Kiss Me Mr. Mafia

Chapter 3: Obsession

Stefano's POV

Finally, the car went quiet. I glanced at the girl beside me. She was fast asleep, her head leaning awkwardly against the window. It was as if she didn’t care that I was right there.

I set my laptop aside and gently adjusted her position, resting her head comfortably against my shoulder so she wouldn’t wake up with a stiff neck or pain in her body.

"Look at her now," I murmured, shaking my head. "She looks so peaceful and innocent. Nothing like the fiery, stubborn girl I dealt with just a while ago."

Khalil, my driver and most trusted man, glanced at me through the rearview mirror. He knew I was right.

Taking Crizza was never about the money. I had more than enough wealth to last ten lifetimes, and the small sum her father owed me was nothing but pocket change. But the moment Dominic mentioned her name and told me about her, everything changed

Out of pure interest, I went to her mother’s funeral years ago. There, I saw her standing outside the building, crying openly, her shoulders shaking, not caring who was watching. I stayed at a safe distance. Then, suddenly, she stood up, wiped her tears roughly, and let out a long, shaky sigh. She looked up at the grey sky, took a deep breath, and walked back inside with her head held high, acting as if nothing had happened.

That day, I realized she was the most fragile yet strongest girl I had ever seen in my life. And that very moment, I decided I had to make her mine, no matter how twisted or dark the way had to be.

Fate was on my side. When her father got addicted to gambling and dug himself deep into debt, I stepped in and offered him financial help. What I didn't expect was that he would eventually offer me the one thing I couldn't refuse,his own daughter, Crizza.

"We’re here, Boss," Khalil announced, breaking my thoughts as the car slowed to a stop in front of my mansion.

I was about to wake her up, but decided against it. Instead, I carefully slid my arms under her body and lifted her effortlessly against my chest. Khalil opened the door, and I stepped out into the cool night air.

I stared at my massive mansion and sighed deeply. From now on, this would be her new home. She might hate me now, but sooner or later, she would realize that she belongs right here... right by my side.

One of the maids opened the main door and bowed respectfully. Helen, the strict but kind head housekeeper, walked toward us.

"Her room is ready, Sir," she said softly. "We arranged everything exactly according to your instructions."

I nodded in acknowledgment and walked up the grand staircase toward her room. I pushed the door open and laid her gently on the soft mattress, pulling the silk blanket up to cover her shoulders.

I had to admit, they did a wonderful job. The walls were painted soft lavender with white accents, making the room bright and warm. Long, white curtains hung from floor-to-ceiling glass windows that overlooked the garden.

The gold detailing on the furniture glowed under the soft light of the crystal chandelier above. Everything was designed to match her taste perfectly—because I had spent months learning everything about her.

I left her to rest. I had a lot of work to do and empire matters to attend to. Exiting the room, I found Khalil waiting patiently by the door.

"Need something?" I asked as we walked down the long, marble corridor leading to the staircase.

"Do you really think it’s a good idea keeping her here?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. "I mean, we are in the middle of a heated conflict with our enemies. She will surely become your weakness, and you know exactly what they do to people we care about."

I kept walking until we reached the bottom of the stairs. There was no way I was giving her back to her father.

"I knew this would happen, Khalil," I said, patting his shoulder firmly to reassure him. "If you’re worried that our empire will fall just because I let her into my life... don't. Trust me." He nodded reluctantly.

Moment later, Helen came running toward us, breathless and panic-stricken.

"What is it?" I demanded, my voice dropping an octave.

She pointed frantically toward the second floor, and I knew instantly something was very wrong.

"Ms. Crizza woke up," she said, her voice shaking. "She went mad the moment she realized she was in your house, and now... she is standing on the terrace railing... threatening to jump if you don't let her go!"

Khalil looked at me, shaking his head with a smirk. "You better handle this, Boss. And I have a feeling she might not be your weakness... but she will be your headache."

I shook my head in disbelief and ran as fast as I could back to her room. When I arrived, several maids were already inside, terrified, desperately trying to convince Crizza to come down before she fell.

There she was—standing precariously on the edge of the terrace railing, looking down at the ground far below.

"Everyone, leave us," I ordered in a sharp, authoritative voice that left no room for argument.

No one hesitated. No one questioned me. Good. In this house, nobody defies me.

They all bowed and scrambled out, leaving me alone with this crazy woman who was literally holding her life in her own hands.

"Crizza," I called out, stepping closer but keeping my distance.

She turned to face me. She was balancing on the concrete railing so casually. Her hair was messy, her eyes were blazing with anger, and her arms were crossed tightly over her chest. I noticed the dark, angry bruises forming on her wrists from the handcuffs I used earlier.

Did her father give her to me because she was insane?

No. She wasn't crazy. She was just brave—stubbornly, foolishly brave—and desperate to prove that she wasn't afraid of me or what I could do.

"Oh, you finally decided to show up," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Get down here. Now," I ordered, my voice deep and firm.

She didn't even flinch. I sounded more like a father scolding a child throwing a tantrum than a feared Mafia boss.

"Am I supposed to be scared?" she teased, feigning a look of pure terror before rolling her eyes dramatically. "Oh no! I'm so terrified of you!"

"Fine. If you really want to die that badly... then jump," I gestured calmly, leaning against the doorframe, challenging her.

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. She turned her back to me, bent her knees, and prepared to leap off the edge.

What the actual hell? She was really going to do it. She would actually risk her life just to defy me.

"Wait! What do you want?" I asked quickly, my composure slipping for a second.

She stopped just in time, straightened up, and turned back to me with a triumphant smirk.

"Simple. Let me go. I will work and pay back every cent of my father's debt, every single penny."

"Deal. I promise," I answered immediately, without hesitation. For a second, she froze. She clearly couldn't believe I agreed that easily.

She jumped back onto the safe side of the terrace, barefoot and graceful, and walked past me into the room like she had already won.

"Well, that was surprisingly easy," she shrugged, sitting casually on the edge of the bed. "I’ll leave later today. Let's sit down and discuss the payment plan and the timeline—"

"Silence," I cut her off sharply.

She closed her mouth instantly, looking shocked that I dared to interrupt her. Good. She was behaving because she fully expected to be leaving this house later.

I walked to the small table in the corner, poured a glass of water, and grabbed the first aid kit.

"Drink this," I commanded, handing her the glass.

She took it and drank it without question, too focused on her supposed freedom to be suspicious.

"Give me your hands."

She extended them without hesitation. I soaked a cotton ball in alcohol and began cleaning the raw bruises on her wrists, my touch surprisingly gentle.

"Ouch! That stings!" she hissed, pulling her hand back and curling her toes in annoyance.

"This pain is nothing compared to what you would have felt if you actually jumped," I replied calmly, wrapping a soft bandage around her skin.

"At least falling would only take a few seconds before I passed out and died," she replied coldly, her eyes locking with mine.

I finished bandaging her wrist, then handed her the glass of water again to finish. She stared at it for a moment before gulping it down in one go.

"Why would you even want to leave?" I asked softly, genuinely curious. "Why fight so hard to go back to a life full of pain and disappoinment?"

She let out a sarcastic laugh and stood up to face me. "Do you seriously expect me to want to stay here after you kidnapped me? After you treated me like a piece of goods bought with money?"

I stayed silent, letting her vent.

"Can I go now?" she asked, placing her hands firmly on her hips.

I stood up too, towering over her. The height difference was obvious—she only reached the middle of my chest, forcing her to crane her neck just to look me in the eye.

"No. You can't," I whispered, my voice dropping to a dangerous low tone.

Her eyes went wide with shock and realization. In the blink of an eye, she turned and ran as fast as she could out of the room, panic setting in.

"LIAR!" she screamed as she sprinted down the dim corridor. "You tricked me!"

I walked slowly after her, amused and calm. "Me? How so?"

"You promised me! You said I could leave!" she shouted again, not looking back, running for her life.

"Promises are meant to be broken, angel," I called out, my voice echoing in the hallway. "And I, Stefano Rusco... never make promises I intend to keep."

I began counting down under my breath, knowing exactly what was about to happen. Ten... nine... eight... seven...

"You are a devil, Stefano! A monster! I will haunt you for the rest of your life and even after I—"

Four... three... two... one.

I rushed forward and caught her body just as her legs gave out and she collapsed helplessly. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized I was right there, holding her before she could even hit the floor.

"No one escapes from me, angel," I said, smirking as I held her limp body tightly against mine, preventing her from falling.

"You... you drugged the water..." she gasped, realization hitting her hard as her vision started to blur and her strength faded completely.

I smiled innocently and scooped her up into my arms, carrying her back toward her room while she tried weakly to punch my chest with no force behind it.

"Smart girl," I whispered, looking down at her fading consciousness and brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "You really thought you could outsmart me?"

I opened the door to her room and walked inside, my voice turning dark and possessive as I spoke the truth that bound her to me forever.

"Run, scream, or fight all you want, Crizza... but remember this... I own this city. I know every street, every alley, and every hiding place. Even if you managed to get out, I would find you in less than a day. You were mine the moment your father signed that paper... and now, even death won't be enough to set you free."