Page 66 of Married with Mayhem

Among the gang of attackers was the son of a prominent politician. No one expected any arrests but Vittorio decided not to wait around for the wheels of justice anyway. Within a week after Vittorio was discharged from the hospital, pieces of his enemies were being found all over Palermo. The politician picked up his morning newspaper one day to find his son’s tongue and both hands underneath. After that, he lost his mind and ran into the sea, never to be seen again.

That’s what Vittorio was capable of before he even reached the age of eighteen. It’s safe to say he’s a little more lethal now.

“Monte Castelli,” he says in the harsh manner of a strict judge about to deliver a verdict. “I know all about you already. It didn’t take long to find out about your family connections.” He pauses for effect. “Allof your family connections.”

I’m not exactly shocked. And I haven’t forgotten what Sabrina told me about her uncle’s arranged marriage schemes. “We all have our crosses to bear. Some of mine live in Wyoming. I’ve heard they’re friends of yours.”

He knows exactly what I mean and chuckles. “Let me explain something to you.”

“Can’t wait,” I mutter.

“Sabrina is the last unmarried daughter of Albie Barone. And she’s my niece. As you can guess, there are a lot of potential suitors. My sister has been hoping her youngest child will settle down. Sabrina’s lack of cooperation is becoming a thorn in my side. She’s refused all other marriage offers. Her mother has been beside herself ever since Sabrina took off with no warning. I’m not foolish enough to believe your silly engagement story but Sabrina obviously likes you well enough. Now you can be her husband. You get to keep her happy.”

This doesn’t sound like a request.

“So if I refuse to tie the knot at your command, can I look forward to some concrete shoes at the bottom of the nearest lake?”

He flashes a tight smile. “You flatter yourself to think I’d even bother.”

“Sabrina says that she doesn’t want to get married today. That should be the end of the discussion.”

“Like I said, Sabrina has many other offers. For now I’ll bring her back to Sicily. If you’re not interested in the job, someone else will be. Do you want to take that chance?”

My blood turns molten as his words sink in. I doubt he’s a man who feels the need to be anything other than candid and he dislikes loose ends.

This evil fucker bargains his own flesh and blood away so casually and his message is clear. He’ll marry Sabrina off by force to get her off his hands.

The choice he’s giving me is to cooperate and protect her. Or else watch her get dragged away to serve as a trophy wife for some demented mafia scion like one of the Tempestas.

I’ll fall on a sword before I let that happen.

He waits. He drums his fingers again. His patience has limits. He won’t allow too much of his time to be taken up by his niece’s welfare.

Fine. There’s no need to think twice.

“I’ll do it,” I say. “I’ll marry her. And if you insist that it has to happen today then I’ll marry her today. But this means she gets to remain in New York and go back to school and do whatever the hell else she wants. Good enough?”

If a rattlesnake could smile, it would probably look like Vittorio Messina right now. “I expected no less.”

13

SABRINA

My mother insists on combing the tangles out of my wet hair as if I’m five. I’m a little preoccupied, so I let her.

“He’s so handsome,” she says with a dreamy smile. “I see the way he looks at you. He loves you. Monte will be a good husband.”

She can be forgiven for being a trifle simplistic when it comes to relationships. After all, my mother wasn’t even out of her teens when her own father shipped her off to marry American mafia boss Albie Barone. Marriage to my toad of a father was all she knew. It’s truly amazing that she still clings to any romantic notions at all but she does.

Now I feel guilty. I’m not excited to see the way her bubble of happiness will burst when she hears that Monte and I are not getting married today.

And I’m pissed at myself. This wouldn’t be the first time my big, impulsive mouth has caused trouble.

“We’re engaged!”

Leave it to me to panic and blurt out something stupid. Couldn’t I have come up with a better reason why I was sharing a motel room with my half naked bodyguard?

Maybe I should have anticipated that the minute the planes were flying again my uncle would immediately jet across thousands of miles to please my nervous mother. And why didn’t I just let Monte pay for the room? I made it way too easy for Vittorio to trace my exact location.

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