THE MAFIA’S MISTAKEN BRIDE

Xavier’s POV

I feel sick as I circle the pool, the memory of how Jasmine fell into the pool the day we left for Italy rushing into my head.

I’ve not been myself all morning. I’ve been so restless.

At first, it felt as if something was going to happen but when I entered our bedroom this morning and saw Jasmine lying on her back and scrolling through her phone, relief washed through me.

But the dreadful feeling is still there.

I don’t know how long I have to hope for this. Even though I know the reason for this feeling.

Sebastian.

The fact that he is out there and can strike at any more scares me. The fact that we can’t trace him or any of his men.

I just want Jasmine to be saved. When he is out of the way, I know I won’t feel this way anymore. She will be safe. I would have fulfilled my promise of protecting her from Vicenzo or anyone relating to him.

Realizing that she ought to be back, I check the wristwatch on my wrist.

It is almost 2 pm already and they have been gone for two hours.

Then it hits me.

This is the reason for my restlessness. She isn’t back and I am worried, though I am not supposed to be worried about her safety when she is with Alex.

He might be a jerk but I trust him with her. He would do anything to protect her.

Alex and I haven’t seen each other in years. The last time we saw each other was when he came to America two years ago for a business conference. He didn’t visit. We met at the conference and I pretended as if I didn’t know him.

He couldn’t do that.

Everyone at that meeting knew immediately that we were brothers but I made it known that we were not brothers but step-brothers.

The fact that we look a bit alike annoys me. His character is annoying too and I don’t think we can ever get along. I don’t think I can ever get along well with him.

He has never taken my aloofness to heart. Same with Sophie.

Grandma has been trying so hard to break through the ice of uniting us but I don’t see the need to accept them as a family when their mother was the reason why our family broke apart.

I don’t think I can ever accept them as my biological siblings.

I walk back the way I come, feeling the sudden urge to smoke.

I haven’t smoked in a while and that is because Jasmine made me promise to quit smoking. My mouth twitches and I check the time again.

Ten minutes past 2 pm.

Where the hell are they?

I take long strides towards the wooden seat beside the pool, fishing out my phone from my pants pocket.

I am supposed to go out but I can’t until she is back home. I won’t be able to concentrate knowing full well that she wasn’t home before I left.

I scroll through my contacts, searching for her number. I have never called her number. But I had it saved since I got her the phone.

Staring at the number saved as “Wife”, I hesitate to dial the number as I contemplate whether to call her or not and what exactly to tell her when she picks up.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

Plopping onto the wooden seat, I swipe my phone to go back as I let out a frustrated grunt. I know I need to learn how to address issues if I ever want to get back on Jasmine’s good side.

I have no idea what happened last night or what she heard and it isn’t giving me any ideas on how to settle this conflict between us.

The atmosphere between us has been tense since last night.

Suddenly, I thought of calling Alex so I would know where they were at the moment. Without thinking, I swipe up and go back to the contact, searching for Alex’s name.

I see it and dial it quickly before I change my mind.

It rings for a while before he picks, with a tone of amusement. “What a surprise!”

“Where the hell are you?” I bark at him, feeling irritated.

I don’t think I have ever called him. I have never felt the need to even call him because I didn’t have any need to.

“Where else? I came to America for a purpose”, he answers back.

Alex is such a fool to have fallen for the bitch. He told me everything last night and I almost blurted out that he was a fool.

When he asked who Jasmine was and why she was in my home, I told him to mind his fucking business.

Then he asked about my wife. I told him nothing.

If he hadn’t involved Grandma, I wouldn’t have helped him. I don’t even know what he told her but she kept on pleading with me over the phone to help my brother find his girlfriend.

I thought letting Jasmine out of the house would make her feel refreshed and less mad at me.

“What? When are you two coming back then?” He seems to want to get on my nerves but I won’t allow that. “Tell the driver to bring Jasmine back home.”

“She isn’t home yet?”

“What do you mean?” I ask back, my brows furrowed in confusion.

“She left an hour ago. She doesn’t seem to be on good terms with her sister just like you and I so I let her go.”

“What?” I exclaim loudly, shooting to my feet immediately.

“She left already, are you…”

“Shut the fuck up, you fool!” I thunder in rage. “I shouldn’t have trusted you.”

Instantly, I disconnect the call and scroll down to find her number. I didn’t call at first because I didn’t know what to say to her but now I don’t care.

A horrible feeling stirs inside of me. My heart is squeezing so tightly as I begin to breathe heavily, a wild thought jumping into my head.

What if she left again? Where the hell is the driver?

I dial her number as soon as I see it and it rings until it goes to voicemail. Pushing down the choking tide of panic, I dial the number again.

Shit!

I hold the phone tightly between my palms as I begin to stride towards the courtyard. I don’t know the driver who took them so I need to confirm who is on duty today to find out.

If she isn’t picking, the driver will definitely pick. I just need to hear her voice to know she is fine and not gone.

I’m not supposed to get ahead of myself but I can’t help it. Maybe she didn’t flee this time. Maybe she went shopping. Or she went to a bookstore. Or perhaps she stopped somewhere to get some air.

When I get to the security building, the head of security comes rushing towards me. Probably because of how hard my expression is, he must have sensed all was not well.

“Who is the driver on duty today, Pedro?” I almost yell at him, a sense of urgency in my voice.

“Grayson, sir”, he replies swiftly and I nod, turning my back to him. I swipe my phone up again to search for Grayson’s number.

When I see it, I dial the number. It rings and goes to voicemail too. At the second dial, it is unreachable and fear claws at my belly instantly.

What the hell is happening?

Not giving up, I keep dialing the number but it is still unreachable. I start to go back and forth, dialing both Grayson and Jasmine’s number and cursing Alex loudly.

Why the hell did I trust the idiot?

“Boss, is everything ok?” A person demands from me and I shake my head.

“I can’t reach Grayson. Something isn’t right. Get me Andrew and the boys. Get two cars ready, we are going out”, I instruct him sharply, still going back and forth, the restlessness intensifying.

“Ok, boss”, he nods before disappearing into the building.

Just then, I see someone rushing towards me from the gate. I squint my eyes and see it is Tristan.

One of the guards at the gate.

“What’s the matter?” I question, holding firmly onto my phone.

“One of Sebastian’s men has been caught”, he mentions. “Ethan said to inform you.”

“Where is he?” I say with gritted teeth, fury with a mixture of relief burning behind my eyes.

“With the other guards. It seems like he was sent to spy on the building”, he replies quickly and I move past him in a hurry.

Remembering I was just about to leave with some guards to go look for Jasmine and Grayson whose phones are now unreachable, I halt.

“Get a car ready and have him tied. We are going to find their hideout today”, I say to him and he nods in understanding.

Finally, we will have him today. He wasn’t on the run like I thought. Instead, he has been spying on us and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

Andrew will go out and find Jasmine while I go out to find Sebastian’s hideout.

I will get rid of him today unfailingly.