Stuck in a Mafia Romance

Pajama Date

Finally looking around, I noticed my outfit. Great. I'm wearing the same pink pajamas with cartoon ducks. Hair's a mess, face bare. I looked into the car mirror—yep. Absolute homeless.

"Where are we even going?!"

"Date," Dante said casually, as if he just asked me to pass the salt.

"Didn't I tell you I wasn't going anywhere with you?"

"Too bad you're going now" he smirked.

My mouth dropped. "This is kidnapping! I could sue you!"

"Go ahead." He tossed me his phone with one hand, still driving with the other. "Call the police. Tell them your fiancé is kidnapping you." He even air-quoted kidnapping.

I stared at the phone. "Oh, I will. And when they ask what you look like, I'm gonna describe you as a short, balding man with bad breath."

His jaw twitched. "You wouldn't."

"Watch me, baldy."

He snorted, clearly amused. "Cute. But if you keep calling me that, I might just extend this date to a weekend trip."

My eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare!"

His smirk widened. "Oh, princess, I already dared when I picked you up in your pajamas."

I crossed my arms with a dramatic huff. “You really have no shame, kidnapping your fiancée like this.”

“Fiancée,” Dante repeated, smirking. “So you finally remembered”

“I did,” I shot back. “And I regret it every day.”

His hand tightened on the wheel for half a second before he leaned back, chuckling low. “Careful, princess. If anyone else said that, they wouldn’t be laughing five minutes later.”

I rolled my eyes. “Lucky me, huh? Special treatment now?”

“Special treatment because you’re entertaining.” He glanced at me, eyes sharp but amused. “The old Viella never had this much bite. You should keep it. Suits you.”

I froze for half a beat. Oh, crap. Did he notice the difference? No no no—play it cool. Villainess mask on.

I flipped my hair like the drama queen I was forced to be. “Well, someone’s got to keep up appearances. Can’t let people think the great Dante is marrying a boring wallflower.”

His lips curved, almost a real smile this time. “Don’t worry. No one will ever mistake you for boring.”

I blinked, caught off guard, then immediately scoffed. “Please. The only thing I want from you is to take me home before someone sees me in bunny pajamas and assumes you’ve lost your standards.”

Dante’s smirk widened. “Too late. I already like these pajamas and all.”

---

We finally pulled up to the restaurant, and the second the car stopped, I stayed glued to my seat. No movement. No words. Just me stubbornly staring at the door like a hostage.

Dante stepped out first, all calm then walked over to my side—he opened my door and leaned down.

His sharp gaze flicked over me. “Coming out, princess? Or…” He tilted his head, lips quirking, “…should I carry you out?”

I bit my lip. Ha. As if. He’s obsessed, sure, but Alina’s still the OG female lead, right? There’s no way he’d actually—

Wrong. So wrong.