Mila: The Godfather (Unholy Trinity #7)

by Adriana Brinne

You no longer belong to the shadows, Mila. Never again.”

“Did you know in Greek mythology, the Lily, was the flower of Hera, wife of Zeus. The legends have it that the lily was formed from the milk of her breast. However, in Roman mythology, Venus, the Goddess of beauty, was so jealous of the flower’s white loveliness that she

I wanted her, I found a way into her little world, and now I don’t plan on ever leaving.

“Oh, but I do. My nonna used to say that we should always show our gratitude when someone does something nice for us, either with words or with food, and since sometimes, I’m not very good with words, so I chose food. Eat.”

All my life, I programmed myself to blend in with my surroundings, to not attract attention, and keep myself out of people’s way, yet here, with Riagan, I can’t help but ask questions and speak my mind. Riagan seems intent on pushing me into the spotlight, which is also new to me. New, and at times, scary.

won’t let you fall, sweetheart, and no one will laugh. I promise you, and if they do, they’ll lose their lives, so it wouldn’t matter if they laugh because they’ll be dead.” He says nonchalantly.

“I sure as fuck can kill someone that is being unkind to you.”

“I like you, Riagan. I know it is very premature of me to say this without us really knowing each other, but I have this gut feeling that tells me you’re one of the good ones. You’re a good friend, and my nonna used to say I should always trust my gut feeling. I am trusting my instinct. Please don’t prove me wrong.” I blurt vulnerability.

I wanted him to like me. I want him to smile at me like he is now. I want things I don’t quite comprehend, yet I just know it feels right. He feels right.

“You’re not most people. You’re mine.” My breath hitches, and he notices quickly adding. “You’re mine to protect from now on. You’re my…” He clears his throat and his face changes. I notice he grinds his teeth like people do when they don’t want to say what will come out of their mouth next. “Friend. You’re my friend.”

I wish these moments could last a lifetime. Every fear. Every heartache. Every bad thing that’s ever happened to me seems to have washed away once we reach the surface.

“This is the best day ever, Riagan, like it was yesterday and the day before. All my best days seem to be with you. I want more days like this one.”

Without saying a word, I lean forward, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. I keep my lips there. “I think… I think you might become one of my favorite people, Riagan.” “Good.” He pulls me closer to his chest. So close that I can feel his heartbeat. “Because you’re already my favorite one.”

I am irrevocably obsessed with this man.

“You have a piece of heaven here. You can easily escape the hectic chaos of everyday life in the city. You can hide from the world when it gets scary or too loud.”

Riagan makes me feel like I’m strong too. Like the world can’t touch me. Not if he’s near.

“You don’t have to fear the world, butterfly. One thing I learned is that you should make the world fear you. Our world, at least.”

“You have me. I got you. They should fear what I’m willing to do for you.” He says in a freighting tone. So quiet. So powerful.

Watching the world through Mila Parisis eyes, and let me tell you, it’s a fucking beautiful world.

“I can’t be your fucking friend because friends Mila… they don’t dream, day and night, about doing what I’m going to do to you next.”

Because I want more. I want to be the sole reason she breathes. Her reason to wake up in the morning and smile.

“I’m here, butterfly. I’ve always been here and always will be.” I rock her gently wishing I could wipe away all the shit that she’s seen.

Women as pure and good as this one should only have beautiful dreams. Sweet memories. Not nightmares. Definitely not scars.

“I want you to desire me as a man, not a friend, Mila.” His voice catches me off guard. He sounds different than before. Almost mad?

Evil has no preference. Evil hides in daylight as well.

Because yes, I might be the prince in her story, but I am also the villain. The nightmare who won’t hesitate to annihilate anyone that dares take her from me or hurt her in any fucking way.

I never had a home. Not really. Love made a home. Love and care. My sisters were my home. Now, there’s Riagan. How strange that it really feels like that. Like a home.

I never once saw myself settling down with just one woman, let alone putting my ring on her finger.

With my name and my ring, she’ll not only be protected by my city but respected by my men and my enemies as well.

In her heart, and I don’t plan on ever leaving. Because she’s not only inked in my skin, but she’s my entire heart. My weakness. My strength. My Mila.

“Because there’s never been and there’ll never be anyone else for me.” I confess proudly as I wait for her.

“Everything will be alright.” I assure her, still staring at her eyes while her gaze falls to my lips. “You’ll always be safe with me. Always.”

“It’s not long enough, butterfly. No amount of time with you will ever be enough.”

Starving for a taste of heaven. A taste of her. My wife.

“This woman here. This is my wife, and you will protect her with your life. Treat her as an extension of me. I trust that you will not only make her feel safe in your presence but include her in your conversations. You will treat her with the respect she deserves as not just a human but as my wife. The wife of your captain. You make sure everyone inside and outside these walls does as well. No one hurts her. No one makes her feel less than perfect. And if you do, I’ll treat it as treason to your captain. To this family.”

“He looks at you, Mila, like a man who is willing to take on the world for his woman. For you.”

“What I am trying to say is that I choose you, Riagan. I chose you back in that alley, and I chose to be here with you today.”

“Butterfly, don’t hide your eyes from me.” Riagan reaches forward, grabs my chin, and lifts my face to see me better. “It’s special alright. Your smile always has the power to stop me in my tracks, and your laugh?” He shakes his head with a soft look on his face. “That fucking laugh of yours, I feel down to my bones. It’s my favorite sound, sweetheart, so yeah it’s fucking special.”

“Don’t do that shit with me, yeah? Don’t talk about yourself as if you’re anything less than perfect. I won’t have it.”

“You, Mila Areya Parisi, are not their weakness and their failures.” My heart slows when he leans closer, so close that I can feel his hot breath on my face. “But you’re certainly my biggest blessing. The one I never saw coming, but I’m sure-as-fuck beyond grateful.”

“I thought you would have realized by now, Mila. You gave yourself to me, and I don’t plan on ever letting you go. Children or not. This is it, baby. Till death do us part, and even then, I’ll follow you there, too.”

My endgame. Her. My queen. Shit, I’m obsessed.

The life of a man who was unkind to me when I was only a child. An innocent one who had no fault and didn’t deserve all the cruelty that was thrown her way.

I could either run away scared, or I can hug the demons of the man I love.

He looks like an evil villain in every old-school classic horror movie, and yet he takes my breath away. Oh, what a pair we are.

“Because there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, butterfly. If I have to fight the world for you, I will, and that bitch, Locke, was just the start. I’m not done, and I won’t be done until every person who made you cry meets the same fate as him. You have my word on that.”

Here, in your world, I feel peace. Here with you, I feel strong and vulnerable. Brave and afraid. I feel so many things all at once. It’s a whole new world to me, and I wouldn’t change it for a thing. You gave me all of that. You, Riagan.”

“For making me smile. For shining your light all over my dark.” He says, rendering me speechless. “Because, baby, you’re the only one that can.”

My hero. My beautiful villain with the heart of a hero. My perfect husband.

“You’re okay, and that won’t be happening again. You have my world, sweet girl.”