Mafia's Arranged Princess Bride - Chapter 17: Chapter 17

Lucky
I am still dressed in my evening attire, what a night it’s been. My driver remains quiet as he drives me, I am heading for my parent’s home The White House on Staten Island then Mia and I will meet up for our breakfast coffee, I am sure she will want to know everything. My eyes are tired from lack of sleep and dare I say it, my body feels the emptiness of not having Nico towering over me.
The way his hands touched my body was enough to make me melt, my mind was not in full control. I need to watch that next time, for it won’t be long until I will be a caged bird in his mansion. It fills me with dread, knowing that I will no longer have my freedom and be his so-called Queen. Ha, it’s almost laughable, he does not respect me as his proper Queen I am just his pawn in his ridiculous quest to be the King.
I sigh, my driver glances at me in the rearview mirror. “Are you okay, Lucky?” He asks me with concern. Andre has been my driver for the last four or five years now, he was appointed to me by my father, all of us in the family have our own dedicated driver, it is a luxury.
“I’m fine, Andre just a late night. Tired, you know how it goes.” He merely nods. I rest my head back and close my eyes trying hard not to think of Nico, the way he smelt, his masculine prowess.
Half an hour later and Andre is pulling the car up through the large gates, the crunching of gravel under the car’s tyres as we follow the curve of the long driveway to stop in front of the large, white house. It is formidable and has been the home to many rich and famous people over the years, modelled on the very White House that stands in Washington D.C. Only the best for my father and from nothing, a bootlegger when he was just a kid.
He started on the streets at thirteen, it makes me shudder that he already was in crime trying to make a living for himself, since his own father and mother didn’t have a dime to rub together. It didn’t take long and by the time he was seventeen he was taken under the wing of Don Luciano Moretti. Another name that makes me shudder. Now the Moretti family is also at war with our family and the Santangelo’s. What a mess the world is, and for what? Money, greed nothing more, it sickens me to the stomach.
Some days I wish I had been born into a normal family like you see on the television, a two up, two down family home, the dog outside playing with the kid on a bike, a newspaper being thrown on the lawn, mommy and daddy hosting a BBQ.
Andre stops the car and steps out, he opens my door for me and takes my hand. “Will you need me later this morning, Lucky?”
“Yes, I will need driving to the Capriano’s café house to meet Mia, let’s say an hour’s time. Go grab a coffee and fresh pastry from the kitchen, I’m sure Nikki will be pleased to see you.” He blushes, it’s cute. It’s not a secret that our new head chef, Nikki has a big crush on Andre, and I think it’s reciprocated, there’s a true love story in the making not a damn arranged marriage like mine.
As I enter the large round entrance hall, I can hear voices coming from the lounge area on my left. I hear the voice of Mattia my brother, he is the youngest of the brothers at twenty-nine, and a few years older than myself. He is the playboy of the family, and I am pleased to say that unlike Nico’s brother, Dario my own brother does not touch drugs, sure he likes a drink but he’s a true ladies’ man through and through, it will be difficult for any woman to tie him down.
“Hey, Mattia, you’re home. How long for?” He lives in the heart of the city in a penthouse where the rich and famous live.
“Hey little sis, late night? Or early morning?”
“A bit of both.” I give him a hug. He steps back and takes a look at me and raises an eyebrow.
“Have you been with Nico?”
“Yeah, he forced me to go to his house.”
“I hope that motherfucker didn’t touch you. I’ll kill him with my own hands if he forced himself on you.”
“No, nothing like that, he wanted to make sure that I left with him, that’s all.” Why am I protecting Nico, not that he did force himself on me when easily he could have? But I do find myself becoming slightly defensive, very unlike me where he is concerned.
“Fine. Do you want to spend the day together, I’ve got nothing planned? Mom is finishing getting ready, we thought we’d head into Richmond and grab some coffees and cake at the Brew Bar, mom wants to do a spot of shopping and have lunch.”
“I would but I’m meeting up with Mia first, then I have to get some rest. I’m supposed to be going to Nico’s store opening.” I throw myself down on one of my mother’s antique, tan leather sofa’s. This is the comfortable lounge; we have another room but it’s more formal and mom likes to call it the reception room for greeting guests.
“And I take it you’re not going?”
“Nope, no way, I’m not married to him yet.” My brother chuckles.
“Same old, Lucky defiant and independent. I love it. Don’t ever change Lucky not for Nico or anyone.”
“Say, why don’t I call Anthony and Lorenzo see if they want to come over later, we could organize a family dinner, they can bring Bianca and the kids and Allega, it’d be good to have a family dinner, it’s been a while.”
“Sure, let’s tell ma that we’re organizing it. She can speak with Nikki to make a banquet for us.” Right on cue my elegant and very beautiful mother sweeps in.
“Good to see you both this morning. What should I be speaking to Nikki about?” Her blonde hair is up in a smart, elegant chignon, this morning my mother is wearing a Chanel box jacket with matching skirt, her ivory silk shirt peeks out and around her neck she wears her pearls. My mother is pure elegance and grace, unlike myself. I prefer to wear my battered, torn black jeans any day of the week. All the dressing up is a royal pain in my ass.
Mattia speaks, “a banquet, Mother for us. I’m messaging Anthony to bring Bianca and the kids, and Lorenzo to come over with Allega and the kids.” My mother claps her hands delighted that her family will be all around her, since my eldest brother, Anthony married to Bianca, and my second eldest brother, Lorenzo and his wife, Allega did not come to the engagement party last night. I am not about to tell them that Nico has demanded to bring the wedding forward.
This morning is not a morning I can send my mother into a tizz about wedding gowns, fittings, bridesmaid dresses, cakes, caterers and the such like. Just thinking about it gives me a headache, no change that, a freakin migraine.
I hear my mobile buzz inside my clutch bag. I check and see it’s a message from Luckovich, Nico’s other dog’s body.
Nico wants to know where you are, you are supposed to be coming to the store and arriving with him.
Tell him to fuck off.
I will relay your message.
I snap the mobile shut and throw it in my bag, my mother’s lips are pursed, and my brother shoots me a look.
“What?” I say.
“Oh, nothing, dear,” mom replies. “Only, I know none of this is idea but Lucky he will be your husband and you will have to abide by his rules.”
“No, mother I will never abide by his rules, he has another thing coming. This is one woman he will never control.” I stamp my foot, stand up and flounce out of the room, leaving my mother looking disappointed as she stares at my back. It’s not her fault, she has no idea that my father’s life is hanging in the balance.