Page 7 of Inescapable Ties
The condescending tone in his voice only fueled my determination.
“I don’t need protection,” I asserted firmly.
His eyes narrowed into slits, and the corners of his mouth turned down in displeasure. A chill crept down my spine as his gaze bore into me like an icy dagger.
“Fine,” I replied through gritted teeth.
He nodded curtly, satisfied with my submission. As we made our way out of the wedding planning office and towards the sleek black car waiting outside, a sense of unease settled over me. The realization that my freedom was slowly slipping away became painfully apparent.
Emilio opened the car door for me, a silent gesture of chivalry that contrasted with his earlier brusqueness. Reluctantly, I slid into the leather seat, feeling its cool touch against my skin. Emilio took his place behind the wheel, his hands gripping the steering wheel with a controlled intensity. The engine roared to life, its power vibrating through the car.
We drove in silence, the only sound permeating the air being the low hum of the engine and the occasional sweeping wisp of wind as we passed other vehicles on the dimly lit streets. The cityscape outside blurred into streaks of lights and shadows. I stared out of the window, fixating on the distant stars that flickered against the dark canvas of the night sky.
A sense of relief washed over me when Emilio pulled up in front of my house. I quickly opened the car door, eager to escape from the vehicle as fast as possible.
“Have a good night,” he said.
I gave him the finger.
Chapter four
Emilio
IlaughedasLucianagave me the finger.
“A finger isn’t the only thing that will be inside you on our wedding night,” I said before she slammed the car door shut.
As the words left my mouth, a heavy weight seemed to settle in my gut. The thought of her bearing me an heir had been a driving force behind our impending marriage, but now that I had verbalized it, doubts and fears crept in.
The mere thought of starting a family churned my stomach with unease. After the tumultuous and damaging experience with my family, how could I possibly raise a child without passing on the same dysfunction?
My dad had worked for Dario, Ettore’s father, for many years. He started as a low-ranking employee and worked his way up to being an underboss. He passed away when I was only nine years old.
My mother had always despised him. She saw his death as an escape from a life she never wanted. Without a second thought, she abandoned me and disappeared into the unknown. At just nine years old, I was left to face the harsh realities of the world alone.
After my father’s death and mother’s disappearance, Dario took me in. He might have been the most feared Mafia Don at the time, but the man had some compassion in him.
But at twenty-eight, I now saw it was not only altruism. He raised me knowing I would someday become Ettore’s right-hand man. I would be there to make sound decisions and be a ruthless killer when his son wasn’t around to do the job.
That past tormented me as we approached our wedding night.
Perhaps it would be wise to delay the conception of an heir for the time being. The persuasive words of the older Mafiosos lingered in my mind, guiding me towards their beliefs. Yet, I knew deep down that their counsel might not always be necessary.
The wedding coordinator, who looked just as uncomfortable as the last time I saw her, sat across the table from Luciana and I. Luciana had insisted on having the final meeting at her house. I couldn’t help but think it was her way of avoiding another car ride with me.
“So these are the final plans,” the coordinator said, pushing the diagrams and photos in front of my fiancée and I.
“Okay,” Luciana said, not bothering to look.
“Um,” the coordinator bit her lip, looking unsure if she should continue to talk. “Don’t you want to see them?”
“Of course not,” she replied. “Do you not specialize in arranged marriages?”
The wedding coordinator’s face flushed with embarrassment as she tried to salvage the situation. Meanwhile, I bit my lip and let out a small cough, trying to hold back my laughter at the antics of my over-the-top fiancée.
“Let me see,” I said.
Per the documents laid out in front of me, this was going to be the perfect wedding. I imagined it was going to be a wedding every girl dreamed of.
