Blood Red Rose: Arranged Marriage, Mafia Romance (The Italian Mafia Princesses Book 2), page 1
Blood Red Rose
Kaci Rose
Five Little Roses Publishing
Copyright © 2024, by Kaci Rose, Five Little Roses Publishing. All Rights Reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of very brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination.
Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
Cover By: Kiwi Cover Design
Edited & Proofed By: Violet Rae @ X-Rae Editing
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Contents
Content Warnings
The Italian Mafia Princesses Series
Blurb
1. Chapter 1
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 3
4. Chapter 4
5. Chapter 5
6. Chapter 6
7. Chapter 7
8. Chapter 8
9. Chapter 9
10. Chapter 10
11. Chapter 11
12. Epilogue
Other Books by Kaci Rose
13. Connect with Kaci Rose
About Kaci Rose
14. Please Leave a Review!
Content Warnings
Violence
Surprise pregnancy
Kidnapping
Forced Marriage
The Italian Mafia Princesses Series
The Italian Mafia Princesses
Midnight Rose - Ruby and Orlando
Blood Red Rose – Aria and Matteo
Blurb
As a mafia princess, I know my job: marry who my dad, the mafia boss, tells me to, a marriage to better the family.
Before I commit myself to a life of utter boredom, I want one night of fun, and my cousin is willing to help get me out of the house.
A few drinks turn into a one-night stand and a surprise pregnancy that derails everyone's plans.
Now, I’m being married off to a man I know nothing about and knows nothing about my pregnancy.
Lord only knows what will happen when he finds out…
Chapter 1
Aria
These have to be the most disgusting people on the face of the earth. To think that they're about to be my in-laws makes me uneasy. Though I don't know what the hell my dad was thinking. My parents have done so much for me, but they aren't the typical mafia family.
I was allowed to go to college and get a degree before I was married off, which is almost unheard of in our circles. But my dad wanted to make sure that I was smart enough to help take over anything that needed to be managed in the event that my husband or my father died. While Mom is great at hosting parties, she does not have a head for the business end, and he worries about what will happen to her. At least, that's the story I was told.
The marriage is supposed to strengthen my family. It's what mafia princesses do and what I knew would happen from day one. When they asked me to do this, it was hard to say no to my parents because I hit the jackpot with my family. They truly care about me and want me to be happy. Anything I have ever wanted, like being able to go to college, they have given me.
My dad, who I can only imagine how busy he is, has never missed an event in my life. They love me unconditionally and have tried to give me as normal of a childhood as possible within the mafia world. At the same time, they trained me to protect myself and learn how to run a family like ours. They wanted to make sure I had friends and knew what the world truly was.
"Are you even paying attention to a word I'm saying? Or are you off daydreaming again?" my fiancé Eric asks.
"This is why girls don't need to go to college. It gives them too many ideas to think and daydream about," his dad chuckles.
I don't even have to answer because they're going to carry on the conversation no matter what I say. Looking over at my dad who has a strained smile on his face, I can see that it's the kind of smile that he gives when he's upset about something or when he's severely disappointed in someone. Growing up, I've only been on the receiving end of that smile a few times, but that was enough.
This also isn't the first time my fiancé and his family have made cracks about me going to college. It’s a familiar topic that my father overindulged me and that women didn't need to be thinking for themselves, so there was no point in me going to college.
I know my parents, and they have to be second-guessing this arrangement. I can see it in their eyes. Right now, they're trying to stay calm, as blowing up would only cause war, and so would backing out of this contract.
Throughout dinner, I don't say another word. Keeping my head down, I still make it clear to my parents that I'm paying attention to everything they want.
Once the future in-laws are gone, I go straight to my dad's office, where I find both him and my mom.
"Are you really going to make me go through with this? There’s not a doubt in my mind, that this cannot be the type of person that you had envisioned for me to marry. Nor can it possibly be the type of family you really want me to marry into." I cross my arms and sit down in the chair across from my dad's desk.
"No, this is not what we wanted for you at all. But backing out of this contract now would mean war and we can't afford a war right now," my mom says gently.
"But I thought their family needed us more than we needed them. Isn’t that the whole point? They came to you wanting an alliance because they needed protection or something," I say, trying to figure out what my parents are thinking.
"That's true, and we signed a contract with them, but it seems there was a lot left out. Not fulfilling this contract would be an act of war against not just his family, but his allies as well. We need to strengthen our family. If we're not prepared, we can't afford a war. Don't get me wrong, we can easily defend ourselves if needed, but we're not in a position to start anything, either."
"This sucks," I say, trying to hold back my tears. I don’t need to stress my dad out even more. I know he hasn't been feeling well lately and we're really just trying to hold things down to prepare for my younger brother to take over the family. He's learning, but he's nowhere near ready to do this on his own.
"So you guys know how people talk and in our world, we listen when people talk. I heard something and want to make sure that I tell you. Whatever happens, I want you to know that I respect your decisions," I say. Though I’m still making one last effort to ditch the creeper that they're trying to have me marry.
"What is it honey?" Mom asks.
"I've been asking around about Eric and his family, just wanting to get to know them and prepare myself the best that I can. It’s been going around that his family killed the don of another family in town. Now he needs our protection for when that family realizes it was his family."
When my parents look at each other, I can tell they’re having an entire conversation without words. They've been married so long and are truly in love with each other they can communicate with just one look. Growing up, I had always hoped that would be the type of marriage that I would be able to find. Unfortunately, no such luck.
Instead, I’m getting married off to an entitled player who is just plain creepy. He's never going to be faithful, so I can forget about that. For all I know, it’s his mission to sleep through half of Chicago or maybe all of it. There were a half dozen better matches than this guy. Why my father settled on him, I can’t figure out. Nor do I know any of the details, but that's not something for me to ask right now.
"We've been hearing those whispers, too. Aria, you can always come home. This will always be your home and you will always have protection here," my dad says. He's staring at me like he's sending me a message that I'm not quite understanding just yet.
Giving them both a big hug, I hold them tight before heading up to my room to get ready for bed. My bedroom has always been my sanctuary, and I was able to decorate it however I wanted. It's transitioned from the princess room to the beautiful, elegant room that it is now. My father never spared any expense to make sure I was happy and comfortable. Though I get the feeling that my soon-to-be husband will not share the same opinion.
My bedroom looks over the back of our family’s estate. I have large windows where I have a reading area with the most comfortable couch. Often I’ll plop myself down and watch the activity going on in the backyard. Mostly it’s my dad's men meeting, talking, and standing guard.
As I sit here, I realize not for the first time that marrying Eric means signing my life away. It's not a choice I would make for myself. For the first time with my entire life planned out in front of me, I feel like things are not just absolutely out of control, but most definitely out of my control. It's a feeling that I hate.
Recently I read a newspaper article about some Hollywood starlet who fell from grace, flipped off th
My cousin lives on the estate. Her father is my dad's brother, and they grew up together. While my dad is the head of the family, her father is the second in command.
Bella is so much more than just my cousin. She is my best friend, and for the most part, the only friend I had growing up. Because she understands this life, she’s the one person I can talk to and with who I can be completely open and honest.
Her parents, while strict with her, are not as strict as mine, and she talks to a lot of people from other families. She told me she's heard Eric is very selfish and horrible in the bedroom. Apparently, every woman who has slept with him has regretted it. Not what I wanted to hear about my future husband, especially as a virgin. For one night of really good sex, I would do just about anything.
Then an idea formed in my head. If I were to have a one-night stand, I would no longer be a virgin and it would be my way of sticking it to Eric. I could have a night of mind blowing sex and he wouldn't get a virgin. But I'd still fulfill my marriage contract. The wedding was far enough off that I could do this now and then play at being the perfect little fiancé that he wants.
The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to do it. But first, I was going to need Bella's help.
So, I went back downstairs and thankfully my parents are still in my dad's office. When I knock on the door, they look up, surprised to see me again.
"I was wondering if I could go over and hang out with Bella for a little bit. I could really use some girl time," I ask. While I want to be honest with them as much as possible, at the same time I want to keep the real reason for my visit a secret.
“Of course, baby. I think it'll be good for you. Let us know when you're on your way back or if you decide to stay the night. Just give us a call and let us know," Dad says, smiling.
The moment I step out the door, every guard will know to watch me on the way to her house.
My dad and his brother each built a house at either end of the property. The families share a big backyard, so I don't really have to leave the property to get there. It’s been a big reason why we've been able to be such great friends.
Still, I like to play a game with myself and pretend I'm sneaking out. I try to stay out of sight of the guards by imagining I’m stealthily staying out of sight. While I know that there are always eyes on me, even when I don't think there are, it's still fun to pretend. It's just that feeling, a rush of trying not to get caught. It's enough to make me feel alive.
Especially since I'm pretty sure that my life is over once I say ‘I do.’
Chapter 2
Matteo
"Sir, Orlando is here," Gio, my right-hand man says.
"Bring him on over and anyone that he's with. Cover all their food and drinks for the night," I tell him and he heads off to do as I ask.
Gio makes his way across the club floor. I’m at Club Red, which is one I frequent often, and even have a room upstairs. It’s also the one that I love coming to because its security is the best. Another point in its favor is it's a great place to find the one-night stands that seem to drown out everything going on in my life. Even if it's just for a few hours.
I never expected to take over my family at the young age of thirty-one. Even though I always knew I was being raised to be the new head of the family, I thought I'd be in my forties before it happened. That's when my dad took over. What I didn't expect was for my father, who was the peacekeeper in the city of Chicago to be murdered, which forced me to step up. All of his advisors have stayed by my side, helping me learn the ropes. But they're also encouraging me to get married, settle down and ditch the playboy reputation so that other families will take me seriously.
When I tell them that's something I will worry about after I avenge my father's death, they don't like it. Right now, they're trying to convince me to keep the peace, but there is no peace until those who murdered my father die.
That's why my buddy, Orlando is here. Years ago, Dad took him under his wing and taught him what it was like to run his own family. Orlando had this intention of building his own empire for the girl that he loved in order to save her and protect her. Since my dad would do the same for my mother and because this kid was planning on heading home to Charleston SC, my dad didn't see a threat in it.
His family has become one of our best allies outside the city of Chicago, and the moment he heard about my dad's death, he was on his way here. Though we were friends growing up, it's been a while since we've seen each other in person. It's not like we can meet up for dinner once a month without drawing the attention of people with whom we want to stay under their radar.
When Orlando and his wife join me, I stand to greet them. This is the first time I will get to see them since their wedding almost two years ago. After his wife had been kidnapped, he was on one mission and that was to put an end to the family that dared to lay a hand on her. Not only was he successful, but he has earned a reputation with other families all over the country. Even though we may not be in the same city, we definitely know what's going on everywhere.
"Are you sure you can get away like this? There's not going to be any issues back home?" I ask. Wanting to make sure because the last thing I would want is for my friend to have problems because of me.
"Because you think of Charleston SC when you think of organized crime, right?" He laughs, shaking his head. "My second in command is staying behind. Since they deal with him most of the time anyway, most people won't even realize I'm gone. At least not right away.
I brought some of my best investigators. They aren't known around here, so we're thinking we might be able to do more digging than your men, who people know. Once we got here, they went their separate ways. They were given the code word that you gave me in case there was any trouble. Though I don't expect there will be, as these guys are the best at what they do. Don’t worry, we’re going to find out who killed your father and we will avenge his death."
One thing my father taught both of us was to never let your emotions show in your voice. Not ever. Because he trained us hard in it, we're both good at keeping emotion out of our voices. But even I can tell that it's as important to Orlando that my father's death is avenged as it is to me. Orlando didn't have a father and my dad was the closest he ever had. Besides, how many mafia dons would take their housekeeper’s kid under their wing and teach them how to create a family of their own?
For a little while, we sit, talk and catch up. The entire time my eyes are trained on the club, seeing who comes in, who's talking with who, and my favorite, who is leaving with who. That's why I noticed the moment the beautiful blonde walks in the door. Even though I've never seen her here before and I would remember, I'm drawn to her in an inexplicable way.
She looks familiar, so I call Gio over.
"Who's that blonde in the red dress that just walked in?"
"That's the Romano girl. Aria Romano."
"Damn. She's the one that's engaged to Eric isn't she?" I ask, trying to hide the frown at just the mention of Eric's name.
"That's her. I'm shocked her father let her out, much less to a place like this," Gio says.
"If I had my guess, I'd say Daddy has no idea that she's here. Have the guys keep eyes on her at all times even when she's with me. Keep her safe at all costs," I give the orders. Then I turn to excuse myself from Orlando and his wife.
"Whenever you're ready, one of my guys will take you back to the estate. I have prepared a guest suite for you and you are welcome to any resources that you need while you are here. You have free rein of the estate, outside of my bedroom and my office. If you need anything, you've got my number. I'm glad you're here, brother," I tell him before making my way across the club to where Aria is sitting at the bar.
