He Stole My Heart, My Mafia Brother-In-Law
img img He Stole My Heart, My Mafia Brother-In-Law img Chapter 5 The family
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Chapter 6 Damon img
Chapter 7 Awake img
Chapter 8 Taken img
Chapter 9 Bella and Lucas img
Chapter 10 After two years img
Chapter 11 Old love, new love img
Chapter 12 A miracle img
Chapter 13 The mansion img
Chapter 14 Do I know you img
Chapter 15 Forgiven img
Chapter 16 Ladies first img
Chapter 17 Crazy woman img
Chapter 18 Dear Isabella... img
Chapter 19 The lunch img
Chapter 20 The merger img
Chapter 21 Tell me your story img
Chapter 22 The dark pit hole img
Chapter 23 Progress img
Chapter 24 Hey, love img
Chapter 25 The tree house img
Chapter 26 What happened img
Chapter 27 Finally some good news img
Chapter 28 Am I the mistake img
Chapter 29 Uncanny resemblance img
Chapter 30 Your life for his name img
Chapter 31 This ends one way img
Chapter 32 Lucas img
Chapter 33 It's a match img
Chapter 34 My room or yours img
Chapter 35 Julia img
Chapter 36 Please, forgive me img
Chapter 37 The cats come out to play img
Chapter 38 I thought we had a deal img
Chapter 39 This is wrong img
Chapter 40 How old are you img
Chapter 41 What's your problem img
Chapter 42 I wasn't planning to img
Chapter 43 Vultures circling img
Chapter 44 This isn't love img
Chapter 45 Five minutes img
Chapter 46 Did you get a name yet img
Chapter 47 The crazy us img
Chapter 48 Anything for you princess img
Chapter 49 I'm being practical img
Chapter 50 What's so urgent img
Chapter 51 Back off img
Chapter 52 I'm not leaving you img
Chapter 53 I was almost too late img
Chapter 54 Always have img
Chapter 55 Can I trust you img
Chapter 56 Where is she img
Chapter 57 You're delusional img
Chapter 58 What will we do img
Chapter 59 I'm leaving the country img
Chapter 60 I would never img
Chapter 61 He wouldn't dare img
Chapter 62 I'll handle him img
Chapter 63 Are you offended img
Chapter 64 Let's get this circus on the road img
Chapter 65 Go back, Bella img
Chapter 66 How can you be so cruel img
Chapter 67 Who are you img
Chapter 68 What do I like img
Chapter 69 How about a date img
Chapter 70 Just a road img
Chapter 71 Family drama img
Chapter 72 What else could possibly go wrong img
Chapter 73 You may kiss the bride img
Chapter 74 What's he after img
Chapter 75 You looked...happy img
Chapter 76 One more lie img
Chapter 77 A gift img
Chapter 78 Give me a reason img
Chapter 79 Thanks for the invite img
Chapter 80 The one who gave the order img
Chapter 81 It's a long story img
Chapter 82 How did you find me img
Chapter 83 Are we losing her img
Chapter 84 It's personal img
Chapter 85 I'm right here img
Chapter 86 Can't do that img
Chapter 87 Lies and betrayal img
Chapter 88 Where have you been img
Chapter 89 A soul img
Chapter 90 Can't spill all my secrets img
Chapter 91 I must do this img
Chapter 92 You scared me img
Chapter 93 You're playing dirty img
Chapter 94 We had a deal img
Chapter 95 Clean break img
Chapter 96 I feel old img
Chapter 97 I answer to her img
Chapter 98 The party is not over img
Chapter 99 Tell me the truth img
Chapter 100 Promise img
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Chapter 5 The family

He dropped her off in the driveway and drove away. Bella made her way to the cabin and knocked on the door. Damon opened it, pulled her inside, and kissed her, leaving her breathless.

"I thought you'd changed your mind and were going to kill me out here in the forest,"

He chuckled, his expression softening as his dimples appeared, which she adored.

"I felt bad about how we left things this morning. You know I manage the family business, and having an affair with my sister-in-law isn't exactly ideal."

"Wait, having an affair...?"

He kissed her again, his hands exploring her body, then pulled back in frustration. "Let's go for a walk and talk," he suggested, extending his hand, which she took.

Walking hand in hand through the forest was soothing. He paused to kiss her again.

"Will I see this side of you back at the house?"

"Absolutely not," he replied with a smile, placing his hands on her face. "But I promised I'd try, and this is my attempt."

Bella wrapped her arms around him. "I love it. That means you have feelings for me too."

Damon sighed, reluctantly confessing. "Yeah, I'm just not very good with words."

She rested her head on his chest, while his head nestled on hers, and they stood there in silence. Damon had let her into his guarded heart, and it was terrifying to think of what she might discover. He had no plan, but he was certain their connection was genuine.

"Bella, I have to leave now," kissing her lips. "I'll see you at the house. Everyone will be there tonight, including my family, and they can be difficult, just so you know. Just be yourself. They're flying in and will stay until Lucas is out of the hospital."

"Damon," touching his face, "I need your support. Please don't leave me alone."

"This isn't how I'll be at the house. What we're doing is..."

"Wrong?"

"No, it's not. He doesn't have feelings for you; he told me before the wedding. Now go, Bulldog should be waiting in the driveway." He kissed her deeply, reluctant to let go. As he watched her walk away, he reflected on how he had fallen for her. Bella was like a beacon of light, and he was the moth drawn to her from the darkness. He marveled at how he managed to restrain himself; she held such power over him.

When Damon mentioned "family," Bella had pictured his parents and maybe a sibling. Instead, she walked into a room filled with fifteen pairs of eyes that went silent at her entrance. Damon's hand at the small side of her back guided her forward as he made introductions.

"My sister Giana and her husband Dylan, my mother Elena, my father Tom," gesturing around the table. The cousins' names blurred together as Bella nodded politely, distracted by the sheen of sweat on Damon's forehead and the pallor beneath his tan.

Throughout dinner, questions flew at her like darts. Tom lifted his glass. "Welcome to our family, Bella. A doctor joins our ranks, Dylan practices law, Giana handles accounting. Perhaps we could arrange a proper wedding celebration for you, without... interruptions?"

Under the table, Damon's fingers gripped hers, burning with fever. Bella stood up, and the room became quiet.

"Damon, may I speak to you in the kitchen, please, she whispered

When the door shut behind them, she pressed her palm to his forehead. "You're burning up. The wound is infected because you ignored the antibiotics, didn't you?"

He swayed slightly, offering a weak smile. "Doctor knows best," he murmured before his knees buckled.

Bella's cry brought the family rushing in. She took command immediately, dispatching someone to the hospital for supplies while she called the doctor who'd stitched him. Within the hour, Damon lay in his bed with an IV in his arm while Bella pressed cool compresses to his feverish skin. The door creaked open as Elena entered the room.

Elena met her gaze, the kind of look only a mother can give, piercing, knowing. She didn't say a word about it. "We're heading to the hospital to see your husband. Since you're taking care of him, we'll go back to the hotel afterward. Thank you, Bella."

"It's my job. He's my brother-in-law," Bella replied, avoiding eye contact.

"Alright, we'll see you tomorrow,"

Bella's head dropped onto his chest, tears spilling over. She drifted off briefly, then jolted awake when she felt a heavy arm wrap around her. Damon's eyes were on her, his grip firm. She kissed his lips. "You scared me, you stubborn man."

He grinned. "You scared everyone when you stood up at the table," he laughed.

"Yeah, I must've looked insane," removing the IV and changing the dressing on his stitches.

He went to the bathroom, and when he returned, he locked the door. He lay back on the bed and pulled her close, his mouth hungry for hers. Things were heating up when a knock interrupted them. She scrambled to unlock the door.

His sister Giana strode in. "Feeling better, brother?"

Bella glanced at her, noting her Medusa-like curls. She couldn't stand her, maybe it was just instinct.

Giana turned to Bella. "Why don't you go visit your husband? I'll stay with him until you're back."

"Giana, knock it off. It's midnight, and she's been looking after me," Damon said firmly.

"You're right, brother. How lucky we are," Giana replied, still holding her stare.

"I'll leave you for now. Goodnight," Bella said as she walked out.

Bella's mind circled back to Damon, and the guilt hit like a punch to the gut. Married to Lucas, married to Lucas, she whispered under her breath, as if the repetition could anchor her. But Damon, Damon was a force, magnetic and impossible to ignore. His family would figure it out eventually. Elena's sharp gaze earlier had practically pinned her to the wall; she couldn't even look the woman in the eye. I need to leave, vanish, before I wreck everything. Their bond as brothers was unshakable, and she couldn't be the one to fracture it. Maybe Damon was right, maybe Lucas didn't feel anything for her.

She drifted off, questions swirling in her head, unanswered and relentless.

                         

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