Page 39 of Forced Bratva Bride

The way he looked at me, as if I were a force to be reckoned with, made me sit up straighter with confidence. Tonight, I saw him in a new light, and he saw me in the same way. For the first time ever, I wanted to learn more about this mysterious and incredibly challenging man with a heart of gold.

I bit my lip, an idea forming. “I want to meet the rest of your family.”

Surprise registered on his face. “Why?”

“Because,” I said, the plan settling as I spoke, “I might be around for a while. Might as well find myself some company.”

Gio studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, to my surprise, the corner of his mouth lifted in a half-smile that transformed his face.

“Careful, Larissa,” he teased. “I might start to think you're getting Stockholm syndrome.”

Before I could formulate a suitably cutting response, he turned away, moving toward the door. “Get some rest. You've earned it.”

Chapter 13 - Gio

We pulled up to Dante’s estate and Larissa craned her neck to look out of her window, her eyes widening at the sight of it.

“Wow,” she murmured. “Your brother’s house is beautiful,” she reflected on the Mediterranean-style mansion.

“Oh yeah?” I couldn’t help but grin at her. An infectious energy surrounded her, washing away the nervousness I’d felt about tonight. “Want to move in?”

She turned to me and rolled her eyes. “No chance. This place…it’s intimidating.”

“And mine isn’t?” I scowled, trying to act offended.

“It used to be,” she teased back. “Until I learned you’re a softy at heart.” She playfully banged her shoulder against mine.

I laughed a deep, rumbling laugh. Things between Larissa and I had grown easier, in the best sense of the term. Ever since she realized that I hadn’t kidnapped her out of a personal vendetta, but rather to protect my family, she’d loosened up with those walls that she maintained around her. She might not have agreed with how I did things, but she certainly tried to understand.

So, of course, when she asked if she could meet my whole family, I had to set aside my reservations. She had already met my brothers and helped heal Dante and Luca as well. I had no reason to keep her away from my sisters.

The worst part wasn't that I'd brought her because I couldn’t say no; it was that I wanted her here, wanted to see her laugh with my sisters and spar with my brothers. I wanted to watch her exist in my world as if she belonged in it, though I never allowed that thought to surface in a conscious manner.

The driver pulled up to the house, and I stepped out, walking over to Larissa’s side to help her out. As I opened her door, I reflected on our location and purpose. To any reasonable bystander, bringing the sister of a rival Italian crime family—especially one I had abducted two months ago—to a family gathering would have seemed like a foolish move.

Then again, no one in my family knew who she was exactly, or whatI’d done.If they caught wind of the fact that I’d kidnapped an Ajello, and news reached Caspian, there would be hell.

But as long as we could keep it a secret, there was no reason she couldn’t indulge in an evening with all of us.

Yet once again, my heart began to race. If something went wrong, if my family tried to pry into her background, I feared what Larissa might say. I knew she still wanted her freedom, and a small part of me wondered if she’d try to take it. She knew by now that her true identity was a secret I’d kept to myself. If probed, she might reveal who she was just to cause me trouble.

Any reasonable person would.

I prayed for this entire evening to be casual, with personal questions kept to a minimum.

“Hey, listen,” I started as I extended a hand out to her. She stepped out, and her gorgeous blue-green eyes shifted colors as they met mine. And in that cream and gold dress, she looked like a divine angel. Time lost all meaning as we stood there, her beauty all I could focus on.

She cocked an eyebrow in my direction, and that was when I realized I’d lost my train of thought.

“Never mind,” I shook my head, knowing it was too late to ask her for what I truly needed of her. Also, the guilt gnawed at me. I was this close to begging her not to tell them she was an Ajello, but I had been the one who had kidnapped her. It didn’t seem fair to put her in that position.

For once, I needed to let the evening play out.

“Come,” I said, giving her my hand. She landed a quizzical look in my direction but didn’t question me further. Her fingers slid against mine, and I felt a jolt. I squeezed harder as we walked.

The front door swung open before we reached it, and my youngest brother Achille bounded out, dark hair wild and the same whiskey eyes as mine filled with mischief.

“There you are!” He practically skidded to a halt in front of Larissa, pulling her into a hug. “Oh, you worked magic. Dante and Luca are back to their overconfident, assholish selves.”

---