CARTER

"You did what?" Elijah decides to be a drama queen this morning.

I was in the infirmary with the box of chocolate he liked so much because I felt bad that he got shot in the arm but it wasn't a deep shot. Thankfully, the bullet didn't push too much into his muscles. He will be fine in two days.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" He scolds me. We were all alone. The staff gave us privacy for a while. I sigh "I didn't have a choice, Elijah." He rolls his eyes "There is always a choice, you shithead! You could-" he nudges the box of chocolate on my lap and I began by silently tearing off the plastic as he continues scolding me "- have said a million different things, Carter. You're just putting her in more danger with you." I nod and keep the box on his lap "I know. I didn't know what else to say. Lilly was in constant anxiety that I couldn't think of anything else but her." He pops one chocolate in his mouth "You do know that your father will come after her now and she's the target of every enemy your father made. That includes Rossi and Luca." I curl my fingers in sudden anger. Elijah wasn't wrong and I hate that he was right.

I hated the thought of them hurting my Lilly.

"Not to mention, I bet your father is looking for the wedding document now." He says things out loud. The things that I have been thinking about for two days now. I announced to my father that I am married two days ago.

Lilly is under constant stress. Barely eat anything and she barely sleeps. I don't know why she kept still in my arms as I hold her to sleep even though she could get up anytime she wants. She stays in my arms from the time I sleep to the time I wake up.

I huff and rub a hand down my face "I am fucked." I just added more stress on my shoulder for no reason. First was Rossi, then Luca, and now marriage. I fucked with myself. Elijah says with his mouthful "You bet! You shitty ass hoe!" I flick on his bad arm and he cries "Fuck your- balls!" I snort and take his favorite caramel chocolate. He scowls as he rubs his arm gently. I did feel bad that he took a bullet for me, he pushed me out of the way to protect me because I was a statue when the shots were fired.

I felt this weight weighing me down instantly as I say "Elijah, I need help." I look up at him and he nods "I know a man that can get us fake marriage paperwork."

♡

LILLY

I make myself a cup of coffee when the door opens.

I look up and it's him. Wearing a black sweater and black jeans. His ring was still on his ring finger while mine- was in my pocket. He notices it but he doesn't say. There are rolled-up papers in his hand but he kept his fist tight around them. I didn't like this, this silence. I didn't like how comfortable he was in touching me while I had battles every second to push him back. I liked his touches, I liked that every time he gets closer to my heart, it bounces inside my chest.
I take a sip of the coffee and sigh at the warmth. This is my mind and body trying to adjust to the situation. I do not like Carter Romano. I do not like his touches. I do not like him getting closer.

This is Stockholm syndrome. This is-

I didn't even know he was standing behind me until he slaps the papers on the island. One hand was on my stomach and the other was slapped on the papers that were on the island. His big hands stopped my view of reading what was written on that paper. I feel him press his face on the nape of my neck and he asks with his voice low that it felt like the vibration went down my spine "Where is your ring, Lilly?" I answer with my fingers curved around the mug tightly "It finally came off this morning." He made a sound that felt like he was not liking this one bit.

I keep the mug on the island and as soon as I do, I am pulled into him. Now, he wraps both arms around me. Pulls me tight in to him and I feel his chest on my back. Hard and soft at the same time. I felt the ridges of his abs somehow and that made me want to pull away.
He starts speaking randomly near my ear "You know I never liked your name. Lilly Hastings- it just doesn't go rightly." I gulp and ask "You have a problem with my name now?"

"Your last name. I don't like that you have the name of the man who abandoned you as a child. You should possess the name of someone that will never abandon you. Someone who you belong to." Then he says it, whispers it, "Lilly Romano." My spine turns to steel. My heart is beating too loud in my ears. I am trembling.
I clench my eyes to stop the tears "Why- why do you say that?" His lips trace the shell of my ear "Mrs. Lilly Romano. It has a good sound to it, no?" I whisper, not trusting my voice to be loud and strong "What are you talking about?" He points at the papers "See for yourself." I grab the papers and turn them around. A marriage certificate of Carter Romano and Lilly Romano. My signature is on the bottom. I never signed it. I never even held the pen to sign it.

I can't believe my eyes. I can't believe it's real.

How? Why? When? I don't have the answer to any of these. I just stare at that paper that held my future, my life. It held my freedom in its hand and it teased me that I can never get it back. Romano steals the paper from my hands and steps back. I turn around and he rests his hip against the sink "Beautiful, isn't it? Lilly Romano," then he looks up and smiles "Mrs. Lilly Romano." I point at it "That is not real. We are not married. My name is not Lilly Romano." He turns the paper so it faces me "The legal document says otherwise." I'm in the heat of the emotional moment, I walk up to him and slap my hand on his cheek.

I slap him so damn hard that his cheek is red with my handprint but he doesn't seem to care. It doesn't seem to faze him at all. He smirks as if he's proud that I slapped him. He's so damn crazy that he whispers "Good girl." Then he grabs my arms and looks me in the eye "This fire that you feel in your chest, I want you to ignite it ten times more, Lilly." He waves the paper in my view "This might be a legal document but it is not real, okay?"

I am suddenly confused. I feel nauseated to have slapped him so hard and my chest feels like someone keeps stabbing me again and again. Tears are slipping down my cheek but I am not crying. I'm so confused that I forget to cry.
And he knows it because he sees it. He holds my face and explains "Word has been spread out that you are a Romano now, Lilly, that you are my wife. They will come for you, to see who you are and what you look like." My brows furrow "Who?"

"Everyone in the mafia." I flick down his neck and watch his throat work as he swallows. He kisses between my brows and holds his hand out for me "You're known as Lilly Romano now. You need to look the part."

♡

We reach the mall in his Tesla.

It's been months since I've been to a mall. He parks and looks at me. Sunglasses resting on his nose. The shape was made for his face. Making him appear sharper. I get out slowly and he does too, then strolls to my side and holds out his hand for me. I take it and he links his fingers to mine.

And then we step inside.

I would've laughed if I weren't so shocked at the fact that everyone looked at him. Schoolgirls in uniforms whispered when we walked past them. Women tried smiling and waving at him.
The way he walked with his back straight and with sheer confidence, I knew then and there this is who he wants me to be.

Lilly Romano is his other half. He wants me to be like this. Like him. Fearless and confident. Cunning and calculated.
Exactly the other half of Carter Romano.

The first shop we walked into was Versace. Every interior was in gold. From the walls to the hangers. Dark yellow ottomans that were almost like gold. He takes his glasses off and pulls me first to the dress section.

He inspected every dress with a little bit of a glance at me. "Lilly Romano is a woman of confidence and charisma. She knows how to say no and," he picks out a black dress and hands it to me "she knows how to carry herself with class and confidence." I take the dress and I felt a taint on my pride when I say "She's everything Lilly Hastings isn't." Romano nods "Yes." I ignore his stare and look down at the dress, picking up the price tag and I gasp.
His eyes are alarmed for a second "What?"
My eyes go wide and I whisper "This dress is 13,000 dollars." I'm about to keep it back but he grabs my hand so I wouldn't "You say it like it's expensive."

"It is expensive."

He rolls his eyes and takes the dress. A woman approaches us with a smile "Hi, how can I help you?" Cheery and young. Dark brown eyes and a gorgeous smile. Romano says without paying her an ounce of attention while she just stared at him up and down. Clear lust in her eyes.

I wonder if that's what my eyes look like too when he kisses me or holds me.

Romano says "We'll try everything here." She looks me up and down "Everything? I don't think that is possible, sir." Romano gently pulls me behind him and towers over her tiny frame. She was tall but Romano was taller. He takes out his wallet and shows her a black card. Romano smiles and her eyes go wide "Would it be a problem now?" She shakes her head "This way, sir." And we follow her down to the dressing room.

I turn to look at Romano and he's holding even more dresses, skirts, blouses, and whatnot. He throws them at me and I grunt at their heavy weight. Some were embroidered heavily with too many shiny beads.
He points at the room behind me, "Try them on."

"All of these?"

He sits on the couch, arms spread on the backrest. Fixes himself on the seat comfortably and drapes one leg over his other. A stern look at me with a smile tugging on his lips "Everything, darling."

♡

I'm in dress number 14 when I walk out. It's dark brown, reaches my thighs, and is backless.

He whispers under his breath "Fuck me. Truly blessed in every way." Inspecting every inch of my body with hungry eyes and gestures at me to turn around. I do but I turn back to face him in an instant "I am not buying this one."

"We are."

"I am not buying this dress. It's too revealing."

He smiles "You can't even afford it, Lilly. So I am buying this." He stands up and makes his way to me. His body language was calm but his eyes were like a fire that was about to burn me. I turn around to walk back into the dressing room but he's hot on my heel, following me inside it.

The space was cramped but he closed the door and locked it. Pinned me up against the wall. My breathing hitched when I felt the cold wall on my bare back and I gasp when he grabs my hips. He leans, almost hovering, and kissed my cheek "I'm buying this dress so you can wear it for me one day." I swallow "I'm never wearing this." He chuckles in my ear which makes my stomach feel crazy "You're wearing this for me so I can take it off."

I feel his hands go up my arms as he grabs the straps on my shoulder, pulling it down, and my chest bares. I whimper when cold air slaps my nipples and he presses his forehead on mine. His hands trailed down my arms again and he takes my right hand. Holding it in a way that all my fingers were closed but my index finger. He brings it to his lips, kisses the tip of it, and then hovers it over my nipple, and circles around it. I gulp and my lips part. He makes me graze the erected peak and I make a sound that makes me bite my bottom lip instantly.

He smiles in satisfaction from my reaction and whispers on my lips "I'll pay the bills." And walks out without word or a glance. Leaving me with a shallow breath and a foggy brain.

Why do I let him do whatever he wants?

♡

We walk back to the car and he's fast in taking the bags from my hands and putting them in the trunk.

A cat came out of nowhere and it starts circling itself around my leg. I was afraid of cats. It was black but had a white tail at the top. I try to shoo it away but it won't budge.
Romano comes near me and as the cat watches him approach, it goes to him, circling his leg with its tail up. its body curved around his leg slowly. He smiles and bends down to pet the cat under its chin. The cat's eyes close in satisfaction and it lets him pet it without being scared at all. He crouches down and picks the cat up in his arm, petting it without a care in the world. I watch how his hands work, his tatted hands. The ring was still on his ring finger. I look down at my left hand and the ring isn't there, it was still in my pocket.

I sigh and look up at him still petting a cat but with a gentle smile on his lips. Weirdly, a smile tugs on my lips and he looks up and tilts his head at me. He raises his brow "That is the first time you smiled at me." He lets the cat go and it walks away. I ask "I thought you would be a dog person. Like those scary big dogs kind of person." He chuckles and gets in the car. I do too. As I strap the belt, he roars the engine to life "I am a cat person. I like cats."
I nod and hold my bottom lip to stop further conversation. I hear him say my name "Lilly," I turn my head at him and he leans, his hand cupping my cheek and he pulls my bottom lip from between my teeth with his thumb. His lips are closer to mine as he says "You need to stop doing that around me. It makes me hard in a way that you won't appreciate."
He lets his lips hover over mine. His breath makes me crazy. His warm palm on my cheek makes my head spin.

His lips just hardly an inch away makes my stomach feel weird. He tilts his head and asks "Can I ask you something?" I just hum in response.
He pecks the corner of my lips and then asks "Am I your first kiss?" I just gulp down the lust. He does a breathy chuckle and bites his bottom lip between his teeth and closes his eyes. His nose brushed mine. "You have no fucking idea how happy it makes me feel that I'm your first in everything." Then his smile falters and his hand moves to the back of my neck, gently grabbing me and pulling me to rest my forehead on his "And you have no fucking idea how much you play with my head. Do you wanna know how hard I get?" He takes my right hand but I pull it back. He smiles as our forehead is still planted on each other "Can I know how wet you are at this moment?"

Sinfully, very wet.

Then he asks "Have you ever pleasured yourself, Lilly? I bet you have. Your fingers doing sinful stuff between your legs that tastes like nothing but sweetness." I open my eyes and look around. People were walking all around us but his windows were tainted. He gently presses my back on the car door and leans even closer. "Have you ever touched yourself?" His fingers trail down my stomach and he pushes in my shirt, unbuttoning my jeans and pulling down the zip. My body was getting limp with lust I press my head back in the window.

He peppers kisses down my throat and then presses a hard kiss on the middle of it, almost cutting the breath that I gasp to inhale air. He takes my right hand and pulls it to his lap and right on his cock, making me squeeze him. I gasp because he was hard as a rock but it makes him chuckle.

He says "I wanna watch you cum by your own hands today." He slides my right hand into my jeans, in my panties, his hand inside it with mine. He makes me spread my legs a little on his car seat.

Romano makes me spread the lips of my core apart and presses two of my fingers on my clit. I moan. I don't know how or when but my seat is being pushed down. He sets me flat on the seat and hovers on top with a smile "We can't let anyone see what I do to the girl who's mine, can we?" Now that I'm laying back and my legs are spread wider, the feeling is even more intense.
He doesn't let me cum instantly. He makes me circle my fingers around my clit till I feel like building up, and as I am right on edge, he slows down. Almost pulling my fingers away from that sensitive swollen bundle of nerves.
I moan loudly with frustration, annoyed that I didn't get crashed down. Then he suddenly pulls his hand out with mine. Holding my hand in a clutch as he watches me with dark seductive eyes.

I felt so empty- incomplete at that moment that I wanted to do nothing but beg or guide his hands inside again.

I watch him with pleading eyes. God knows that I needed the release badly. He bumps his forehead on mine and hisses "Don't look at me like that, Lilly." I crane my face so that my lips almost touch his and he pulls with a chuckle "Sneaky girl," I try again but he's fast in pulling his face away again.
He gently grabs my jaw "What wouldn't I give to watch my Lilly beg for me," his hand trails down and his fingers wrap around my throat gently, giving it a little squeeze, but then tilts his head "Beg," a smile spreads wider "beg with my name on your tongue."

When he knows I won't, he asks one question "Are you not gonna beg?" I shake my head almost too suddenly. He shrugs as if he doesn't care "Okay." He buttons up my jeans and then sits at his seat, putting my seat up so that I'm in a sitting position now. He sucks his fingers that that were in my panties moments ago and puts his hands on the wheel. I mutter "That's it?" Utterly confused and frustrated at the same time. He raises his brow "You didn't beg so I stopped."

"What- what?"

"Patience, my darling, my goal is to make you beg with my name on your tongue now. It's to make you scream my name." He leans and whispers on my lips before pecking gently "And I fucking will."

Then he pulls the car out of the parking.

♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

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Love, Hope
♥️♥️