Sweet Addiction: An Arranged Marriage Mafia Romance (The Novikoff Mafia #3), page 1
Sweet Addiction
AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE MAFIA ROMANCE
THE NOVIKOFF MAFIA
BOOK THREE
IVY DAVIS
Contents
1. Dimitri
2. Sabina
3. Sabina
4. Dimitri
5. Sabina
6. Sabina
7. Dimitri
8. Sabina
9. Dimitri
10. Sabina
11. Sabina
12. Dimitri
13. Sabina
14. Dimitri
15. Sabina
16. Sabina
17. Sabina
18. Dimitri
Copyright 2023 by Ivy Davis - All rights reserved.
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CHAPTER 1
Dimitri
Today is the day of my wife’s funeral.
I thought Sabina would be mine forever. I always assumed I’d be the one to die first, given my job. Not her.
Now, she’s lost to me forever.
The image of her dead body lying in that bathtub still haunts me. It’s only been a week. The wound will take a long time to heal.
After I found her body, Alek arrived and helped me with her. She was taken away, and now, she’s in the coffin currently being lowered into the cold New York ground. She was born here. It’s only right she’s buried here.
The funeral service is outside, and my warm breath is visible in the crisp air. Many people are attending, most of whom Sabina never met. They’re my friends, my coworkers. They’re here for me.
Not Sabina.
That thought makes me even more pissed off.
She left me. I doubt she accidentally drowned in the bathtub. Sabina killed herself to get away from me …
… and it’s all my fault.
I pushed her to that.
I hurt her.
I made her hate me.
It would have been so easy for me to show her kindness, but I repeatedly chose the opposite route. I chose to show her no mercy. I forced her into marrying me. No wonder she hated me.
In fact, I hate myself at this moment.
I will always hate myself for what I did to Sabina. And there’s nothing I can do to make it up to her. She’s lying in a coffin.
Alek steps next to me, laying his hand on my shoulder. We might not have agreed on how Sabina should be treated, but I think there’s an understanding now. Alek learned to show his wife kindness, and now, they’re happy and in love with their daughter.
I’m all alone. I have no one.
Because of my choices.
I should have listened to Alek when he told me to be kinder to Sabina. All the times tat Katia glared at me because she knew I wasn’t treating Sabina right. I didn’t listen to them.
I didn’t listen to Sabina when she asked for freedom.
I only wanted to control her, and that was a mistake.
If she were still alive, I’d do everything in my power to make it right.
Her coffin is fully lowered into the ground. That’s it. She’s officially buried and gone from me.
The service ends, and everyone heads toward their cars to go to the reception at Alek’s home. I remain rooted to the earth, though, unable to tear my eyes away from the hole Sabina was lowered into.
Only Alek and Katia remain.
“Dimitri, we should go,” Alek murmurs. It’s so strange to hear my boss sound so concerned about me. I never knew he cared that much. “But if you need a minute, Katia and I will wait in our car.”
I nod.
Alek and Katia start to walk away, but I call out for Katia.
She turns back. “Yes?”
“Tell me I’m a bastard,” I say.
She blinks. “What?”
“I’m a bastard. I know you thought that about me. I saw how you looked at me with disdain in your eyes. Tell me I’m a bastard. Tell me I deserved for my wife to die.”
Katia is silent for a moment before she says, “I’m not going to call you a bastard, Dimitri. And no one deserves to have their spouse die.”
I huff. “Even now, you’re still kind. Even though I don’t deserve it. You should hate me. You and Sabina were friends. I did this to her. Why don’t you hate me?”
“Because life is too short to hate everyone, including you. Yes, Sabina was my friend. And I’ll miss her. And yes, I’m mad at you for treating her like you did. But I’m not going to hate you. I’m not going to give you what you want.”
I don’t respond. All I can feel is the constricting in my heart. Is this what heartbreak feels like?
Alek touches Katia’s arm, and she follows him to their car.
I watch them go, knowing I don’t deserve to have anyone right now. I’m entirely on my own.
I arrive at Alek’s home for the reception. A part of me wanted to miss it, to pretend somehow that Sabina isn’t dead, but I can’t do that to her. She didn’t have my respect in life, but she should have it in death.
Alek’s house is packed with people conversing and drinking and snacking on appetizers. It’s strange to watch people talk like my wife didn’t just die, but to them, Sabina didn’t mean anything. They’re here more out of obligatory loyalty to Alek and me than anything else.
God, I hate the sight of them all. I’d love to torture every single one of them for their lack of care.
But I need to be better. Now that Sabina is gone, I should strive to be better for her. That’s what I should have done while she was alive. I’ll forever regret my actions.
Alek hands me a cup of coffee, and I down it in three gulps. “Give me something with actual alcohol in it,” I grumble.
“Sorry. I didn’t think it would be appropriate to serve alcohol at a funeral reception. You’ll just have to settle for coffee.”
“That’s just great.”
Alek sighs. “I’m sorry. I should have asked if you wanted alcohol served, but you’ve been so distraught over losing Sabina this past week that it made more sense for Katia and me to plan everything.”
“No. I appreciate that. I do. But fuck, I need a drink.”
“I have some whiskey in my office.”
“That will do.”
Alek guides me to his office, where he shuts the door behind us. “Some privacy.”
“Good idea.” I slump into the extra chair. “I can’t stand the sight of all those people. They didn’t know Sabina. They don’t give a fuck.”
Alek opens a drawer in his desk and pulls out a half-empty bottle of whiskey.
“I see you’ve already partaken in it,” I say.
Alek chuckles as he pours us each a glass. “I like to have a glass every now and again.”
I down the entire drink in one go.
“Careful there,” Alek says.
“I’m at the funeral service for my wife. I can get drunk if I want to. Now, pour me another.” I slam my glass down. Alek, to his credit, does as I command. It’s funny to see my boss bow to my whim. Only at my wife’s funeral, huh?
I swallow the next drink as quickly as the first.
Alek leans back in his seat, observing me. “Will you be ok?”
“Do I look ok?”
“You didn’t answer me.”
I sigh, motioning for him to pour me another drink. He shakes his head, so I pour it myself. “My wife is dead. How am I supposed to be ok?”
“You’re right. It’s just … I know how strong of a person you are. I’ve never seen you this vulnerable before.”
Immediately, I lay my head on his desk, unable to bear its weight. “You want to know the worst part?”
“What?”
“I drove Sabina to this. I know I did. How am I supposed to move on from that?”
“It’ll take time.”
I snort. “That’s a bullshit line, and you know it.”
“It’s something, at least.”
His comment manages to make me laugh. Just slightly. I lift my head and lean back into my seat. “I’m not sure how to deal with this. I’ve never felt this … before.”
“What?”
“Fucking heartbreak, man. I don’t know how other people handle it.”
“They don’t. They mourn, just like anyone else. You will, too. It hurts now, but it won’t always.”
I stand up. “Ok. I’ve had enough of all this sentimental talk.” But the truth is that I can’t take it. Because Alek is right. It does fucking hurt right now. It hurts so fucking much.
I bump into a woman as I step out of Alek’s office. I think she’s married to one of my coworkers, though I’m not sure which one.
“Sorry,” she says, giggling slightly. Her eyes widen when she really looks at me. “Oh, Dimitri. My sincere condolences. It’s a shame what happened to your wife.”
“Mmm.”
“She was just so young and so pretty.” She shakes her head, her blonde curls bobbing. “Such a shame she killed herself.”
My lips curl into a grimace as anger flits
I rush out of the house, sucking in deep breaths of cool air.
I’m not sure how I’m going to do this without Sabina. I lived before I met her just fine, but since she entered my life, she’s all I can think about.
Now, she’s gone forever.
Who am I supposed to think about now?
CHAPTER 2
Sabina
I thought that I was free.
I had merely a taste of it before Gabriel Rossi entered my life.
Now, I’m staring up at him, taking in what he said to me—“I want you to be my bride.”
I could laugh. I could cry. It’s all so confusing.
“Uh, what?” I finally say. All I want to do is run, but Gabriel and his two henchmen will surely catch me.
“You’re coming with me to be my bride.”
“Why?”
“Because you’d make a good match. You’re Mikhail Smirnoff’s sister. He still has supporters. By combining our forces, we’ll return to New York and take over, ripping the power away from Aleksander Antonov.”
“You want my power? But I don’t have any!”
“As Mikhail’s sister, his followers will support you. If you’re married to me, they’ll support me. It’s a win-win for both of us.”
“How?”
“I’ll become the most powerful man in New York, and you’ll be at my side.”
“Well, isn’t Rome enough?” Can I actually talk myself out of this?
“I already own Rome. Now, I’m hungry for more. And with you at my side”—he trails his fingers over my cheek—“we’ll be unstoppable.”
“Do I get a choice?”
He frowns, dropping his hand. “I want you at my side, Sabina. But I want you to come willingly. So, I’m asking you to come with me.”
“Or?”
“Or I’ll take you if I have to.”
“Doesn’t sound so willing, does it?”
A sneer crosses Gabriel’s face before it smooths over. It’s unsettling how handsome he looks one second and how ugly he can look in another. “I’m offering you power, Sabina. Take it.”
I look at him and his two goons. I need to be smart about this. I guess I could entertain Gabriel’s proposal. Technically, I’m still married to Dimitri, but Gabriel doesn’t know that. Maybe allying with Gabriel could help me in case Dimitri ever finds me.
“Ok,” I finally say. “I’ll go with you.” I learned from Dimitri not to run. This time, I’m going to play Gabriel’s game and see if I can’t beat it.
Gabriel’s smile shows off his bright teeth. “Wonderful. We’ll let you change and pack a few clothes. You’ll be staying at my mansion.”
Of course, I am.
Gabriel and his men leave the room, and I grab a bag and throw in all the new clothes I bought. After changing into black pants and a pink crop top, I look at my phone on my nightstand. I should call Katia and tell her what’s happening in case things go wrong.
But when I go to grab it, I hear Gabriel say, “You won’t need your phone.”
I spin around. He’s standing in my doorway. I didn’t even hear him come in. “Wat?”
He nods at my phone. “You don’t need it. In fact, hand it over.” He holds out his hand.
Shit. Shit. Shit. This is bad. There’s only one reason Gabriel wants me to give him my phone, and that’s so he can control me. I escaped Dimitri and fell into the clutches of another mafia man. What are the odds of that?
I can’t disobey Gabriel. I don’t know who he is. Dimitri did things that surprised me. The same could be said of Gabriel.
So, with a pit in my stomach, I give him my phone.
Gabriel smiles as he pockets it. “Thank you. Now that you’re dressed, we should be going.” He leaves my room.
I grab my bag and follow him, knowing my window of opportunity to escape is again closing.
Gabriel drives me to his mansion, which is a light tan color with black windows and multiple stories high. It’s nice; I’ll give him that.
“What do you think?” he asks as we step inside. The foyer is grand, with marble floors, a huge chandelier, and a double staircase leading upstairs.
“It’s beautiful.”
“I knew you’d like it.” He says it like he knows me, even though we’re strangers. “You’ll stay in your own room until our wedding. I believe in protecting a woman’s innocence.”
Ok, he definitely doesn’t know I’m married. I guess that’s the thing about living in a different country—he’s not caught up on all the news.
As long as Gabriel keeps his hands to himself, there won't be a problem. I’ll find a way to escape him long before we’re married. I just need to call Katia and get her help.
Gabriel takes me to my room, which is decorated in warm wood tones with a few windows overlooking a grand backyard that is acres long.
“You’ll stay in here until breakfast. No wandering through the mansion, understood?”
“Understood.”
“I knew you’d be good. Your brother wasn’t one to play by the rules, so I’m happy to see you’re the opposite.”
Sure, I am.
“How well did you know my brother?”
“Well enough to stop working with him before he got himself killed.”
“But now you want to use his supporters even though you stopped working with him before?”
He shrugs. “It’s called business. That’s something you don’t understand. Now, I’ll let you get back to sleep. See you in the morning.” He closes the door.
Great. I’m locked up again, but this time, it’s inside a mansion rather than a dingy basement. At least that’s something.
I try the door anyway just to check and am shocked to find it isn’t locked. Is this some kind of test? Is Gabriel hoping I’ll leave so he can catch and punish me? Honestly, it sounds like something Dimitri would do.
So, I don’t leave the room. I need to play the long game and get Gabriel to trust me enough to escape.
That’s why I force myself to lie down and sleep.
In the morning, Gabriel retrieves me for breakfast. His dining room is just as grand as the rest of the house. He’s seated at one end of the table, and I’m at the other. I’m glad about it. This way, he’s not close enough to touch me.
“How did you like your bed?” he asks, taking a sip of water.
“It was soft. Thank you.”
“I knew you’d like it.” He acts like he knows me. If he truly knew me, he’d know I’ve been planning to escape from the second we met.
“So, Gabriel, when will we get married?”
“In a few weeks time. I want you to have the most perfect wedding you can get.”
Honestly? Gabriel doesn’t seem that bad. Sure, he broke into my apartment at night, which is creepy. But compared to Dimitri, he hasn’t tried to spank me or torture anybody before my eyes. He didn’t lock me in last night. He seems like he wants me to be happy at his side rather than a pet he can control.
Maybe I should seriously consider giving his proposal a chance. If Dimitri were to find me, then maybe Gabriel would protect me.
But to get Gabriel to trust me, he needs to know the truth.
“How long have you been away from New York?”
“For over a year now. After things went sour with your brother, I thought it would be good to retreat to this property outside Rome.”
“So, you stopped working with him before he was killed?”
“Yes. We’d made a deal and tried to go against Aleksander, but Aleksander is a sneaky bastard and managed to get away. A few of my men were killed in the process. I realized that trying to go against Aleksander Antonov was just asking to be killed, so I stopped working with Mikhail and came here.”
