Stolen Vows

CHAPTER FIVE.

Adrianna's pov

Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, brushing golden fingers over the tangled sheets. The rays pierced my eyes and woke me up. I woke to the weight of silence.

Valerio was already up. The space beside me was still warm, the faint scent of him clinging to the pillow. My body ached in places I never knew could feel pleasure, and pain and something in between.

I wrapped the sheet tighter around myself, sat up, and stared at the room. It looked the same as last night, but I didn't.

My heart thudded In my chest and my mind was spinning.

What had I done?

Footsteps echoed from the adjoining room. The door opened up and Valerio walked in, shirtless, a pair of dark pants slung low on his hips, towel drying his hair.

His eyes locked on mine and the temperature dropped.

He said nothing.

I lifted my chin, my voice shaky. "Are you just going to pretend last night didn’t happen?"

He didn’t answer right away. He stood at the edge of the bed, staring like he was trying to rebuild walls he had broken down.

"What do you want me to say?" he asked, voice flat.

I blinked. "Maybe that kidnapping me and then sleeping with me makes you an even bigger monster."

His jaw tensed. "You kissed me first."

"And you let it happen."

"You begged me."

My cheeks flamed. "Don’t twist it."

He leaned in, bracing one hand on the bed, close enough that I could feel the heat rolling off him.

"I didn’t force you. I could have. But I didn’t. Don’t pretend you didn’t want it."

I shoved his chest. "You don’t get to rewrite it just because you weren’t cruel!"

His eyes burned. "Cruel would be sending you back to your father."

Silence fell again.

He straightened, stepping away. "Get dressed. You’re coming with me."

I blinked. "Where?"

"To meet the family. It’s time they saw the woman who nearly ran, then climbed into my bed."

I flinched.

He paused at the door. "Last night changed everything, Adrianna. Whether you like it or not."

Then he was gone.

And I was left wondering if I’d given him power or taken it for myself.

Sofia came in again this time her head was faced downwards and she didn't speak. I understood that I had betrayed her trust and possibly put her in trouble.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to her as we walked back to my room. "I didn't mean to put you in trouble."

Sofia kept quiet for a while before she let out a giggle which shocked me. I thought she was angry.

"You know if you wanted to see your husband so urgently you could have told me." She said with a teasing smile.

My face went red at her assumption and I didn't know what to say. Sofia just laughed at my red stunned face and I had to walk further to get away from her.

********

Later that morning

The halls echoed with polished boots and murmured orders as Valerio led me down a corridor I hadn't seen before. I wore a silk dress, dark blue, elegant, yet commanding. Sofia had pressed it into my hands with a gentle smile.

We entered a large chamber. It was not a boardroom. Not a dining hall per say. Something more sacred and larger.

Eight men stood in a semicircle, each dressed in black, their postures sharp as blades. All turned to face Valerio as he entered. And bowed to him.

He didn’t announce himself, but I guess he didn’t need to.

“Gentlemen,” he said, his voice steady. “Meet Adrianna Romano, now Adrianna Romano Costa, My wife and my queen."

I was tense.

One by one, the men bowed their heads to me and put a fist on their chest as a salute.

“Adrianna,” he continued, gesturing toward the man to his right, “this is Tomaso Ricci, my consigliere. We grew up together. He handles strategy and speaks for me when I need silence.”

Tomaso nodded. “Welcome, Donna Costa.”

Next, a tall man with a crooked nose and eyes that never blinked. “Antonio Leoni, our enforcer. He’s the reason most people don’t lie to me twice.”

Antonio gave a single nod. “Ma’am, welcome home."

“Luca Beretti, tech and intelligence. No one moves in our territory without him knowing. If you whisper a secret, Luca already heard it yesterday.”

Luca grinned, boyish and sharp. “She’s prettier than you described, boss.”

Valerio ignored the comment. But I flushed red and gave an awkward smile.

“Massimo,” he pointed to a quiet, solid man, “he keeps the books. Runs our legal fronts. Keeps us clean on paper.”

Massimo only nodded.

The rest followed Dario, the weapons chief, Enzo, the logistics coordinator, and Felix, their liaison to international branches.

Every one of them bowed.

“You don’t have to...” I murmured, unsure.

Valerio looked at me, unreadable.

“You’re not just a name here. You’re not a bargaining chip or a daughter to parade. You stand beside me.”

I swallowed hard at the respect given to me. Because in my father’s world, I was always in a golden cage. A tool only needed for alliances and tea parties.

But here, in this room of killers and kings, they saw me as someone worthy of respect. And bowed to me.

For the first time in my life, I felt the weight of real power. And it settled on my shoulders like it belonged there.

Valerio took my hand in his. "Now Adrianna you have a responsibility here. These are your people only if they accept you."

"Why should I try to make them accept me when I haven't accepted their Don yet." I shot back.

Valerio turned to me , his face gloomy. "You are my wife,"

"Only you say that. You stole me from my wedding altar and the fact that we had s*x together does not make us a married couple."

And with that I turned away and left the room. Valerio could give me a lot, but would I truly have respect or will I be another more precious placeholder.