FALLING FOR MY MAFIA IN-LAW

Assault at Dusk: Battling Rivals

Isabella’s POV:

​ He’ll take me? What the hell did he mean by that?

I knew what he meant but only he could make it sound like I was an object for sale.

“Nonsense. You’re our guest. I’m sure Isabella can pick up the cake by herself”, my abuella said with a huge smile on her face. I’d never seen her smile so hard since the day she almost won the lottery, but for the first time I completely agreed with her. “Right Isabella?”, she turned to me and asked.

I was still confused and trying to process everything going on.

“Right Isabella?”, she asked again, only this time her smile had disappeared.

“Oh yeah, yeah, I can get it myself”, I replied.

Why the hell was he even offering in the first place. Or did he forget the cake was meant for him.

He looked at his watch. “I have a package I need to personally pick up. I could just drive her to pick up the cake at the same time”

“What package coz?”, one of his cousins asked. The cousin turned to me with what looked like an evil smile on his face. “I’m sure we can help pick it up and help the pretty damsel get the cake”. Suddenly my options of going with the monster began to look better.

“I have to personally pick it up. I’m sure you understand”, he said then looked at my father who was at the far end of the table.

My father who seem disinterested in everything nodded his head as some sign of approval. Nate stood up from his chair and placed his hand on Sara’s shoulder. She looked at him and gave an obviously fake smile.

“Thank you for the meal Mrs Garcia, it was truly amazing”, he said.

A huge smile made its way to my abuella’s face as she turned to him. That one obviously wasn’t fake. “You’re so sweet handsome”, she said back to him, and I was pretty sure mom and I made the dish.

Who knew he could play prince charming. Even though under the prince charade was a big bad wolf, literally. Only Nate Greenwood could leave a party thrown for him.

…….

I sat in the passenger seat of his sleek black car, my fingers gripping the edge of the leather seat. The engine purred like a contented lion beneath the hood. Nate sat behind the wheel, his eyes focused on the road ahead.

The sun streamed in through the car window, casting dappled shadows across his chiseled features. I hated him so much but I couldn’t deny the fact that he was impossibly handsome. He was literally a living embodiment of danger and allure. I glanced sideways, my gaze drawn to the way his fingers rested on the steering wheel. My cheeks warmed at the thought of those strong hands, the same hands that commanded a criminal empire.

Nate turned his head slightly, catching me in the act of stealing glances at him. He shot me a smirk that sent a shiver down my spine. His voice was a low rumble as he said, “Enjoying the view?”

I stammered, flustered. “I… I was just… looking at the road”

His laugh was like a velvet caress to my ears. “Sure, sweetheart”

My heart pounded in my chest as I hastily turned away, my cheeks flushed with embarrassment. This was a bad idea, riding alone with him.

Get a grip Isabella. It’s just a stupid crush. It means nothing and you can control yourself over some man, and that means looking at him without feeling a thing.

I looked at him again, as if I was trying to prove a point. I couldn’t help but notice the way his dark hair fell across his forehead, the tantalizing glimpse of a vein in his folded arm sleeve…

I looked to the other side quickly and gulped, staring at the road for real this time.

The tension in the car was palpable especially since the rest of the car ride was completely quiet.

“Are we really werewolves?’, I finally asked, breaking the silence in the car.

He turned to me and then back to the road. He didn’t say a word.

The anger in me rose from my heels to my head. I kept looking at him but he still didn’t say a word.

I was honestly pissed. I kept staring at him expecting an answer but still, not a word.

I hated how mean he was. He felt he could treat anyone however he liked and I wish someone could put him his place.

“Okay, fine. Since you won’t answer that, maybe you’ll answer this. Why did you kill my brother?”

The car abruptly screeched to a stop. He turned towards me slowly, my anxiety surging.

“We’re here”, he turned slowly to me and said.

I looked out my window, only to realize we were now parked in front of the bakery.

……

The bakery bell jingled as we entered, a sweet aroma of freshly baked goods enveloping us. The display case was a confectionery wonderland, filled with colorful cakes and pastries. I approached the counter, still ticked by what had just happened, and ordered the cake. Nate, leaning casually against the counter watched me with those enigmatic eyes.

He didn’t give a damn about me, why did I allow myself feel anything for the monster in the first place.

As I completed the transaction and the baker disappeared into the back, I looked back at Nate then hissed before looking away.

Nate strolled over to me. He leaned in close, his warm breath brushing my ear. “You know you don’t have to pretend with me, Isabella”

I turned to him, my voice barely a whisper. “Pretend what?”

A mischievous grin tugged at his lips. “That you hate me. I’ve seen the way you look at me”

My cheeks flushed again, and I swallowed hard, unable to form a coherent response. Nate’s hand came to rest on arm, his touch sending a jolt of electricity through me. He leaned closer, his lips dangerously close to mine.

Before he could do anything more, my hand moved on its own, making contact with his face. The realization hit me only after the sharp sound echoed in the room- I hadn’t even noticed when I had slapped him.

Almost immediately, the bakery door swung open, and the baker returned with the cake, saving me from whatever was about to happen next. Nate stepped away, his expression still cool and collected. I paid for the cake and grabbed the box, my heart pounding.

We left the bakery, cake in hand, but the air had changed. The tension was thicker, the atmosphere denser.

Nate got in the car, and I did right after. My heart still pounding.

My breath hitched, but I tried to act normal. The car roared to life, and we sped away, leaving the bakery behind.

I glanced out of the window, my mind in turmoil. The cake sat on my lap, a reminder of the luncheon, and what had just happened in the bakery.

The drive back had been tense, the air thick. Nate’s eyes remained fixed on the road, and I stared out the window, doing my best to avoid his gaze.

As we approached a quiet, dimly lit street, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss. The unease settled in my chest like a heavy weight, and my instincts screamed danger. I couldn’t keep this one in, I looked at Nate about to voice my concern, but it was like he had already noticed.

“Get down!”, he shouted, yanking the steering wheel to the side.

The car screeched to a halt, and in the rearview mirror, I caught a glimpse of several dark, menacing vehicles closing in behind us. The tattooed men who emerged from those cars were unmistakably rivals of Nate’s mafia.

I huddled down in the seat as the car’s window shattered, showering us with glass. Gunfire erupted, and the world turned into chaos. His hand slipped into his pants, and I tensed as he brought out his gun. Nate returned fire with ruthless precision.

Bullets whizzed past my head, and I clung to the cake box, my heart racing in terror. The deafening roar of gunfire filled the air, and my ears rang as the smell of gunpowder permeated the air.

Nate’s voice was a steady anchor amidst the chaos. “Stay down, Isabella! I’m going to get you out of here”.

He swerved the car, desperately trying to get us out of there, and just when it seemed like we might get away, a sharp crack echoed through the chaos. The car jerked violently, and I clutched the seat, my heart pounding. The realization hit me as the world outside blurred- a tire had been shot.

In a last-ditch effort, he turned to me with a look of determination, a glint of something else in his eyes. Then, to my absolute shock, he began to change. Bones shifted, fur sprouted, and in an instant, the man beside me transformed into a massive snarling werewolf.