The Mafia’s Obsession

Ayla

“Thanks for being down to celebrate,” I say to Belle-Ann, sipping my can of beer.

“Of course! It’s your 20th birthday. Bet your ass we’re celebrating.”

It’s Saturday night and we’re partying in Belle-Ann’s apartment near campus. She’s got a bunch of people over, mostly her friends from college, with a couple of our old high school friends mixed in. Music is playing, and a group on the balcony overlooking the street is passing around a pipe.

“I still think you should tell Alessio your birthday is on Monday,” my friend says. “I know it’s… not exactly a love marriage, but he’s still your husband.”

I shake myhead. “I don’t want to put more on his plate. He’s busy enough taking over both families.”

That’s not really why I haven’t told him. The truth is, I’m worried he won’t care. If he doesn’t know it’s my birthday, I can’t be disappointed at him doing nothing to acknowledge it.

“Try it,” Belle-Ann urges, as though reading my mind. “It sounds like he’s obsessed with you. I’ll bet he wants to do something to celebrate.”

“Obsessed with me?” I scoff. “I don’t think so. He only married me for my last name.”

“And that’s why he-” she lowers her voice. “And that’s why he stalked you to the Halloween party and committed a fucking assault just so he could-”

“Shhh! Not so loud!”

Belle-Ann raises her eyebrows smugly. “Anyway, I think you take my point. Not to mention theotherthings you’ve told me…”

She breaks off into giggles. I blush. Before the other guests came over, I did confess to her some of what Alessio and I have been up to sexually. Other than some mild teasing, she took it in stride.

“I think he just likes fucking me,” I say. “Doesn’t mean his feelings go deeper than that. In fact, I’m pretty sure they don’t.”

“Wasn’t the Halloween party before he fucked you, though?”

“Okay, so hewantedto fuck me. Same difference.”

“He wanted tomarryyou. I thought things were good between you two? Why are you being so defensive?”

“I just… Things are good. But if I tell him it’s my birthday, and then he doesn’t do anything special and I feel like shit, then things won’t be good anymore. I’d rather not rock the boat, you know?”

Belle-Ann hugs me, looking sad. “Yeah, I get it. I just think you deserve better than that.”

I wrinkle my nose, ready for a change of topic. “Enough about me. How did your Tinderdate go?”

She makes a face of disgust. “Tall. Hot. Total asshole.” Her phone buzzes and she glances at the screen. “Shit, that’s him now. I already said no to a second date. How do I get him to stop texting me?”

***

I take an Uber back home and don’t get in until after midnight. I had expected Alessio to be asleep, but instead, he’s in the living room watching a movie. He pauses it as I come in.

“Did you have a good time with your friends?”

I shrug. “Yeah, it was fun.”

“No underage drinking, I hope?”

I sit down on the couch next to him. “I wouldn’t know anything about that. I have never experimented with alcohol.”

He chuckles. “Not until your 21st birthday, of course.”

My brain catches on the word birthday. I try to ignore it. “What are you watching?”

“Would you roll your eyes if I saidThe Godfather?”

“Ah, yes. The sacred story of our people.” I lean against him, wishing I could just tell him. I know it’s stupid. But this moment feels so cozy and domestic.

Almost like we’re married for real.

“Ayla?”

“Yes?

“Do you see the pen and paper on the coffee table in front of you?”

I look, and sure enough, there it is. “Yeah.”

“I want you to write down your most extreme fantasy. It can be as wild and specific as you like. It can be stuff we’ve already done, or it can all be brand-new. It can be expensive. Whatever you want. I’ll make it happen.”

These words put butterflies in my stomach. My most extreme fantasy? “I… What? Why? What is this?”

He grins. “You’re going to be 20. Now, me being 10 years older, I’m not much good at ragers or drinking games. But making your little pussy twitch is something I am good at. So anything you want to explore with me, just name it. You’re allowed to make it as insane and over-the-top as you want.”

I chuckle nervously, even as I’m already getting excited. “I don’t know, I have some pretty crazy fantasies. Not sure you’d be able to hang with me.”

“Is that a challenge?”

“Maybe.”

His eyes flash. “So challenge me. Whatever it says on that paper when I wake up in the morning is going to become a reality.”

My mind races, the dirtiest of thoughts already taking shape. So many possibilities. I have to come up with something good.

“I’m going to go to sleep,” Alessio tells me with a wink. “Happy almost-birthday.”

I stare at the paper long after he goes to bed. What an opportunity. The places my brain goes when I’m horny can be, shall we say, a little intense. Do I dare reveal that? Do I dareindulgethat? Even more than we already have?

This is my chance to.

I spend some time browsing on my phone, exploring different kinks. An idea starts to form. A wild idea.

When it solidifies, I can’t help but giggle madly.

He wants over-the-top? I can do that.