A second chance

"To free your sister, you need to kill The Don of Camorra Mob."

Florence Mila Bennet stares at the woman, then at the men holding her little sister, and she tries not to puke. At twenty-eight years old, Florence lives in London, with her younger sister, Zara, it has just been them for the past six years, and Flo has gotten used to their new reality. She is a waiter at a bar and a florist at a flower shop, she makes enough money for them to live comfortably.

Two days ago, Zara got into her dream university, Cambridge in Boston, on an all-expense paid scholarship, the two sisters were filled with joy. Flo decides to give her seventeen years old sister the vacation of her dreams, a week trip to Italy, Sicily, like she has always wanted. Only if she had known that they would be kidnapped the day they get to Sicily.

"I – I don't know who that is." Florence whimpers, looking at Zara.

"That is fine, we know who he is, you just have to slip through his security and slit his throat, as simple as that." The woman smiles at her and Flo sniffs, thoroughly confused.

"I – I do – I can't kill someone, I have never killed someone in my entire life, I freak out at the sight of a rodent, how am I supposed to kill a man who is the Don of probably the most powerful Mafia in the world. I have money, I have like ten grands in my savings, I can sell my ring, we can pay you, just let us go, please." She bargains and the blonde woman laughs.

"I have enough money to live my life, Florence, darling. You are a beautiful woman, stunning, the perfect body, full hips – you have power, your body is your power, men will fall at your feet and you will exploit it. Seduction is your tool. I can get my men to let you in, but you will be on your own from there, you only have to run a knife through his throat. Simple, enough." She beams and Florence stares at her in shock, then she stares at her younger sister and she is filled with so emotion.

Zara was just eleven when their parents died, and Florence vowed to take care of her sister, Zara was a wonderful girl to raise – she is exceptionally intelligent, in more ways than one, surprising her sister every day. Killing a man is hard, and even if she is successful, it will take so much from her soul, but she would gladly give her entire existence for her sister, so she looks at the woman and nods.

"Okay. I need your word that my sister won't come to harm." Flo says, fiercely and the blonde woman nods.

"She won't, I will protect her. Get this done, and leave. The Conti Family are throwing a gala in remembrance of their Patriarch who died a while ago, it is a big and lavish event, they are pulling all the stops. I will get you an invitation, ensuring your easy entry, we will also get you a beautiful dress and a mask, it is a masked gala. You leave now, you have four minutes with your sister, and then, we leave." The blonde woman claps and Flo gets up, her knees ache from kneeling, but she does not mind, she walks to Zara, and the men walk out, leaving just Zara, the blonde woman and her.

"I'm sorry, we should have stayed in London." Zara cries and Flo hugs her.

"This is not your fault, neither is it mine. I will come back for you, hold on a bit for me. Bennet stick together, forever." Flo assures.

__

Florence exhales as she walks into the big hall, the ceiling has an illusion, making it appear unending, like the sky, and it takes her breathe away. She is wearing a black long fitted dress, a gold necklace adorns her neck, a gold bracelet, bag and earrings, her black wavy hair is packed into a small bun, with strands on other side of her face. She looks stunning and smells amazing, and oddly, she understands what the blonde woman meant, Seduction really is her tool.

She feels gazes on her, and she ignore it, she ignores every drink too, and politely turn down conversations, she has a goal in mind, and she needs to find him. She finds him standing beside two women, and a shudder goes down her spine at his sight. He is Salvatore Conti, the Don of Camorra Mob, a Mafia lord, and the man she has to kill. She finally takes a glass of champagne, but she does not drink it, instead, she runs her finger through the rim, waiting for him to leave. Suddenly, he looks in her direction, their eyes meet, and she gasps, turning her gaze away. When she looks up, he is gone. Panic fills her and she glance around, she sees him walking away and she follows him as discretely as possible, or so she thinks.

Strangely enough, she encounters no guards and no one stops her as she follows him, that should have been her first red flag, but she follows him, determined to kill him, so she can get her sister back and when he walks into a room, she walks into the room too, and is shocked to see it is a Library. Where is this place? She knows she has a goal, but she walks into the room and through the Library aisles, running her finger through old and new books, this place is magnificent.

She has no experience of the criminal world, so she does not hear him stand behind her, she gasps when she hears a gun being corked.

"Slow and gentle, turn around and turn off your mask." He says, and she tries not get distracted by the smoothness of his voice, she could die, Zara could die. So, she turns slow and gently, she takes off her mask and he places his gun on her temple.

Salvatore Conti is a Don, so he knows when he is being tailed, of course, especially by a woman who stands out like a sore thumb. This event is personal and intimate, so the second she walked in, he saw her, and he ordered an investigation. Florence Bennett, a British woman in Italy, tailing him.

"Any last words?" He asks and he sees her brown stunning eyes cloud with tears, and he grits his teeth.

"You can kill me, I have lived a life, but they will kill her, they will kill my sister. I am only doing this for her, so, go ahead, kill me, but please save my sister." She whimpers and his brows furrows. He knows this is an assassination attempt, obviously, but who sent a weak and fragile British girl to kill him, it is an insult.

Salvatore looks at her, keeping his gun levelled at her, he pulls out his phone and call Luca.

"Come to the Library, with ten men, Mom and Sofia." He says and ends the call, Luca Ricci is his best friend, he knows Luca will be here as fast as possible, so his gaze back to the little assassinator and he studies, she has dark skin and it glows under the light, the dress she has on accentuates all parts of her, he looks away, this is the last thing he needs.

The door opens, Luca, Sofia and his Mom walks in.

"The men are stationed at the door, who is this?" Luca frowns and Florence heart pounds, is she about to die? They really should have stayed in London.

"Salvatore, what is going on?" The older woman asks, and Florence sees the similarity between the woman and the Don.

"This is Florence Bennet, she claims she was forced to kill me, said some people are holding her little sister hostage." Salvatore gestures, stepping back and his sister's eyes widen.

"Bennet? Florence Bennet, I see." The older woman frowns, so does Florence, because they have zero ties to the Italian Mafia.

"Where is your sister been held and give us a run down of the people with her." The taller man demands and Florence gulps, but she does as he says.

"We – we live in London, but she got a scholarship to Cambridge, she is seventeen and a genius, so I decided to gift her a vacation. We got to Italy today and the second we got to the hotel room; we were accosted by big, muscular men. They took us to a lair of some sort, and a blonde woman came, she said the only way we can be free, is if I kill the Don of Camorra. I had no choice." She whispers, biting down tears.

The younger woman frowns and asks, "Did you really think you; a British and inexperienced woman, will take down the Don of Italy Mob?"

"No, it was a long shot, but at least I tried, and my sister could be free, or something. Look, I don't know, okay? It was a stupid plan, but I was out of options, I have taken care of Zara for six years alone, and I won't stop." She shrugs, frustrated, and Salvatore looks at her. Luca asks her more questions about where she was held, and he leaves, with forty men, but she does not know this.

"We should kill you; we really should kill you, Miss Bennet, but I believe we can come to a compromise. We will save your sister from the henchmen, which means you owe us, twice – first, you come here, to kill my only son, we should kill you, but we are granting you your life, as a gift, and saving your sister is the second gift. It comes with a price." His mom says and Salvatore frowns, wondering what she means, because that sounded really shady, and he knows her.

Florence is shocked, and warry "Oh, thank you." She says, confused, and the younger woman chuckles.

"'Oh, thank you' that is all you've got?" She mocks, and Flo frowns.

"My sister gets to live, and the bad people gets what they deserve, I would do anything to get that. No matter the price." Flo says, determined and the older woman nods, pleased.

"So, you will marry my son, and all debts will be cleared, we will begin on a clean slate. I believe we agree."

Salvatore freezes and looks at his mother in surprise, getting married to the woman who tried to kill him is the last thing he wants to do, but he knows when his mother his decided, nothing changes her mind. He also knows that she always have a reason behind every decision. He exhales, and looks at the woman he has to marry, she is understandably in shock.

"M – m – marry your son?" She stammers and his mom nods.

"Marry him?" She exclaims, with disdain and Salvatore glares at her.

"Yes, marry him." His mother affirms.

"For – for how long?" Flo frowns, her heart is pounding violently, and her palms are sweaty, the dress suddenly feels so tight.

"What do you mean for how long?" The younger woman asks, curious.

"Like, for five years, or less? God forbid, ten years?" Flo gasps, she feels a panic attack coming.

"Oh, no. Here, marriage is till death, we hold our vows close to our heart. I was married to my husband until he died. Love will grow, and if it does not, you will tolerate each other. They are perks attacked to getting married to a Conti, you will be comfortable." She says, and Flo shakes her head, terrified.

"Wh – what if I say No?"

"Then, you are a liar and your sister will die because of your inability to see the bigger picture. Purpose is more burden than glory, and you should not be the person who avoids it because you can't live with the burden. There is no comfort in life, you just chose your burden." She states and tears cloud Florence's eyes and she nods, knowing her life is over, oblivious to the way it is just beginning.

"Good, welcome to the family. I am Isabella Conti-Ricci, this is my daughter, Sofia Conti, the man that left is my brother's son, Luca Ricci, and this is my son, your husband to be, Salvatore Conti. I will leave now, and in thirty minutes, I will introduce you to everyone as Salvatore's fiancée. Get familiar with your husband, you get married in a week." She nods and walks out, with Sofia behind her and Florence exhales, her hands on her stomach, as she tries to calm her breathing.

It takes a second, and when she is fine, she looks ahead and see Salvatore standing by the window, smoking – this is her new reality.

"W – what about my sister?" She asks and he looks at her with his dark green eyes and she tries not to tremble.

"Luca left to get her, she will be fine, and they should be on their way back now. What else do you need to know?" He puts out his cigarettes and walks to her, with his hands in his pocket and she tenses, taking a step back, an uncertain step back, her leg shakes and she start to fall, but he holds her steady, wrapping his hand around her waist and she looks at him through parted lips.

His hand is firmly around his waist and hers is on his chest, she can see him clearly, there is a tattoo peeking out through his shirt, he has another tattoo below his ear, in a straight line. He smells like money, pure and undiluted generational wealth.

"How old are you?" He whispers and she exhales, stepping backwards, but he holds her steady, he holds her to him, and she looks back at his eyes.

"Twenty-seven. How old are you?" She answers and he smirks, letting her go.

"Thirty-two. Come on, time to announce you to the whole of the world." He nods, and extends his hand, she gingerly place hers on his, ignoring the shudder down her spine. Introducing her to the whole world is introducing her to a world of crime, she wonders if she is walking into a fire.

Salvatore holds Florence steady as they walk out, into the hall, he leads her to the middle and everyone falls silent at his sight, he is their Boss after all.

"I am getting married in a week, to Florence. Invitations will be sent to you. You will pay her the same respect you pay me; she is family now, she is La Cosa Nostra, she belongs to me, she is the Queen, anyone who crosses the line drawn will lose their head. Party on."

__

After the dreadful party, where everyone looked at her all through, probably wondering how she got him. She is led into a big and expensive car, Salvatore helps her in, then he gets in, and the car drives away, she feels like a prisoner. They have a motorcade, and now, she is being driven to the place she has to call 'home'. How quickly one's life can change.

"You just announced me to a crowd that probably wants to kill you and take your position." She whispers and Sal looks up from his phone, to look at her. He places his phone in his pocket and he speaks.

"You will be protected, and no one will touch you, because you won't matter. The only way a threat can be after your life is if I fall in love with you, and the possibilities of that are next to none. You can only be threatened if you are a weakness to me, and you won't be, because you are ornamental, decorative, performative. That's all, nothing else and nothing more."

Each word is a dagger to Florence's heart, but she hides it well.

"You are the only son, and the Don of the most powerful mafia in the world. I am to be your wife, and I'm supposed to be just ornamental. That's fine, easier for me, but what about heirs?" She phrases her words carefully and he looks at her in shock.

"Heirs are important, of course. I won't touch you if you don't want me to. We will live together like every married couple, we will share a bed, but I won't sleep with you, I won't touch you." He states and she nods, saying nothing for the rest of the ride.

__

The car pulls into an estate and Florence watches in awe. When the car stops, they open the door for her, and Salvatore help her down, she stares at the mansion, it is grandiose, a palatial resident with opulent interiors. It is simple resplendent. She glances around and she sees armed men and women all around and a group of women, dressed the same. The door opens and Florence gasps when she sees Zara. She tries to walk forward, so she can run to her sister, but Salvatore holds her, and she look at him.

He smiles at the blazing fire in her eyes, and whispers "You are practically their Queen, now, act like a Queen."

She tries not to shiver from the feel of him. She nods, and he takes her hand, they walk across, everyone bow their head a little. Flo exhales when they step inside away from prying eyes. Zara runs to her and Flo hugs her little sister.

"Are you hurt, my love?" She says and Zara shakes her head.

"No, I'm fine. He – Luca came and helped me, he kinda, like, killed a lot of them, it was nasty. He told me you got help. Thank you, Florence, they didn't see the blonde woman though." Zara rambles and Florence nods, kissing her forehead.

"It's fine, everything will be okay, I promise you." She smiles and Salvatore watches their interaction, the little sister looks at him, confused.

"Where are we, though and who are they? This place is fire." Zara asks and Flo bites her lips.

"Uhm – this is Salvatore Conti, he is my fiancé, and we are getting married in a week." She announces and Zara gasps.

"No way."