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I clench my fists.
Bobby and Paul stand up to leave. I watch as Bobby throws a $100 bill on the table, a clear sign of disrespect. I can feel my anger rising but I keep my composure.
“We don’t want your drugs, loan sharking, illegal gambling, or human trafficking of underage girls in our city. Why don’t you go back to London and your sex club where you belong. The Bratva isn’t welcome here. Your days are over,” Paul declares.
“This is not over.” I say as I hand my business card to Bobby. Bobby takes the card without a word, rips it in half, and tosses it on the table. Paul laughs as he and Bobby walk out of the restaurant.
"That went well," Misha speaks up, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"I am not surprised at their reaction. They think they are in control. They will soon learn they are not."
“What are you thinking?”
I pause for a moment, gathering my thoughts. "What I'm thinking is that we may have an opportunity coming up. Mario Alfonso’s wedding. They stole something from me, and now I will steal something from them.”
Misha nods, his eyes narrowing as she understands the implication. "You want to disrupt Alfonso’s wedding?" He asks, his tone hushed but eager. "That could be our chance to strike back and show them who's really in control."
I nod in agreement. Revenge is on my mind, and I can't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at the thought of taking it on the Outfit. "Exactly," I say with a grin. "It’s hard to have a wedding without a bride. I want to make them pay for what they've done to us. And what better way to do that than by ruining their precious wedding?"
Misha grins, her eyes shining with excitement.
I can feel the rush of adrenaline building inside me. This is my opportunity to show the fucking Chicago Outfit that I am not to be messed with. I'll make those arrogant bastards pay for what they've done to me, and I'll do it in the most public and humiliating way possible.
I lean back in my chair, tapping my fingers on the table, as I silently formulate my plan.
The waitress comes over and I order lunch.
Chapter 13
Adalina
The memory of Nikolai's body pressed against mine remains vivid in my mind. Thoughts of him consume me, and I long to see him again. But I know I can never give in to my desire for him; it will only end in heartbreak.
Tonight, is Mario's bachelor party, taking place at the infamous "On All Fours" club. While he revels in the festivities with fellow Outfit members and their counterparts from New York—indulging in drugs, alcohol, strippers, and prostitutes—I am confined to my hotel room, alone and seething with resentment for being forced to marry him. I hate him.
My parents have ventured off to a casino in Rosemont, accompanied by a group of older couples who opted out of the bachelor party. Most of the bodyguards from the Outfit and New York are attending the event, ensuring tight security due to the presence of numerous high-ranking mobsters in one place.
My father has left a solitary bodyguard outside our suite to watch over me and my sister, Delphina. He reassured me that we are of no importance and thus not at risk. It is clear that my father's priorities lie solely in his power and reputation, with little regard for our well-being.
I long to escape this suffocating situation, but I know it is impossible. My father has threatened harm upon Delphina should I refuse to marry Mario. I am trapped and powerless, yet I must find strength within myself for Delphina's sake.
Seated on one of the couches in the suite's sitting room, I watch Delphina engrossed in a movie on television. I grab a bottle of champagne and consume it hastily, hoping to drown my fears and anxieties surrounding my upcoming wedding. Tonight, I have decided not to sleep, instead opting to drink the night away. I don't care about the consequences; I just want to forget everything. I'm only wearing a beige sports bra and matching leggings, as I want to be comfortable while I drink my sorrows away. The bubbles from the champagne tickle my tongue as I take another swig, and I can feel the alcohol gradually warming my body. Getting drunk is the only way I know how to cope with the overwhelming dread that's been haunting me for weeks.
I steal a glance at Delphina, who remains captivated by the movie, seemingly oblivious to the world around her. I struggle to focus on the screen for more than a fleeting moment. My mind races with countless thoughts, all leading back to the horrifying truth—I am about to marry a monster.
I scoff as I glance down at the ugly ring on my finger– it looks like something an old lady would wear.
Taking another gulp from the champagne bottle, I attempt to push these thoughts aside. Yet they persist, tormenting me with every passing second. The bruises on my face serve as a constant reminder of my father's capability for violence, while his threats against my sister further reinforce my feeling of helplessness.
Tears well up in my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. Instead, I take another prolonged swig of champagne, embracing the familiar warmth as it courses through my veins. Perhaps, if I drink enough, I can numb the pain and forget.
"Maybe it won't be so bad,"Delphina says, trying to sound optimistic. "He's not that bad looking, and he doted on you all night at the engagement party. He kept smiling and whispering in your ear.”
I didn’t tell anyone, especially Delfina, about the filthy and obscene words Mario whispered in my ear during the engagement party.
“Why did you slap him, Lina?”
“He grabbed my ass.”
