Sold to the Capo

ADRIANA'S POV

"We need to talk" I blurted out as soon as Vincenzo entered the room a few hours later.

I had the entire conversation planned out in my head. I had 4 hours to think about how this would go and I could do it. I could.

He stopped at the mouth of the door, his eyes narrowing on me, the look on his face showing that he had clearly not expected to be accosted as soon as he had gotten home.

I don't know what unnerved me the most, the fact that he faintly smelt of smoke or the fact that he was silently staring at me.

Not even one word. Not even another shift in expression. He was just standing there, his eyes bored and a bit annoyed.

"Look, I have to get this through now because you've been up and about for days and I need to do something about this" The words spilled out of my mouth without my thinking.

He didn't say anything, he just took another step into the room, his gaze still fixed on me as he shut the door to the room slowly.

I did the first thing that came to mind. I panicked, gripping the sheets into fists as I stared at him.

"WhㅡWhat are…" I shook my head. Don't bring it up, Adriana. "So can we talk?"

Still death silence.

He furrowed his brows, his eyes watching me silently, his gaze nothing short of predatory.

Maybe I should just let him be and pretend like none of this ever happened.

"You know you don't have to just stand theㅡ" I was saying with a clear roll of my eyes when he was suddenly beside me, his hands slamming onto the bed on either side of my hips, trapping me.

I leaned back, shocked by his sudden proximity.

Vincenzo's face was inches from mine, his eyes glinting with amusement, but his voice was cold, detached. "You want to talk, Adriana? About what?"

My heart raced as I struggled to maintain eye contact. His gaze seemed to bore into my soul, and I felt exposed and vulnerable.

"I...I just wanted to know if I could uh…," I stuttered, trying to keep my voice steady.

He raised an eyebrow, his expression dismissive. "You're referring to my absence?"

I nodded, my eyes locked on his.

Vincenzo's gaze drifted to my lips, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of interest. But it was quickly extinguished, replaced by indifference.

"There was an issue with the shipping at the borders… had to go sort it out along with some other… minor stuff," He said vaguely.

My eyes were wide, unblinking. "I did want to ask, can I train with the others?" I blurted out.

There, I said it. What's the worst that could happen?

Wrong. His eyes darkened even further, his body tense and he looked like he was inches away from wrapping his fingers around my pale neck and squeezing it until color drained from my face.

I wouldn't put it past him.

"You want to do what?" He growled.

Suddenly, he straightened up like he was not just up in my personal space a moment ago and he looked down at me.

"I want to continue the training with Val" I cleared my throat, my heart thudding in my chest.

"I think the last time we had this conversation, we ended the morning with you almost shooting me with the gun given to you and I gave an order …" His tone was condescending and I cringed at how it made me feel. "I said I don't want to ever see you in the training ground"

"That one time was a mistake. I want to learn. Val can teach me" I squared my shoulders, my blood running cold when I noticed him pull out a sharp-looking pocket knife from his jacket, his eyes never leaving mine.

"A mistake?" he repeated, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You call nearly shooting me a mistake?"

I swallowed hard, trying to maintain my composure.

"Yes, I do," I said, trying to sound confident.

Vincenzo's gaze dropped to the knife in his hand, his fingers flipping it open with a menacing click.

"I think you're looking for trouble, Tesoro," he said, his voice low and menacing.

I stood up from the bed, my heart racing.

"Maybe I am," I said, trying to sound brave.

Vincenzo chuckled, the sound sending shivers down my spine.

"You know what they say about curiosity and cats?"

I shook my head, my eyes fixed on the knife.

"It kills them," he said, his eyes glinting with amusement.

Suddenly, he began to clean his nails with the knife, his movements precise and deliberate.

"I'm not going to let you train with Val," he said, his voice detached.

"Why not?" I demanded, trying to keep my anger in check.

Vincenzo looked up, his eyes piercing.

"Because you're my wife, Tesoro. Not some soldier to be trained."

I felt a surge of frustration.

"That's exactly why I want to learn," I said, my voice rising.

Vincenzo's expression turned cold.

"You'll learn what I want you to learn, Adriana. Nothing more."

"Well, I'm not asking what you want. I'm telling you what I need" I hissed at him angrily, my anger getting the better of me.

He suddenly slammed the knife back on a nearby table, the wooden table nearly splintering under the force.

My heart leaped in my throat as he stormed towards me, his eyes blazing with a murderous fire.

He stopped right in front of me, his posture rigid and I struggled not to flinch under his gaze.

"You want to learn?" His voice was calm but dripped with venom.

I refused to back down and I nodded once.

A sadistic smile lifted his lips and he scoffed. "Fine. One condition then Tesoro. If you don't agree to it then we don't have a deal"

I weighed my options. "What's the condition?" I asked.

"You work under me not Val and certainly not someone else" He replied with a smirk seeing how my eyes widened at that.

He wanted what?

"What's it going to be, Tesoro? Non devi accettarlo se non sei in grado di gestirlo. Consideralo la tua prima prova. Sì o no? Non c'è altra opzione, Tesoro." (You don't have to agree to it if you can't handle it. Let it be your first test. Yes or no? There's no other option, Tesoro)

He was waiting.

Waiting for me to make a choice

"Sì"

There. Decision made.