Reckless Games (Reckless Mafia #1)

Chapter 18

Angela

I traced lazy patterns on Lorenzo’s chest, my mind drifting off, but a thought pulled me back to the present. Despite the passion we had just shared, I could still sense a lingering tension in him. Something was definitely bothering him, and I wanted to help. “What’s wrong?” I asked softly.

“What do you mean, Angel?” He tilted his head, his eyes searching mine.

“You look worried. What’s bothering you?”

“Nothing,” he replied, too quickly.

“So you’re going to hide things from me now?” I pouted, hoping to coax the truth from him. He sighed, taking my hand and kissing my knuckles.

“No, I just don’t want to worry you.”

“But I want to be there for you. Like you’ve always been for me,” I insisted. It was true; Lorenzo had given me everything without me even having to ask. I owed him my everything.

“Trust me, Angel; you’ve been there for me when no one else was. I wouldn’t have made it here today without you.” His words reminded me of the first night we met as my fingers absently traced the outline of the phoenix tattoo on his chest. “There are things going on right now, but I want to keep you far from them. For your safety.”

“I can defend myself now. After all, I’ve been trained by the best,” I added smugly, trying to lighten the mood. “Please. I’ll feel better if you share your burden with me.” I watched him carefully, hoping my earnest eyes and sincere words would sway him.

He sighed, the wheels turning in his mind as he weighed his options. Finally, he chuckled, conceding. “Fine.” He got up from the bed and pulled on his trousers while I sat up, watching him closely. He then grabbed his shirt and walked back to me, gently dressing me in it. “Come with me.” He took my hand, and I followed him, feeling like a lost puppy.

We walked down the dimly lit hallway, the cool marble floor soothing against my bare feet. Lorenzo led me to his private study, a room I had never been in. It was dark but oddly comforting. He closed the door behind us and moved to a wall stacked with books from floor to ceiling. I watched closely as his hand moved over a specific line of books before stopping at one in particular and pushing it in. I flinched as the wall suddenly moved, flipping over to reveal a hidden safe. My jaw dropped; it was like something out of a movie.

Lorenzo extended his arm to me, beckoning me to his side. I walked over, and he gave me a gentle smile before pressing his thumb on the fingerprint reader of the safe. It opened to reveal a diamond unlike any I had ever seen. My eyes widened in awe as he picked up the stone, which was set in a sapphire ring. It was otherworldly, gleaming in a rare shade of green.

“Wow,” I whispered. “What’s this?”

“It’s the last of the Temptucce .”

“Wait. Did you say Temptucce ? As in the rarest eight diamonds that were held in the Russian Volga Art Museum until they were stolen two months ago?” I stared at the diamond, appalled.

“So you know what it is then?” He raised his brows, impressed by my knowledge.

“Everyone knows what it is. The news was all over the internet. But weren’t they stolen? How do you have one?”

“They weren’t stolen. They were hidden from the world on purpose. The Bratva is behind it because they discovered there weren’t just eight diamonds. There are actually nine.” My jaw dropped at this revelation.

“You mean to say this is the ninth one?” He nodded. “But what is it doing with you? Why has this one never been seen before?”

“It’s with me because it’s mine. All the diamonds of the Temptucce belong to my family,” he explained, and I listened intently, trying to digest his words. “These diamonds were mined in Greece, some of the rarest in existence. My father bought them at an auction as a first-anniversary gift for my mother during their trip to Greece,” he smiled, reminiscing. “My mother had a thing for Greek Mythology. It would be safe to say she was obsessed with the nine muses. So she named these diamonds after them, TEMPTUCCE ; Thalia, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Terpsichore, Urania, Calliope, Clio, and Erato.

Everyone knew there were a bunch of them, but the real number was always kept hidden for its own safety. They are worth billions today, and ever since my father acquired them, everyone’s been after them. Nikolai, the Russian Bratva’s leader and our sworn enemy, has coveted them ever since. My father kept relocating them after my mother’s death to keep them safe from the enemies. They were very precious to her. Four years ago, they were stolen while being transferred to a new safe.” I could see he was almost reliving those moments.

“We didn’t know there was a mole in our gang working for Nikolai. He framed us and made it look like he bought the diamonds from us. The mole helped him generate fake evidence against us. Since then, the diamonds have become like the eighth wonder of the world, being displayed in the Volga Art Museum , where people pay thousands just to catch a glimpse of them, and Nikolai profits from it. Until two months ago, he found out the real number of the stones and announced they were stolen so he could put it on us and take it as his right to attack the Sicilian Mafia to get hands on the last one.” Lorenzo glanced at the diamond in his hand. “This one got left behind because it was my mother’s favorite. She always wore it as a ring. Just before her death, she gave it to me, telling me to keep it safe and give it to the woman I fall in love with in the future. So it was never with the rest of the collection. It’s the last thing I have from her. I’ve kept it with me since I was ten. But now—”

“But now Nikolai knows that you have the last one, and he’s after you to get it,” I finished for him.

“Yes. I had a way of getting them back last year, but my uncle betrayed me. Otherwise, I would have had all nine by now,” Lorenzo said, looking longingly at the diamond. “That was the night when we first met.”

“I can’t blame the world for being after them. They are a sight to behold. Truly beautiful,” I chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. I could see Lorenzo missed his mother a lot.

“ Very beautiful,” he added, making me look up to meet his eyes. But when I did, I realized he was already looking at me.

Those words were not for the diamond.

Our eyes locked in a heated stare, neither of us breaking the contact. I saw the ocean of emotions flood in his silver orbs. Lorenzo, a man who was emotionless in front of the world, was always an open book to me. He was not afraid to show me what he felt. And in that moment, I saw love, admiration, desire, happiness, and sadness all at once reflected in his beautiful eyes.

He grabbed my left hand, and I broke eye contact to look at our hands before moving them back to his. He carefully lifted it, his eyes never leaving mine, as he carefully slipped the ring onto my finger.

I froze. My lips parted in disbelief as I realized what Lorenzo was doing. This ring, this one thing from his mother, meant the world to him, and he was giving it to me. My eyes widened as I registered the significance. “Lorenzo, what are you—” I was forced to pause when he dropped to one knee.

“I know it’s too soon, but in a world full of uncertainties, one thing remains crystal clear to me: my love for you. You’ve ignited a fire within me that burns brighter with each passing day. You are the cause and cure for this raging inferno inside me. I never knew what true love was or whether I was capable of loving someone so intensely until I met you. I am utterly captivated by you, and I vow to cherish and love you for eternity. Angela, will you bless me and make me the happiest man alive by becoming my wife?” My heart pounded against my ribcage, ready to leap out. This was really happening. Lorenzo Martinez was asking me to be his wife. I looked at him in disbelief but saw only sincerity and anticipation on his face. He had loved me like no one else ever had. And there was no doubt; no matter how hard I tried to control the raging hormones in me, this man made me fall for him. To deny my feelings would be the biggest lie of the century. Yes, I had fallen for Lorenzo Martinez. It was too soon, but our souls knew what they wanted the moment they met. And I wanted him. I had made my choice.

“Well,” I started grimly, “I don’t think…” His eyes narrowed at my words before I finished the sentence. “…I really have a choice since you’ve already put the ring on me, do I?” I laughed, seeing the relief flood his face.

“You little minx!” He stood, capturing my lips in a furious kiss. He broke away only to murmur, “And for the record, no , you did not have a choice. I would have made you mine one way or another.” He slammed his lips back onto mine as I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. “Fuck, you smell heavenly. I’m addicted to it,” he mumbled against my lips.

“Do you also get butterflies whenever we kiss?” I giggled breathlessly after we finally broke the kiss.

“Butterflies?” he asked, confused.

“Yeah. In your stomach." I poked my index finger into his stomach before he laughed at my words.

“I don’t get butterflies, baby. I get a whole damn zoo!”

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