“I know…”
“Then what the fuck are you doing?”
“If I don’t marry her, someone else will.”
“Which is a good thing.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want anyone else to have her. Even if she doesn’t love me, she’ll still be mine. And maybe someday…that will change.”
“According to the gypsy, it never will.”
It seemed like he believed in it after all. “A guy can dream, right?”
He shook his head. “Don’t do this.”
“I don’t have a choice, Damien. No matter what I do…I lose. And that’s how I know this is a curse. I’m perpetually miserable. At least I can be miserable with the woman I want instead of imagining someone else fucking her every night. At least I’ll be the one doing the fucking.”
Damien knew I didn’t change my mind easily. Once I had my mind set on something, I stuck with it. “When are you getting married?”
“No idea.”
“So you plan not to get laid until then?” he asked incredulously.
I was free to do whatever I wanted, but now that she was mine…in a way…it didn’t feel right. I couldn’t screw a woman without thinking about Sofia. It would be a pointless screw, and my climax would be weak. Now that I knew I’d be having the best sex of my life again, without a condom, that was all I wanted. I didn’t want the cheap, watered-down stuff. “Yeah…guess so.”
3
Sofia
I was sitting at my desk in the office when one of the girls stepped in. “There’s someone here to see you.”
If it were Hades, she would have just said so. “Who?”
“His name is Maddox Stine.”
I’d never heard that name before. “Did he say what he wanted?”
“Something about a business opportunity. He’s in a black suit, wears a fancy watch…he looks the part.”
“Alright. I guess I’ll see him.” Gustavo wasn’t there to guide me through his former accomplices. I had to get acquainted with every part of the business, even parts I didn’t like.
He walked in the door minutes later, in a deep black suit that was as dark as midnight. He had short dark hair, nearly bald because his shave was so close. He didn’t greet me with a smile as he entered my office, but his blue eyes visibly approved of my appearance. He didn’t restrain himself from looking me over. “Sofia.” He said my name in his deep voice, the sound reverberating off the four walls of my office. It contained extreme power, but also malice. He had a fair face, but there was a noticeable scar along his jawline, like someone had dragged the tip of a blade directly across it, aiming for bone. He lowered himself into the chair, ignoring my attempt at a handshake.
The energy in the room was weird, like he somehow stole all the control with just his presence. I didn’t know this man, but I got a strange vibe from him. Couldn’t explain it…it was just instinct. “How can I help you, Mr. Stine?”
“Maddox is fine,” he said quietly. His fingers moved under his cuff and adjusted his flashy watch. “Before Gustavo passed away, he told me you were looking for a husband. Said I might be a good fit.”
My mother never mentioned Maddox, but maybe he was another man on her list. Being in his presence immediately made me uncomfortable. When the mafia came into the lobby and convened in the bar, I felt the same sense of dread. There was something evil about him, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. It made Hades much more preferable…by a long shot. We had our differences, but I never felt unsafe. “I’m flattered by your interest, but my family needs to butt out of my personal life.”
He smiled, showing all of his straight teeth. He was a handsome man, maybe a couple of years older than Hades. But there was still something off about him, especially the way he stared at me without blinking. “Annoying, isn’t it?” he said with a laugh. “But they’re trying to do the best thing for you. Not to sound presumptuous, but I probably am the best thing for you.”
Wow…that was a little much. “With all due respect, I don’t know you, and you don’t know me.”
His smile slowly faded, his gaze turning ice-cold. “I’m the richest man in this country. What else do you need to know?”
I found that hard to believe. There were a lot of rich men within a twenty-mile radius. Hades seemed particularly wealthy, but I never asked him what his net worth was…because it never mattered to me. “Then what do you need me for?”
“A beautiful wife. Isn’t that what every man wants?”
I felt like a possession, a toy he could play with until he got tired of it. I could picture this man treating me more like a dog than a person. “Like I said, I’m flattered. But I’m marrying someone else.” I’d been having cold feet about the idea all week, thinking about breaking it off with Hades. But now that I saw an example of what my mother had in mind, I quickly changed my mind.
“Oh, that’s too bad.” He glanced at my left hand. “I don’t see a ring.”
“It happened very recently.”
He nodded slowly. “Who’s the lucky man?”
“You probably don’t know him.”
“I know everybody.” His voice lowered.
“Hades Lombardi.” I wanted to wrap up this conversation quickly, to get this man out of my office so I would never have to see him again. The more questions I answered, the longer the conversation continued.
His entire body tightened at the name, like he knew exactly who that was…and didn’t like it. He stared at me so coldly, it seemed as if he wanted to reach across the desk and choke me to death. He swiped his tongue across his bottom lip, letting out a deep breath that showed his disappointment. “You could do better.”
Maybe. But Hades was definitely better than this guy. “I’ve got to get to a meeting, so thanks for stopping by.” I rose to my feet and opened the door for him. “It’s a beautiful day outside. You’d probably rather be out there than in here.”
He took a long time to stand up, lingering as he faced my empty chair. As if he had something else to say but wasn’t sure if he was going to say it, he took his time. When he finally stood up and looked at me, he was still ice-cold. He gave me a final look at the door before he walked off.
Thank fucking god.
I watched him walk around the corner before I relaxed. That man made me uneasy, like my soul could detect a demon living underneath his skin. It gave me the shivers. I returned to my chair and sat down, actually grateful I was marrying Hades. Now that my mom had gathered interest from suitors, they would probably keep pestering me until a wedding ring was on my finger.
Thankfully, I was already taken.
Hours later, Hades appeared in the doorway of my office.
I was actually happy to see him—until I saw the scowl on his face.
He sat in the chair Maddox had occupied earlier that day then set a stack of folders on my desk. He moved paper around until everything was arranged to discuss whatever business needed to be addressed.
Since he was so irritated, I didn’t mention the awkward conversation with Maddox. It might piss him off even more.