Diavolo (Devil’s Playground #1)

21. Chapter 21

21

Alessandro's kiss lingered on Elyse's lips as their bodies lay entwined in bed. His words lingered as well. So many jagged truths had passed between them. Such realities set the framework for Elyse's thoughts to tilt askew. What would become of her in the mafia?

As the seconds slipped by, her initial shock and horror over Alessandro's confessions dwindled slightly. An unexpected calm fell over her. At least, now, Elyse knew where she stood with her new husband and where he stood with her. She saw him more transparently. She didn't condone his methods or his actions or his killings, but she understood the why behind them. Clarity was heartbreaking, but it was also freeing in a way. It broke down the pretenses between them. Alessandro's voice lured Elyse from her rabbit hole of contemplation. " Cuore mio?"

She blinked as her focus snapped back to their wedding night. "Yes?"

"I have a hypothetical question for you." He paused for a moment before continuing, "What would it take to convince you to stay with me?"

Elyse glanced over to him with wide eyes. "Why are you asking?"

She hadn't expected him to ask her this at all. Alessandro continued, "You said you wished to disappear once our agreement has been fulfilled, but what if I want to negotiate with you? In hopes of changing your mind?"

"I don't know," she answered honestly.

With his gaze boring into her, Alessandro pressed again, "Tell me what you want. Hypothetically, of course. If you had the freedom to choose."

A furrow marred her brow. "I guess, if I had a choice, I wouldn't want anything to do with the mafia. I'd run as far as possible. To live a normal, quiet life."

"Is that what you desire most?"

She replied with only a few specks of uncertainty, "I believe so."

Alessandro appeared to be lost in thought. He merely grunted in acknowledgment. Elyse studied him with unease. "Alessio?"

His attention flitted back to her. "Hmm?"

"Why do I get the feeling that you're up to something?"

Much too casually, he rolled on top of her and started raining sweet, soft kisses all over her face. "You are too suspicious, wife."

Elyse surrendered to him with a sigh. "I'm always suspicious around you."

Alessandro's head lifted from her face. He gazed down at her with a surprisingly somber expression. "Would you stay with me if I was not a Vitale? What if I was simply your Alessio? "

Again, the subtext in his question floored Elyse. "This is all hypothetical, right?"

He nodded. "Of course."

Elyse frowned thoughtfully. Would she want him? If he wasn't in the mafia? If he was simply— hers? The response that bubbled out was instant. It stunned Elyse at how quickly she found her answer, "Yes."

Pure joy shone from his face. "Yes?"

She confirmed, " Yes ."

In halting tones, Alessandro asked, "Do you think you could, hypothetically, come to love your Alessio?"

Her eyes softened. "Yes."

A ghost of a smile crept across his handsome face. He murmured in cryptic tones, "Then I understand what must be done."

Elyse's hands reached over to frame his face as her eyes searched him determinedly. "What are you talking about?"

His mysterious smile only stretched wider. "Nothing."

This didn't sound like nothing . This definitely sounded like something . It worried her. Before Elyse could gather her wits to further interrogate her husband, however, Alessandro began to kiss her in earnest. His lips engaged hers in a sinful push and pull that battled sweetly between too much and not enough. Hands began to roam. He palmed her tits and rolled her nipples. Elyse moaned softly. He kissed his way down to her chest, worshipped the swells of her rose-peaked breasts with his mouth and lips and tongue. Nipping, teasing, swirling. Sucking hard enough to leave deep red markings all across her flesh. A minute later, she felt him position his cock between her thighs. A stab of alarm shot through her fog of lust.

"Wait," Elyse protested breathlessly.

"What? " he groaned back. Alessandro was already rubbing the tip of his shaft along her lower lips, prepping for entry.

"Do you have protection?"

He froze slightly. "Why?"

She cast him a pointed look. " Because ."

Earnestly, he declared, "Do not worry. You know I am clean from my physicals with you. I know you are clean from your physical."

Oh, yes. The same physical where he had a nurse swab her cheek for DNA. She vaguely remembered peeing into a cup and having some blood work done as well. It was maddening to realize how thoroughly Alessandro had invaded her privacy back then, but she didn't want to get sidetracked from their current discussion. Elyse growled with irritation, "I know we're clean. That's not the issue here."

Alessandro looked genuinely perplexed. Impatiently, his cock twitched between them. "But we did not use protection earlier."

"Exactly."

His cock continued to jerk and throb against her pussy. He blinked at her with a blank expression, repeating, "So?"

"It was an oversight," Elyse mumbled, "that can't happen again."

Understanding finally clicked for him. "You do not want a child?"

She countered with a flabbergasted expression, "Do you want a child? It feels like everyone's trying to kill you right now."

He frowned slightly. "You have a point. The timing is not ideal."

It suddenly hit her. Alessandro had no problem with impregnating her tonight. Panic jumped through Elyse. If she gave birth to a Vitale baby, it'd become impossible to disappear without abandoning her child. "What would you do if I got pregnant?"

"I was not thinking that far ahead," he admitted sheepishly. "I-I was overcome by passion! It is difficult to think when the blood has left one's brain."

Elyse rolled her eyes in a sharp circle. Typical man .

"We can use protection from now on," he offered, "if you wish."

"Thank you."

Alessandro cast a curious look in her direction. "May I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

He grimaced. "Are you insisting on protection because you do not want a child right now? Or is it because you do not want a child... ever?"

Elyse had never experienced a strong desire to have children, but she wasn't opposed to the idea, either. Under the right circumstances. With the right man. Sadly, these weren't the right circumstances, and Alessandro wasn't the right man. She answered indirectly, "I wouldn't bring a child into this world unless I could provide a safe and happy life."

"I would never let our child suffer."

"But our ties to the Vitales and Gravianos can never be broken. Our children will be trapped the moment they are born."

"If you became pregnant," he expressed, "I could send you both away. A place where no one could find either of you. No one would know about our child. I would never want my son or daughter to grow up in the hellish way I was raised."

He presented this solution as though it was possible. As though he was actually planning to start a family with her. Elyse demanded, "Do you want to have a child with me?"

"You are my wife," Alessandro returned gruffly, "is it not natural for a husband to also see his wife as the mother of his children?"

The depth of feeling in his voice surprised Elyse. She'd never expected Alessandro to be the kind of man who wanted kids. Hesitantly, she pointed out, "But if you send us away, you won't be a part of our lives."

"I would visit the two of you. In secret."

What a fertile imagination her husband possessed. He could probably write the script for a telenova with all of his crazy ideas. Soap opera . She reminded him, "A child would bond us forever, and I intend to leave once our agreement has been fulfilled."

His jaw clenched with emotion. "I see."

"I'm sorry."

She meant it, too. Alessandro grew quiet and pensive. He didn't respond to her right away. Instead, he promptly rose from the bed, his rigid erection bouncing with every step, to retrieve a few rubbers from his luggage. When Alessandro returned to Elyse's side, he quickly rolled on a condom, sightless and one-handed, with the seasoned skill of an ex-fuckboy. Then, he nestled himself back on top of her body and positioned himself at her entrance. He gazed into her eyes and pushed in a little. "You should not apologize to me."

Elyse grunted at the sweet strain. He held himself still for a moment, hovering above, barely inside her, and mumbled into her ear, "I am the one who is sorry."

"For what?" she whispered back.

Alessandro thrust in deeper. "Everything."

Elyse moaned his name, "Alessio..."

He drove home again, fucking her steadily.

"I am sorry that I am a Vitale."

In and out.

"I am sorry that you are a Graviano."

Another toe-curling snap of his hips as he rammed in balls deep.

"I am sorry that fate has fucked us over."

As his cock pounded her to the hilt, they both gasped. and Alessandro panted out in erratic breaths, "I promise I will find a way to free you from this world."

Dios , when he said shit like that, it almost made her want to stay. Elyse embraced him tightly and wrapped her legs around his waist to pull him closer, kissing him to express how she felt because she didn't dare voice her feelings.

He kissed her back with equal abandon and kept thrusting away. " Ti voglio più di ogni altra cosa ."

She whimpered as her climax neared, " Dios , I'm so close..."

Elyse came a moment later. Flood after flood of pleasure rolled through her limbs, her veins, her entire being. Why was Alessandro's effect on her always so powerful? As heightened sensibilities drifted back in place, Alessandro pulled them both into a sitting position. Unlike her, he hadn't come yet. The condom seemed to be allowing him to last even longer than usual. Elyse straddled his lap and sank down onto his long, girthy length. His hands came around her hips to help them find their rhythm. She rolled and rocked on top of him until bliss surged between them once more.

From this angle, his shaft penetrated her even deeper, hitting her at a tighter, sweeter slant. On and on, Elyse rode her husband, kissing him, nipping his neck, scratching his back, as he plucked at her nipples and flicked her clit to yet another mind-blowing finish. In time, he, too, growled and shuddered his release. She felt his cock pulse within her walls. Both eyes were squeezed shut. His mouth had fallen open, breaths heaving out in desperate, rasping puffs. He was holding onto her so tightly, clinging to her as though he intended for their flesh to fuse as one.

At this moment, Alessandro appeared untroubled by his gruesome fate. He looked beautiful. He'd bared his soul to her tonight. Their wedding night . She'd peered inside his devil's eyes and beheld the horrors hidden within. Yet, the wickedness hadn't singed her soul. If anything, she feared for the fate of his soul. Her husband would be expected to carry out many more terrible, murderous tasks in his battle to reign supreme among a realm of very bad men.

Malina's poignant words manifested across Elyse's consciousness.

It troubles me to see Signor Vitale lose his shine.

At this moment, it troubled her, too. Elyse wanted nothing more than to whisk her husband away from his terrifying reality. Before the darkness swallowed his shine completely. Alessandro always claimed that he wanted to protect her. Elyse was beginning to feel a need to guard him as well. They clung to each other, skin-to-skin, bodies still joined at their very core, in the final throes of Alessandro's climax. He crushed his mouth to hers as though this kiss would be their last.

" Tu sei la mia luce in questa oscurità ," he expressed in hushed, heated tones.

"What does that mean?" she murmured.

"You are my light in this darkness."

Her heart broke a little more for him. "I'll do everything I can to chase away the darkness— for you ."

For us.

He kissed her again, and, suddenly, Elyse didn't know if she possessed the strength to walk away from this man, child or no child, in a few years' time. Elyse felt tethered to him by something so strong that she could no longer deny it .

It was starting to feel very much like— love .

Two days later, Elyse and Alessandro left the blissful sanctuary of their wedding suite in the remote Sicilian country villa to drive back to the sultry, chaotic vibrancy of Palermo.

Much had changed between the newlyweds within the span of these two fleeting days. Even though their marriage was a conditional one, a fiery new Spartan-like sense of camaraderie had been forged between them. It was an unspoken covenant, outlining the need to join hands in battle against greater foes and obstacles until the necessity of their partnership ran its course.

Elyse acknowledged that her morality could no longer be colored in black and white. Granted, she was no stranger to the mafia and its violent gray hues, thanks to Stefano and Mikey, but she'd always existed along the outer edges of its terrors. Now, she was the capo's wife. A position that would put her at the front and in the center of the fuckery. Greed was a virtue. Ruthlessness was an admirable trait. They'd need to kill. Or be killed.

After glimpsing into her husband's traumatic adolescence and the grisly events that had taken place in Paris, Alessandro's murderous and criminal tendencies had never been more apparent. Yet, this ugly reflection of his humanity also enabled her to witness glimmers of his pain. Of his self-awareness. Of his inability to escape his blood, much like her, and of his potential willingness to put her wishes above his own.

Was it possible for compassion or selflessness to exist in a man of mafia origins? Could she come to love such a man? Regardless, Elyse acknowledged that her well-being and safety were aligned with Alessandro's every move. His victories would bring her stability, surety, and safety while each defeat would consume them alive, piece by piece, like bloodthirsty parasites.

Elyse couldn't foresee what awaited her in Alessandro's mafia underbelly of violence, drugs, and corrupt politics. All Elyse knew was that she wished to support Alessandro as his ally, lover, and wife for as long as her conscience would allow her to stay.

Once they arrived at the palazzo and reached the privacy of their bedroom, Alessandro remarked, "You have the look in your eyes."

She frowned. "What look?"

" The look ," Alessandro explained as he crossed the room to her, "that tells me not all is well."

Elyse laughed as he sidled up behind her, nuzzling her neck and snaking his muscled arms around her waist. With a lopsided smile, she tried to bat him away and drawled, "I guess I need to work on my poker face."

But he held on, locking her into a tight embrace.

"Only with outsiders. Do not hide yourself from me," Alessandro murmured, kissing her shoulder, "I want to learn all of your naughty secrets."

She tilted her face toward him. His hands skirted down to the flare of her hips. Their eyes found each other. His gaze was now boring into her in a very intent and determined manner.

"You once said to me," he continued, "that you wished for us to shoulder the blessings and the burdens in life. Together . How am I to support you? If you do not share yourself with me? Fully?"

Elyse studied Alessandro for a moment. Hesitation clung to her face. She had never allowed anyone into her innermost circle of trust. Still, Alessandro had opened up a lot on their wedding night. Maybe it was time for her to do the same.

Elyse grimaced. "Do you really want to know?"

"I want to know everything about you."

She paused before admitting, "Well, I was thinking about us."

His eyebrows rose. "In what way?"

"In the way that your fate now reflects my fate. And vice versa. We'll need to work together to avoid catastrophe."

"I agree completely."

Her voice became pensive. "And..."

Alessandro prompted, "And?"

"I want to learn how to navigate your world—well, our world now—so I can avoid stepping into another trap like the one your stepmother set for me."

Alessandro kissed her. "Carmen has been dealt with. Do not worry about her."

Elyse's mind suddenly raced back to their wedding. Hindsight was twenty-twenty. Her heart thudded with unease as a revelation sank in. After the ceremony, Elyse's nerves had been too frazzled and distracted by Alessandro's sudden appearance to notice several missing guests. She couldn't remember seeing Mrs. Vitale at the castle, or Valentina, or being introduced to Alessandro's father, even though she distinctly recalled Malina adding their names to the seating arrangements. Had these absences been intentional?

Elyse grew tense. "What did you do to your stepmother?"

Alessandro shrugged. "I sent her on a vacation."

"To Hawaii or something?"

" Salemi ."

"Where's that?"

"A town located on the slopes of Monte delle Rose Mazzaro . It is near the southwestern part of the island."

Elyse gulped. "Is that why Mrs. Vitale missed our wedding?"

Alessandro sidestepped her question and went on a tangent, "You do not need to address her as Signora Vitale anymore. My stepmother's name is Carmen. You are the only Signora Vitale of consequence now."

This sent an uneasy trickle down Elyse's spine. It seemed she had officially replaced her predecessor. She prayed her fate wouldn't follow in Carmen's footsteps in the months ahead. Elyse had no interest in taking a vacation to Salemi for whatever reason. "How long will Carmen be gone?"

Alessandro scowled. "As it takes to repair our relationship with the Berlusconi clan. Carmen is lucky that Cara did not die at her party."

Her eyebrows snapped together. Sharply, Elyse asserted, "Are you telling me that you put Carmen under house arrest?"

"My stepmother brought it upon herself," Alessandro muttered darkly, "for what she did to Cara."

Elyse dared to ask, "Is her exile considered a normal consequence for those who act out?"

He rolled his eyes. "This is hardly a punishment. My stepmother is being sent away for her safety. I will bring Carmen back when Cara no longer wants her head on a spike."

Elyse took note of this fact. Enemies of her enemies had the potential to become her friends.

"Do not worry, though. My stepmother is comfortable enough. Valentina made a point to see to all of her mother's incessant demands."

Her mood darkened at the mention of Alessandro's blonde, blue-eyed stepsister. Clearly, Valentina exerted enough influence over their clan to openly cater to her mother despite Carmen's grave offense against a close ally. For a split second, Elyse wondered if Valentina possessed enough influence to go head to head with Alessandro. "Should we be worried about Valentina?"

"Not yet," came her husband's unsettling reply, "but Valentina has the potential to do us grave harm. If given the opportunity. She is like a serpent in the grass."

Elyse chewed on her lower lip. "I'm worried about her. She seems intimidating."

Alessandro shot her a pointed look. "What about you? Are you not intimidating as well?"

"I mean," Elyse grumbled, "I'm no Valentina. I wasn't born into this life. She knows everything about your world and everyone in it. I know nothing."

"But you are a quick study. You will learn our ways soon enough."

"I hope so."

"More importantly, you possess qualities that Valentina lacks."

She asked wryly, "What might those be?"

"Restraint. Discipline. Foresight."

Surprisingly, these traits did seem to describe her quite well. It also felt important to note that, while Valentina might have lacked the skills she possessed, in turn, Elyse probably lacked the skills that Valentina possessed. They appeared to be perfect foils of each other. Alessandro pressed on, "On the other hand, Valentina is very much my replica in many ways. We are both risk-takers. She tends to be aggressive to a fault."

"So Valentina is basically you in a blonde wig? Great . I don't understand how that's supposed to make me feel better."

Alessandro grinned. "But that is the beauty of it. You excel in what I lack, and I excel in what you lack. You and I form a flawless machine. I will draw blood on the battlefield. As our sword. You will hold down the fortress. As our shield. Neither Valentina nor our enemies have such perfect partners to complement their weaknesses. Together, we will be invincible."

"It seems you've given this a lot of thought."

"I have told you before," Alessandro replied with a smirk, "you fit all the criteria of what I was looking for in a woman. There will never be another who is more desirable... to me... than you."

Doubts swirled within her. "I think you're placing me on a pedestal, but I'll certainly try to pull my weight."

Alessandro kissed her. "I have faith in you."

"Thank you," she grumbled.

"By the way—"

"Yes?"

"Mariposa has invited us to a dinner party tonight," Alessandro declared quite suddenly.

Elyse's eyes widened. "What?"

"The Berlusconis will be there as well," he stated, "it is important that we attend. To make amends for Carmen's offenses against Cara."

A bit of anxiety arose in her. Elyse hadn't expected to be called to battle so soon. They had barely gotten married for fuck's sake. But she kept her expression calm and neutral. "I'll have Malina help me pick out a dress."

Alessandro smiled down at her. "One more thing. Valentina will be there as well."

Elyse scowled.

He chuckled at her glum expression. "Do not look so gloomy. A happy thought has occurred to me."

She glanced at him in alarm. "What is it?"

With a sly smile, his hands found her hips. Alessandro started nudging Elyse to their bed. "I believe we still have a few hours until the party. Four—to be exact. A nd I have some ideas on how we can pass the time..."