YOU'RE MINE: A Bad Boy Mafia Romance (Carbone Crime Family)

C
opyright
© 2016 by Emma Spring

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M
y life has always been
difficult. Sure, I’ve always had anything that I’ve ever wanted – designer clothes, the latest gadgets, expensive jewelry – but there has always been the horrible element of danger there. I’ve been aware of that for a very long time, even when I was a young child, and it’s haunted me ever since.

My father is the head of the Irish Mafia, and because of that he’s in danger every single day of his life. Especially since there is a massive rivalry between his gang and the Italian Mafia. I have begged him to change his lifestyle over and over again, I have told him about the nightmares of his death that have kept me up at night, about my fears for my own life, but he always just laughs it off, telling me that I’m being silly. I have even tried speaking to my mom about it, but she’s such a passive woman that doesn’t care about anything but money, so she’s impossible to talk to. I have always been closer to my dad than my mom, because we have that much more in common. I can barely stand to talk to her most of the time, so I don’t.

No one agrees with me that this isn’t the right way to live, and I don’t think they ever will.

Because of this, I’ve had a whole bunch of life plans to escape as soon as I hit eighteen years old. I was going to leave New York, get a job somewhere in the entertainment industry (acting, singing, and dancing have always been passions of mine), and really live a brand new life. Every time things got really difficult, I would fantasize over being safe and free… it would help me get through even the worst days, like the time a gang of girls from my high school started teasing me and referring to me as ‘ghetto girl’.

It wouldn’t be forever, I always told myself that everything would change soon enough.

But that entire plan fell apart, the day before my birthday.

“What do you mean?” I ask my dad, looking up at him with serious confusion in my eyes. He cannot be saying what I think he is, can he? “Enzo Carbone?”

“I know this isn’t exactly who you thought you would end up marrying, but it’ll change everything.” He holds my hands in his and looks lovingly into my eyes, acting as if he’s being a caring father… not like he’s forcing me into a marriage with our rivals, to a guy that I don’t even know. “You’re the one who’s always telling me to lead a safer life… this would help me do that.”

“But… but…” I try desperately to think of an argument, but I come up with nothing. He’s right, I do always say that, and would I be putting my family in further danger if I refuse? Do I want that… to swan off to a new life, knowing that I’m endangering everyone else?

This really isn’t fair.

“It’ll form a peace treaty, like one that we’ve never had before, and everything will be calmer.”

“Isn’t there any other way?” I plead unhappily. “Isn’t there any other way you guys can find peace? This just feels so… final.”

My dad leans in closer to me, with a thunderous expression that’s like nothing I’ve ever seen on his face before. It actually leaves me feeling a little scared, with my heart pounding and my fingers trembling a little. I gulp down the big ball of fear that lodges itself firmly in my throat, as his next words leave his mouth in a much more threatening tone. “You
will
marry this Enzo, whether you like it or not. I need this more than you can ever imagine, and if you don’t do this, you’ll wreck everything.”

You need this more than my happiness?
I want to ask, but the frustrated tears are already pricking at my eyes, and I really don’t think that crying will do me any favors right now!

“We will be going for a meeting with them all to finalize the details tonight at 9:00 p.m., and I need you looking your best. This meeting
needs
to go smoothly, do you understand?”

I nod, with my lips tightly sealed together, agreeing to this madness because I’m too scared to speak.

“Okay,” he pulls back from me, and I let out a breath that I didn’t even realize I was holding. “I will see you later on then.”

As he stomps from the room, his terrifying aura exiting too, I race to the bathroom to be alone when the tears finally fall. I slump to the cold, tiled bathroom floor as a black cloud of hopelessness consumes me. What the hell do I do now? I really don’t want to commit my life to some horrible man that I don’t know anything about, just to stop a war between our families that doesn’t really have anything to do with us.

But I don’t want it to continue either.

The fantasy of my ‘other life’ fades away as I start to understand that if I don’t do this, not only will I be continuing the danger to other people, I will really be risking myself. My dad made it pretty obvious back then that if I don’t agree with this stupid plan, then I will be putting myself in his firing line, and theirs.

I really am alone in this one.

I sigh deeply, feeling incredibly sorry for myself, before forcing myself into an upright position. If I’m really going to go through with this, then maybe I should go and decide what I want to wear. If I don’t follow dad’s strict instructions, then I could end up in serious trouble.

I trudge up the stairs of our beautiful, oversized house, and I wander into my large, luxurious bedroom where my walk-in wardrobe lies. I know that I have a lot, but it all feels empty, especially now that my life isn’t my own.

* * *

I
n the end
, I decide on a tight red, knee-length dress that hugs my curves perfectly and nude high heels that make me stand much taller. I have kohl on my eyes, and red lipstick which highlights my mouth in the way that I normally do when I’m heading for a night out on the town with my friends. My straight jet black hair hangs down my back loosely, which I hope is okay too. I could have tied it up in a chignon, which would have looked more glamorous, but it makes me look older and I want everyone to be aware of how young I am when they’re forcing me into this marriage.

“Sophia?” My father bellows up the stairs. “Come on, I don’t want to be late!”

I tiptoe down the stairs, still hoping that something is going to crop up to change all of this. Maybe my mom will man up for once and put a stop to this, or my dad will turn around and tell me that this is all some sort of horrible prank.

But nope, nothing happens.

As I get to the bottom of my house, my dad flicks his eyes judgmentally all over me, before turning and walking outside, obviously deciding that I look okay. I sigh deeply, trying desperately to accept my fate, before following him out into the cool, fresh air.

The limo speeds through the city, right across to where the Carbone clan meet. All the while I can feel my dad’s eyes upon me, but I refuse to make eye contact with him. I understand the benefits of peace, but I still don’t get how he can just pawn me off so quickly, as if I mean nothing to him.

It hurts… there’s no denying that it really does hurt to be so dispensable.

As we pull up to a shady-looking building, I feel like I’m falling apart. My day started off so normal, so average, but it’s turned out the craziest thing that I’ve ever experienced. Now I’m standing outside, waiting to speak to the Italian Mafia about my fiancé. It barely makes any sense at all.

“Come on,” my dad roughly pulls on my arm. “Let’s get this over with.”

My heart pounds painfully against my rib cage, my mouth runs completely dry, and my entire body is shaking, but I do what is commanded of me anyway.

As we step inside, a whole range of eyes fix upon me, making me feel more scrutinized than I ever have before. My face heats up under the stress of it all, and I have to focus my eyes on the floor. I want to look up, to see my future husband in the flesh, but I’m too terrified to do so.

Just hold it together,
I tell myself.
Don’t let them see you fall apart.

“Is this the sexy little piece that Enzo’s getting his hands on?” Someone finally drawls, making me feel sick to my stomach. How can they talk about me like that with my dad standing right there? But it only takes one glance at him to see that he doesn’t care.

“Yeah, he isn’t doing bad. Hey chick, spin around, let us see that ass of yours!”

Those words are enough to have me glaring at them all in disgust. These men are crude and crass, and I
really
don’t want to have to end up living with one of them for the rest of my life…

“What do you want, dad?” I spin around as a guy enters the room and my heart leaps into my mouth at the sight of him. I don’t know how I know, but I just do. This is the man I’m going to have to marry, this is Enzo Carbone.

Oh my God.

He’s surprisingly good looking considering. He’s tall, muscular, with deep Italian skin and eyes that, under normal circumstances I would think are to die for.

But this isn’t a normal circumstance. This is a truly horrible circumstance.

“I want you to meet Patrick and Sophia Murphy,” his father, Umberto, indicates in our direction and as Enzo turns to face us, his expression totally changes to one of curiosity.

“Charmed to meet you, I’m sure,” Enzo says with sarcasm lacing his tone. Then he steps closer and he takes my hand to kiss it. “Especially you.” He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively at me, and I really struggle to keep my crazy emotions inside.

“I’m so glad that you like them,” Umberto smirks, looking very smug. “Because you’re going to marry Sophia.”

What? He didn’t know?!

“What are you talking about?” Enzo laughs a little nastily. “You must be joking.” His face doesn’t look totally pleased, which I can understand, but there’s a sting there too. I’m not that bad, am I? I know the principle of it is very annoying, but I don’t think I’m the worst option in the world...

“Of course I’m serious,” his dad continues. “Now can you please wait outside so I can discuss the details of this arrangement with Mr. Murphy?”

“You’re going to plan my wedding behind my back?” He asks, before muttering the word ‘unbelievable’ under his breath.

“You too,” my dad nudges me toward where Enzo is going, and I shoot him a panicked look. I can’t go anywhere with this man, but he just nods at me and sends me on my way.

As I step out of the door, I find myself almost in tears over the whole thing, but Enzo looks unfazed. I don’t expect that we’re going to talk to one another, so I stand next to him (but not too close) with my eyes fixed directly in front of me.

But it seems like Enzo has other ideas.

He moves closer to me, until his arm is touching mine. He’s invading my personal space, and my entire body is buzzing with anticipation. I don’t know what he’s going to do, and that terrifies and excites me in equal measures.

“So, it looks like you’re going to be mine,” he almost warns, and I turn to look at him. “What do you think about that?”

How the hell am I going to answer that question?