Married to the Mafia Boss

Ivan

There’s a spring to my step as I make my way to the family restaurant from my car. Tori is beyond happy, and that makes me happy. Nothing in this world can break my spirit right now.

My Uncles Boris and Grigoriy are meeting me here today to finalize the signing of the contracts. A bright future for my family, a future with Tori, and not even the knowledge that Evgeni has betrayed me weighs me down.

I enter the restaurant to find my uncles talking amongst themselves. They stop when they see me, standing up until I’ve taken my seat.

The waitress comes past. “Whiskey, neat.” I know she knows which bottle is reserved for me. I clap my hands together. “Tell me the good news, guys.”

They look at each other, crestfallen, as though they can’t decide which of them should speak to me first, which makes me hesitant. “Come on, out with it.”

Boris leans forward and taps his finger on the copy of the contract in front of him. “Was this their final offer?”

“Tori vetted it herself and said they’re being very generous,” I say, narrowing my eyes. “Why?”

I went through those contracts, and we seemed to be getting a lot, but that didn’t raise any flags for me. Maybe it should have.

Grigoriy leans forward and clasps his hands in front of him. “It’s shit, Ivan. Everything they’re offering is useless shit. Areas where we can’t own the cops, can’t bribe inspectors. These are territories no one would fucking want, not even the damn South Americans. They wouldn’t even run their cheapest shit drugs through these places.”

I clench my fists. “How obvious is this?”

“Obvious if you’ve been paying close attention to it,” Boris says. The implication is there. I take a few deep breaths. The waitress sets my whiskey down and hurries off. I down it and slam the glass on the table. “That fucking bitch.”

I feel like I’m in one of my supernatural story books where the demon has reached through my skin to wrap his hand around my heart and squeeze it until it bursts. Rage and pain course through my body. I trusted her. She made a fool of me. She pretended to care about my family and me. She lured me in like a hopeless idiot. I let her in.

“Fuck!” I yell suddenly, causing everyone to jump. I slam my fist onto the table and get up, walking out without a backward glance.

I get into my car and drive, glancing at the time. I shake my head; I’m not thinking rationally, but this is worse than killing a family member. They’ve gone too far.

I pull up to La Club and step out of my vehicle. The guards look at me curiously, but Luigi comes out and says, “What are you doing here?”

“Where is Alessandro?” I ask, trying to calm myself.

“He’s in the office with Frankie. This way.” He gives me a side eye but leads me in. I fear fucking nothing. They gave me my love back and ripped it from my life. It’s worse than when I lost Mila.

I walk into the office, and Alessandro looks up at me, standing. “Ivan.”

“Alessandro,” I say, sitting in the armchair.

“Drink?” he asks.

“No. But I’d like to congratulate you. It was fucking clever, it really was.”

“What?” he asks me.

“Planting Vittoria in my family, getting her to warm me up, and then having her betray me,” I shake my head. “I was a fool, and you exploited it. Tell me, how did she communicate with you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Alessandro tries to brush me off.

I snarl at him, “Don’t fucking lie to me.” I sit back and take a deep breath. “I won’t kill her. You used her as a pawn, and she obeyed. It’s what happens in our families. Have her collected today.” I stand up. “But I declare open war on all Sorvinos and related parties.”

Alessandro stands up, “Ivan….”

“Collect her before I change my mind,” I say before walking out. I don’t look at a single person as I walk out. I get back into my car and drive back to the house.

When I walk in, I find Tori in the library reading. I stand at the doorway, watching her. My heart aches to hold her because she crossed me. How could someone so beautiful be so cruel? She didn’t seem cruel at all. It was clearly all an act.

She’s the enemy.

As I turn to leave, she looks up. “Ivan,” she smiles broadly. Alessandro must not have phoned her yet.

She looks into my cold eyes, and her smile fades. “What’s wrong?”Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

“Nothing.” I turn to walk away but hear her running after me. She grabs my arm. “Ivan?”

I yank my arm away from her and whip around; I can’t control myself. I want to hurt her, she doesn’t deserve peace. “You betrayed me. You fucking took me for a ride and thought I wouldn’t find out,” I snarl. “I know about the shitty territories you were negotiating for us. We would have lost millions.”

Tears well up in her eyes, I can’t tell if she’s sad or afraid, but she’s probably both.

“Ivan, I’m sorry. I didn’t think I would fall in love with you.” she starts to cry. “At first, it was about betraying you, but I fell for you. I love you. I feel like being with you is where I belong. Please, please give me a second chance. I will make this right.”

“Lies,” I roar, and she steps back. “I don’t fucking believe you. Pack your shit. Your brother is on his way to fetch you, and I never want to fucking see you again. Don’t come near my family or me; my patience for you will wear thin, and I will have you killed for betraying me.”

I turn to leave. The sadness in her voice as she sobs my name does nothing. I shut down. I can’t feel. I get my driver to take me to our warehouse, and I walk into the office where Leonid is working.

“I should have listened to you,” I say after a moment.

“Boris phoned and told me,” he says quietly. “I’m sorry, Ivan. I know you were fond of her. A Sorvino is a Sorvino, though, and you were taken for a ride.”

“I’m having the marriage annulled. But I don’t want her hurt, not yet anyway. We will declare war with the Sorvinos, trample over them, and rule New York City.”

“I agree. We should, as you would say, play chess, not football. Clever attacks where it hurts them, but we must first deal with a situation closer to home. Evgeni is back this weekend.”

“I’ll deal with him swiftly,” I say. “I’m only a fool once. I should have believed you, brother. I’m sorry.” His hand clasps my shoulder and squeezes. “You thought you were doing right by the family. We can learn from this.”

I nod and look out at the warehouse. All I can hear in my mind is Tori sobbing my name.