10

10
Arabella

I let out an audible sigh of relief as I sauntered away. It was the same sigh of relief I let out when I realized Six didn’t hear my prior conversation with Don Corleone.

If he had, my whole plan would have been completely ruined. When he called out to me at first, I was terrified that he had listened in on our conversation, but then, when he didn’t say anything, I relaxed.

I could hear his footsteps trailing close behind as I walked through the small crowd of guests and outside the hall.

I had enough partying for the night. All I wanted was to quietly retire. I wanted time alone, away from the man who was not that far behind.

I bit my lower lip as a small blush crept up on my face, thinking about moments ago. His arm locked around my waist, his deep voice dark with warning, “Never do that again, Arabella...”

The way my name rolled off his tongue made it sound exotic. The flash of anger in those midnight-black eyes left butterflies in my stomach.

Why was I suddenly excited about this sort of thing? His body had been so close, his breath warm against my skin, my chest pressed against his.

I shook my head, a desperate attempt to push the memory away. I couldn’t dwell on it, especially not now…

Now that he was this close to me, close enough that his scent, his cologne, wrapped around me, pulling me back into the moment when I was in his arms.

It was like I could feel him, like we were touching even though we were far apart. He had a presence that filled the space in an instant.

The car pulled up in front of us. I bit down on my lower lip when I felt him draw closer. “The ride is here, Miss Arabella,” he said in that deep baritone voice that always took my breath away.

I swallowed and merely nodded at him. I almost melted into his arms when he placed a hand at the small of my back, guiding me into the car. It was only for a short moment, and I missed him the moment he pulled away.

The drive home was silent. My mind was preoccupied, mostly distracted by the man in the front seat. The man who had managed to rock every inch of my world in less than 48 hours.

I nervously played with my fingers and looked out the window. When I wasn’t obsessing over Six, my mind kept going back to my conversation with the Don. What was the way forward?

Did the Don take my offer seriously? Was there really a way out of this mess with the Capo? What if Corleone went behind my back to form another alliance with the Capo?

After all, in this world, loyalty was a valueless currency. All these thoughts ran through my mind, and I didn’t even realize when we pulled into the mansion.

The car halted, and Six stepped out. He opened the car door and extended a hand to me. I stared at him, and after a little hesitation, I slipped my hand into his. He helped me out before pulling away again.

He stared at me with a gaze so intense, it was like he was boring into my soul. In that moment, I wondered if he knew, if he had heard the conversation and was only pretending. My heart fluttered in panic.

He gave me a knowing look. “After you, Arabella.”

My eyes lingered on him for a moment. However, nothing prepared me for what I saw when I walked into the living room. Capo Marco was sitting on the large couch, and a man was bent over the wooden center table.

I froze. None of the men had heard me come in. They were too preoccupied, enjoying the gory scene before them.

“Look at the mess you’ve made, imbecile!” Marco cursed. His thick Italian accent was laced with irritation. “I have to get a new rug now. You’ve ruined a good rug with your filthy blood! Fesso! (Fool)”

Marco held a dagger in his hand, while two men restrained the wounded man. His pained grunts filled the room. Blood was spilled everywhere, gushing from his hand, and his severed fingers lay on the table.

Goosebumps spread over my skin. I stood frozen in place until Six walked up from behind me. It was only then that the others in the room looked up.

“Bambolina Mia (My little doll),” Marco greeted with a wide smile. One of the men beside him passed him a hand towel, which he quickly used to wipe his hands. “You’re back.” There was a tinge of surprise in his voice. “I wasn’t expecting you home until much later...” He stole a glance at Six.

“It was an exhausting day...” Six muttered simply.

“How was your evening, Bella? I hope it wasn’t too much trouble?” Marco asked tenderly.

I was too stunned to speak. My hands were sweaty and clammy. I was jittery. All my life, I had been protected from this kind of violence, and to suddenly experience it like this had me on edge.

I stole a glance at the man who looked weaker with each passing moment. The rest of Capo’s men stood aside, their heads bowed.

Marco made to rise to his feet and approach me, but before he could, I walked away, hoping my legs wouldn’t betray the terror curling in my gut.