Arranged Mafia Marriage

Seb

How did I find myself in this situation? Carrying another man’s child, leading another man’s ex-wife, walking to his door with the purpose of telling him to back the fuck off from them? Not that I mind. Everything I’ve seen on Fabio reveals that he’s an asshole of the first order-a corrupt cop who works both sides of the system. I’m looking forward to taking him down, but why the hell is she so afraid of him? What did he do to her to put that terrified look on her face? She brushes past me and stops in front of me. “Please, Seb. Please give her to me.”

I glance from her to the door up ahead.

“Please, it’s bad enough you’re with me. I don’t want him to see her with you; it will drive him crazy.”

It’s driving me crazy, hearing you talk about another man in my presence. It’s making me insane thinking of you with anyone else.

“Please.” A tear rolls down her cheek. “Please, Seb, please don’t do this.”

A hot sensation stabs at my chest. My insides knot. Porca miseria, I am going to regret this. I hand Avery over to her. The kid begins to cry again and reaches for me, but Elsa grabs her bag from me, then walks toward the front door of the house. She walks up the steps and the door opens as she reaches the top. A man stands framed in the doorway. He’s wearing the uniform that identifies him as the Polizia. He’s also wearing his hat. What a prick. Clearly, he’s trying to fluster her with his authority.

And didn’t you try to do the same?

I push the thought aside, and watch as he smiles at Elsa. Charm drips from his features, fucking pezzo di merda. What a phony bastardo.

He holds the door open and beckons her to come inside. Elsa refuses. He glances past her and spots me; his shoulders stiffen. His smile disappears and his features harden. He folds his arms across his chest and lowers his chin. Another woman appears next to him. She takes the bag from Elsa, then reaches for Avery. Elsa kisses Avery, whose cries seem to turn up a notch. My guts twist. I can only imagine how upset Elsa must feel right now. If I, a Mafioso, with a string of murders under my belt, am disturbed by the kid’s tears, then she must be close to her breaking point.

Fabio and Elsa speak. Elsa waves her hand in the air. Fabio glances at me again, then the two exchange more words. Elsa grows more agitated by the second. I narrow my gaze as their voices rise. They are still too far away for me to hear the words, but it’s clear things are getting heated.

Elsa finally throws up her hands and steps back. That’s when Fabio swoops down and grabs her wrist.

Motherfucker. My vision tunnels. Adrenaline laces my blood. My feet connect with the ground, and that’s when I realize I’m moving. I reach them, grab Fabio by his collar, and haul him up to his toes. “Let her go, motherfucker.”

“Seb,” Elsa yells, “please stop.”

“He laid a hand on you.” The blood thuds at my temples.

“She’s my wife.” He leans forward on the balls of his feet, a nasty smirk on his face. “I can do anything I want with her.”

“You’re not married to her anymore, you testa di cazzo.” I pull my fist back, but Elsa grabs my arm.

“Please, Seb, please don’t do this.”

“Let. Go. Of. Her,” I say in a low voice.

“Or what?”

“Or I swear-” My voice trails off. Goddamn it, he’s the head of the police force, and while the Cosa Nostra’s reach is deep within the force, there’s a tacit agreement we won’t mess with the guy who’s the face of the force. Not only because it’d draw a lot of attention to us, the kind we can do without, but also because it would completely disturb the balance of power between both sides of the law in this part of the world.

The asshole knows I can’t kill him and his smirk expands into a grin. “That’s what I thought.” He lowers his gaze to where my fingers are locked onto the front of his shirt, then back to my face. “Get your hands off of me, you Mafia figlio di puttana.”

“First release her,” I growl.

“No.” He laughs in my face. “Now turn around and leave, motherfucker.”

Anger slices through me. My vision tunnels. Adrenaline laces my blood and I throw up my fist.

“Seb, no.” Elsa grabs my sleeve. “My daughter’s inside; she’s on the other side of this door. Please. Don’t, Seb.”

Her voice cuts through the noise in my head. I draw in a breath, and force my shoulder muscles to relax. My vision clears, and I lower my arm to my side.

“Let her go,” I say in a calm voice, “or you’re going to regret it.” The threat is clear.

Fabio scoffs. Color flushes his cheeks. He seems like he is going to refuse me, then releases her so suddenly that she stumbles back.

I let go of his collar and grab her shoulder before she can fall. Once she finds her balance, I wrap my arm around her and draw her to me.

Fabio’s gaze narrows. His face pales as he glances between us with a strange look in his eyes.

“Sleeping with the mob now, Elsa?

“Don’t talk to my fiancee in that tone of voice,” I snap.

His gaze widens, then he bursts out laughing. “Good one. You don’t want to marry that piece of ass, trust me.”

“Shut the fuck up.” My fingers tingle. Fuck, if I don’t want to bury my fist in his face, but she’d never forgive me if I did. And her daughter’s inside, goddamnit. Even though I want to teach this guy a lesson, I’d never do anything that might emotionally scar a child. I dig my fingernails into the palm of my free hand and glare at him.

“Get the hell out of here,” he snaps.

“Or what? Are you going to arrest me?”

His features harden and his gaze narrows, but he doesn’t say anything.

“That’s what I thought.”

Remember, I said I can’t kill him or the balance of power will go to shit? Well, it goes the other way, as well. The pigs can’t touch us, unless they want to invite the wrath of the Cosa Nostra on themselves.

“Elsa, let’s go.” I turn to find her face ashen. She’s standing motionless, her gaze on the door beyond him.

“Elsa?” I lower my voice, “Let’s leave, right now.”

She draws in a breath, then turns and walks toward the gate.

I close the distance to Fabio so we’re standing chest to chest. “If you dare touch her again, I will kill you, regardless of the consequences, this I promise. She is under my protection from now on, you faccia di merda.”

His features contort. “I am going to come after you, you fetente, and I’m going to make your life miserable.”

I laugh. “I’d like to see you try.” Turning, I follow her to the street.

Thanks to Adrian, my car is parked in front of the house. When I help her inside, she glances to the backseat, spies the car seat, and almost dissolves in tears.

“Shh-shh-shh, baby. It’s okay.”

I hold her while sobs wrack her body. Within a few moments, she takes a deep breath, pushes away from me, and sits down in the car.

“Okay, let’s go,” she says.

We drive for ten minutes without saying another word to each other. I glance at her, and find her staring straight ahead. Her shoulders are stiff and her hands are folded in her lap.

“Elsa, are you okay?”

She doesn’t reply.

“Princess?”

She turns away and glances out the window. “Can we go by my apartment first, please… I… I forgot something.”

I am almost positive she’s lying, but that’s okay. I’m not going to push things, given our recent interaction with her ex-husband. I’m also not going to tell her I’ve already arranged for everything she could possibly need to be at my place. For now, I’m going to take her to her apartment, so she feels a little more at ease.

For the rest of the drive, she stays quiet. I reach her home, turn into the small parking lot, and pull into a space adjacent to the steps that lead to her building.

She makes no move to leave the car.

“Elsa…” I turn to her. “Talk to me; tell me what you’re thinking.”

“Don’t you want to know why he said that?”

“Said what?”Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

“That you shouldn’t want a piece of ass like me.”

I shake my head.

“Aren’t you the least bit curious about why he doesn’t want me to see my own daughter?” she asks.

“Firstly, I don’t believe a word of what he said, and secondly-”

“Let me stop you right there. What if there is truth to what he said? What if I am such a horrible mother that I agree I shouldn’t be allowed to have custody of my daughter? Maybe I shouldn’t be trusted with her.”

“I wouldn’t agree with that.”

“You hardly know me.” She firms her lips. “We’ve met just a handful of times, and hardly spent any time with each other. You have no idea what I’m capable of.”

“I’ve seen you with your daughter. It’s clear how much you love her. That you’d do anything for her.”

“That’s just the thing. There are some things I don’t have any control over.”

She shoves the door of the vehicle open and springs out. She runs up the steps to her building, opens the door, and is inside before I round the car. I sprint up the steps to the entrance and grab the door before it closes. Entering the lobby, I allow my eyes to adjust to the light. Then, I catch sight of her down the hallway, rounding the corner. When I make the turn, her door is closing, and I hear the click of the lock engaging.

I bang on the door. “Open the door.” I jiggle the handle. “Open it, Elsa, or I swear, I’ll kick it in.” I put my shoulder to the door and push. It shudders. I step back, and am about to plow into it, when it’s wrenched open.