Christmas Shadows: A Mafia Love Story

6 | Playing the Part

❦ 𝐆 𝐈 𝐀 𝐍 𝐍 𝐀 ❦

As I step out of the shower and head inside my bedroom, I find the untouched gifts that Dominic sent earlier, still waiting to be opened.

I open the first one, revealing a breathtaking dress. It's a striking shade of sunlit yellow, emanating warmth and vibrancy. The fabric softly glimmers, casting a gentle glow under the light.

In the second box rests a set of dazzling diamond jewelry. A pair of exquisite earrings and a pendant adorned with small, brilliant stones.

Texting Dominic, I express my reluctance to wear the jewelry, fearing I might lose them because they're too valuable.

"They're yours, Tesero. You can do whatever you want with them. I'll see you soon, my love," his text reads, leaving me puzzled by the endearment used so unexpectedly.

Quickly dressing in the breathtaking dress and accessorizing, I then finish my hair and makeup. As I slip on my heels, the doorbell rings. I hurry to fix them and then head to the door.

Opening it, I find a handsome Dominic standing in front of me in a luxurious suit, tailored to perfection with fine Italian wool, its deep navy hue complementing his skin tone. The suit jacket drapes elegantly over his broad shoulders, adorned with delicate stitching details, while the crisp white shirt beneath contrasts beautifully with the dark fabric.

He looks at me with wide eyes, clearly impressed, as his gaze travels over my outfit.

"What? You didn't feel like getting in on your own this time?" I tease.

"It happened one time, Tesero. When are you going to forgive me?" He asks, and I pretend to ponder, sporting a playful smirk.

"How about never?" I joke as he steps inside without waiting for an invitation.

As I bend down to fix a part of my heels that remains untied, Dominic breaks the tension. "The back of your dress isn't fully zipped up," he remarks.

"Oh!" I exclaim in realization. I attempt to fix it, but my hand can't reach the middle part of my back, leaving me frustrated. "Could you-?"

"Of course, my lovely fiance," he responds as he steps closer to me.

His hand, cold against my warm back, feels oddly alluring. He takes his time fixing it.

"Thank you," I say once he's done.

"You don't ever have to thank me," he says, his voice a mix of roughness and gentleness. His light brown eyes meet my deep brown ones. He licks his bottom lip as his gaze travels over my body.

"I almost forgot to mention how sexy you look in this dress."

"Thank you," I reply shyly.

"Shall we leave now?" he asks, extending his hand. I graciously accept and nod in agreement.

...

"Come on, you'll be fine," Dominic reassures me once we have arrived in front of his father's mansion, a bustling hive of guests.

"O-okay," I reply, taking in the overwhelming scene. Dominic exits the car, quickly opening the door on my side. "Thank you," I acknowledge as he nods, gesturing to the impressive mansion.

Dominic takes my hand, and we step inside to a lively atmosphere with over a hundred people mingling and chatting. The men looks scary while the woman look like models.

"I almost forgot," Dominic interrupts, slipping an expensive engagement ring onto my finger.

"Dominic, you didn't have to do that," I say, surprised that he'd go out of his way to buy me an engagement ring for our fake engagement.

"Of course I did, what kind of man doesn't buy their fiancée an engagement ring?" he asks, leaning in to kiss my cheek, whispering "you got this, Tesero," before we continue through the crowd.

Among the guests, a man resembling Dominic but older calls out. "Dominic." He greets.

"Father," Dominic responds.

"Who's this lovely lady?" his father asks, grinning.

"My fiancée," he responds, wrapping his arm around my waist possessively.

The dad's expression shifts to one of shock. Another man about Luca's age, approaches. "Brother! I heard you were alive. I had to see for myself," he says, a fake smile on his face.

"You're not my brother. You're my half-brother. And step back, you're too close to my girl," Dominic asserts firmly.

"Apparently, this woman is Dominic's fiancee," his father states skeptically.

"Dominic has never been able to stay with a woman for even 48 hours," an older woman who I'm assuming is Dominic's stepmother, remarks.

"I'm Lilith, this is my husband Lucius and my son Nathaniel," she introduces.

"It's nice to meet you all," I greet them warmly, keeping a genuine smile despite the skepticism.

"Dominic, can we talk?" His brother, Nathaniel, asks.

"Not now, Nathaniel. I'm busy," Dominic dismisses, pulling me closer.

"Your family is lovely," I comment sarcastically once we're alone.

"You don't have to lie," Dominic responds with a pained smile.

"I'm sorry, Dominic. I'll help you convince them either way." I tell him, my voice soft.

"It's not your fault. This is the first time I've ever brought a woman home, so they're struggling to believe you're my fiancée."

As I try to comfort him, my hand hesitantly lingers on his chest, then moves to adjust his tie. With barely any space between us, I catch him looking nervously at me as I bite my lip. "Tesero, what are you doing?" Dominic asks as he tries to catch his breath.

"Your half-brother and your dad are watching. We have to give them a show," I say, grabbing the back of his neck and kissing his cheek gently. "Right, fiancée?" I whisper in his ear.

He suddenly takes my hand, leading me down a hallway. "What are we doing here?" I ask.

"I can't stand those people," he admits, and I nod in understanding.

Dominic starts to approach me and I step back. "I want your lips against mine, Tesero." He tells me. I gulp as I stare at the his eyes as they darken.

"W-why?" I ask confused as to why he'd say that all of a sudden.

"Evil stepmother's watching. You want to help convince them we're together right?" I nod.

"So, kiss me." He says as his voice deepens. I hesitate for a second and then I lean closer to him and do as he says.

He grabs my face as he kiss me back. Then suddenly he pins me against the wall and deepens the kiss as he grabs my waist pulling me even closer. A minute later, I realize we're still kissing so I pull away.

"Isn't she gone yet?" I ask as I turn around to look behind me. There's no one there.

"Dominic! Why would you do that?"