5 Chapter 2 - Mariano (1)

I can smell the antiseptic off where Riri sits to my right. I hate the smell of hospitals. Even though for the past few years, I've had to go at least once a week. And I still hate it. The strong scent makes my head hurt. She must have gone to say goodbye to her dead lover before she came to the parking garage to see me. I almost feel bad for her. Almost.

She shifts slightly in her seat, looking a bit uncomfortable like she doesn't want to be here. And I understand that completely, but she has no choice. If she didn't willingly go with me, I was ready to haul her ass off the ground and toss her in the car whether she liked it or not. One thing she'd never know, I only gave her a choice to be polite. But I never intended to leave New York tonight without her.

We race through the streets, heading outside of New York and towards Newark, New Jersey where the chartered plane is waiting. There are closer airports in Brooklyn, but it's the better option to avoid her family's soldiers. They've probably already figured out that she's missing, but by the time they try to come after us, we would already be at the airport.

"Step on it," I tell Jax, my best friend and right-hand man who's driving right now. I've known him since we were kids and I trust him with my life. He meets my eyes through the rearview mirror for a brief second before the car lurches forward, and we speed off.

Riri shifts next to me again and from my periphery, I see her clutching the hem of her light purple sweater dress that stops at her mid-thigh, drawing my eyes to the patch of smooth, creamy skin. It's freezing cold at 33° outside and it would feel much colder when we get to Chicago. She's not dressed properly for the weather and I feel the urge to give her a scolding for the lack of clothes.

I can't stop knitting my brows as I take in her appearance. Red, swollen eyes, puffy cheeks—possibly from crying—short dress, and knee-high boots. Then I look up again, my eyes settling at the pursing of her lips as if she's trying to get a hold of herself.

Sorry, Sweetheart. You're not getting out of this.

Okay, maybe I do feel bad for her a little. Her lover just died and now she's about to marry me—the one man she should stay away from. I'm not good for her, and she's not good for me. But I have to do this, and I can't let the tiny voice of conscience in my head stop me. I'm well aware of the fact that I could have chosen someone else to be my wife, but I've already decided. It has to be her and that's final.

If not for our family being enemies since the dawn of time, we wouldn't be in this situation—or at least she wouldn't be. Riri is a victim—a victim I'm taking advantage of. A victim just like myself. Though I don't like to call myself one, sometimes, the strong voice inside me rears its ugly head and reminds me that I'm doing this to take matters into my own hands.

The Morellis and the De Lucas have long been at war ever since Riri's great-grandfather killed my great-grandfather. How did that happen? Well, we were once part of the De Luca family, my great-grandfather being an adopted son. Shit went south that caused my great-grandfather's death and his wife and son were cast away. The latter ended up in Chicago where our family started when a German noble took us in. When my grandfather was old enough, the two families just want to kill each other.

When I first found out that I was supposed to marry a daughter of the De Luca family, I had no idea it would be her. The council that binds all the Italian Mafia families in the country ordered the two families to marry each other, believing that it would end the war between us.

It was a load of crap and a tragedy waiting to happen. I never expected that the De Luca family would agree to the marriage. But the more I thought about it, and I'll never admit this to anyone, the more I was inclined to make it happen, especially because it was her. Going through this is the only thing that releases me from my shackles where I'll come out as the victor.

That's why several days ago, I persuaded Riri to go along with the council's order.

Of course, I already knew she was going to object. But I had to try anyway. And I did warn her that things would become more complicated if she didn't come with me.

And I was right. She should've listened.

I only found out today. I didn't kill her lover, but I might as well have, considering it was my brother who ordered his men to do so.