Arranged love

HAVEN

I PACE BACK and forth in the bedroom. My arms crossed over my chest and tears in my eyes.

I’m married.

I’m fucking married.

No matter how many times I repeat it, I can’t believe it.

He tricked me. That part isn’t so hard to comprehend. That’s a Bianchi for you. I knew he was keeping something from me.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“Fucking liar,” I growl, fisting my hands.

Was he ever going to tell me? I don’t remember the contract mentioning marriage exactly. Just children. I need to read it. What else is on there?

Storming out of the bedroom, I come to a stop when I see it’s empty. I look around the open living room and kitchen. There’s a door on the other side of the living room, but it’s open. It must be to another bedroom. “Mom?” I call out. Nothing. “Luca?” I demand. Nothing.

I walk across the living room and pass the bar, entering the kitchen. I yank open the fridge and grab a bottle of water. Turning around, I jump when I see Nite standing in the living room with his arms crossed over his chest. “Jesus.” I hiss. “Where the hell did Luca go?”

He doesn’t answer.

My teeth grind. “So, we’re back to this?”

Still he says nothing. I want to be mad at him, but I can’t. I hate what I did to him. What Rossi did to him. “I’m sorry,” I say softly. He showed me something very personal, and I don’t want him to think he owes me. If anything, I owe him.

“Did Luca leave with Bones and Titan?”

He nods, which means they’re in the hotel somewhere. Probably meeting with the others to go over their plan.

“Did my mother get her own room?” I ask.

He nods again.

I figured she would. Leaving him standing in the living room, I re-enter the bedroom and unzip my Louis Vuitton suitcase and remove my phone. I call Em. Even after everything that has been going on with me, I think of her all the time. When it rings, my heart soars, thinking that this may be the time I get to hear her voice. I miss her so much. I could really use her right now. But it drops when I get her voicemail after the third ring. “Hey, you’ve reached Emilee. I’m not available at this time …”

I hang up and flop onto the bed. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath as a tear runs down the side of my cheek. I open them up, roll over to my stomach, and hit call on the next number.

“What up, sexy?” Jasmine asks on the first ring. I can always count on her.

“Are you busy?” I ask, trying not to lose my shit. I want to cry. I want to scream. I just want to not feel trapped. I should be afraid of Rossi, but I’m madder at Luca than anything. And I know that’s not fair. He’s just trying to protect me, even if he’s doing it wrong.

“Nope. What’s up?”

“Wanna meet me at Kingdom?” I ask, wiping the tears from my face and sit up.

“Sure. In the mood to gamble?”

“No. I wanna drink.”

_______________

Kingdom is more than a casino. It’s a small city all on its own. You can walk into the buildings and never leave. It has over ten restaurants. Three night clubs. Twenty sports bars. A tattoo shop. A shopping mall that connects all four towers. Golf course, bowling alley, wedding chapel, five pools, and its own theater with ten screens. They play movies twenty-four seven. And not to mention the largest convention center. It sponsors anything from UFC fights to sold-out concerts. There’s talk that next year’s CMAs will be held there.

You want it, Kingdom supplies it. The Dark Kings made sure to offer their gamblers anything and everything. All you gotta do is have the money, and it’s yours. They want you to come and never have to leave.

My favorite place is Crown, one of their nightclubs.

Jasmine looks over her shoulder. “I’m serious, Nite. That offer still stands.” She licks her lips.

I roll my eyes and turn her back to watch where she’s going. I wanted to drink in our suite. It was stocked with a full bar and has plenty of liquid to get us both wasted, but she wanted to go out. It didn’t take much for me to give in. But of course, Nite had to follow. He’s back on babysitting duty since his return. Especially now that Rossi is after Luca.

“Is he going to follow us all night?” Jasmine yells in my ear, looking at him over her shoulder.

“Most likely,” I answer, walking up to the bar and sitting on a stool. Jasmine plops down beside me. Looking over the shelf of alcohol behind it, she smiles when she decides what she wants. “Two shots of Patrón,” she calls out to no one in particular. Two bartenders scurry around to make drinks but neither one has waited on us yet.

“Porn Star Dancing” by My Darkest Day blares in the club.

I look over at her, arching a brow.

“You never got a bachelorette party, so this is it.”

I had told her about my marriage while in the elevator. She didn’t seem to care as much as I did that I’m already married. Or that my father was dead and my biological father plans on killing me. I had a lot to get out in a short amount of time. It was like vomit. A sickness that I needed to purge even though I don’t feel any better. Of course, she wants us to party. Em would try to talk it out, to help me understand it all and see the bright side of where my life is headed, but Jasmine just wants to pour alcohol down my throat. And as I sit here at the bar under the neon flashing lights and pounding music, I realize she’s right. I need to drown it out. Bury it. There’s nothing I can do about the situation. I’m a wife. A Mafia wife. Till death do us part.

A mob boss who just so happens to be my father wants me dead. There’s a target on my husband’s head. How much has Rossi offered to have him killed?

And it makes me feel stupid. He could have killed me when I met with him. The only reason he didn’t was because he wants Luca. He thinks he can use me. Every man in my life thinks I’m just a pawn in their game. Well, fuck them.

Just then I spot a man who walks through the club and steps behind the bar. He leans down and tells the female bartender something. She nods a few times. As he goes to exit from behind the bar, I call out to him. “Grave?”

He turns back to face the bar and smiles when his eyes meet mine. “Haven?” He walks over to us. Placing his forearms on the bar, he leans over it. “What are you doing here?” Grave has the cutest baby face. With his blue eyes and perfect smile, he’s also the most approachable of the Kings. He’s covered in just as many tats as the others and has a piercing in his brow, but he has a kind soul. But just like the others, he has his demons to fight. “Where’s Luca?”

I shrug. “Somewhere with your brother.”

He smiles. “I see.” And then he straightens. “What can I get you lovely ladies?”

“Two shots of Patrón.”