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“It’s a surprise. Do you trust me?” he asked as he looked directly into her eyes.
Layla searched his eyes and could see the sincerity.
“Yes, I think so.”
“That’s good enough for now,” he said with a smile as they boarded the small plane.
Rinaldo was already on the plane when they boarded.
“The is my best friend and cousin, Rinaldo. Rinaldo, this is Layla Bancroft.”
Rinaldo gave Gabbriello a strange look before greeting Layla. “It’s nice to meet you, Layla.”
“Nice to meet you also,” she responded as she looked at Rinaldo, then back at Gabbriello.
Most of the ride was in silence.
“So, you are not going to tell me where we’re going?” Layla asked.
“No, so don’t ask again.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Am I going to come back from this trip alive?” She asked as she looked at Gabbriello and then Rinaldo for his reaction. To her surprise, Rinaldo didn’t respond, he didn’t even look over at them.
“If you’re a good girl and do as you’re told, then yes, you will come back alive,” he said with a smirk before kissing her.
The softness of his kiss was the assurance she needed that he would not hurt her.
* * *
A few hours later, they were getting off the plane in Vegas.
“Why are we in Vegas?” Layla asked, confused.
“Because we’re getting married.” Gabbriello said as a matter of fact, as he led her to a waiting car.
Rinaldo cleared his throat as he narrowed his brow at Gabbriello, who ignored his reaction.
“What?!” she yelled as she swung her face to meet his glare.
“I need more of a guarantee that you won’t try to incriminate me, and if you’re my wife, you can’t testify against me if it comes to that.”
“I’m not marrying you,” she protested.
“Yes, you are. I know that your office is investigating me. After the investigation is over, if you choose not to stay married,” he paused as he looked at her. “Then I’ll give you a divorce.”
Layla looked at him, then at Rinaldo, who averted her gaze. For the first time in a long time, she was speechless. “Marriage is not something I take lightly Gabbriello,” she said as she turned her body to face him.
“Neither do I. Look, we have a connection. From the moment we met, I felt it and I know you did too. I would like to pursue it, but in my line of work, I don’t have the luxury of dating you for several months before making a decision. I have several people who depend on me for their livelihood, and I will not let them suffer because I had a lapse in judgement when it came to you.”
Layla wanted to protest, but she understood, and if she was honest with herself, she wouldn’t mind waking up to him every day, if only for a few months.
She nodded as they drove down the strip. They pulled into a small chapel.
Rinaldo was there as his trusted friend and witness.
The ceremony took all of five minutes, and it was over. They were married. They walked out of the chapel and into a waiting car. Gabbriello held her hand the entire ride but said nothing.
Rinaldo sat up front with the driver, but looked back once at Gabbriello as they pulled out of the chapel. He trusted that whatever decision Gabbriello made it was in the best interest of the family.
