Adelina.
Her name rang like a bell in his head. If he didn't take this deal there was a good chance she would die because of it. Italian’s had a code, they didn't involve women and children but unfortunately the Irish didn't live by the same standards.
Lucian didn't want to be the guy who did stupid things for a girl, but the thought of her alone with these two assholes who are quick to sell her out and a gang of Irish gunning for her made him sick. He gorgeous body, pouty lips, and sass didn’t help either.
Still, Lucian was not going to buy her. That's what they wanted, protection in exchange for her marriage. He knew this wasn't the first arranged marriage in the world, or even in the mafia, but it still didn't sit right with him. Massimo and her prick older brother were taking away her freedom to choose.
"How long is the offer good for?" Lucian asked.
Vinny scoffed like he had never been so offended in his life. "You've seen her!" He shouted, grabbing the attention of nearby patrons. "She's hot, what more do you need?"
In took every ounce of strength Lucian had to not jump up and choke the man, but he figured that wouldn't be a good start if he wanted a relationship with Adelina. So instead, he eased out of his chair and controlled his face into a cold mask.
"I want to think about." He extracted a wad of cash from his pocket, and tossed it on the table. "You'll hear from me."
Stopping before he left the restaurant, "and one more thing Vincent, don't introduce anymore men to her. Understood?"
Massimo cut Vinny off before he could gather a response. "Understood." He stood from his seat extending his hand to Lucian to shake.
◆◆◆
“You wanted to see me, pops?” Lucian asked strolling into his father’s office.
Carlo Luchese sat behind a large mahogany desk in a black leather chair. The office was the only room in the 22-million-dollar home that was allowed dark furniture. Lucian’s mother, Annette, went on a decorating spree about six years ago when they built the house. “No more darkness”. She had told the men.
She said it was because the old house was filled with dark wood and deep reds coloring the home in a sinister light, but Lucian had a feeling it also had to do with the darkness in their lives.
The new home was filled with bright whites and blues. It had a beachy theme to it, which was fitting as it was right off the water.
His mother loved to sit outside and read with the water splashing in the background and his father had his eyes set on a boat once he “retired”. By retiring, he meant having Lucian take over the family business.
“What did I tell you about ‘pops’?” He said the word with disgust. Carlo was a loving father, but an old fashioned one.
“Pa? How ‘bout that?”
“Better.” He grumbled. “Sit.” He gestured to the seat across from him.
Carlo was a great and loving father but he was also the boss of the Luchese family, when he gave an order it was meant to be followed, even if it was a simple as sitting down.
Carlo leaned back in his chair, gazing curiously at Lucian. “How was New England?”
“Uneventful.”
Carlo snorted out a laugh. “You don’t say? That’s probably the first uneventful weekend that girls ever had.”
“Pa,” Lucian wanted to defend her, say it wasn’t her fault, but truthfully, he didn’t know.
“So, tell me Lucian, how did it really go?”
“She’s nice.”
“And pretty.”
“Yeah, and that.”
“So?” He asked again.
“Not sure. I’ll let you know though.”
Carlo rolled his eyes and sighed. “You and Enzo better get your acts together and let an old man retire.”
Lucian smiled wearily at his father. “Yeah, pops, I’m on it. I’ll be taking another trip to Providence this week.”
Lucian only had one goal in life. He was born and raised to lead the family. He spent his teenage years running around behind his uncle and doing his bidding. No one was going to take away his place in the family; he earned it. Still, as much as his father talked about retiring, the man wasn’t ready to hand over the family to Lucian. What was it going take?
“Great.” Carlo nodded his head, effectively ending the conversation. “And who is going to handle the shipment issues?”
Lucian sighed. “I’ll handle it.”
The shipment he was referring to was a big form of income for the family: drugs. Their last supplier ended up not working out, so Lucian took it upon himself to negotiate a new deal. The negotiations were successful, so now it was time for the first shipment. The plan was for the supplier to bring in in via shipping boat to the famiglia run dock. From there the guys would like it to the warehouse, sort it, and off to the dealers.
“You’ll handle the shipment and be in Providence at the same time?” Carlo rose him eyebrows.
Shit.
Carlo sighed knowingly. “Your brother is ready, son. Give him some responsibility.”
To be honest, Enzo, Lucian’s younger brother was the only one he trusted in life. Still, Enzo had a less than stellar past. He was known around the family as a party boy, but his father was right. Enzo was starting to get better. Now, he was running one of Lucian’s clubs, handling his own group of men, and doing pretty well at it. He was ready.
“Okay.” Lucian said. “I’ll ask Enzo to handle the shipment.”
His father smiled. “Glad to hear it.” He sat in his leather chair and looked thoughtfully at Lucian, “Treat her well, son.”
“I will.” Lucian replied.
“And see your ma on the way out, huh?”
“Of course.” And on that note, Lucian was out the door.
Chapter Five
“Adelina.” Her mother scolded. “You know that’s not right.
She was learning etiquette. What fork to use when. How to fold your napkin on your lap. To smile when others talk.
To sit quietly and be a good girl.
Adelina wasn’t a good girl.
At least according to her mother.
“Ah, let her go Eve.” Her father told them entering the kitchen in their Federal Hill home.
Eve huffed. “She’s not even trying Al!”
“She not going to.” He smiled. “She’s not a girly girl, and she doesn’t need to be.” He sat down next to Adelina at the counter.
Eve slated her napkin down on the counter and left the kitchen.
“Thank you, Papa.” Adelina smiled gratefully.
“Anytime mi bambina.”
◆◆◆
It was September and still 80 degrees in Providence, Adelina supposed she could thank global warming for that. Her mother had scolded her for "wasting away in her bedroom" so she was now laid out on lounger on the back patio. Apparently mourning your life in the confines of your room with a pint of Ben & Jerry's was unacceptable.
It had been ten days and she was still locked up in her family home. Vinny wouldn't even tell her what she did to warrant house arrest. He gave her five minutes on her laptop to email her professors that she'd be out for the foreseeable future due to a family emergency. A family emergency that, as far as she could tell, was not real.
She got no answers to her questions and hadn't heard a peep from Massimo since lunch with Lucian. She was positive that he had something to do with this exile.
One more day in this house and she was positively going to lose her mind. She needed her school work, and her music, and really anything other than Netflix and ice cream to get by.
She was exhausted from being exhausted.
"Adelina?" Her mother slid open the glass door, but Adelina made no attempt to move.
Currently she wore faded gray Brown University sweat pants, an old high school tee, and her chocolate brown waves were piled into a knot on top of her head. Her hair needed brushed and she hadn't showered since the day before. She didn't bode well in captivity.
"Someone's here to see you."
She was torn between excitement to see someone other than her mother and brother and feeling disgusted with her current appearance.
She whipped her head around to find Lucian Luchese in the doorway. He was impeccably dressed in navy blue suit pants with a linen white shirt and brown loafers. His dark hair was slicked back and his toned stomach was taunt against the fabric of his shirt. Lucian looked like sin on a silver platter.
"I'll give you two a minute." Eve smiled closing the door behind her.
Lucian took a moment to take in his surroundings before turning the nearby chair to face Adelina.
"Ciao, bella." He called her beautiful again, no other word could disarm her but that one with his voice.
Right now, though, she was still too angry.
"Why are you here?" Her words came out more bitter then she had meant them to.
He gave her a deep chuckle. "Just checking in. I hear your taking a break from school?"
She crossed her arms over her chest and glared, “Not willingly."
"No?"
"No."
"Tell me why then, bella." He asked.
"I was hoping you would tell me."
He pondered her statement. "I don't understand. Vinny just told me today your taking a break."
Adelina felt a wave of relief, maybe she didn't actually want to hate this gorgeous man. "Oh. I just assumed."
"Assumed I asked him to keep you from your school?"
"Yeah," she nodded, breaking eye contact. She felt ashamed for assuming he was like every other man in her life, but she didn't have many reasons not to think that.
He scrubbed a hand down his face before leaning in close. "I wouldn't do that to you."
She nodded in response, but truly how was she to know what he would or wouldn't do to her?
"Have you thought about my question?"
His question?
"What you want out of life?" He prodded.
She knew what she didn’t want out of life. An arranged marriage. What did her family think this was, the stone ages? Women weren’t forced into marriage and babies and fake love anymore. She wanted to scream that at the top of her lungs to Vinny. Instinctually her hand went to touch under her left breast where the scar was.
Love wasn’t a pleasant thing, that she knew for sure.
"A little." She replied. She had thought about it, but none of it seemed real anymore. Sure, at one time she had ambitions, but after this week she felt broken. "I want to finish school."
"Mmhm." He nodded, encouraging her to continue.
"I want to work." She continued.
"I'm sure we can work something out."
"And I don't won't to just be a pretty trophy."
He smiled at this. "Never thought you would be, bella.”
“I don’t want to be lied to and treated like a child.” Her eyes were fixated on Vinny’s office window as she said this.
Lucian nodded. “Anything else?”
"Yeah, I, um, I don’t want to be used as entertainment." He looked confused about this one. "My dad and Massimo used to bring me out at their parties and make me sing or play for them." She paused to take a deep breath. "That's something I do for me. Not for them."
"I understand, bella." He rested a hand on her knee. "I want to make you an offer."
Her eyes shot up to his. "What do you mean?"
"I want to move forward with this arrangement."
She swallowed hard. "You mean marry me?"
He gave her one of his reassuring smiles. "Yes, bella. But I have a few conditions and I want to make sure you agree first."
"Lay it on me." She forced a smile. Outside she was trying to bring back flirty and fun Adelina. Inside, she was a wreck.
"I want you to finish school."
Well, at least she had that going for her.
"We can work something out after you graduate for a career, I will never make you sing for guests, and I promise I will always tell you the truth. Okay?"
"Okay."
"I want a few promises, bella. No more picking up guys in bars."
Adelina's face flushed. Nothing more embarrassing than being called out on your sexual advances.
"I want to see you. Every week, we'll pick a day that doesn't interfere with school. We’ll also have to have an engagement party and participate in family functions as a couple, other than that I will stay out of your life for the remainder of your senior year." He took a long pause. "Finally, we'll have to have a wedding after your graduation."
This all felt very real suddenly. She would no longer be the careless college student, instead she'd be engaged to a mobster. One she barely knew.
"What do you say, bella?"
"Can I think about it?"
His mouth thinned, but he replied "of course".
He stood from his seat and dusted invisible lint off the navy pants. "I'll talk to your brother about school."
"Good luck." She replied sarcastically.
Within the hour Roberto had her back at her dorm room.
◆◆◆
“Adelina Lucille DeMarco. Where the hell have you been? I’ve been losing my mind!” Gemma, Adelina’s roommate screeched when she walked through into their room after Roberto dropped her off. She quickly bounced off the bed to hug and kiss Adelina, holding her as if it’d been a year and not a week.
“House arrest.” Adelina muttered throwing her duffel on the twin bed.
“What happened?”
Gemma came from an Italian family that was also “connected”. Their mothers had been pregnant with them both at the same time while raising their older brothers. She was the youngest of three and it was no surprise her parents quit after her. She was a whirlwind of colors, noise, and constant chatter. Basically, a perfect match for Adelina. They had been best friends since kindergarten when one of the boys pushed Adelina off the swing and Gemma told him that her brother would kill him if he did it again. He didn’t do it again, which was probably a good idea as Gemma wasn’t really joking.
Adelina cringed even thinking about telling her best friend. Sure, Gemma would get it. She was probably the only person who would get it.
Still, the words sat like poison on her tongue.
She was having an arranged marriage.
She heaved a sigh and faced her friend. “He’s marrying me off.”
Gemma face fell for a second, and then immediately she was in a fit of rage. “Who does that asshole think he is?” she tossed some books that were laying nearby. “This isn’t olden times!” she screamed.
She was right.
This was the 21st century. A man can’t just marry his sister off like she’s piece of meat.
But he was going to, and no one was going to stop him.
“Gem, it’s okay.”
Gemma turned from the bed she was ripping sheets off. “What?”
“I said it’s okay.”
“How is this okay, Addy?”
She shrugged her shoulders.
She had been dreading this day for the three years since Theo died, but there was something about Lucian.
He talked to her.
He asked her what she wanted.
He gave her a choice.
She couldn’t remember the last time someone other than Gemma asked her what she wanted.
Her ma loved her, sure, but she always saw her as a little princess that would marry the king.
She had been playing a role since she was one day old and Theo gave her that nickname.
She never had a chance.
But now, yeah, now someone was giving her a choice.
“I just, I think it’s going to be okay.” She told Gemma.
Gemma eyed her, clearly thinking she had lost her mind. “Have you met him?” she asked slapping both hands on hips.
Adelina nodded. “Three times now. He just got me released from house arrest.”
Gemma’s narrowed eyes lifted. “How?”
“I think he has some power over Vinny�
��” Adelina mused, plopping down on the bed.
“Like when we all had lunch, every time Vinny spoke Lucian waved his hand and he shut up. It was…” she thought for a moment. “strange, but kind of awesome.”
“So, he’s a boss?” Gemma plopped down beside Adelina on the twin bed.
“I, uh, I don’t know.”
Gemma snorted. “So, you’re marrying this guy and you don’t even know what he does?”
“Well, I know he’s in.” Adelina said defensively.
“Where’s he’s from?”
“New York.”
Gemma’s eyes widened. “Luchesse, Morello, DiLaurentis, Colombo, or DeCavalcante?” She listed off the names.
“What?”
Gemma threw her hands up exasperated. “His last name! What’s his last name, Addy?”
“I, uh, I don’t know.”
Gemma’s eyes widened. “You don’t know his last name?”
“Everything happened fast!” she shouted. “I just, I never asked and no one ever told me.”
Gemma rolled her eyes. “Oh princess. You have so much to learn.”
“Clearly. So, who are these people?”
“The three families in New York. They, like, run the mafia.”
“Okay… so you think he’s in one of them?”
“Yes. All of them are more respected that Vinny and Massimo. At least that’s what I hear from Gian.” Gian was Gemma’s oldest brother, and a made man not to be messed with. As far as Adelina knew, Gian ran a crew in downtown Providence that brought in a ton of money. And any man that hurt Gemma seemed to disappear. She wasn’t naive enough to think they were still alive.
“Well, I guess the next time I see him I’ll ask.”
“Just like that?” Gemma laughed. “Hello future husband what’s your last name?”
“Yeah, just like that.”
Chapter Six
“There he is!” Annette Luchese cooed as Lucian ascended the grand steps to St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
The church was a breath of fresh air among the midtown high rises and glass buildings. The old architecture always gave Lucian a sense of comfort. Inside the church smelled of incense and wood. Golden pillars lined the aisle and rows of wooden pews sat the God-fearing patrons. Colorful light filtered across the church, cast from the beautiful stained-glass windows. Lucian would obsessively stare at the windows growing up, trying to make out the images built from squares and triangles of colored glass. He would imagine what was going on in them, picturing himself there with Mary or Joseph. He could have listened to the service to get the full story, but he liked his made-up versions better.
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