Amapola

Salvatore must be going crazy; there’s no other explanation. After the show we put on the dance floor, he dragged me out of the hall without even saying goodbye to anyone.
I realized that if I refused or opposed leaving at that moment, he would likely throw me over his shoulder and carry me out anyway.
“You’re crazy,” I said, smiling as we reached the door of the venue, suspecting that Amadeu had already gone to get the car.
“Crazy for you, mi amore,” he said, still not stopping his quick pace.
“Slow down or I’m going to end up falling with these heels,” I said, trying to balance myself while one of my hands kept the hem of my dress off the ground and my feet, also avoiding a fall.
“Don’t let that stop you, mia bella.” I let out a small scream when he lifted me off the ground and carried me in his arms to the car he had just parked in front of us. “I’m in a hurry.”
“Where are we going?”
“To nostra casa,” he said calmly.
“My dad, he’s going to worry.” I tried to justify, but deep down, I knew I wanted to avoid being alone with him. How would I be able to think rationally with him so close to me?
“Don’t worry, I already warned him.”
“What? When? How?”
“Earlier today, as soon as you left with Marco, I was at your house. I told him you would be sleeping with me.”
“And who said I would?” I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow, challenging him.
“I’m willing to use all my persuasion, mio amore, to ensure that tonight you are mine,” he said, leaning closer like a feline about to pounce on its prey. I felt his hand wrap around my neck and his cool breath brush against my skin, sending chills all over me.
“That’s the problem, Salvatore,” I whispered in a barely audible voice as his lips slowly roamed my skin without actually touching anywhere; his breath reached me, but I felt as if he were touching my entire body. “I can’t bear being yours for one night and seeing you leave at dawn.”
“And who said I would?” he asked in a husky voice.
“I know you can’t stay.”
“But I can take you with me, Amah, sarai mia per sempre.”
“Be your prisoner again?”
“Mia moglie.”
“What did you say?” I asked, trying to confirm if I heard what I thought I did.
“Let’s go inside, amore mio. We’ll talk in there,” he said as Amadeu opened the car door; I hadn’t even realized we had made the entire journey.
It was like that when I was with Salvatore; he wrapped me in a haze of sensations, making me completely lose track of time and space.
We entered the castle, and I admired it as I had the first time I was here; there was no way it could be different in the face of such beauty.
“Shall we?” Salvatore called my attention.
“Where to?”
“To the bedroom,” he stated, raising an eyebrow at me.
“Calm down.” I extended my palms forward and closed my eyes, seeking control. “Look, we need to talk, and I don’t think the bedroom is the ideal place for that.”
“Mia bella, being in the bedroom, the dining room, the office, the library, the kitchen, or even the bathroom wouldn’t make any difference, amore mio. I would grab you and be as close to you as possible, so I figured the bedroom would be more comfortable,” he explained, as if he weren’t saying anything out of the ordinary.
“Please, Salvatore, understand my side; don’t make things even harder for me,” I pleaded.
“Va bene, let’s sit here then,” he said, sitting on the stairs, making it even clearer that it didn’t matter where we were; it was impossible for us to stay apart.
I walked carefully until I was sitting next to him, but the next moment, my mouth was glued to his.
“I’m sorry, amore mio, but I’m trying to lessen the longing of being away from you for so long,” he justified the kiss, and I ended up giving in because I thought it would be better if we were in the bedroom; otherwise, someone might catch us in an embarrassing moment right here, so I called him to come upstairs.
When Salvatore opened the door to the room we shared a long time ago, I lost my breath. He had asked for everything to be arranged with red sheets, rose petals, and candles; the place looked like it came out of a movie scene.
“Salvatore,” I whispered, admiring the place. There was a table set for dinner, and on the terrace, there was a bucket of ice with wine glasses along with some fruits and cheeses; he thought of everything.
“Come here, Amapola.” He took my hand, leading me to the terrace.
“We need to talk.”
“I know, mia bella, just don’t stay so far away from me, per favore.”
“I’m not distant, Salvatore; I just can’t think clearly being so close to you.”
“Va bene, amore mio, va bene.” He ran his hands through his hair in exasperation. “I wish you knew that what you saw, all that crap with Carlota, was a setup; I was drugged.”
“I know, Salvatore; I was there when you showed the video to the capos.”
“And yet you left me,” he stated, distressed. “I’ve lived hell these months, Amapola, but I’ll let you go if that’s really your wish. You told me things I know are true. I know I don’t deserve you, that my corrupted world doesn’t belong to you, but since I’m a fucking selfish bastard, I came, once again for you, for us both.” His eyes didn’t even blink as he stared at me.
“Everything I said was precise because I knew you wouldn’t distance yourself from me so easily.”
“Smart.”
“I learned from the best.” I smiled. “This time we spent apart was, in a way, good, Salvatore. I understood that being with you only when we were alone wasn’t good for me. Every day I woke up wondering if it would be our last day together. I knew everyone was pressuring you to formalize the marriage, and I wouldn’t be, nor will I ever be, your mistress. That’s why I left, Salvatore. I understand your position and your obligations, and above all, I understand that the mafia has traditions that must be followed. So, to protect myself and preserve my physical and mental health, I preferred to let you go.”
“I would never make you my mistress, Amapola; don’t think so little of me. Everything I said, everything I felt was real.”
“Still, it’s not enough.”
“I can’t abandon my position, amore mio; I’ve been trained for this since I was born, but if you want, I’m willing to change the norms, alter the rules of the game, and make you mia moglie.”
“How so? You know they wouldn’t accept it; I’m nobody.”