THE BRIDE CHAPTER 26

The Bride
Chapter 26

One usually dies because one is alone, or because
one has got into something over one’s head. One
often dies because one does not have the right
alliances, because one is not given support.
-Giovanni Falcone
Marco Orsini’s POV
“Francesca…”
“Oh, good thing you are here now.” The young
window said as she grabbed her handbag in her
office table and smiled at me. “I am about to meet
you at your office.”
“You do?” I smiled in her direction, pleased at the
thought that she will visit me in my office. Then I
happened to glance at her wrist. I smiled silently
when I saw my gift on her birthday. It suits her, I
thought with satisfaction. The love bracelet in pink
gold paved with diamonds. I chose the most
ostentatious one it glittered whenever it caught lights
so everyone with eyes would immediately notice it.
The handcuff of Marco Orsini, I thought deviously.
“Are you going ask me for lunch?” I asked when
silence filled her office.
Her laughed was a little off in my opinion. I suddenly
feel that something is about to happen that I will not
like.
“No, silly.” She said avoiding me gazed. I could see
that she’s nervous. “I want to talk to you and say
that I finally find your suitable bride.”
I couldn’t help but to smiled. Does she finally realize…
“Oh, really?”
“Yes,” She glanced at me with pain in her eyes before
she blinked them away like I just imagine it. “You are
going to like her. She’s the woman you can
introduce to your adorable grandparents with pride.
She’s Laila Fiorenza of Ragusa, Sicily.”
What the bloody hell… I just stared at her in stun
silence. What in the name of heaven this woman
was babbling about? I think I didn’t hear her right.
“Care to repeat?” I asked, finding it difficult to
summon my voice in calm manner of asking. My
ears were just playing trick on me. I am sure of it.
“I said I finally find the perfect bride for you.” She
repeated calmly as if she was just discussing the
d--n weather to me.
I stared on her in horror. This is not happening, I told
myself silently. I am sleeping in my bedroom
suffering from nightmare.
“She’s a rich heiress.” She added with a reassuring
smile. “I can guarantee she’s not a gold-digger. She
will be the finest wife you can be proud of. Although
she has a twin sister, Laila Fiorenza, is the perfect
choice, no scandal attached to her name. Unlike her
twin, Leila, who is trouble maker, rebellious and the
darling of the Sicilian tabloids. I don’t think your
grandparents will appreciate that.”
Rage. Disbelief. Violence. All swirled inside me as I
look at this maddening woman. I am now officially
halfway of throwing her of her office window.
I might prosecute when she accidently breaks her
neck in the process but it is worth it. I cannot go out
in the streets with my current condition. I am
hundred percent sure I will slug everyone I will come
see. So I took a deep breath to calm my nerves.
“Francesca, darling…” I started when I thought that I
finally calmed down. “…is this kind of a sick joke?”
“Joke?” She repeated with a frowned on her pretty
face. “Why would I fool like that? I am serious,
Marco. Besides, your Nonno’s birthday is few days
away.”
I rubbed my forehead for my growing headache. I
almost forgot that ultimatum of Nonno. I was too
busy wooing this crazy woman now everything had
backfired on me.
*Not interested in meeting her.” I said briskly, taking a
deep breath. I need something to dull this strange
pain in my chest. A bottle of whiskey sounds good
to me.
“Really, Marco.” The maddening woman chided. Dio,
I am tempted to strangle that pretty neck of hers,
truthfully. “You can’t find fault to this woman this
time. She has the perfect lineage that dated back
almost to the fifteenth century.”
“I don’t care if her family was the one who started
the civilization in planet earth!”
Did I just shout at her? Apparently, I did, because she
cringed. Now I feel guilty but it wasn’t my fault she’s
the one spurting nonsense to me. This aggravating
woman, one day she will be the cause of my death.
“Marco…”
“Is this really what you want?” I asked her furiously,
stalking towards her. She instantly took step
backwards. I smile silently we’ve play this game for
countless times. “To see me married to someone
else.”
“Yes.” She whispered a little breathlessly, looking
away from me. Now you are lying, my sweet one.
“Then why couldn’t you even look at me in the
eyes?” I inquired in a dangerously low voice. I guided
her face to look at me. My face was now only inch
away from hers. “Tell me in my face that this is what
you want.”
“I want you to be happy with…”
“Liar.” I said with the amusement in my face before I
claimed her mouth a heated kissed. I put all the
frustration I felt in the kissed. I bite, played and teased
her mouth until she moaned with pleasure. I sneaked
my arms to her spine and drew her closer to me. I
will seduce her mouth until she couldn’t think
straight.
“Stop…” She managed to remove her lips to mine.
We were both struggling for breath. I looked at her
with satisfaction. I could see that her eyes now
clouded with desire but my plan affects me too for
now I feel the fire in my g---n as a certain part of my
anatomy started to camp in my trousers.
“I am just doing my job that you ask for me.” She
said taking few steps backward until she was trapped
to her office table. She ran her hand to the strand of
hair that escape from the perfectly styled hairdo—a
sign that she’s nervous.
Good, let her be nervous around me, I thought
darkly. My gazed travel from where she’d been
standing. I debated inside my head if I will make love
to her here inside her office in her office table. Will
not that be great so she can forget this ridiculous idea
of hers?
“Now tell me again that you want me to see married
with that princess.”
“This has to stop…” She said firmly ignoring my
question, her caramel eyes glinted with fierceness. I
will give her credit to that this widow has a backbone
unlike the other women I’ve met before. But this time
it’s out of place. “…this thing between us.”
“Things between us…?” I asked in maddening
manner. “I’d like to know, what is this thing between
us, my Francesca?”
“Stop playing games with me!”
I feigned the look of innocence. “I am not playing
games with you, cara mia.”
“Yes, you are!”
I smiled in a way that I knew she hated. The kind of
cynical smile that didn’t care about the world. “So tell
me about it, my love.”
*
We have to stop this.” I almost believed her when I
heard the resolute in her voice. But I also detect the
sadness into it. “When you finally ask for Laila
Fiorenza hand to her father we cannot…”
“We cannot what, Francesca?” I asked when she
stop halfway to her sentence.
“Share bed, d--n you!”
“Are you saying that you feel nothing for me?”
“Absolutely.” She said softly.
“Ah, yes.” I agreed, hardening my heart against the
pain. “When the old Fiorenza agree that I can marry
his daughter we will not share bed anymore.” I
looked at her meaningful. Is this what you want,
Francesca? Fine, I will play your games. “I think I’ll
just have to look for another woman who is willing
to share my bed.”
She gasped. I could see the jealousy in her eyes but I
remained firm. “That’s horrible to say. What will
your fiancée will say about that.”
I eyed her coldly. If she wasn’t so stubborn we will
not have this problem. “I will inform her that this
union is completely business transaction and even if,
we marry I will still take a mistress.”
Francesca flashed her eyes to me with complete
hatred. “That is despicable.”
I shrugged as if I am I don’t care. “That’s life,
Francesca. You have to face reality that there’s no real
life fairytales.”
“I just remember how much I hated you before.”
Hate me all you want, the evil voice inside my head
whispered. But it doesn’t change the fact that you are
mine and I will never release you.
“Are we going to meet this Sicilian princess now?” I
asked in a pleasant tone.
Brown eyes narrowed in my direction. “What are
you planning?”
“Nothing.” I told her innocently. “I thought you said
that you finally find that perfect woman for me? Why
not meet her now.”
“Are you sure?”
I gave her a reassuring smile. Let see if this plan of
your will not backfire at you in the future. “Of
course.”
After a moment of studying me she finally gave in.
“Very well, I will just make a phone call to Cesare
Fiorenza.”
“Take your time.”
After a few hours I stared at the old town of Ragusa.
The town that almost forgotten of modernization.
The town who still favored in using the old Sicilian
dialect. A black sedan car pulled in front of us. The
chauffer said he was sent by Signore Fiorenza.
“Where Signore Fiorenza lived in this part of town?” I
asked the driver when we were safely inside the cool
interior of the car.
“He lived in palazzo di Fiorenza.” The driver nodded
the direction of the imposing castle in the top of the
hills.
“Great…” Was my last thought before I suffered from
rough journey of the old road going to the hills of
Ragusa. I couldn’t wait to meet this princess.
To be continued