Page 2 of Obsession
She’s stunning. Even with the blue hair. I’ve heard about the younger Ricci girl; I even drafted her marriage contract, but this is the first time I’ve seen her. I try my best not to let my eyes linger, but it’s hard to take my gaze from her heart-shaped face with her dark eyes and creamy skin. Her hair is still dark at the roots but fades into a teal-blue color as it hangs off her shouldersin long waves. Suddenly, I have an itch to wrap those locks in my fist and tug back. I wonder what the column of her throat would look like, if those eyes would still be so sassy once I had her at my mercy.
I shake the thoughts from my brain.She’s not mine.I know better than anyone that she’s meant to marry someone else.
Caterina, the mother of the two siblings who are currently engaging in a staring contest, drops her head into her palms. I think she might cry, but then she looks up, steadying herself. “A dress. We can get her changed into a dress,” she says to Marcus, as if a dress might suddenly change the color of her hair.
Marcus turns to his mother, nostrils flaring and jaw tight. “You think that’ll fix this?” He waves his hand over his sister like the whole thing is broken. Damaged beyond repair.
It’s just a little blue hair.
But I don’t say that.
I’ve only been working with this family for a year now, and I’m playing the long con here. Pissing off my boss by telling him his sister doesn’t look bad with the teal painting her head will only make him angrier, and I’ve seen Marcus when his temper explodes. It normally ends with a body on the floor.
“No…” Now Caterina looks frazzled as she tries to talk her way back. “But it might distract from it.”
For a moment, I think Marcus is going to lay a hand on his own mother, something that makes my blood boil. My mother is long gone, barely in my life for a few years before she passed, but my father taught me at a young age never to hit a woman.
“I’m not marrying him,” Madi bites out with venom, still holding strong despite the look of rage on her brother’s face. I want to laugh again, but I refrain. So much sass for such a little thing, who’s way out of her depth.
Marcus takes two steps until he’s in her face, his head hovering above hers too close. I have to grip my fingers aroundmy glass to keep from stepping in. I don’t like watching him abuse women, and I have a feeling Madi is about to be on the bad side of his temper.
“You’re fucking lucky Rafe Bianchi is about to walk through that door, or else I would make sure you feel every second of the consequences for your actions, you stupid little bitch.”
Madi doesn’t flinch. Her only reaction is the slow lifting of her fingertips to delicately wipe away the bits of spit that landed on her face during her brother’s outburst.
“Do it,” she taunts, making my stomach drop. I know damn well that Marcus doesn’t give empty threats. I’ve watched him kill men for less and this little girl is antagonizing him.
“Madi, let’s get you changed.” I give Caterina credit for trying to step in, but before she can get an arm around Madi, her son flings his, backhanding her across the face. She stumbles on her heels but grabs onto the wall to steady herself before she falls. Her hand covers her face, and I can tell she’s trying not to cry, but somebody was going to get hit tonight. Marcus doesn’t know how to quell his violent tendencies, and one day, it’s going to get him killed.
“Go upstairs, put a fucking dress on, and then come back now here. I don’t want to hear another fucking word from your mouth tonight.Capiche?”
Madi doesn’t speak. Doesn’t agree. Doesn’t give him an inkling that she might behave tonight.
“Now!” he roars at her. Only then does she move. Going to the stairs of the large mansion and trudging up them one by one.
“Go with her and make sure she doesn’t make a fool of this family any more than she already has,” Marcus growls at his mother, who quickly rushes to the stairs, following her daughter.
I take another sip of my cognac. This family is fucked up.
It’s not that I thought they’d be normal. I knew they were powerful, but I didn’t think this was going to be a family full of love. Not with the bodies they leave in their wake.
Marcus inhales a breath once the women are gone, turning to the table where Damien and I are sitting. “Do you have the paperwork drawn up?”
I lift the contract that’s currently covered in a manila folder. “Yes.”
“And everything we discussed is outlined in there?” Marcus slumps into a seat across from me like he’s exhausted from screaming at his family for the last five minutes. Damien pours him a glass of cognac, and he shoots the whole thing back, wiping his lips on the back of his hand.
“Yes,” I say again. He’s selling off his sister’s hand in marriage for some smuggling routes and a cocaine connection. What the contract doesn’t spell out is how his connection to the Bianchis, one of the five New Yorkfamigliasis worth more than his sister’s life or happiness. If he wants to solidify his power in this city, having a New York backing is worth every penny.
“Good. Finally, someone who’s not a fuckup,” he says, refilling his glass. Pleasing Marcus has been easy since I figured out all his ticks. It was simple enough to sell my services to him since he killed his last lawyer out of anger. He was in need of someone to keep his men out of prison and to handle all his legal matters — like selling his sister to the New York mafia. My Italian heritage might have helped seal the deal. These men like to keep everyone in the familypure blood.An antiquated notion. But I’m not here to get them into the 21stcentury.
I want to burn their kingdom now.
Revenge is a dish best served cold and all that. So I’m taking my time. Weaseling my way into his good graces so I can crumble his empire, brick by bloody brick.
Madi makes her reentrance known. Stomping her heels down each stair. All three of our heads lift to follow her. She’s wearing a navy-blue dress that hugs all her curves, making her look sexy as hell. But the neckline is high, the sleeves are long, and the bottom hits just above her knees — making the dress seem less revealing. The color plays nicely off her new teal locks, the subtle contrast of the two colors pairing well. It’s still bright and too improper for what Marcus wants, but it looks better than when she walked in wearing ripped jeans and a top that exposed her stomach.
Marcus growls some form of approval and gestures for his sister to come to him. “Sit here,” he demands. “And keep your mouth fucking shut.”
