"Adelina?" Her mother slid open the glass door, but Adelina made no attempt to move.

Currently she wore faded gray Brown University sweat pants, an old high school tee, and her chocolate brown waves were piled into a knot on top of her head. Her hair needed brushed and she hadn't showered since the day before. She didn't bode well in captivity.

"Someone's here to see you."

She was torn between excitement to see someone other than her mother and brother and feeling disgusted with her current appearance.

She whipped her head around to find Lucian Luchese in the doorway. He was impeccably dressed in navy blue suit pants with a linen white shirt and brown loafers. His dark hair was slicked back and his toned stomach was taunt against the fabric of his shirt. Lucian looked like sin on a silver platter.

"I'll give you two a minute." Eve smiled closing the door behind her.

Lucian took a moment to take in his surroundings before turning the nearby chair to face Adelina.

"Ciao, bella." He called her beautiful again, no other word could disarm her but that one with his voice.

Right now, though, she was still too angry.

"Why are you here?" Her words came out more bitter then she had meant them to.

He gave her a deep chuckle. "Just checking in. I hear your taking a break from school?"

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared, “Not willingly."

"No?"

"No."

"Tell me why then, bella." He asked.

"I was hoping you would tell me."

He pondered her statement. "I don't understand. Vinny just told me today your taking a break."

Adelina felt a wave of relief, maybe she didn't actually want to hate this gorgeous man. "Oh. I just assumed."

"Assumed I asked him to keep you from your school?"

"Yeah," she nodded, breaking eye contact. She felt ashamed for assuming he was like every other man in her life, but she didn't have many reasons not to think that.

He scrubbed a hand down his face before leaning in close. "I wouldn't do that to you."

She nodded in response, but truly how was she to know what he would or wouldn't do to her?

"Have you thought about my question?"

His question?

"What you want out of life?" He prodded.

She knew what she didn’t want out of life. An arranged marriage. What did her family think this was, the stone ages? Women weren’t forced into marriage and babies and fake love anymore. She wanted to scream that at the top of her lungs to Vinny. Instinctually her hand went to touch under her left breast where the scar was.

Love wasn’t a pleasant thing, that she knew for sure.

"A little." She replied. She had thought about it, but none of it seemed real anymore. Sure, at one time she had ambitions, but after this week she felt broken. "I want to finish school."

"Mmhm." He nodded, encouraging her to continue.

"I want to work." She continued.

"I'm sure we can work something out."

"And I don't won't to just be a pretty trophy."

He smiled at this. "Never thought you would be, bella.”

“I don’t want to be lied to and treated like a child.” Her eyes were fixated on Vinny’s office window as she said this.

Lucian nodded. “Anything else?”

"Yeah, I, um, I don’t want to be used as entertainment." He looked confused about this one. "My dad and Massimo used to bring me out at their parties and make me sing or play for them." She paused to take a deep breath. "That's something I do for me. Not for them."

"I understand, bella." He rested a hand on her knee. "I want to make you an offer."

Her eyes shot up to his. "What do you mean?"

"I want to move forward with this arrangement."

She swallowed hard. "You mean marry me?"

He gave her one of his reassuring smiles. "Yes, bella. But I have a few conditions and I want to make sure you agree first."

"Lay it on me." She forced a smile. Outside she was trying to bring back flirty and fun Adelina. Inside, she was a wreck.

"I want you to finish school."

Well, at least she had that going for her.

"We can work something out after you graduate for a career, I will never make you sing for guests, and I promise I will always tell you the truth. Okay?"

"Okay."

"I want a few promises, bella. No more picking up guys in bars."

Adelina's face flushed. Nothing more embarrassing than being called out on your sexual advances.

"I want to see you. Every week, we'll pick a day that doesn't interfere with school. We’ll also have to have an engagement party and participate in family functions as a couple, other than that I will stay out of your life for the remainder of your senior year." He took a long pause. "Finally, we'll have to have a wedding after your graduation."

This all felt very real suddenly. She would no longer be the careless college student, instead she'd be engaged to a mobster. One she barely knew.

"What do you say, bella?"

"Can I think about it?"

His mouth thinned, but he replied "of course".

He stood from his seat and dusted invisible lint off the navy pants. "I'll talk to your brother about school."

"Good luck." She replied sarcastically.

Within the hour Roberto had her back at her dorm room.

???

“Adelina Lucille DeMarco. Where the hell have you been? I’ve been losing my mind!” Gemma, Adelina’s roommate screeched when she walked through into their room after Roberto dropped her off. She quickly bounced off the bed to hug and kiss Adelina, holding her as if it’d been a year and not a week.

“House arrest.” Adelina muttered throwing her duffel on the twin bed.

“What happened?”

Gemma came from an Italian family that was also “connected”. Their mothers had been pregnant with them both at the same time while raising their older brothers. She was the youngest of three and it was no surprise her parents quit after her. She was a whirlwind of colors, noise, and constant chatter. Basically, a perfect match for Adelina. They had been best friends since kindergarten when one of the boys pushed Adelina off the swing and Gemma told him that her brother would kill him if he did it again. He didn’t do it again, which was probably a good idea as Gemma wasn’t really joking.

Adelina cringed even thinking about telling her best friend. Sure, Gemma would get it. She was probably the only person who would get it.

Still, the words sat like poison on her tongue.

She was having an arranged marriage.

She heaved a sigh and faced her friend. “He’s marrying me off.”

Gemma face fell for a second, and then immediately she was in a fit of rage. “Who does that asshole think he is?” she tossed some books that were laying nearby. “This isn’t olden times!” she screamed.

She was right.

This was the 21st century. A man can’t just marry his sister off like she’s piece of meat.

But he was going to, and no one was going to stop him.

“Gem, it’s okay.”

Gemma turned from the bed she was ripping sheets off. “What?”

“I said it’s okay.”

“How is this okay, Addy?”

She shrugged her shoulders.

She had been dreading this day for the three years since Theo died, but there was something about Lucian.

He talked to her.

He asked her what she wanted.

He gave her a choice.

She couldn’t remember the last time someone other than Gemma asked her what she wanted.

Her ma loved her, sure, but she always saw her as a little princess that would marry the king.

She had been playing a role since she was one day old and Theo gave her that nickname.

She never had a chance.

But now, yeah, now someone was giving her a choice.

“I just, I think it’s going to be okay.” She told Gemma.

Gemma eyed her, clearly thinking she had lost her mind. “Have you met him?” she asked slapping both hands on hips.

Adelina nodded. “Three times now. He just got me released from house arrest.”

Gemma’s narrowed eyes lifted. “How?”

“I think he has some power over Vinny?

??” Adelina mused, plopping down on the bed.

“Like when we all had lunch, every time Vinny spoke Lucian waved his hand and he shut up. It was…” she thought for a moment. “strange, but kind of awesome.”

“So, he’s a boss?” Gemma plopped down beside Adelina on the twin bed.

“I, uh, I don’t know.”

Gemma snorted. “So, you’re marrying this guy and you don’t even know what he does?”

“Well, I know he’s in.” Adelina said defensively.

“Where’s he’s from?”

“New York.”

Gemma’s eyes widened. “Luchesse, Morello, DiLaurentis, Colombo, or DeCavalcante?” She listed off the names.

“What?”

Gemma threw her hands up exasperated. “His last name! What’s his last name, Addy?”

“I, uh, I don’t know.”