Bound by Duty (Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles, #2)

by Cora Reilly

We’d met a couple of times at mafia functions and had even shared a brief dance at Aria’s wedding in August three months ago.

Of course, I’d been naïve, hadn’t realized what it would really mean to marry a man who wasn’t interested in me, or women in general.

First husband was gay

“I’m twenty-three,” I said in a surprisingly calm voice. Maybe Dante’s aloofness rubbed off on me. If so, I would be known as the ice queen in no time. “That’s not young by our marriage standards.” “Twelve years younger than me. That’s more than I would have liked.”

23/35

His deceased wife had been only two years younger than him, and they’d been married for almost twelve years before she’d died from cancer.

Oh that's horrible

Or maybe he was still in love with his wife?

Thats the one!

We make enough money with our casinos and drugs, we don’t need sex slaves or illegal racing like the Russians and the Camorra in Las Vegas.”

“So you didn’t mind the company of prostitutes, but you can’t take your own wife’s virginity?”

Oh shit you just announcing you still got th V Card willy nilly

“But that doesn’t mean we can’t try to make it a real marriage. There are no logical reasons why we shouldn’t sleep with each other. You slept with prostitutes, so why can’t you sleep with me?” “Because I was angry and I wanted to fuck someone. I wanted it rough and hard. I wasn’t looking for closeness or tenderness or whatever it is you want. I took whatever pleasure I wanted, and then I left. What you’re looking for, I can’t give you. The part that was capable of it died with my wife, and it won’t come back.”

Well damn!

I was also good at leading people, but I kept that to myself. Made Men didn’t like women who enjoyed being in charge. Somehow most of them couldn’t get it in their heads that a strong woman at their side didn’t make them less of a man.

Not just Made men girl

could feel the cold air on my opening from behind, and then his lips were back on my center.

He didnt want her touching him?

“There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name. Come, devil. For to thee is this world given,”

All that had been left of Antonio was a burned corpse. I’d never seen it—Father had forbidden me from doing so. He’d said there was nothing left for me to recognize. The Russians had even cut his head off before they’d set him on fire. The Outfit never found it.

Ummmm are we sure it was actually him? Like did he actually die especially with Frank immediately going ghost afterward

“I know you’re ignoring me, but you should learn to control your body if you want to succeed in doing so.”

“Every moment of the day I think of the things I want to do with you, catch myself remembering your taste, your smell. Sometimes I think I’ll go insane if I don’t bury myself in you.”

My hand came up to his stomach and I stroked him lightly. Was it the dark that made him more approachable? That made him forget who he was, who he was bound to be?

Or was it cause it was dark he could imagine you being his 1st wife? Which is kinda ass

My father had me kill my first man on his orders when I was fourteen. A traitor that my father had tortured in front of me before I put a bullet in his head. After that, my father had one of his soldiers torture me to see how long I could stand the pain until I broke down and pleaded for him to stop. I lasted less than thirty minutes. The second time, I lasted almost two hours. The tenth time, my father had to stop the soldier or I would have died. I didn’t beg, not even to save my life. Be glad that you never got the chance to develop your cruelness, Valentina.”

JESUS

This was also the case the morning I was woken from cramps. When I sat up, a violent wave of nausea hit me. I stormed into the bathroom and threw up what little I had in my stomach, gasping for breath and feeling dizzy. Gradually a suspicion wormed its way into my mind. My period was overdue at least a week.

Oh shit! HA!!

The next day my gynecologist confirmed my pregnancy and that I was seven weeks along.

“I’m not so sure. And who says that Aria didn’t help her sister escape?”

She probably fucking did. Aria is a meddler

Dante’s mouth was set in a tight line. “Is it mine?”

What a dick wtf

It was Carla who was infertile.” I winced inwardly at my wording. I didn’t want to badmouth a dead woman.

Yeah youre walking a THIN line Val

“You’re so busy honoring her memory and protecting the image of her you have in your mind that you don’t realize how badly you’re treating me. You lost your first wife through no fault of your own, but you will be losing me because you can’t let go of her.”

“I’ll move into the guest bedroom. There isn’t enough room in our bedroom for me and the memories of your past. If you ever decide you want to give this marriage a chance, then you can come to me and apologize for what you said. Until then, I’m done with us.”

DAMN!!

“You didn’t drink any wine during dinner, and you kept touching your stomach.”

DEAD giveaway!!

“You know what’s strange?” I whispered thickly. “At one point, I thought I could never love someone as I loved Antonio, no matter how unrequited that love was. And today I’m condemning him to his death for another man who will never love me back.”

“Please,” I said quietly. “Make love to me. Just today. I know you don’t love me. Pretend, just for tonight. Hold me in your arms for once.”

Thats SO sad!

I knew many women in our world preferred a beautiful lie to the harsh truth any day, and for the first time, I understood. After all that had happened today, I allowed myself that weakness. Tomorrow would be the time to face reality.

“I do, or my fingers would already be delving into your wet heat.”

Cringe

Dante cradled me in his arms as his fingers raked through my hair. “Thank you for never giving up on me, Val.” “I knew my stubbornness would come in handy one day,” I said with a small laugh.