Revenge And Vows

Proposal

Lena had never met Moretti before. They had printed his face on newspapers and on social media but she normally ignored those things.

Even though she hadn't met the man before, there was no doubt that the man who just walked through that door was him.

He carried an aura of power and danger with him. Tall, and moved gracefully. And he also entered the room alone.

For such a man who half, if not the full city wanted to kill or kidnap for ransom Lena had thought he would move with a small army of bodyguards, but nobody followed after him.

Lena couldn't decide if he was confident or just plain arrogant.

She got up to greet him as he approached her, his intense gray hard eyes fixed on her face.

"Mr. Moretti," she greeted as she held out her hand.

"Ms. Costa," he replied, his voice deep and smooth as he took her hand and gave him a firm shake before they sat facing each other.

"I had thought that a man of your reputation would stick to his own time." Lena couldn't help herself. She just had to. She despised people who couldn't be punctual, especially those who failed to arrive at the time they set.

Amusement played in his eyes but his face remained blank. "You asked for an appointment and here I am."

Right. Straight to the point. "I have a business proposition for you."

He raised a perfect eyebrow. "I'm listening."

She tried not to let her nerves show as she launched into business. If there was something other than investigating she was good at, it was business.

If life had gone differently she would have become a business woman.

Moretti listened with great attention as Lena talked about her business idea, nodding occasionally to let her know he was following.

When she was done she swallowed hard and waited, her heart beating fast.

All he had to do was take the bait. She needed to be close to him if she wanted to gather information. What other way than to get close if not for being business partners?

Moretti watched her intensely, a frown between his eyebrows.

"You're an interesting woman, Ms. Costa," he finally said, his voice calm.

That wasn't what she had been expecting but at least he wasn't shutting down her idea. That was good.

"How so?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"For one, you have considerable fortitude," he said, taking Lena by surprise.

"Oh?" was all she could say.

"I'm sure you know I was digging into you but still you asked for a one on one appointment. I'm impressed by that."

Ah. He had expected her to lay low, not show herself even more. When the Mafia starts digging into you it is never a good thing. But Lena was too far gone to care.

"I see," she said calmly. "I have nothing to be scared of, Mr. Moretti. You can dig into me all you want. I have business with you and that wouldn't have made me back off."

The tip of his mouth lifted. Not a smirk, but close. Rafe Moretti wasn't what Lena had expected. And she also hadn't expected him to be so handsome and young.

He was tall, lean, and muscular, his black suit fitting perfectly to his frame. His sharp features were framed by neatly styled black hair, and his gray eyes held a cold, intense gaze. There was an air of quiet power about him, moving with the grace of a predator. He exuded confidence, his presence commanding attention without effort.

Rafe leaned forward slightly, his eyes glinting with an unreadable expression. "I have a much more... intriguing proposition for you, Ms. Costa," he said, his voice smooth and deliberate.

Lena’s curiosity piqued, and she raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what would that be?"

A slow, almost predatory smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Marriage," he stated, the word hanging in the air with unexpected weight.

Lena blinked, sure she had misheard him. "Pardon?"

His gaze never wavered as he continued, unbothered by her confusion. "A one-year contract marriage. I know you’re investigating something,"—Lena's heart sped up and she fought to keep her features blank— "and I can help you with that. In exchange, for one year, my resources will be yours. Full access. No strings attached—except the ones in the contract, of course."

Lena's heart raced, and she fought to keep her features blank. A marriage proposal, but with a twist.

She stared at the man in front of her, all words abandoning her. Was she hearing him correctly?

Marriage. Marriage to this man who could be responsible for her family's death. Who could have played a hand in it, at least.

He was proposing marriage to her.

If she said no, she knew he wouldn't accept her business proposal and she would miss the chance of ever getting close to him again.

And wouldn't marriage be better than business partners? He had said his resources would be hers. He didn't know what she was investigating or who she was. That, she was sure of.

And if truly he was responsible for her family's death, what better way to destroy him than from within?

But… but marriage? To him? The most feared man in Naples?

But that wasn't what even made her insides sour. It was the thought that she would be getting married to the man responsible for her family's demise if her suspicions proved true.

Was she going to really stoop that low? Was she that desperate? But even as she asked herself those questions she already knew the answer.

Yes, she was going to stoop so low as long as she got her revenge. Yes, she was that desperate.

Her hands went to the rings on her neck on their own. The cold metal sting her palms, as if rebuking her for the decision she was about to make.

She watched Mortetti as he watched her, his face blank of any emotions.

"Why do you need a wife?" she asked, her voice steady despite the inner war she was fighting with herself.

"I'm not telling you that," he answered coolly. "And I won't ask what you're investigating about."

She nodded before she looked away from him and let her eyes fall to her lap.

Was she really going to accept this? But she already knew the answer.

She took a deep breath and blurted out before she could convince herself not to. "Yes. Yes, I accept your proposal. But I would like to read the contract and know what this marriage would entail before I sign anything."

Mortetti smiled, the sight chilling. "Of course, Ms. Costa."