I think this is one of my favourite chapters in the book ❤️

Question of the day:

Favourite vacation destination? ✈️

We spent the first three days in Dubai in bed.

And it wasn't in the good way.

Millie was, in fact, very sick.

"Your phone is ringing."

"I can hear it." I sighed, putting her smoothie down next to her.

"Well, can you turn it off now?" She peered up at me from the home she'd made for herself in the duvet cocoon.

"I was getting to it, Millie." She tests my patience in ways I'd never experienced.

Her illness had magnified her ability to piss me off with a single word. She was more irritable, grouchy and demanding.

But her red nose was cute as hell so I didn't want to lose my patience with her. I didn't want to make her sadder than she already was after wasting three days in bed.

I shouldn't even be thinking about her like that.

I could feel her eyes following me and irritation radiating off her in waves as I went to grab my phone.

"What?" I snapped, dropping down on my side of the bed.

"Costantino." My father's cold tone had my eyes immediately closing in regret. One, for showing attitude to him and two, for not checking the caller ID first.

"Sorry." I rubbed a hand over my face in exhaustion. "Yes, Dad?"

"You haven't been to any of the meetings I sent you to attend."

"I know. Mia moglie è malata. Siamo stati nel-" (My wife is sick. We stayed in the-)

"Sick? You think I care if she's sick? Your responsibility is to La Famiglia."

"What do you-"

"Her responsibility is to La Famiglia!" He cut me off, his fury palpable even through the phone. "Tonight's event is an important one. If you don't attend, you know what will happen, Costantino."

A punishment. A reminder. A beating.

They were all one and the same with my father. He believed in tough love and physical discipline.

"And I don't want to do that. It will be your mother's anniversary when you come home, I-"

"Abbastanza. Andremo. Non c'è bisogno di coinvolgerla in questa cosa." (Enough. We'll go. You don't need to bring her into this.)

"Don't fuck it up. We need this deal."

"Fine." With that I hung up the phone, tossing it on my nightstand. Resting my elbows on my knees, I ran a hand over my face in frustration.

"Are you okay?" Millie croaked behind me, shuffling across the bed still wrapped in the duvet.

"I'm fine."

"That was your dad?" She sniffled, poking my back. "Is everything okay?"

The action forced me to turn around so she could see my face.

"Yeah. Don't worry about it. Drink your smoothie." I nodded at the tall glass full of the green smoothie on her nightstand.

"No." She wrinkled her nose, sparing it a short glance. "It's gross. I'd rather drink a nasty cough syrup."

"You don't have a cough." I pointed out. She had a sore throat, a fever and she was sneezing - a lot. But she didn't have a cough.

"I know and I would still drink it." She gave me a wide eyed look, conveying her shock at her own words.

"Just drink it, Millie." I smiled, poking her shoulder.

"Hey." She narrowed her eyes. "Don't poke me, cagna." (Bitch)

"Like how you poked me, cagna?" (Bitch)

"I'm sick. I can do what I want." She huffed, using all her effort to shuffle down the bed again. She looked like a little marshmallow wrapped in the duvet.

"If I drink it, can we go to the beach?" She picked up the bright green smoothie, lifting it to eye level.

"You sure you're up for it?" She'd been pretty tired since we got here. The journey and her flu took it all out of her.

"Mhm. I feel like going out. We've been in this room for three days." She had barely done anything during those three days. Either she was sleeping, eating, complaining or watching Netflix.

I spent those three days trying to run the fucking Sicilian Mafia from a villa in Dubai. With my mother's death anniversary approaching in 10 days, my father was already beginning to slack. So it was up to me to pick up the work.

"Okay. Drink it first." I smirked, nodding towards the glass. I got comfortable, waiting for her to get to it.

"You're a dick." She pouted, bringing the straw to her lips. She immediately grimaced, her nose scrunching up as she drank it.

I sat watching her with a smirk, finally getting a moment of peace now that her mouth was busy.

She also didn't talk to me for a while after she finished it. Instead, she got up to get changed while I made a quick call to Tristano to check in with him.

Twenty minutes later we were walking down the beach. It was still quiet considering it wasn't even 10am yet.

"How are you feeling?" I glanced over at her while she trudged through the damp sand next to me.

"Like someone stuffed a tampon up my nose." She grumbled, sniffing unnecessarily hard for emphasis. I chuckled as she rubbed the side of her nose which I'm guessing was blocked. "It hurts, Costa. Don't laugh."

"Sorry. You're just so lady-like when you're sick." My tone dripped with sarcasm.

"Well, I'm sad we wasted three days in that stupid room watching stupid Netflix."

"What? You love Netflix."

She loves Netflix.

"Not when I'm-" I cracked a smile, watching her scramble to retrieve a tissue just in time for her sneeze.

This is how most of our conversations went while she was sick. She'd stop to sneeze and then she'd give me the silent treatment for laughing at her.

"Ugh. I'm going to kill Aidan when I see him." She groaned, much like she always does after she sneezes. "So, what did your father say to piss you off?"

"What makes you think-"

"You were ready to murder someone." She cut me off, giving me that knowing look. It was the same look that actually had me itching to murder someone.

"I told you I don't like it when you give me that look."

"Because I'm not supposed to understand you." She drawled, clearly trying to mimic the way I once said it to her. "I know, I remember. But you weren't supposed to be nice to me. That was our deal."

"I'm not."

"You've taken care of me for the last three days." She sent me a flat look, stopping to pick up a seashell from the damp sand.

She was very particular about where on the beach we walked. Not in the water but right by the water.

"I told you not to take care of me, especially so I don't make you sick too." She added.

"I don't get sick." I shrugged, completely ignoring her point about me being nice to her.

I had no fucking idea why I was being so nice to her or how to stop. It just felt like something I needed to do, so I did.

"Everyone gets sick." That was her standard line every time.

Everyone gets sick, Costa.

You're nothing special, Costa.

"Not me." I smiled, shoving her towards the water just as a wave came in. The action caused her to yelp and she immediately jumped back towards me.

"I told you I didn't want my feet to get wet!" She croaked, her brown eyes ignited with irritation.

"You weren't clear about what you wanted." I smirked knowing it would get under her skin.

"I was! I said I want to walk by the water but I don't want to touch the water."

So fucking weird.

"All I heard was water. So I thought I'd help you out." I chuckled, quickly dodging her hand when she swatted it at my chest.

"Just answer my question, idiota. What did your father want?"

"Nothing, Millie. It was just work."

"It's about the work you missed because of me, wasn't it?" This time I hesitated to answer her and she caught onto it immediately. "Costa, I told you to go. I didn't want you to get in trouble."

"I'm not in trouble." I am, but she doesn't need to know that. "Look, you're a little better today so
I'll go to the event tonight."

"Alone?" She frowned, coming to a stop on the sand.

"Yeah. It's fine."

She shook her head, bending to pick up another shell that caught her eye. "No, I'll come with you."

"You're still sick, Millie."

"No, I'm not." She sniffled. "That gross smoothie made me better."

She was trying to look fierce but her red nose and frown only made her look cute.

"You're not better. You need a few more days to-"

"You're not leaving me at the hotel, Costa. I'm not spending another night in that room. I'm tired of it. I want to go out so I'm coming with you. I don't care what you say." She finished off her rant with a perfectly timed sneeze.

I rolled my lower lip into my mouth, thinking about her suggestion while she sniffled into her tissue.

"You're going to need a dress then, huh?"

<<<<<<<< >>>>>>> <<<<<<<

After our walk on the beach, we headed to the main hotel where they had some boutiques.

Millie definitely wasn't up for going to an actual dress store outside the hotel - despite her fierce attempt to convince me she was better.

But it worked out well because she loved some of the unique dresses in those boutiques. They were by local Middle Eastern designers and also three times the fucking price of normal designers. But she just looked at me with those beautiful brown eyes waiting for me to pay, so I had no fucking choice.

Then she ordered some McDonald's to the hotel lobby because apparently she was feeling well enough to eat junk food. After we got back to the villa, she ate in bed and then took a long nap.

I spent that time catching up on some work. Then I got to listen to my wife complain for twenty minutes that she was too cold to take a shower but her hair needed washing.

"What are you still doing on the bed?" I sighed, stepping out of the bathroom with my towel wrapped around my waist.

I left her in exactly the same fucking state twenty minutes ago.

"Trying to find the energy to dry my hair." She pouted, still sat on the bed in her bath robe with soaking wet hair.

"Millie, you're going to make yourself worse sitting around with wet hair."

"I'm drying it now." She mumbled, still sitting in the same spot.

She didn't move an inch.

"Just stay here tonight."

"No. I'm coming with you." She sniffled, now lazily shuffling to the edge of the bed so she could put her slippers on.

So fucking stubborn.

And so fucking cute.

"You're not well." I softened my voice, coming to a stop in front of her. "It's alright. You can just wear one of your new dresses another night."

"But..." She hesitated, her stubborn front finally crumbling. "Then you'll be alone."

"So? I can handle myself." I laughed. "I'll help you dry your hair then you can lie down and get some rest."

"Okay. But, can you put some clothes on first?" She was clearly faking annoyance at my exposed upper body.

I didn't miss the way her gaze lowered from my chest all the way to the towel tied loosely around my hips.

"But where's the fun in that?" I smirked, bringing my hands down to the towel as if I was going to open it.

"No!" She covered her eyes causing me to release a husky laugh.

"Relax. You're sick. I'd at least wait until you're better." I winked, chuckling to myself on the way to the closet when she grumbled away in Greek.

Once I slipped on some boxers and a T-shirt, I went back out to the bedroom.

"You hungry?" I questioned as I plugged in the hairdryer.

"I don't know. Kind of. But for something fresh and healthy. No more junk food." She rubbed her stomach as if she'd fully satisfied that specific craving.

"Check the menu. We'll order now so you don't need to open the door for anyone while I'm gone." I couldn't risk her letting some waiter in with the room service. Even with my guards outside the villa, it wasn't safe.

I don't think she'd be able to get out of bed anyway.

Once I ordered her food, I helped her dry her hair. She sat on the bed scrolling through Netflix while I blow dried her long brown hair.

It was something I never in a million years imagined myself doing for someone, let alone the spitfire who caused me so much trouble.

But she was so fucking tired. I could see it in the way her red eyes drooped and she could barely get herself up off the bed.

Once she was tucked up in bed with dry hair, I made my way into the closet to do my own hair. It always takes a while to get it perfect. Then I got dressed.

A navy Brioni suit, a white dress shirt and black Italian leather shoes. As usual, I had my two guns and a knife hidden away. I finished off with a silver Rolex, silver cufflinks, a couple of rings and my wedding ring.

"What kind of meeting is it?"

"An arms deal." I sat at the edge of the bed tying my shoe laces. "It's our chance to secure some strong allies in the Middle East."

"Where is it taking place?"

"A bar in a hotel somewhere." I moved onto the next shoe while she sat watching me.

"Are you not having dinner? Do you want some of mine?" She nodded towards the tray that had arrived only a minute ago.

"No. Thank you."

"Well, make sure you eat something. You haven't eaten much today." She frowned.

"Do you care about me, Millie?" I cocked an eyebrow at her, flashing her my usual smirk.

"No." She shook her head, sniffling as she curled up in the bed. "I just want you gone as long as possible."

"Oh. But then who's going to wait on you hand and foot?" I frowned, tidying up her nightstand and placing the food tray on her lap. Then I made sure she had enough medicine, water and tissues.

"I told you not to."

"I know." I smiled. "But you could just say thank you, principessa."

"No. Now, go. I want to watch Monte Carlo. Selena Gomez is waiting for me." She waved me away, hitting play on the movie she'd chosen.

With a laugh, I left her to her movie as she demanded. I was about to exit the room when she called my name, prompting me to turn around.

"Thank you." She sniffled, giving me a soft smile.

"You're welcome. I'll be back in a couple of hours. Call me if you need anything. Don't open the door for anyone."

"I won't, don't worry. I'm busy." She grinned, taking a bite of her food while nodding towards the TV.

She really does love Netflix.

<<<<<<< >>>>>>> <<<<<<<

Four fucking hours.

It took me four hours to go through the details of the arms agreement with them.

We were in a private room at the back of a softer version of a strip club. Due to the conservative nature of the country, it wasn't actually labelled as a strip club. But it sure as hell felt like one.

We spent four hours working through some dinner and refreshments. But, even after the business side of the deal was handled, they weren't satisfied.

"You're not signing it now?" I frowned, sliding the contract towards the head of the family.

They were a rising crime family based in Dubai. Securing a good deal with La Famiglia would boost their regional and international presence in the criminal underworld.

It would also give us some good allies in the region.

"No, Costa." He shook his head, glancing over at his son.

I was meeting with the head of the Rashid family, Omar, and his eldest son, Khalid.

"I like to get to know my business partners and acquaintances on a personal level before I sign a deal with them."

"Well, what do you want to know?" I relaxed back in my seat, sipping on my drink.

"I've asked around about you - just a few close business associates. I have to say, they weren't impressed with your absence over the last few days. Your father confirmed your attendance and you missed three important days."

This was the second time he'd brought up the few meetings and events I'd missed while taking care of Millie.

"I told you - something came up." Disclosing that I was taking care of my wife was something I'd rather avoid. It wouldn't sound good for La Famiglia if word got out I'd skipped out on three days of work because Millie got the flu.

My father wouldn't be happy if it became public knowledge either.

"You said." He confirmed with a nod. "Is dedication not important to you in business? You make a plan, you stick to that plan - no matter what is going on."

"It is. I just...this was something I couldn't get out of." How could I leave her alone when she could barely open her eyes?

I had guards watching the villa and the hotel perimeter, but with Aco Petrovic and Viktor Kozlov after us, it was not enough. We weren't on home territory and we weren't strongly allied with anyone in the Middle East yet.

I needed to be extra cautious. I needed to stay with her.

"My family have already been attacked once in the last week, Omar." I spoke, referring to the attack that led to Giovanni being shot. "I'm sure you understand it's a tense time for us. But it won't happen again."

"I understand. I'm a family man, myself. Family is the most important thing to me."

"As it should be." I nodded in agreement.

"Well, the way a man behaves around his family reveals a lot about him." He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the sides. "I'd love to meet yours."

"They're all in Sicily." I frowned.

"Your father said you're married?" He sipped on his own drink, watching me closely. "Did you travel with your wife?"

"Yes."

"Well, she's your family." He smiled. He thinks Millie is my family? Even she would laugh at that.

I wanted to scoff at his remark, but I held it in for the sake of the deal.

"I am hosting a charity fundraiser in two days time. I'd like for you both to attend, if that's okay? Then I'll sign your deal."

"Okay." I reluctantly nodded, finishing my whiskey. I just hope she'll be well enough to go.

"Great. Well, it's late so I should probably call it a night. Khalid has some work here to finish too." He nodded to his son who stood up by his side. "But, you're welcome to go out into the bar and enjoy another drink - on the house, of course."

"Thank you." I nodded, standing up to shake his hand.

As we headed towards the door of the private room, he stopped to speak.

"You'll be a hit with my women here. Just buy your wife a necklace tomorrow to apologise for your late return." He smirked and his son chuckled as if it was a common joke between them.

"Is that what you do?" I rose an eyebrow at him as we stepped out into the club. My eyes immediately landed on a group of belly dancers dressed in lingerie. I assume those were his women.

"My wife has my card." He laughed. "She buys what she wants. But, she understands a man can only be tempted so much before he gives in."

So I guess among Middle Eastern criminals, mistresses and extra marital affairs are also common. Just like in La Famiglia.

His eyes remained fixed on the belly dancers performing in the middle of the room. Their outfits were coated in diamonds and sequins, catching the attention of every male in the vicinity as they danced.

"Enjoy yourself, Costa. My women here are the best in the city." He patted my arm before leaving with his son.

Releasing a deep breath, I stopped by the bar for one last drink while my security prepared the convoy to leave.

I ran over the key points of the meeting in my head, hoping the whiskey would help destress me.

One fucking signature and it would have been finished. It would have got my father off my back too. Now I have another event to attend and I have to drag Millie along with me.

My eyes gravitated towards the women as they danced while I waited for my drink.

It had been three and a half months since I last had sex.

Three and a half fucking months.

Before our wedding, I had a few different women I'd call if I needed a release. But ever since Millie became my wife, I haven't looked at another woman.

I still didn't know if I would eventually get back into my old habits. It's not like anything is happening between Millie and I. And, it's also unlikely anything ever will.

But a nagging voice in the back of my mind was telling me not to do anything stupid.

I had no fucking clue why. I had no clue why I was even being nice to her in the first place. I couldn't understand it and the whole thing was pissing me off.

She was right when she said I shouldn't be nice to her. It's not how our relationship should have been.

Now this shit is confusing me.

"Did you like what you saw?" A sultry voice broke me out of my thoughts.

My body involuntarily tensed up when the belly dancer put her hand on my chest. The curvy brunette stepped in closer to me, trailing her hand down my torso.

"You couldn't keep your eyes off me. I could feel it." Her plump lips stretched into a smile while I stared down at her, sipping on my drink.

Her pink lingerie was covered in jewels, accentuating her light brown skin and brown eyes.

"You're one of the quiet ones?" She moved her hand upward, trailing her fingers over the tattoo on the side of my neck. "The quiet ones are always the best at giving orders."

Still, I remained silent. I watched her as she pressed herself against me. Her breasts rubbed against my chest as she leaned in to whisper in my ear.

"You seem like a hard man to please. Why don't you let me try?" Her lips trailed along my jaw, just barely touching my skin.

"I'm married." I finally spoke, averting my gaze away from her to the rest of the bar.

"So? I don't see your wife. It's just me and you, baby. You're so tense. Is she even doing her job?" She chuckled, feeling my upper body with her hand before bringing it down.

My jaw clenched as she dragged her hand past my belt buckle, lightly grabbing me through my pants.

"It's so big." She moaned, gently squeezing. My eyes closed involuntarily at the sensation. "Why don't you take me in that room and take all your frustration out on me? I can handle it."

A throaty chuckle escaped my lips as I finished off my whiskey, dropping the glass on the counter.

"You sure about that? It's a lot of frustration." Three and a half months worth of frustration.

"Even better." She grinned, squeezing me again. She tugged on my hand, pulling me towards the room. "Come on."

I took a few steps in the direction of the room, my gaze falling to her ass as she walked.

I let her take me inside, closing the door herself. She spun around, her long brown hair cascading down her body.

"Where do you want me?" She smirked, wrapping her arms around my neck. "On the table? Against the wall?"

"I..." My sentence dried up, leaving me completely speechless.

It felt so fucking wrong.

It wasn't even the morals that messed with my head. I'd done worse things in life than cheat on my wife - a wife who hated me.

It felt wrong because it wasn't my wife.

She wanted to go out. She was sad she had to stay in the villa for another night.

She's alone in bed right now.

My mind was suddenly clouded with images of Millie snuggled up in bed watching her stupid rom-com movie.

I couldn't focus on the woman who was practically throwing herself at me.

"You want me to decide? I can get on my knees for you."

"No." I pried her hands off me, stepping away from her. "Just forget it."

"Why?" She pouted her lips in the same way Millie does sometimes. Except, she looked like a petulant child.

It's cute when Millie does it.

She made an attempt to grab me again and this time I shoved her hands off me with more force.

"I said no." I could feel her angry gaze burning into my back as I stormed out of the room, heading straight for the exit.

I passed Khalid on the way out, noticing the smirk that tugged at his lips when he saw which room I came out of.

The entire drive back to the hotel, I was ready to explode.

What the hell is wrong with me?

I felt like slamming my head against a fucking wall. Repeatedly.

I turned down sex after so many months just because of my wife - the woman I'm supposed to despise. She's the woman who tore my life to shreds.

My father forced me to marry her as a punishment - a punishment for ruining her marriage alliance with Kozlov. Not that it was even my fault, but I took credit to keep the twins safe. So every time I looked at her, I should have been reminded she was a fucking punishment.

Not my wife. Just a punishment.

By the time I made it into the bedroom, I was furious at myself, at that stripper woman and at Millie.

She's the fucking reason my life turned upside down. Everything was going fine before she turned up. She's the one who destroyed everything.

"Costa?" She lifted her head, squinting in the dark when I walked into the bedroom.

"Yeah." I muttered, tossing my suit jacket on the couch in the corner. I started unloading my weapons in the dark, aware of her eyes still on me.

"Are you okay?" Her sleepy voice was thicker than usual due to her illness.

"I'm fine. Go back to sleep." I didn't want to hear her fucking voice.

I just needed to go to sleep and forget about this whole fucking night.

"You got a letter delivered while you were out." She spoke, turning on her lamp to drink some water. "It's on the table."

"You opened the fucking door?" I suddenly turned towards her, my previous anger coming back with a vengeance. "I told you not to!"

"What's the matter?" She frowned in surprise, lowering her water bottle from her lips.

She looked so fucking innocent curled up in the sheets.

But she wasn't.

This is Millie fucking Darmos. She's not innocent.

She said all that shit about my dead mother. She's caused fight after fight with me. She pulled a fucking knife on me.

She's not innocent.

"I asked you a fucking question, Millie." She held my stare across the dimly lit room as if she was trying to figure something out. Then she sighed, screwing the lid back on her bottle.

"No, I didn't open the door. It was slid underneath." She continued to analyse me, only adding fuel to my fury.

She knows I hate it when she tries to understand me. It's not her fucking place to try and understand me. We're not friends. We're not a real couple. She had no fucking right.

"Costa, did something happen?" Her question hung in the air when I refused to answer her. I was gripping onto the last shreds of my composure so that I didn't blow up at her in the middle of the night.

One more word and I'd fucking lose it.

All those months of frustration and anger were going to come out and I was going to unleash them all on her if I wasn't careful.

I was holding on for dear fucking life.

"Did...did I do something?"

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was the moment I knew I was truly fucked.

The confusion and sadness glowing in her beautiful brown eyes pulled at something in my heart.

And all my anger dissolved in fucking milliseconds.

It was gone. Just like that.

Like it never even existed.

"No." I shook my head, clearing my throat. "I just had a bad night."

"You want to talk about it?" Her little sniffle at the end only helped to ease the lingering heaviness in my chest.

"It's nothing important. I just need to sleep it off." I undid my tie, tossing it on the couch with my jacket.

"Okay." She seemed satisfied, especially with the drastic change in my behaviour.

From being on the verge of fury with her, suddenly I found myself lying next to her in bed as if nothing had ever happened.

Her vanilla scent enveloped me as I released a heavy sigh, turning to face her when she spoke.

"You never opened the letter." She whispered.

"I'll do it in the morning." If it was something that would end up pissing me off, I'd rather not do it before I tried to fall asleep.

"I've been waiting hours to find out what it was." She sighed in disappointment. "It was the most exciting thing that happened all evening."

"Don't worry, I'll take you out tomorrow." I assured her, resisting this strong urge to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Fuck.

"Can we go to the beach again?" She gave me a sleepy grin, her eyes beginning to droop.

"Sure. Whatever you want, Millie." I whispered, watching her give into the sleep.

I'm so fucked.

The way his anger melts towards her 🥺 I would say this is the chapter where he officially falls for her ❤️

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