The Mafia Contract Series

WINTER

I should have thanked him and taken my seat again. I don’t know why, but I couldn’t leave his arms if I tried. There is something so comforting about them. As if I have a home here. The fact he makes my pulse race, and my heart flutter, may have something to do with it because this man was crafted from my dreams. He seems so familiar to me and I’m guessing it’s because he’s my friend, but for some reason I want more.

As we take the flight, I am in no hurry to move, and I settle down with his arms locked around me and fall asleep. This time there are no nightmares. I’m safe here. It doesn’t even seem wrong, as if I will be punished for doing something I shouldn’t. No, with Alessandro there are no threats, no bad feelings, only happiness.

It’s dark when we touch down in Sicily and it’s as if I’ve been traveling for days. We all appear to be tired, and I wonder about the place we’re heading. I don’t think I’ve ever been to Italy, but they will probably tell me I live here. It’s the strangest experience not knowing my history. There is a fog where my memory used to be. I can sense it. A barrier against information, and I’m hoping a few more days may change everything.

Once again, we travel in convoy. I chose to go with Alessandro because Angelo would probably prefer to travel with his wife. I still don’t understand why I’ve never met her before. I must be the worst sister in the world, and I hate my past self already.

Alessandro seems on edge, but I can’t fault his attention to me. He fussed around me the entire flight and it was quite sweet, really.

Even in the car, he pulled me tenderly against his shoulder, allowing my head to rest on it and it felt so natural.

As we head toward his home, I say tentatively, “What happens now?”

“You rest.” His soft reply makes me smile because I am fast learning I love hearing him speak. It’s slightly rough with a husky edge and sounds incredibly sexy on him.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” I blush as my thoughts turn into words that came from nowhere and he says gently, “No.”

“Why not?”

“Because my heart belongs to only one woman and always has.”

“Oh.” I’m crushed for some reason, disappointed even and suddenly wonder if I should be as close to him as I am. He must be hating every minute of this and is only being kind because he’s my friend.

I make to pull away and he growls, “Stay where you are.”

“But …”

“I said, stay where you are.”

“Why?”

I hold my breath as he whispers, “Because it’s where you belong.”

Tears well in my eyes at the slightly desperate tone of his voice and as I snuggle in a little closer, I whisper, “This woman. Where is she now?” He hesitates slightly before saying, “Fuck this.”Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

“Excuse me.”

I’m shocked when he shrugs me off and turns to face me and I gasp when I see the passion flashing in his eyes. He looks angry for some reason, and I wonder why and then he grasps my face in both his hands so gently as if he’s afraid I’ll break and whispers, “She’s right here, Winter. The only woman I have ever loved and ever will is you.”

“Me?” I’m lost for words, and he says with a tortured breath, “I lost you once, but I’ll be damned if I let it happen again. You were taken from me and given to another, and I have spent two fucking years trying to get you back. The fact you don’t remember tears a hole in my soul, but you will remember and if you don’t…”

He breaks off and whispers, “I’ll make you fall in love with me all over again.”

“You love me.” I’m shocked at the powerful emotion in his eyes and he whispers, his lips grazing against mine, “I will always love you, Winter, and one day I hope you will love me right back.”

He pulls away and slings his arm around my shoulder and says gruffly, “No more talking. I’ve said enough.”

As the car continues down the road, something shifts inside me. Hope, happiness and desire, all wrapped up in anxiety. Did I love him too? Then why did I marry somebody else? Is he telling me the truth? I’m not sure of anything anymore and so I close my eyes and pray that when I open them again, it’s with my memory back because I’m lost without it and don’t know who or what to believe.

We make the rest of the journey in silence and as we turn off the slightly bumpy road, I see huge iron gates barring our entrance and watch in surprise when they swing open, allowing the entourage to pass through. I’m not sure who these people are, and I may have lost my memory, but I’m not stupid and I shiver when I contemplate what’s happening here. The dark suits, the convoy, the private plane, and the rough edges of the men can only mean one thing-Mafia.

Don’t ask me how I know, I just do. It’s the one certainty in a life with none. I think deep down I’ve always known, which gives me hope that one day the rest of the picture will be revealed. I wonder what that makes Alessandro and Angelo. Do they work for the man in charge? Are they soldiers, or more?

As we sweep through the gates, I look out on the shadows because the sky is as black as Satan’s heart and our progress is only illuminated by the lighting that lines the driveway. I make out a huge shape in front of us, which I’m guessing is the house, and it takes forever to navigate the path up to it.

Alessandro is tense. I can sense he changed the moment we swept through the gates, and I wonder about that. Is he in trouble for bringing me here? I am a married woman, after all. Will my husband be angry? Did they kidnap me? He told me he had been trying to get me back for two years. Will my husband come for me? Will he hurt Alessandro?

I have so many questions but no fucking answers and if I didn’t have a headache before, I do now.

The car stops and the door is wrenched opened and suddenly I’m scared. Everything appears so dark, so threatening and as Alessandro’s hand reaches for mine, I grasp it like a lifeline, intending on not letting go.

We follow the soldiers inside the house and as they melt into the shadows, I see a woman waiting, looking at us with curiosity. She has a hard edge to her, sharp eyes and patrician features that soften when Alessandro steps forward and says respectfully, “Nonna.”

He drops my hand and embraces her and as they kiss on both cheeks, I’m mesmerized. Despite her severe welcome, I can tell she is respected here and as Alessandro steps back to my side, he immediately takes my hand again and says with a slight edge to his voice, “This is Winter.”

Nonna looks at me intently, and I feel her razor-sharp stare penetrating through my defensive layers. I’m almost positive she knows everything about me from one lingering look and then she steps forward and, to my surprise, pulls me in for a hug.

“Mio bellissimo angelo, Benvenuto.”

I’m not sure what she even says, but Alessandro laughs softly and says, “I couldn’t have said that better myself.”

As she releases me, I whisper, “What did she say?”

He squeezes my hand. “She said, welcome home.”

He must sense my confusion, because he grips my hand a little tighter. “You can ask me anything, but not now. You’re to go with Nonna and Jasmine. We have business to discuss.”

“You’re leaving me.”

I’m worried about that, and he pulls me closer and whispers, “Not for long. I’ll be back as quick as I can. Don’t worry, you are safer here than anyone and Jasmine will be right by your side.”

Jasmine steps forward and reaches for my hand.

“Come, Winter. Nonna has arranged coffee, or something stronger if you prefer.”

As we follow Nonna to what I’m assuming will be the kitchen, I glance back and see Alessandro watching me leave with those dark, sexy eyes, glittering with something that should scare me but for some reason only makes me impatient for him to return.