Episode 7

As the haze of pleasure faded, Vincenzo was immediately struck by regret for his actions. He cautiously withdrew from Amanda to avoid causing her further pain, conscious of the fact that this had been her first time, and she was likely still sore, particularly as he’d become somewhat overeager in his final moments of passion, swept up in the relentless desire he was experiencing.

He also regretted his impulsive thought to forego protection, wishing for her to bear him a child before their marriage—this was not the proper sequence of events in their relationship.

Without even glancing at her, he rose and made his way to the shower, needing to cleanse himself and ponder the folly of his deed. Upon stepping into the stall, he noted a red stain on his body—an undeniable sign that he had taken Amanda’s virginity.

He harbored no regret for having been with her, as his yearning had been potent since the moment he saw her, provocatively costumed as a bunny serving drinks to the ogling fools around her.

Since that moment, he felt that she was his, a sentiment that only strengthened when his brother, deep in a gambling addiction, offered her up to settle his debts at Vincenzo’s casino.

As he showered, he considered how to rectify the grave mistake of sleeping with Amanda before marrying her. Despite being the Capo, he couldn’t defy tradition. The only solution he saw was his initial thought—to stain the sheets with his own blood to feign her virginity on their wedding night.

Of one thing he was certain: he would do anything to keep Amanda by his side. The feelings he harbored for her bordered on obsession, especially since he'd been the one to take her virginity, which made him feel even more responsible for her well-being.

He knew that his feelings for Amanda were unlike anything he had experienced, yet he refused to label them as love, a sentiment he had dedicated once before with painful results of betrayal from a woman he had adored. Had it not been for his father's insistence, he would never have contemplated marriage. However, at 36, a Capo of the Salvatore mafia, and to garner the elders' acceptance, he needed a wife and heirs—Amanda was perfectly suited for the role. Young, beautiful, and bold, even if headstrong, he knew he would eventually tame her defiance, one way or another.

His heart had hardened when a woman he deeply loved ran off with one of his father's soldiers. Now, both traitors were dead—she in a suspicious car accident, and her lover executed by his father for the grave mistake of entangling with the future Capo's woman.

Since that heartbreak, Vincenzo vowed to shield himself from that sort of love.

Meanwhile, Amanda lay in bed, her skin still bearing the scent of Vincenzo, perplexed at how easily she had surrendered to a man she loathed.

Unfortunately, her body did not care for her sentiments—it gave in at his first kiss, and the pleasure he gave her seemed to blind her. Worse still, should he pursue her again, she doubted she'd have the strength to resist such enchanting allure.

Amanda ran a hand through her hair, emitting a weary sigh, pondering how she would navigate her interactions with Vincenzo after sharing such an intimate moment. His post-coital disregard for her, as he proceeded to cleanse himself, signaled he might soon seek a more experienced woman for satisfaction, assuming that’s what his look of disappointment meant as he left her side.

Yet, Amanda could swear that his moan and his body’s tremor meant he was quite content, or perhaps she was mistaken due to her inexperience. Later, she reflected that in the end, it didn't matter if he was satisfied or not—let him go to hell for all she cared.

If his intention was indeed to seek another, it was probably for the best; at least he might leave her in peace, having achieved his goal of bringing her to his bed. But the thought of him with someone else was curiously unsettling. Could it be that her hatred for him was transforming into something else—into that emotion which is said to walk hand in hand with hate?

Amanda found it hard to believe she could fall for Vincenzo simply because he was her first, because of his beauty, and because he was a master in the art of pleasuring a woman in bed. True, there were many reasons to fall for him. But more significant were the reasons not to, given his indirect role in her brother's death and the fact that he kept her by his side against her will.