THE MAFIA’S MISTAKEN BRIDE

Italy, Milan

Xavier’s POV

As the tires of the private jet land on the port of my home in Milan, I turn to take a look at the woman seated beside me.

She is fast asleep, her face in a deep frown.

A suppressing tension hung over us as we flew from New York 8 hours ago. I decided to ignore her which is why I didn’t know when she fell asleep.

Finally landing, I tap her on the shoulder, jerking her up.

She sits upright, looking around until her eyes fall on mine.

“We are here”, I say to her before standing up to leave. I am not supposed to bring her with me but I did this on purpose. First, she is desperate to escape just like Andre did and secondly, I guess I can use this visit to my advantage.

I have a lot to do in Italy and I might be here for a week or more depending on how quickly I sort things out.

I haven’t seen my Grandma in ages. This is an opportunity to visit her with my bride whom she can’t wait to see. I have shipments to sort out and I am also here to get back Andrew and Mathew.

After they informed me about finding Andre, I expected their call or their arrival but none came and Ethan reached us to tell me what happened.

They were in Italy.

Andre is also in Italy. This was the main reason why I didn’t want to come with Jasmine but I had to. My mind won’t be at peace leaving her at home back in New York. She will either run away or be unsafe.

Now that Vicenzo is out of the picture, I am glad I don’t have to worry about her safety after she has been released from my hold but for now, I still worry. Being in this business for years has taught me to expect anything.

“Aren’t you coming?” I ask her as soon as I get to the stairs, realizing that she hasn’t moved an inch from the seat.

With wide eyes, she stares at me, fear evident in her eyes as she stands up and trots towards me.

Harry and Ethan are already out to get the car while two others are right behind us as we take the stairs down.

Before walking further, the black jeep stops right in front of us giving me a view of Harry in the driver’s seat and Ethan by his side in the passenger’s seat. I raise a brow in confusion.

Wanting to comment about it, I open my mouth but someone bumps into me. It is Jasmine. She looks flustered as I turn to face her and she leans her head down. “Sorry, I didn’t see you were right in front of me.”

The clumsiness.

The shyness.

The one-minute fierceness.

They intrigue me. They amaze me.

There is enough evidence that she isn’t who we all presumed her to be but I was blind and too hurt to have seen that all along.

I nod at the apology as Ethan comes out immediately to open the back door for us. I signal to her to enter and she does before I follow.

This is my home. My Italian home.

But we are not staying here tonight. We are going to the villa. My ancestral home. The place where I was born. That is where Grandma is staying. She has refused to come live with me in America. And I barely visit like I used to. She used to complain a lot but not anymore.

The car roars to life instantly as silence hangs in the air with Jasmine looking all around in a full-blown curiosity.

I need to tell her.

I am supposed to tell her what to expect when we get to the house but I haven’t found the right word to start the conversation.

Grandma knows about the wedding. She was glad and excited and couldn’t wait to meet with her.

Just like everyone, she believes I am married to Andre Moore, Mr. Moore’s daughter and not this woman who looks just like her. Now that I know she isn’t Andre, I am sure Grandma won’t hesitate to find out when she begins to let out her long-list of questions about why she ran away in the first place among other things.

I am supposed to start conversing with her now about it but I can’t seem to form a word. There is a lot on my head and I don’t say how I feel right now.

I’m stressed, frustrated and angry.

I know I didn’t feel the jolt of excitement that I used to feel when I was told that Andre had been found earlier today but the news about her escaping again has infuriated me.

The anger I am feeling right now is twice the anger I used to feel. She always wins. She is always on the run.

But this time, she was actually caught, unlike the rest of the times when she used to slip away like a thief in the dead of the night. This time, she was caught but someone helped her escape.

That someone is who I have business with now.

Italy is my home. I can find whoever I want to find. When I find him, I am going to kill him for crossing paths with me. For daring me.

Andre doesn’t deserve any sympathy. Why rescue her? Why interfere in my business? Who the hell does he think he is to do that?

Eventually, I clear my throat and turn slightly. She is looking out of the window with jaws dropped in awe.

Has she never been to Italy?

At the question, something hits me. If she has never been to Italy, then there is a high possibility that she doesn’t understand the language.

“Dammit!” I curse out loud at the thought, making her spare me a glance of concern.

Andre can speak Italian. She is a fluent speaker and now this is another problem.

I never thought of this before now. The drive from my mansion to the villa is just a few minutes away and we are almost there.

“Jas…Andre”, I call, clenching my jaws at the first word.

She looks surprised. Did she hear me? Did she hear me call her Jasmine?

I don’t call her Andre in my mind. I only do that aloud. To avoid mixing things up, I guess I should start calling her Andre till things are sorted out.

“I’m Jasmine, Xavier. Don’t call me Andre!” her eyes are so red in anger.

“You better behave yourself, woman!” I snap back at her. “We are going somewhere now and you are Andre, understood?”

She doesn’t blink or reply. She just continued to look at me with hatred in her eyes.

Wanting the warning to sink deep into her, I move closer and lift her jaws with two fingers. If I don’t threaten her, she might ruin things for me tonight and that means answering questions from Grandma.

“You are Andre, understood?”

Finally, she nods after swallowing a gulp, making me nod my head in satisfaction. Before I can ask her the question in my head about the language which is obviously an obstacle or lean backward letting my hand fall off her small jaw, the car jerks forward, making me lurch forward towards her.

My head hits her bosom as I grab her waist.

For the second time, it jerks forward again and Ethan shouts at Harry to stop the car.

This time, my head is no longer on her soft breathing breast. She has her head on mine now as I quickly bring out my gun, thinking it is an attack.

“What the hell is wrong with you?!” Ethan hits Harry in the face while I watch them. “Get down!” he commands.

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Harry doesn’t drive me. I wondered why Ethan allowed him in the first place and I am tempted to ask him now but the non-movement from Jasmine has me looking down as she wraps her two hands around my body tightly.

Her eyes are closed and I shake her with agitation.

Then her eyes drift open. Fear consuming them. She must have thought it was an attack too.

I look over to the two men. “Drive roughly one more time and you will have yourself to blame. As for you, Ethan, meet me inside as soon as we get to the villa.”

“Yes, boss”, they both chorused. Ethan is now in the driver’s seat while Harry is in the passenger’s seat.

I look back to see the other two guards out with their weapons. From the rear mirror, Ethan signals to them that all is well as our car roars to life again.

Jasmine is still safely locked in my embrace. She doesn’t want to get out. She seems to find safety and comfort in my arms and for no reason, I want her to remain there.

I no longer want her to be the fearless woman I want my wife to be. I want her to find safety with me. I want to protect her.

Finally, she lifts her head and my gaze sweeps over her face falling on her full lips which tasted strawberry earlier today.

With her wide eyes on me, she asks. “Are we safe?”

And I find myself nodding with a light smile.