Dark Romance: A Cruel Obsession

Relatives, friends, subordinates-each death he witnessed firsthand, yet there was no possibility for him to retreat. Beyond holding the supreme position as a Capo, he bore an inescapable responsibility; he needed to lead his followers in an endless fight against the Russians.

In fact, since the death of his father Kamden, the Houston mafia had been at a significant disadvantage. Many of his father’s loyal and capable men had died in the ensuing chaos, dealing a heavy blow to Houston. Alajos needed Bryson’s help, and the warriors sent from Los Angeles would give him a favorable advantage in the battle with the Russians.

But the fight was escalating. The Bratva lost men; so did Alajos’s side. They attacked Houston’s wineries, and Alajos responded by setting their warehouses ablaze. Flames reached the sky, gunshots never ceased, and in that inferno, Alajos lost his childhood playmate-his best friend.

For revenge, Alajos risked capturing a Bratva leader in Houston. He whipped him, pried off his fingernails, shattered his kneecaps, and cut strips of flesh from his body. When the man screamed in pain, Alajos pulled out his tongue.

The news of his marriage spread too quickly, and the alliance between Houston and Los Angeles would cause the Bratva to be wary. Vivian had already become their target; the shootout outside Golden Hill Apartment was a carefully orchestrated attack by them.

“She’s such a beautiful and sexy woman; just one glance ignites a desire to rape her. If I catch her outside Golden Hill Apartment, I’ll tear her clothes apart and fuck her to death!” The Bratva leader in Houston was a disgustingly vile man, whose tales of toying with women were well known to Alajos.

Now, he had set his sights on Vivian. So, Alajos cut his throat.

Blood splattered on Alajos, who didn’t even blink, ordering the body to be dumped in the river. But the man’s vile words had taken hold of him; he became crazed, turning everything in the living room into chaos, and almost raped Vivian when she came near.

Alajos exhaled heavily and returned to his room. The alarm clock on the nightstand reminded him there wasn’t enough time to sleep; he needed to leave immediately. Opening the wardrobe, he saw the wedding suit someone had delivered; the wedding would take place tomorrow.

Looking at the suit, was he nervous? Excited? Expectant? Or feeling the same dread as Vivian-unease? Sadness? In fact, he felt nothing, waiting indifferently for the wedding day to arrive, to fulfill his duty as Capo-to marry Vivian for the alliance between Houston and Los Angeles.

He couldn’t offer Vivian what she wanted-a sweet love, a gentle husband, a happy marriage-but he would protect her at all costs.

He promised.

Luzia awoke from her sleep crying, her pillow soaked.

She sighed, walked into the bathroom, and covered her eyes with a towel.

Outside, the sun was rising; the weather seemed nice. She changed into a white dress and braided her brown hair into a plait.

She had to see Alajos, even if it might be pointless, but tomorrow was his wedding to Vivian.

Standing at Alajos’s door, Luzia knocked. He was indeed home, his voice deep and stern from within, “Come in.”

It was a commanding tone, grim and fierce.

Luzia shivered, a flicker of fear inside her.

She hesitated at the door but, thinking of Vivian’s tearful face, pushed it open and entered, “Good morning, Alajos.”

Alajos sat in an armchair by the fireplace, drinking. He seemed a bit impatient but softened his tone, “Good morning, what is it?”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

He could already imagine the strange requests Luzia might have-shopping? Racing? Horseback riding? As long as it was within his power, he never skimped on indulging her.

“Can you cancel tomorrow’s wedding?” Luzia stood at the doorway, hesitant to enter.

Alajos was surprised by such a request, “Did Vivian send you to ask me this?”

“No, no, Vivian doesn’t know I’m here; it was my own idea.” Luzia quickly denied, adding, “Vivian seems very sad.”

“She’s always been sad,” Alajos drained his glass, “Not because of tomorrow’s wedding, but because after the wedding, she’ll lose all her freedom.”

“But you know, even after the wedding, I won’t limit her freedom. She can still go shopping, stroll, watch movies with you. She can leave this apartment as long as she returns to sleep at night.”

“She… she wants to go to school.”

“School?” Alajos pondered, “I wasn’t aware she had such a desire, but I can arrange that. Houston has some fine universities.”

“She also wants to work.”

“Work?” Alajos mused for a moment, perhaps not understanding why Vivian would be so insistent on working. He didn’t lack money, and after the wedding, his wealth would also be Vivian’s. She had no need to work, “Okay, if that’s what she wants, it’s not impossible.”

Luzia fumbled for words, desperately trying to find the reason Vivian didn’t want to marry Alajos and to convince him.

Alajos shook his head, stood up, and fetched another bottle of wine from the mini-fridge in his room, “She doesn’t need a loveless marriage, but you know as well as I do, she can’t escape it.”

“What is she afraid of, loveless intimacy?” Alajos mused, “Perhaps without intimacy, marrying me wouldn’t matter. But after the wedding, she becomes my wife, and I can’t not share a bed with my wife.”

Luzia took a deep breath, her brow furrowed as she spoke, “You’re too rough, Alajos, you’ll cause her pain.”

“The first time is always painful for a woman, you’ve been through it, haven’t you?” Alajos took a sip of his drink, the sunlight streaming into the room, falling on his large bed, at his feet, “After the first time, she’ll have experience. By the third time, she should find pleasure. She’ll grow to love the pleasure I give her. No one dislikes the pleasure of intimacy I provide.”

“Alajos, why can’t you compromise just once…”

“Why should I compromise? She’s my wife!” Alajos got angry, his voice roaring with irritation, “I have the right to her body, and she has the duty to make love with me. Even without love, she has the responsibility to comply with her husband, just like you did with Paavo.”

“Without love, there should be no intimacy. Without affection, one can’t share a bed. She’s nineteen, not a naive three-year-old. She should realize how ridiculous her ideas are by now!” Alajos finished the last of his wine, “Stop thinking of those foolish excuses, Luzia. You and I both know the nature of this arranged marriage and what Vivian truly can’t accept. But we are powerless, only able to follow the dictates of fate.”

“But you have the power to change all this, to end this cursed fate.”