His Vixen Mafia Princess

Chapter Three-Raw Emotion

I'm half expecting him to turn around and walk out. But of course, that would be too easy! Gently, he pushes me back towards my bed and I fall down into the sitting position at the edge. He crouches down in front of me and grabs my hands, looking up at my face. "Vixen, why do you hate me so much?" he asks me. I can not believe this man, he is absolutely insufferable! I yank my hands out of his grasp and struggle to keep the tears from flowing down my face freely. I'm doing my best to stay as composed as possible, I don't want anyone especially Angel to see me as a weak woman.

"I don't hate you. I guess I just haven't forgiven you for breaking my heart all those years ago. I was just a girl, you toyed with me. You strung me along and made me think you were in love with me but then without a word, rhyme, or reason you left. I was weak, I begged you on my knees to stay with me, to love me. You walked away without looking back. But I'm not her anymore Angel, I'm not weak. I've built an empire beside my father, I've found a man who treats me wonderfully, I'm finding out who I am. I never expected you to come waltzing back into my home and shoving your engagement in my face. It stings, only because I always imagined it would be me. Not some airhead who just wants you for your money," there I said it. I said it all and now I'm sitting here waiting on him to process everything I've said.

For a while there is only silence between us. Its so quiet I can hear his deep breathing and then he says, "Do you love him?" I assume he's referring to the poor man I've been avoiding like the plague. I groan inwardly because this was not the question I was expecting to come from him. I wasn't expecting this conversation at all. I fire back, "Do you love her?" As quickly as the words had left my mouth, he breathed out a firm "no". I feel my mouth drop in shock. Why would someone marry someone they don't even love? That doesn't even make sense. Sure, we're from mafia families, but we still strive to find the one person we can trust. That's our most core value, we can't trust someone we don't love.

"I don't even like her. As you so delicately put it, she's quite an airhead. I was not attempting to shove my engagement in your face, I protested with her when she demanded we host the wedding here. This wedding is only happening because of things I am not allowed to discuss with you, per your father's orders. If I could tell you the truth I would, my sweet Vixen. I never meant to cause you any pain. I have hated myself every single day for the way I ended things with you, I hate myself even more for the choices I've had to make since that day. You have been and will always be the most precious thing in the world to me," he answers. I'm stunned. To say the least. I guess a part of me knew, from this mornings events, that there were still unresolved feeling between the two of us. I could try to chalk it up to him just being h*rny but there was too much passion in the way things went down in that bathroom to deny it. I'm most shocked at his words that my father is hiding things from me.

He takes my hands back in his and stands up, pulling me with him. He wraps his arms around me and rests his head on top of mine. He's always been taller than me, but despite the age difference between us (he's 23 and I'm 19) I've always acted more mature. I let him hold me while I process his words and after a few moments I respond, "My father includes me in everything, there's no way he would be hiding anything from me. Despite your reasons Angel, you still broke me beyond what anyone has ever managed to do. That's not something I'm able to just look past because you come back in here all of a sudden being loving." I slowly snake myself out of his clutches and walk out of the room. I sneak a peek behind me and he's standing there in the same spot looking absolutely defeated. I want to run to him and throw myself back in his arms. I want to tell him that it's all okay and that I forgive him, we can move past it. Instead, I briskly escape to the garden in the back.

Breathing in the fresh afternoon air I take out my cell phone and decide to text Ari.

Me: Hi, I know this is probably the last thing you need on your plate right now. I know you deserve more than a stupid text message. I know, and I am so sorry. But I think maybe we should take a break, just spend a little time apart. I've got a ton going on here and it's unfair that you have to suffer the consequences. Just focus on your work for a couple weeks and I'll come visit you in New York when things finally settle down around here.

I'm not really expecting a quick response from him so I start to slide my phone into the back pocket of my jeans when I feel it buzz with the incoming text.

Ari: It's Angel, isn't it? Is he the one who broke your heart before me?

Me: He is someone from my past but this decision has nothing to do with him. This is about me, I need to focus on the businesses and take some time for myself. Again, I'm really sorry Ari.

Ari: I respect your decision although I don't like it. And I really don't like your new house guest but I will await your arrival in a few weeks so we can talk more.

I sigh and slip the phone away. I lied, it had everything to do with Angel. I just don't want to admit it to myself, much less admit it to the man who has done nothing but dote on me and treat me like a princess from the very first time we met. He is so good, so kind and so pure. So very understanding and patient. I know I'm going to have to break things off with him when I go visit. It's just not fair that he holds on to something that will never be enough for me. I sink into one of the wicker chairs on the patio and let my face fall into my hands. What am I doing? Questioning my father? Based on Angel's word, ha! But a deep part of me believes everything he had said a few moments before.