Page 15 of Abducted By the Mafia Don
My heart, of course, but also my lungs.
“Why are you doing this for me? I’m nobody.”
She’s everything to me. Now she’s here in the same room, I can’t imagine how I survived without her. It’s as though she’s an essential organ.
“You could think that I’m doing this to make up for what I couldn’t do in the past,” I suggest. That would be wrong, but you could.
It’s the right thing to say. She relaxes, and when I gesture to the rings again, she steps forwards, and we pore over the tray together, me suggesting, pointing out larger diamonds and emeralds until she laughs and accepts the sparkliest one in white gold with sapphires and diamonds.
Sliding the ring onto her finger, and seeing her pleased smile, is magic.
“Call your grandmother and tell her I’m sending a car,” I say to cover the fact I just want to kiss her.
“Oh, she’ll never leave her house,” Taggie replies, looking up from her ring. “No chance.”
I scowl. I’d rather have everything under my control.
“Ask her anyway. Impress on her how important this is.”
“I will, but…” Taggie shakes her head. “She’s stubborn.”
“I’ll send some of my men to look after her. And we start immediately to show everyone you’re mine, and under my protection. You’ll need a dress for an event tonight.”
I pull out my wallet and offer her the matte black credit card. The limit on it is enough to buy most houses three times over.
“Whatever you’d like, put on that. I’ll arrange a car and security.” For a second I consider dropping everything to go shopping with her. But that won’t make sense if we’ve been married for a year. “Gavino and my core team will accompany you.”
She’s shaking her head.
“Yes.” I lower my tone to one of uncompromising command. “A dress for tonight, and anything else you need. If you’re going to be my wife?—”
“Your fake wife,” she reminds me, and that is unwelcome.
“You must ensure no one suspects. My wife knows she’s valued above all. She can buy everything she wants, and I’ll smile as I pay the bill.”
A shadow passes over her eyes. “Yeah, but yourfakewife?—”
She stops mid-sentence when I reach out and place my fingers on her lips. “We won’t repeat that again.” My heart can’t take it. “From now on, there’s no fake. You’re my wife, so that I can protect you. And we won’t give anyone a chance to suspect anything.”
She’s warm and soft and unexpectedly yielding beneath my blunt fingers.
“Do you understand?”
The whites of her eyes show large as she looks up at me and nods.
“And you’ll spend using my credit card as though it would be a personal affront to me if you didn’t?”
Another nod, and a small part of me relaxes.
If the price of Taggie being my fake wife can be paid with that credit card, it’ll be insanely cheap. I’d pay my entire soul.
6
TAGGIE
I always thought it would be great to be given a credit card, but it’s terrifying. What if I buy the wrong thing? It’s not my money, and somehow that’s worse.
He’s going to be cross with me.
