Marry the Don

Chapter 19

They threatened her safety to keep me in line and they threatened mine and our other siblings to keep her in line. Don’t think for one second that I don’t know how terrible her life has been, because she’s my little sister and I love her, and I burdened what I could for her. But I couldn’t do anything to stop it! Not without jeopardizing my other sister’s safety.” His chest rose and fell with exertion and redness blotched his face with anger.

I unfolded myself from the chair and stared him in the eye as I took a step forward to close the distance between us. “He will never touch her again. She’s mine.”

“Good,” he replied with as much strength, “It’s about time someone had enough power to do something against him.” I quirked an eyebrow at him, and he rolled his eyes and shifted on his feet. “Don’t act like I don’t know about your disdain for my father. Half of his allies can’t stand him and only keep him in their circle because of his obscene wealth. The other half only keep him around for their entertainment.” He scoffed, “It’s despicable and embarrassing to share his name.”

“I understand the burden of being the oldest son of a powerful man, better than most,” I acknowledged, and held my hand back out to him again, “As long as your intentions for my wife are

always good, you and I will be friends.” He wearily took my hand and I held onto him and stared down with dominance. “And with my friendship, comes great power and even more powerful allies.” His eyes squinted marginally as he tried to understand what I was saying, “Great power and allies are what turn princes into kings, Carmine.”

He took his hand from mine, “What are you saying? The Capasso family has been in my father’s pocket for decades.”

I shrugged my shoulders and tossed back the rest of the drink in my glass. “Those decades have passed and the need for your father’s money ended when I took over and took care of my own financial stability in ways my father never could. That generation of Capasso rule has changed, and I think it’s due time that the Rosetti household turns over as well.”

“Are you proposing to help with that?” He watched me.

A knock at the door interrupted my need to respond and Saul stuck his head in. “Doc’s here.” I nodded to him and then looked back at Carmine.

“I’m going to go see to my wife now. Go home with your family and I’ll be in touch,” I said with a slap on his shoulder as I passed.

I didn’t linger to explain anymore of my plan to the man, simply because I didn’t trust him yet. But I did trust his affection for his little sister, that much was clear to see.

While I didn’t need to assist the doctor with treating Arianna, I ached to see her again. The same way I had all day since leaving her bed last night, which was why I’d sent small tokens to her. Even if I poised it as simply trying to take care of her, the truth was I wanted to win her affection.

Even if I hated her entire existence.

ARIANNA

A knock sounded at the door and Molly entered with a woman behind her. “Mrs. Capasso,”

Molly said with a small curtsey, “This is Dr. Travis, she’s here to look at your hand.”

“Hmm,” I hummed because I knew I didn’t get a say in it. And being called Mrs. Capasso had

thrown me for a loop long enough for the doctor to cross the space and set a black leather bag down on the coffee table between my chair and the fire. She was middle-aged, with brown hair that had started turning grey at her temples and something about the natural look of age made me feel comfortable with her. Like she was authentic instead of fabricated like everyone else I ever interacted with.

“Mrs. Capasso,” The doctor sat down on the coffee table and looked at my swollen hand where I cradled it in my lap. “I’d like to take a look at your hand and re-place the joints. I believe the sooner I get them re-placed, the sooner the swelling and tenderness will go down.” She said directly before cocking her head, “But I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t going to hurt a bit.”

The door to the bedroom opened again and I looked over as my husband walked into the room with an indescribable look on his face. His black tux had been dismantled, leaving him in only a white dress shirt that was rolled up at his forearms, revealing the black ink underneath and unbuttoned at the throat, showing off the muscles that I bit my teeth into last night.

“Ma ’am?” The doctor said, drawing my attention away from my sinfully sexy new husband and back to her. I felt the red flush crawl up my cheeks from being caught ogling him and unfolded my legs from underneath me, trying to gain my composure.

“ Sorry.” I chanced a look back up at Nicolas as he rounded the chair and stood behind the doctor, noticing how his gaze was trained on the length of my bare leg through the opening of my robe, and my skin burned under his touch. “I can take the pain.”

“Very well, Ma ’am.” The doctor said and held her hand out for mine. I held it out and she gently ran her fingertips over the swollen knuckles, sending jolts of pain up my limb and I knew it was going to really suck when she reset the joints.

“Molly,” Nicolas said, without taking his eyes off of me as I glanced up at him, “Go see to the Rosetti’s things being packed. Use whoever you need, to get it done quickly, I want them gone as soon as possible.”