Mafia Men: Nikolai's Inferno - Chapter 60: Chapter 60

•Evangeline.
Have you ever attended the wedding of your own husband?
No?
Well, I was about to.
I ran my hands down the light blue dress I was wearing, smoothing the perfectly ironed dress. I looked at myself in the mirror and sighed. The diamond ring shined on my finger reminding me what had happened yesterday, reminding me that I belonged to Nikolai Costello the dark king of the underworld and he belonged to me.
The dress perfectly hugged my figure, it had a long slit on the side that showed off my leg and an off-shoulder neckline. The dress was beautiful, perfect, Nikolai had bought it for me to wear at his wedding with Grace Russell.
Tears pooled in my eyes but I didn't let them fall instead I put the last pin in my hair and walked out of my room. Nikolai had left already to get to the venue and I was supposed to go there with Scott as his fiancé. Scott offered me his arm with a smile on his face, I gave him a weak smile before walking with him to his car. We settled in his car, soft music played on the radio as Scott drove us to the venue.
"How's married life treating you, sweet cheeks," he asked with a stupid grin on his face.
I frowned at him. "Are you seriously asking me that question?"
He snorted. "That bad, huh?"
"Well, I'm going to my husband's wedding, how bad can it possibly be?" I asked sarcastically with a sickly sweet smile on my lips.
"Oof, rough, sucks to be you right now."
I let out a tired breath. "Scott, I really don't feel like talking or engaging in playful banter with you because yes, it definitely sucks to be me right now."
Scott gave his head a gentle shake. "I really didn't expect him to marry you..."
"What do you mean?"
"You were supposed to be a cute little plaything, and after he was done with you I was supposed to have you but you..." he laughed, shaking his head. "You fucking have him by the balls."
"No, I don't. Do have any idea how insulted I feel right now? I feel like a dirty little secret, I feel like I am not enough, like I'm not someone he can proudly introduce to his family."
"Jesus Christ, you're a dumb fuck."
I glared at him. "First of all, don't you dare call me names, and second why would you even say that?"
"If it weren't for you, today might have gone quite differently. He is about to turn the whole family, his fucking mafia upside down for you."
Scott parked the car and his soldiers were quick to open the car door for me as I stepped out. He made his way around the hood, his arm encircling my waist as we entered the ceremony.
In the sea of Nikolai's relatives and other guests, I tried to look for Bianca. Scott took me to our table which was the same as the bride and groom, Scott being his underboss and all. They weren't here but their name cards were placed before the seats.
Music was played by the string quartet. Scattered flower petals everywhere added their own romantic touch. The bridesmaids' dresses were red and black, matching some of the flowers. A woman, who looked like the bride's mother, handed out programs and the reception entertainment list. Over by the stage, there was a picture of the couple in an enormous frame. Row by row, guests went up to write a kind message
on the glass.
It was a beautiful ceremony.
My eyes were stuck on the picture of Nikolai and Grace. She was wearing a green dress with a beautiful wreath and Nikolai was wearing a three-piece suit. It looked like their engagement or maybe a rehearsal dinner for when they were in Sicily.
Nikolai's father Luciano walked in with a priest. They got to the altar where the priest stood where he was supposed to as the ceremony was about to start.
My heart dropped to my stomach as I saw Nikolai as he came to stand at the altar. I have no idea where he came from but he stood there in his outrageously expensive tuxedo, his hair combed back, his hawk-like eyes roamed all over the place before they settled on me. A faint smile tugged on his lips, for everyone else he looked like a happy groom but to me, I know that smile was just for me.
The slow and soft song started to play and all the guests turned to look back as the bride entered the venue. Grace looked beautiful, her dress was so radiant. It was the center of attention while she walked down the carpeted aisle. Candles in small bowls were placed on the floor.
Nikolai's attention snapped to Grace, not a single expression crossed his face as he stood there looking as impassive as he could.
Grace reached the altar and smiled up at Nikolai. She stood in front of him, holding a bouquet, looking as radiant as ever. A flicker of jealousy shot through my veins. As each second passed, this wedding was getting unbearable. It was suffocating me, making me want to cry out loud.
I looked down at the ring on my finger, reminding myself that Nikolai was my husband. We were married, all of this was fake, a part of his plan. He asked me to trust him, to trust the process, to have his back as his wife and I will. Suppressing jealousy, anger, and heartbreak, I looked up again.
After Grace's entrance, came the ring bearer holding a black pillow in his hands. He looked only six years old. He kept looking down at the wedding rings, making sure not to drop them.
Scott stood behind Nikolai as his best man while Grace's cousins and friends were her bridesmaids.
I held my breath as they were about to exchange vows.
The priest greeted the guests first, Nikolai and his family were proud Catholics and the whole ceremony was a display of that.
"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord be with you."
Every single one of the guests replied to the greeting. "And also with you."
"Let us pray," the priest announced. "Father, hear our prayers for Nikolai and Grace, who today are united in marriage before your altar. Give them your blessing, and strengthen their love for each other. We ask
this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever"
"Amen," everyone answered.
"Dear children of God, you have come to this altar so that the Lord may seal your love in the presence of the priest and this community. Christ blesses this love. He has already consecrated you in Baptism; now,
by a special sacrament, he strengthens you to fulfill the duties of your married life." the priest then turned to the bride and groom. "Nikolai and Grace, have you come here to enter into Marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?"
"I have," Nikolai and Grace answered in unison. 1
"Are you prepared, as you follow the path of Marriage, to love and honor each other for as long as you both shall live?"
"I am," they both said.
"Are you prepared to accept children lovingly from God and to bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?
"I am," they both announced.
I kept looking and listening to all of it, thinking how different yesterday was. We just went into the court, said two words "I do" and then came back out as a married couple, compared to that, this marriage seemed so real, so different, and it was so damn difficult for me. 1
Nikolai's voice brought me out of my thoughts. "I, Nikolai Costello take you Grace Russell to be my wife. I promise to be faithful to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honor
you all the days of my life."
Grace smiled and then repeated the same words for Nikolai. "I, Grace Russell take you, Nikolai Costello, to be my husband. I promise to be faithful to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honor you all the days of my life."
Then the rings were presented. It was now that I noticed that Nikolai wasn't wearing our wedding band instead it was on his right hand. He hadn't taken it off, he had just switched hands.
You better have a plan Nikolai because this fucking hurts so bad.
"Almighty God, bless these rings, symbols of faithfulness and unbroken love. May Nikolai and Grace always be true to each other, may they be one in heart and mind, may they be united in love forever. Through
Christ, our Lord."
"Amen," they both said.
Nikolai picked up the ring and placed it on Grace's finger. "Grace, wear this ring as a sign of our love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen"
With a wide smile, Grace placed the ring on Nikolai's finger. "Nikolai, wear this ring as a sign of our love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen" "Nikolai and Grace, having witnessed your vows for marriage before God and all who are assembled here, by the authority invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride!"
Kiss... We still hadn't kissed after our wedding. I told him that I won't kiss him, not until he ends whatever it is with Grace but now I felt like I should have kissed him because this marriage seemed so real, on the other hand, our marriage feels like a sham, a lie.
I looked at Nikolai to watch him kiss another woman but he didn't. Grace tried to press her lips against his but he stepped back and kissed her forehead instead. Doing so, he glanced at me for a millisecond in between and then smiled at the rest of the guests. "The wedding kiss of an honorable La Famiglia woman happens on her wedding night..."
The whole ceremony rejoiced!
"It is my pleasure to introduce to you for the first time Mr. and Mrs. Nikolai Costello!"
I breathed out in relief that it was over.
The Italians were loud as they celebrated their Don's wedding. Nikolai and Grace walked down the altar hand in hand greeting and making small talk with guests and relatives.
Scott took a seat beside me and grinned. "How do you feel?" 2
I scowled at him. "Why is all this so funny for you?"
"I enjoy people's pain, sweet cheeks. Watching you squirm while Niko said his vows made me so fucking hard, you have no idea."
"You're disgusting, Scott."
Our conversation was cut short as Nikolai and Grace took their seats right in front of us, and so did Grace's parents and Nikolai's father.
"Now that it's done, I'd like you to sign this, Gregory," It was the first thing Nikolai said as he took his seat at the head of the table. He slid a file across the table, towards Grace's uncle, who I learned is the chief
of staff of the president.
"I thought the Italians never discuss business at the dinner table or at a celebration," Grace's father said, raising an eyebrow.
Her uncle too chimed in, "What's the rush, Nikolai? We'll get to the business later."
"Because I said so, Gregory," he declared with such venom that even his own father seemed afraid of Nikolai for a moment.
"Do it, Uncle!" Grace uttered with a smile but anyone could pick on the hint of threat in her voice.
The man named Gregory lifted a shoulder as he read and then signed the document. Lorenzo immediately picked up the signed document and placed it in the file in his hands.
Nikolai nodded at Lorenzo, who bent over and placed his ear closer to Nikolai. Nikolai whispered something in his ear, they both nodded at one another, and then Lorenzo disappeared.
The food was served, and everyone got immersed in different chats while Nikolai kept staring at me shamelessly. I was surprised how no one picked up on that.
"Don Niko!" one of his soldiers came running towards us. "Don Niko," he was out of breath as he approached our table. "The FBI-" these words were still in his mouth when I heard a loud pop... Grace's father's
head fell onto his plate.
There was a bullet wound on the back of his head, sprouting out blood.
After that, the peaceful ceremony turned into complete chaos.