Unaccidental Mafia Bride

Three years before our red-stringed couple physically met, Primrose Barlos walked into an exclusive 7-star hotel.

"Name."

"Primrose Barlos."

The scary looking goon grunted and began to walk away.

She followed, walking the marbled floors confidently like she owned the place.

Pulling the fur coat her best friend Aurora had lent her tightly around her body, she hoped she hid her fears well. Because, in truth, she was not at all confident.

This was all an act.

She was a simple, scared young woman who did not belong in places like these.

She did not belong in this silk dress either, and it would take her and her mother's combined annual salary to afford the shoes she had on.

The whole outfit was Aurora's, who had been kind enough to lend it to her.

"If you are going to demean yourself, you should at least look dignified when you first enter the place." She had said. "It will discourage too much disrespect from them."

Aurora had also told her to walk in confidently, chin up. There was no need to be scared of anyone there if she was going to f*ck their boss.

The goon stopped before another goon with a scar on his face.

"You?" He looked at her from head to toe.

"Yes."

"This way, please." The man led the way up an open staircase, while his colleague walked away.

Prim followed him, reminding herself why she was here. The thought motivated her.

She was here so her mother could have the heart surgery and not die.

She reminded herself this again and again to prevent her running back down the stairs and out of this building.

"Please." The man with a scarred face gestured towards a door he pulled open. He moved to the side so she could go in.

"The boss is waiting," he said.

Prim managed to maintain her composure, although coming to meet with a dangerous mafia leader scared the hell out of her.

I am doing this for mamita, she muttered again and again under her breath.

This was it.

She could not turn back now.

She nodded at the man with the scarred face and finally walked in.

The hotel room was as large as two apartments in her community. And she suspected even the bedside lamps here could fund her mother's surgery.

"Keep your purse on the dresser and come stand here." She heard a deep voice say from the large bed in the room.

She was not close enough to see him, but she obeyed anyway.

She dropped her house keys and purse on the dresser, adjusting them in a way she could grab for them if she ever had to run out of this place.

She was completely unaware though that a tiny button-camera attached to the purse's clasp had revved to life on the purse's impact with the table, and began taking in everything.

She exhaled, and confidently went to stand before the huge bed.

"Take the coat off." The voice commanded.

She could see him now. He was not old and ugly as she thought. He looked fit, big and strong.

She began to quickly shrug Aurora's fur coat off.

"No!" The man shouted, startling her. "Take it off slowly."

She blinked, her throat beginning to itch with tears as she obeyed his command.

She slowly slipped the coat off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor as she had seen women do in movies.

"Walk to the door and back."

Prim did as she was told, all the while consoling herself that this sacrifice would be worth it.

She heard the man inhale sharply. "You have a stunning body."

Prim swallowed, should she take that as a compliment?

"You realize I asked for a virgin?" The mafia boss asked.

Prim nodded. That was why the money was so huge. The darkweb post had said the man would pay a huge sum for the experience of sleeping with a virgin. The money was enough to pay for her mother's heart surgery two times over.

"Good. Age?"

"Twenty-one." Prim responded.

"Dance for me." The man said, pressing a remote control button. Slow, sensual music filled the room.

Prim hesitated.

She thought the man would just get on with it, and they would be done.

All these demands.

How much longer could she stand this before her conscience won?

She slowly began to sway her hips from side to side, pushing her hair back and caressing her body seductively.

"Keep your eyes on mine," the man said. He was crawling towards the edge of the bed now.

His eyes were dark and reminded Prim of a cobra.

She stopped, suddenly feeling unsafe. She had to get out of here.

"Take your dress off slowly. Don't stop dancing."

She hooked her fingers into the strap of her dress, a purple, delicate silk dress.

The strap slipped off, but the dress clung to her hips, leaving just her breasts exposed.

To take the dress off completely she would have to tug a little.

At that moment, she decided she would not do this.

As the man reached out to touch her, she stepped back.

He frowned.

Her eyes darted to her purse. She hoped these high heels didn't fail her.

She grabbed her coat off the floor, and ran for her purse.

The man reacted quickly.

He lunged and grabbed her, his nails scratching her skin.

"Get off me, you pig!" She screamed in fright.

The man clenched his fist, and swung hard on her chin.

The force of the blow crushed her bottom lip between her teeth, making her bleed.

She staggered, but her hand had finally closed around her house keys on the dresser.

She reached behind, and scratched the man deeply across his eyelids.

He screamed and his grip around her loosened, but when she tried to get away, she still couldn't.

"You are so going to regret this." The man said, painfully fisting her hair while he attempted to open his bleeding eyes.

Prim thought quickly as the man pulled her to the bed.

If she did not get out of here now, it'd be over. This ferocious pig would practically maul her.

She did not struggle, but kept her eyes pinned on the bedside lamp.

She grasped it as soon as she was within its reach.

She held her breath as she swung back hard against the big man's head.

For a whole minute, the room was silent.

The man's hands fell off her, and then she heard a loud thud behind her.

Prim froze, relief and shock gripping her at the same time.

Had she killed him?

She nervously turned around.

And her hand flew to her mouth, managing to stifle her scream just in time.

There was a deep cut on the man's head that was bleeding out onto the white rug.

She began to back away in shock.

Had she killed him? Oh Prim, you'd look terrible in an orange jail suit.

She spun round, startled, when her back hit a wall.

She grabbed her purse and coat. Still practically half dressed, she ran out the door.

Jerking the door open, she ran right into the scarred-faced man standing there.

He froze.

She did not give him a moment to recover from his shock before she bolted.

***

Andrea wheeled her cart to the door.

"Room service." She said quietly as she raised her hand to knock, but paused.

She frowned, looking around.

This was weird. Why were none of those terrifying guards standing here?

All the times she had come up to this suite in the past. At least one person stood outside the door.

She turned back to the door and her frown deepened as she noticed it was slightly ajar.

She looked around again. The hallway was completely empty.

She shrugged, and raised her hand again to knock, but again, she stopped.

She drew close to the door, and peered in through the little crack.

She gasped.

The guest was lying on the floor, the surrounding rug bloodied.

That guard with an angry scar on his face was peering into the man's face. Then he did something that made Andrea's blood run cold.

He picked a glass from the shatter on the floor, and took it to his master's throat.

Andrea stepped back, nearly knocking her cart over.

She instinctively knew she should never have seen what she just did.

She did not know who these people who suddenly lodged in their hotel were. But she knew they were dangerous.

She grabbed her cart and ran.

***

Egan hesitated at the stairs landing.

He knew he should just go to the airport already, but he had this pull to see his father one last time.

He did not exactly like the man. But now that he was certain he would never return to this damn country ever, and would never see the old man till he died, he felt guilty about not seeing him one last time at least.

He started to walk up the stairs to the hotel room, but stopped suddenly.

His father was smart. What if he guessed he was running off for good?

Egan shook his head, and turned away.

It was not worth the risk.

He was walking down the stairs when he felt someone running down behind him. Unbothered, he did not turn.

The person ran down past him. It was a disheveled red-haired woman, shrugging on a thick fur coat.

She was so fast, all he saw was her back and hair.

He frowned.

He did not like women very much, but he hated the sloppy, messy ones even more. What was so urgent that she could not dress properly before stepping out?

His frown deepened in disgust.

An hour later, he was about to climb up the rungs into his private jet when one of his guards barred his way.

"Are you insane?" He could not help yelling.

"I apologize, Sovereign. But you cannot leave anymore."

All Egan's fury evaporated.

"What did you say? What did you just call me?"

The guard bowed and said nothing, at the same time his phone began to ring. He looked to see Riccardo calling.

"Captain?"

Egan said into the phone with dread.

"The Sovereign is dead. He was murdered by a wh*re. Please come quickly. The family has begun to arrive."

Egan felt his world topple over.

This was exactly what he had been running away from.

He had been so close to freedom.

If he had not gone to that hotel, he would have been in the skies by now.

He let out a deep bellow, and the guards around bowed their heads sadly.

They probably thought he was mourning his father.

But he wasn't.

He was mourning the life he just missed out on.

Whoever this wh*re was, she just ruined his life. She had sentenced him to a life of dark mafia politics.

As he bellowed again and again into the dark. He vowed to kill her very slowly when he caught her.

PRIMROSE

"Julian's mother is such a.." Mia's voice trailed off at the sight of her daughter.

Prim stood smiling as the stylist fluffed her wedding dress and veil behind her.

Her mother slowly walked into the bridal suite, closing the door behind her.

"Oh mijita." She said in Spanish, walking forward. A tear ran down her cheek.

"No, Mamita. Please don't cry." Prim said, stretching her arms out. Her mother fell into her arms in a warm embrace.

"I never thought I would see this day. Mi pequeña niña is a bride." Her mother said, rocking her in their embrace.

Prim smiled at her mother, referring to her as her little girl. She did not mind.

Her mother stepped back to look at her. "You are like an angel, mi amor."

Prim blushed. She felt pretty too. She had never felt more beautiful.

Aurora stepped close and hugged her from behind.

"I agree with you, Ms Mia." She said to Prim's mother. "Our Primrose has embodied her name today."

Prim smiled and leaned her face against her bestfriend's. She felt grateful for the people in her life.

She was happy they were all here on her big day despite all that had happened in the last few years.

"Don't you dare." Aurora threatened.

"Dare what?" Prim said sniffling.

"Ruin your makeup by crying." Aurora said gently, pulling away.

Prim laughed. Her friend knew her so well.

Aurora finally exited the room with all the hired beauticians, to give mother and daughter privacy.

Prim took her seat on the huge white sofa in the queen's suite. She smiled as she wondered what Julian was doing with his friends in the groom suite at this moment.

Her mother carefully sat on a couch beside her.

"You're sure about this, my girl?" Her mother asked with concern in her eyes.

Prim laughed and took her mother's hand in hers.

"I cannot change my mind anymore now, can I?" She smiled.

Her mother sighed.

"I know. But his mother is such a bitch. Anytime you cannot stand her anymore, always remember you have a home to return to." Her mother said, squeezing her hand.

"Mamita" Prim said, shaking her head in exasperation.

"I know we may not be as rich as them, but we will get by. And you can always accept the job offer from your last interview." Her mother continued.

"Julian loves me, Mamita. He will always protect me. I will be fine." Prim said.

Her mother shook her head.

"It brings me so much joy to see you get married in a real wedding dress after how unlucky I have been, twice. I only wish it was to a better family. I love Julian, but his mother.." She trailed off.

Prim hugged her mother again.

Her mother finally stood up. "I would let your siblings in, but I don't trust those rascals not to ruin your dress."

Prim laughed.

A few minutes later she waited alone at the entrance of the beautifully decorated garden.

She had no father figure, and Julian's mother said it would be less scandalous to walk down the aisle alone, than with her mother.

She shook all those thoughts away from her mind, as the Ave Maria song came on.

She took careful steps down the aisle.

Why were the guests who had been staring at her just a few seconds ago now looking elsewhere? All of them. Even the officiating priest.

When the crowd turned back to her, their faces were different, some people were whispering and others shook their heads in pity.

She hesitated and almost missed her steps, but somehow managed to continue walking.

It suddenly struck her that Julian was not there at the altar.

Her eyes widened.

She looked around. Her mother was hurrying towards her.

"Mamita?" Prim called shakily. "What is going on? "Where is Julian? Did something happen to him?"

The look on her mother's face made her legs tremble even more. Why was Julian not here? Everyone told her he was waiting here, at this altar.

The crowd's whispering grew louder.

She noticed Jaliyah Sanchez, Julian's mother, marching towards her angrily.

"He left." Her mother said.

Just two words. But Prim felt her world shift.

"What? How is that possible, he was just here." She said in disbelief.

Her mother's hand flew to her trembling lips, shaking her head.

"My son finally came to his senses." Jaliyah Sanchez said loudly, stopping just before them.

"No." Prim shook her head.

It was not possible. Julian loved her, they had had a happy relationship for years, he even funded her mother's heart surgery.

"Where is he? I want to speak with him." Prim said, turning around to look at everyone with determination.

Where was Aurora?

"No, mi amor. Don't." Her mother said, trying to hug her close. Prim shrugged her embrace off.

The crowd was staring at the drama.

"He looked very angry," her mother said.

"Why? Why would Julian be angry with me? I kissed him this morning. He was waiting here a few minutes ago. Waiting to marry me."

"Oh, Mijita." Her mother burst into tears at her daughter's distress.

Prim killed her superstitious thoughts. This could not be some sort of curse manifesting like her mother has always feared.

They were not cursed.

She just had to see Julian and understand why he suddenly got cold feet. He could not be angry, he had no reason to suddenly be angry with her.

She heard several phones chime, and then she saw people gaping at her. The bridal train, the few grooms men that did not follow Julian out, the groom's family.

Jaliyah burst into a loud laugh. "Well, this explains a lot." Still smiling, she shoved the phone under Prim's nose to the entertainment of the guests. Everyone was staring.

Prim felt her world go dark for a second.

No. No.

The harsh whispering had become so loud it felt like everyone was speaking right inside her head.

She started backing away down the aisle.

"Primrose." Her mother called her name in full, hurrying towards her.

Prim picked her big ball of a dress, spun around, and ran.

She did not stop even when she heard a footfalls behind her.

She had to find Julian.

Make him see reason.

She never slept with that man all those years ago. She did not know how the video of her had come out today of all days, but whoever was behind this had carefully cut out the part where she changed her mind.

"Julian is in the groom suite." She did not know who shouted that out behind her, and she did not turn back to look.

She ran up, and pushed the suite's heavy doors open with both hands.

"Julian, Let me.."

The words died in her throat as Julian flung Aurora off him, and scrambled to button his shirt.

Prim stumbled further into the room in a daze.

She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

"You b*tch!" She heard her cousin's voice, one of the people who had run after her, scream from behind, and lunged forward for Aurora, trying to tear her hair out.

Prim still could not move. Her mouth would not work either.

Aurora and Julian?

Aurora was the sister she never had. They had been friends since they were seven.

"Aurora?" She finally managed to say as she watched the others try to hold her cousin, Sol, back from fatally injuring Aurora.

"You sw*ne." Aurora screamed after finally being rescued. You dare lay your hands on me? My father would make sure you die in jail."

"Like your no-good boyfriend did?" Sol screamed back, still struggling to get back at Aurora.

"Aurora," Prim called again.

This all had to be a nightmare. That was the only way today would make sense.

"Does it hurt?" Aurora screamed at her with furious eyes. "Does it hurt to have your world destroyed in one day?"

Prim stared at her in shock.

Her friend had never looked at her with so much hate. It confused her.

"You did this?" Sol yelled. "Let me go. I have to at least ruin her pretty face."

Prim, unable to stand all this anymore, turned calmly back out of the room.

EGAN

"We cannot stand down and watch them disrespect us like this." The scarred-faced man said. "It is the highest form of insult for them to touch one of our own."

"You don't call the shots here," Eli said.

"That is why we are asking the Sovereign to do something about this." A man sitting beside the scarred-faced man said.

Egan sat at the head of the table, watching his mafia family argue.

He had lived this life for three years now, hardening a little every day.

Since that day his father was murdered, he had lost count of just how many murders he had been responsible for as the new Sovereign.

"I am sorry your children had to be dragged into this, Riccardo." He said to the scarred-faced man.

The man, his father's captain, now his own captain, was Egan's biggest supporter.

"But we cannot go up against the government for now. After our meeting tomorrow, we can make a decision." He added calmly.

"Tomorrow? My daughter is just sixteen and my son is twelve. You want them to spend more days with those people?" Roccardo said angrily.

Egan sighed.

He understood the man's fear, but they could not afford to make any emotional decisions now.

This fight was more delicate because two minors' lives were on the bargaining table, and they were against the dark part of the government.

That section was not fair or scared of breaking the law.

He might have risked attacking them if they were the law-abiding side because they would at least not hurt the children.

"Any hasty decisions will put your children's lives in danger," Egan said.

"Nothing a good rescue strategy cannot fix," Riccardo responded.

"A good rescue strategy takes time to plan, months even," Egan said. "You know this."

If anyone should understand how these things worked, it was the captain, for f*cksake.

"You are bored. You don't care." Riccardo said, squinting at him in disbelief.

Egan said nothing. If he looked bored it was because he needed sleep. A bullet wound on his shoulder had barely healed, and he had not slept in three days.

"Easy captain." Eli said in a threatening voice. You know who you are speaking to.."

"Of course I do." Riccardo said, glancing at Eli. "Our Sovereign who has no stomach for violence.

"But I do." Eli said, and cracked his gun.

Riccardo's son pulled out his gun too. And everyone around the table scrambled up, pointing their guns at each other.

"You do not point guns at family." Riccardo's son spat. He was a hot-headed young man that was initiated into the family just a year ago. "But you wouldn't know that."

"Control your cob." Eli said to Riccardo.

He was Egan's younger brother, only blood brother in the whole Alexakis clan, and was more hot-headed than anyone Egan had ever met.

"That's OK, Renzo." Riccardo said, gently knocking his son's hand down.

Everyone around the table lowered their guns again.

Riccardo shook his head at Egan. "Look at what our family has become, pointing guns at ourselves, and you don't care. You prefer to sit and look out at your resort feeling all cool."

Egan still did not get angry. No other person would dare speak to him in this manner. Riccardo had never even spoken to him like this before.

He understood the man was angry and scared for his children's safety.

"I understand how you feel."

"Of course you don't." Riccardo said angrily, looking down at Egan, who remained in his seat the whole time. "You don't have a family." He sneered.

Egan looked at him in confusion. Of course he had a family, a rather large one, and his brother was standing right here beside him.

"You don't have children, not even a wife. So how can you say you know how I feel?"

Egan did not miss some of the men looking away as soon as Riccardo said that. So they thought the same too?

"I will rescue my children with or without your help." Riccardo spat and walked out angrily.

Egan remained sitting on the huge terrace, on the top floor of one of the Alexakis resorts.

From this place he could see nicely dressed people moving around. He suspected there was an ongoing wedding in the wedding arena below.

He continued watching the movements even after everyone had left him on the terrace, including Eli.

The only one who remained was Sam, his best friend.

"Have you ever thought of having a family, Sam?" He asked.

"A few times. I am in no hurry though," Sam responded.

"Even at thirty? You're old." Egan said.

"You just called yourself old too. We're agemates." Sam responded.

Egan turned to look at him.

Like Eli, as soon as Sam learned he was the new Mafia Sovereign, he wanted in, and practically forced his way into the organization.

But unlike Eli, Sam was the only person that still treated him as usual. The others were only comfortable when they acted like servants around him. Eager to please him, and laugh at the few jokes he ever told.

Eli was worse. He fancied himself his big brother's right-hand man. And was always eager to shoot anyone for him.

Egan shook his head and smiled at Sam.

"For real, though. You need a wife. Soon." Sam said. "This family is beginning to break slowly, our enemies will charge at us if they notice the slightest crack."

Egan said nothing, he continued staring out at the people moving around in fancy party clothes.

"You don't need to think too much about it. Find a beautiful young girl, docile, preferably from a disadvantaged background, so you can be sure she will not cause trouble." Sam said.

"And do it fast. Riccardo and his son are trouble. You don't want them to stab you in the back," Sam added.

"Eli would advise me to just kill them to teach the others a lesson," Egan said with a sad smile.

What he truly needed to do now was go home and rest. But he was curious.

"Not something so extreme," Sam replied. "However, you need to show them who's boss. But first, get a wife, fast."

Egan stood up.

The guards at the door with long rifles bowed as he passed.

He wondered what his grandmother thought about this life he lived now.

She hated that his father had joined the Mafia, instead of working at the family company.

Sam followed him quietly as they walked down, towards where Egan had seen all the guests heading to earlier.

A chilling wedding tune was playing.

He had never been to a wedding before. He wanted to just see, then go back home and rest.

He was a little startled to see the bride entering the garden with a mascara-tear-stained face. He frowned. What could make a bride look so unkept?

He stopped at the garden's entrance, and watched.

The young bride stopped at the makeshift altar and turned.

Egan stared at her, wondering why she felt so familiar?

"The wedding is off." She said in a hoarse voice. Her voice broke and she began to cry.

It was a pitiful sight.

He watched a woman walk up to her. He could not hear what the woman told the bride, but it seemed to make her cry more.

"Is that the perfect mafia wife you were just describing, Sam?" Egan said quietly.

"What?" Sam looked at him in shock.