DECEPTION : (A student/teacher romance)

When I checked my phone earlier to find Rafael and his right-hand man had been trying to contact me to tell me Oblivion—one of our clubs—was on fire, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that Gerrard was behind it, so I pointed Kai in that direction despite knowing the shit it would cause.

After fucking Hallie into a peaceful sleep, I fire my brother a text.

I chuckle, imagining my brother pulling his hair out.

I scoff. As if they could manage without me. When my brother Tommy checked out of our family, I stepped up, even as a teenager, and became everything my brother was incapable of being.

I glance over my shoulder toward Hallie’s sleeping form. Seeing her mass of red hair splayed out over my pillows and her luscious hips tangled in my sheets has my heart hammering hard.

Jesus, she’s beautiful. And all fucking mine. I refuse to go another day without her by my side.

My mind races with everything that needs to fall into place ASAP. I drag a finger over my lip as I contemplate the shit that’s about to go down. My brother isn’t wrong; my father will go insane, but I’d give my life for Hallie and Matt.

I just hope it doesn’t come to that.

I roll my eyes at his dramatics and throw my head back on a dark laugh. When I raise my head, my girl is standing before me with the sheets wrapped around her. The breeze blows them, and fuck if she doesn’t look like an angel, my daring red angel.

“What’s so funny?” She points toward the phone.

“I told my brother we’re getting married.”

A choked noise leaves her, and she shakes her head. “Rocco.”

I tug her into my lap. “It’s happening, Little Red.”

“Matty?”

“Will be fine. I’ll speak with him.”

Her concerned gaze roams over my face. “You’re eighteen, Rocco.”

“I know. Trust me, I fucking know.” I’ve spent what feels like a lifetime waiting to be eighteen to make her mine.

She chews on her bottom lip. “I don’t want to cause a problem between our families.”

As she refers to Gerrard as her family, I grind my jaw. Then she shakes her head. “He’s Matty’s father. You and I both know Gerrard is going to be …disgruntled.” Disgruntled? Crazy, unhinged, frenzied, or apocalyptic are words I would’ve chosen.

I blink at her innocence and shake my head. “Then let him be disgruntled.” I stare into her eyes and try to hide the smirk tugging at my lips. “Let him be fucking disgruntled, and see where it gets him. But I swear to Christ if he lays one more finger on you, I will end him. Matt’s biological father or not.”

She moves to get off my lap, but I hold her there, determined to see this conversation through, and my fingers dig deeper into her thighs. “You know Matt only lives with him so your divorce went through quicker, right? He wanted you to get away from him.”

Her chest rises, she licks her lip, and hurt swims in her eyes as she fiddles with her hands. “I wondered that. He told me and the courts he wanted to live with his dad.” She reiterates while trying to hold back the tears forming in her eyes.

“He wanted to protect you. He’s more of a man than that piece of shit ever was.”

She swallows hard. “Have you any idea how much it hurts to know your son sacrificed himself for your happiness?”

“No, baby, I don’t. But I do know Matt is a good, strong guy. You need to give him credit for what he is. He wants you to be happy, if that means with me, then …” I shrug.

“It’s still going to hurt him.”

I battle rolling my eyes. In my world, hurting people comes through torture, not small dramas like this.

“And I’ll be there for him. I’ll be there for you.” I place my hand on her stomach. “And one day when you’re pregnant, I’ll be there for our baby too.” I don’t miss the way she jerks beneath my touch, something new, something I don’t like, and when she pales, I narrow my eyes.

Before I can read too much into it, she sits up straighter and drills me with a sharp look. “No more lies, Rocco.” She closes her eyes, and when she reopens them with a renewed vigor, I see her strength and resilience combined. “I refuse to be lied to any longer. I’ve spent my entire adult life being lied to; I need you to be honest with me.”

Nervousness blooms in my chest, and my mouth becomes dry. The last thing I want to do is let her down, but she’s not ready for the whole truth, no matter how much she thinks she is, and I refuse to push her away when I have her so close.

“Okay,” I whisper, hoping she doesn’t see the deceit swimming in my eyes.

“Why is getting married so soon so important to you?”

I lick my lips, and she watches me closely. When her soft hand grazes over my jaw, my body turns to putty under her delicate touch.

“Being part of a Mafia family means there are expectations.”

She nods as if understanding, but I doubt she really does. Unless you’re in this life, this world of ours, nobody could ever truly understand.

“There’s a girl.”

The tips of her fingernails dig into my skin, and I welcome the bite of pain. “I’m expected to marry her.”

She freezes.

“An arranged marriage?” She tilts her head to study me.

Her nose scrunches and her lip turns up, making me want to laugh at her adorable reaction.

“It’s common practice in the Mafia.”

“It’s archaic.”

A chuckle leaves me. “It is, but it’s our way of life, and it’s expected of me.”

“Do you know her?” Her words are laced in a hint of jealousy, and my lips twitch with delight.

“Jealous?”

Her lips twist, then draw into a straight line, and she raises her chin. “No.”

“Right.” I laugh, ignoring her blatant lie, then clear my throat. “A deal was struck years ago, and I was the only son left to have her.”

“You make her sound like cattle,” she snaps.

I look at her pointedly. “She might as well be.”

Her lips part. “That’s awful.”

“No more awful than being forced to marry your first boyfriend in order to keep your kid,” I counter, causing her to flinch, then follow my words up with a swift kiss to her forehead. “I’m sorry.”

Shaking her head, she swallows hard. “You’re right. I’m sorry for judging. D-do you have any feelings toward her?” Worry mars her perfect face, and I hate that it’s there.

I stare into her eyes, the green flecks in them so hypnotizing they take my breath away for a second. Can’t she see the only love I possess is for her? “No, Little Red.” I place a kiss on her lips and bask in the glory of the way her body and her lips follow mine. “I love you. It’s only ever been you.” Relief washes over her face, and her lips curl into a serene smile I’ve become indebted to. Then I clear my throat. “I’ve never met her. But her family is prominent in our world. My marriage to you will cause shock waves.”

She makes to move off me, the panic evident in the way her chest rises and her body shudders. “Hallie, chill the fuck out. You need to trust me.” Then I palm her face in my hands. “Do you trust me?” I search her face.

“I do,” she says with conviction despite her lip quivering.

“Good girl. We’re going to get married, and me putting a baby in you will solidify our commitment.” I place my hand on her stomach for emphasis and delight in the gasp that escapes her, knowing she has no choice but to comply.