5 Church boy

Desmond scoffed. He had nothing to say. Only if he had waited a little longer and pushed Carl out of their mother's womb first. Maybe his life would have been different. It wouldn't have been him who had to bear the responsibility of being the oldest and next in line.

"Oh come on, don't be so cranky." Carl patted his brother's shoulder. "Lets go to the club to lighten your mood, okay?"

"Nah, I am good." Desmond took a sip of his drink. "You guys go and have fun."

"Woah, don't tell me you are ditching the club now that you are betrothed to someone." Carl raised his brows. "Because that is insane."

When he did not answer, Justin chuckled. "Look at you already being a good hubby. I cannot wait to tell this to Elsa."

"Shut up," Desmond snarled at him. "You are not telling her anything. And don't talk to her so much."

"Why? You jealous?" Justin grinned. "I mean, if you don't talk to her, someone has it. We can't all give her a silent treatment now, can we?"

Desmond did not answer his brother. What he had said did make sense.

"No seriously?" Carl scoffed. "You have plans of not getting laid at all until the night you consummate your marriage with the Marino girl?"

"I am not consummating anything with her." Desmond had no intention of getting close to Elsa Marino even if it was for a quick fuck. The further he stayed from her the better.

But that also didn't mean he would cheat on her and dirty the wedding vows he would take in two weeks time at the altar.

He had no intention of sleeping with other women like he did before his father dropped the marriage bomb on him.

Even though he didn't have any affection for his would-be bride, he would still maintain his loyalty to this marriage. The little church boy in him wouldn't allow him to disrespect the vows he would take.

Keeping quiet for a while, Carl asked, "Okay so you have no intention of sleeping with your wife and you are stopping whoring around."

He threw his head back and laughed. "Brother, are you planning to die of blue balls or something?"

Desmond sighed and pinched the space between his brows. "Go to the club and give me some peace. I already have too much on my plate right now."

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Justin asked again. "Anna could help you release some stress, you know?"

When Desmond glared at his brothers, both of them quickly stepped out of the house, leaving the cranky man alone.

"Idiots," Desmond muttered before refilling his glass again.

Just then his phone on the table vibrated.

He picked it up and read the message his assistant cum bodyguard cum right hand man, Greg Salvatore, had sent.

[Greg: This file has everything I could find of her.]

Before Desmond could open the file which was attached to the message, another message popped up.

[Greg: She is a lot more interesting than I had expected her to be. P.S. Don't mistake her as someone you can bully]

Desmond scoffed. "Well, we will see."

…..

[One week later]

[Marino Household]

"Why aren't you in bed?"

"I can ask you the same question, can't I?" Elsa made her way towards her brother.

"I couldn't sleep so—" Ricardo waved his half filled whiskey glass at her.

"Pour me one too." She took a seat beside him. "Actually, don't pour me one—"

When he raised his brows, she added, "Alcohol makes me puffy. No one wants a puffy bride, right?"

"Your wedding is not until a week from now." He proceeded to fill the glass. "And don't stress about it. You will make a beautiful puffy bride."

Elsa scoffed as she took a big sip.

"Hey—" Ricardo grabbed her hand. "I am going to talk to dad tomorrow about this wedding."

"What do you mean?" she frowned.

"I will ask him to talk to the Fedorov's and we are going to call it off—"

"I thought this wedding was the only way out." Before Ricardo could answer, she added, "I don't want any more bloodshed Ric. I have already lost him, I don't want to lose you, dad, Marco or Gabriel."

"You won't—" He tightened his grip on her hand. "It won't happen again."

"And how sure are you?" Elsa frowned. "If an alliance between us and the Fedorov's will stop all of this then that is what we will do."

"El, how can I let you marry someone we barely know?" He frowned. "Do you even know Desmond Fedorov? Have you talked to him even once?"

She pursed his lips and frowned. That was true. She had never shared even a formal greeting with Desmond. In fact, she had seen him closely for the first time during the funeral.

"I had a conversation with Ferdinand today and he is ready to help us." Ricardo sighed, "Elsa, I will find a way out of this. Trust me, okay?"

"And how much can they help us?" Elsa helplessly shook her head. "You know the Longhart's are not strong enough to stand against the Greco's."

"I know but we will figure something out." Ricardo pinched the space between his brows. He had been desperately looking for people who could help them but all those families combined couldn't bring what the Fedorov's could.

"Ferdinand hasn't even taken over the business yet. His father will never agree to going against the Greco's." Elsa was very well aware of how business worked in their work. Though her brothers and father had always tried to keep her away from the mess, she knew a thing or two.

Keeping quiet for a while, Ricardo asked, "Do you like Ferdinand?"

She took a sip of her drink. "Yes, I do like him but it's nothing more than just a friend. I mean, I feel very comfortable with him but I could never develop feelings for him."

"That's too bad," he chuckled. "That guy is crazy about you."

…..