and I longed to sit down. Rafael danced without saying a word and that suited me fine, although I could feel his glare upon me all the while. At the end of the song, he finally spoke to me. “Here comes my father now for his dance with you. Make sure you behave—he won’t put up with as much as I’ve put up with today. I’m going to get a drink.”

Right then, Emanuel interrupted us. “I’ve come to claim your bride…” He openly leered at me.

My father-in-law’s words and expression sent a shudder right through me. Suddenly I felt ice cold.

“Claim her for a dance, that is.” His mouth twisted into a cruel expression as he took me roughly in his arms.

I tried to keep some space between us, but he grasped me too tightly and too closely.

It was unseemly the way he was holding me, but no one would have the audacity to say anything to the Capo of the Società. Even if people dared to mention it between themselves, no doubt his actions would be blamed on the effects of too much celebratory alcohol.

I felt a bead of cold sweat trickle between my breasts as I desperately avoided looking at him.

“You’ve been avoiding me, Jessica.”

I felt my face flush. “I haven’t…”

His arm around my waist tightened even more and my breath came out in a gasp. “I like seeing the effect I have on you, Jessica.”