The Mafia’s Good Wife
Chapter 17

- Violet -

"Did you have a good talk with Talia?"

Damon whipped his head up as soon as Violet entered their room that night. It was like he had been waiting for her. Maybe he was anxious Talia might say something that could change her mind.

"Yup," Violet said simply. Walking over to the bed, she climbed on top and found a cozy spot next to Damon. He opened his arm for her and she snuggled into his chest.

"Was she trying to convince you to leave?" he asked.

"No one can convince me to do something I don't wanna do," she told him. "Including you,"

"Yeah," Damon let out a chuckle. "I've learned that lesson,"

Violet bit her lip to suppress her smile. Damon was joking again about getting shot at and it was weirdly endearing.

"Speaking of convincing, your brother called," Damon sighed and pulled Violet's phone from the bedside table. "I didn't answer it. I was just plugging your phone in to charge it. But it's been ringing nonstop all day long,"

Violet's head jerked up instantly. She grabbed her phone and saw that she had over 100 missed calls and messages from Dylan, Lucas, and basically everyone in town.

"Oh, right... Dylan..." she muttered, going through her messages.

Naturally, people were freaking out and looking for her. She disappeared from her brother's wedding almost a week ago and she didn't have a chance to contact them. She would have, except she was in chains and her phone's battery died soon after. "Will you excuse me for a second?" she said as she got up from the bed, her fingers busily scrolling through the screen.

"Sure, take all the time you need," he replied. "I'll be right here,"

Violet stepped away from the bed and went into the en-suite bathroom. She closed the door shut before dialing Dylan's number. It didn't even ring twice and Dylan already picked up.

"Hey..." Violet started to speak, but Dylan cut her off quickly.

"Violet Rose Carvey!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, hurting Violet's ear a little. "Where the hell have you been? You disappeared from the wedding and we can't reach you for days! We've got the cops looking for you all over town!" "Dyl, relax-"

"Relax?" he shouted again. "You owe us a fúcking explanation and you better start talking. Now!"

Violet's shoulders slumped down in defeat. Dylan was never known for being calm-tempered. It was going to be difficult to reason with him, she didn't even tell him where she was yet. "Dylan, you need to calm down," Violet said reassuringly. "Something's happened but I'm okay. I'm going to tell you where I'm at, but you have to promise me that you won't freak out," Dylan's voice calmed down a little.

"Where are you?" he asked.

Violet took a deep breath before answering.

"I'm in New Jersey. At Damon's estate,"

There was a split second of silence in the air. Violet could imagine Dylan's eyes jolting open and the veins on his neck popping out in shock.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" he roared. "You're where?!"

"I told you not to freak out," she reminded him.

"How the hell did you get out there?!" he was definitely freaking out. "Did he come for you?!"

"Yes, at your wedding,"

"And you went with him?"

Technically, he kidnapped me first, but that's beside the point.

"Pretty much," she muttered.

"Why?!" he gaped.

"Because... there's unfinished business between us. We had to talk things out,"

"You shot the man in the heart, Vi! What else is there to talk about?"

"Well, the reasoning behind that for one..." she replied, pausing for a beat before adding, "And the possibility of us having a future together..."

Violet furrowed her eyes and pulled her phone away slightly, thinking that Dylan would yell at her some more. But instead of yelling, Dylan's voice dropped an octave lower this time.

"So you're back with him?" he said through gritted teeth.

Somehow, Violet wished that Dylan was still yelling. Him being angry sounded a lot better than this.

"I know what you're gonna say, but things are different now," Violet tried to reason with him.

"How? He's not the same mafia man that kidnaps people and hurts them?" Dylan scoffed bitterly. Violet fell silent as she got the point.

"Vi, I thought we're done with this? You've left him. You've moved on!" Dylan sighed in exasperation.

"I thought I did," she sighed back. "Dyl, I can't really explain it over the phone, but you have to trust me on this. I'm okay and I'm happy here. Damon and I are still talking and we're trying to figure things out. He's not keeping me against my will and I can come back anytime," "Well, come back then!" he barked. "Mom's going crazy looking for you!"

"Please tell her I'm doing okay and I'll be back soon. Maybe I'll come and visit in a few days?"

"Come and visit? Vi, you live here!"

"Look, I'll figure this out, but you need to stop yelling at me right now!" she yelled back. It was frustrating trying to reason with someone who refused to see her point of view.

Dylan went silent for a moment. He was thinking hard about something. Violet thought that maybe he was trying to understand her position, but no. It turned out that he had a whole other thought in mind.

"You're crazy, Vi," he said finally. "No, you know what, you're not crazy, you're just a victim. You don't know any better. You probably have Stockholm syndrome or something,"

"I don't have that!" Violet hissed defensively. For some reason, Dylan's words struck a chord in her. "Look, I know it's not easy to understand. I can't barely explain it either, but I know this is the right thing to do," "Yeah, sure," Dylan scoffed again. "Keep telling yourself that,"

"Dylan-"

Violet couldn't get another word out. Dylan turned off the call and that was it. Three years had passed but she was back in square one again. Violet let out a long sigh before putting the phone down. She stared at her reflection in the mirror and noted how much she'd changed over the years, but some things still remained the same.

I really hope it's different this time...

~ Damon -

"Did you talk to him?"

Damon whipped his head up as soon as Violet returned to the room. He wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but she heard him yell a little. Dylan probably said some things that made her question things and it made Damon worry. After all, he was the last straw that broke the camel's back. He was the guy who gave her the gun that shot him.

"Yeah, I did," Violet replied with a sigh.

That doesn't sound good.

"What did you tell him?" he asked cautiously.

"I told him that I'm with you and I'm staying here for a few more days at least," she said as she climbed back to the bed.

Okay, that sounds good.

"And what did he say?"

"He says I've gone mad," she rolled her eyes dramatically before resting her head on his shoulder. "He thinks I have Stockholm syndrome and that's why I keep coming back here,"

Violet stifled a laugh, but Damon remained serious. As much as he hates to admit it, Dylan might have a point.

"Do you?" he asked her.

"Do I what?"

"Do you have that?"

"You think I have that?"

Violet was staring at him with eyes wide open and Damon found himself stammering.

"I... I don't know," Damon threw his gaze away. "Sometimes I still wonder what I did to deserve someone like you,"

Damon knew a lot about Stockholm syndrome. It was a psychological response where the hostage or the abused victim bonds with their captor or abuser. He was guilty of using this method for his advantage from time to time. He'd manipulate his victim's emotions until they became so dependent on him, they would do whatever he wants. Is this what's happening to her now? Have I unconsciously manipulated her into staying?

Violet saw Damon's eyes running wild with thoughts. She let out a deep breath before pulling his face to her with her hand.

"Hey," she called for his attention. "You took a bullet to the chest from me and that's not it. You've saved me from those people that kidnapped me and you're changing your whole empire just so you can be with me. You've done so much for me and that's why I'm staying,"

Her bright violet eyes stared deeply into his soul and Damon felt his heart doubling in size. She's too good for him, he thought. She's far too kind and far too sweet.

"Yeah, but I also did you a lot of harm," he smiled a sad smile and gripped the side of her face, gently stroking her cheek. "You were so young and I tricked you into signing that deal with me,"

"You didn't trick me, I signed it on my own will," she argued.

"I played with your emotions and took advantage of your... inexperiencedness," Damon said through gritted teeth. When he remembered those first few days when he had her in the estate, he wanted to smack himself silly for everything he put her through. "That was a learning experience and I needed that," Violet said simply.

"Violet," Damon scolded.

"Damon," she scolded back.

The two of them were holding a staring contest. Damon was looking at her with a serious face, but Violet only smiled. It was like she was trying to tell him not to let these stupid ideas get into his head.

"Anyway, does it even matter?" she said finally. "No matter how or where it comes from, love is love, right?"

Violet's words took Damon's breath away. There was this warm feeling emanating from his chest and it was radiating through his entire body. Damon's lips twitched into a smile as he leaned his forehead on top of hers.

"I love you, sweet girl," he murmured.

"I love you, Damon," she replied, smiling at him with her bright, beautiful eyes.

Damon was lost staring into her eyes. He couldn't believe how lucky he was. She was the best thing that has ever happened to him. Whether he deserved it or not, she truly loves him and there was no greater thing in the world than that. She's right. Love is love. And that's that.

"I love you more," he said, slowly inching for her lips. "My little flower," he murmured through the kiss. "My beautiful wife,"

Violet was giggling as she let him plant kisses all over her nose and lips. She was always smiling every time Damon called her his 'wife' and Damon noticed that.

"My sweet, good wife," he said again, this time while kissing her neck.

Violet let out another giggle and it made Damon smile. He continued kissing her neck and she ran her fingers through his hair.

"Hey, Damon," she said suddenly.

"Mmhm?"

"You know, technically I'm not your wife yet,"

Damon pulled away abruptly to look at her. She had that playful glint playing on her face while he narrowed his eyes.

"Well, whose fault is that?" he asked.

Violet grinned sheepishly. A small sorry smiled hung on her face. Damon let out a sigh and shook his head.

"Whatever, I couldn't care less about a stupid piece of paper," he said. "You're my wife and that's that,"

"Says the guy with all the contracts," Violet laughed. She had the audacity to make fun of him and his contracts.

"Oh, you really enjoy talking back to me today, huh?" Damon's tone was stern and it shut her right up. His hand then traveled to her backside and he gave her a*s cheek a firm squeeze.

"It's been a while, maybe you've forgotten some things," he said meaningfully. "Maybe I need to teach you a lesson about talking back?"

Violet swallowed hard.

"Oh, master," she said as she bit her lip, playfully teasing him. "I've been such a bad, bad girl, haven't I?"

Alright, that's it.

Damon couldn't take the teasing anymore. In one swift move, he hauled her over his shoulder and carried her off to the playroom. Violet was squealing and squirming, but she was also giggling happily. Damon was also smiling and laughing too. I really got a good one, he said to himself. A real good one.