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I knocked on the front door and waited.
I didn’t have to wait long before my mother answered the door. She had my hazel eyes and dark brown hair that stretched down to her waist in a long, thick braid that hung between her shoulder blades. She was thinner than I remembered and she had a little bit of a tan, more than Lily all that sun from the cruise. She had on thick eyeshadow the color of smoke and pink lipstick that went along with the blush on her cheeks. My mother loved the fact that she was a woman and believed that every woman needed to learn how to put on her ‘war paint’ asshe called it. I had never gotten into it, which was my mother’s biggest disappointment. She had wanted a girly girl and all she got was a tomboy.
“Mom!” I smiled widely at her. She blinked at me as if she was confused for a moment and then she hugged me tightly.
“Pumpkin! Oh my gosh, I can’t believe you are here! Are you alright? Is this the man you married?” She let go of me for a moment and stepped back to get a better look at Raniero. “He’s a very handsome man, pumpkin, you could have done a lot worse, I’ll tell you that. Hello, sweetie, my name is Bianca, but you can just call me momma! You are my son-in-law after all!”
She then reached past me and hugged Raniero. I saw him stiffen so quickly that it was like my mother was Medusa and she had just turned him to stone. After a few moments, she let him go and stepped back into the doorway.
“Oh, come in, come in! I’ll go get your father. He’ll be so happy to see you!” She exclaimed and stood back, holding the door open so that we could walk inside. I led the way up the small set of carpeted stairs to the living room. They had gotten new couches, which wasn’t much of a surprise. The last time I was here they had black leather sofas. Now they had white fabric couches that were so soft it was like sitting on clouds of marshmallows. I sat down on one and wondered if I could even get out of it.
“Have a seat, dears and I’ll be right back!” She called from the stairs, which meant she was heading to my father’s office. He had built his own office in the basement which was pretty much a complete backup computer center for the company he owned.
Raniero sat next to me and took my hand, holding it on his knee. I appreciated him coming with me and I hoped that he wouldn’t end up regretting it.
A few minutes later there was a loud bang from downstairs and some yelling. Mom must have told Dad that Raniero was here. Great. I sighed and squeezed Raniero’s hand.
“It’s going to be fine, Darling.” He assured me and I nodded.
“I hope so.”
“I know so.” He replied and smiled at me, that smile that was almost hidden in the corner of his mouth.
Loud stomping footsteps echoed up the stairs and I winced at everyone. Then before I was ready for it, my father was standing in front of me with his hands on his hips and his mouth set in a thin angry line. The vein in his forehead above his left eye was pulsing and I could see the muscles in his neck were straining. He was glaring at Raniero as if he were enemy number one and instead of worrying, I was suddenly pissed off.
“Lorenzo…” My mother’s voice said from the entrance of the living room, her careful tone set and ready. “Our daughter had voluntarily come to visit us. Isn’t that wonderful? SHouldn’t you say hi to her?”
“What the fuck are you doing here?” My father hissed at Raniero, narrowing his eyes at him. “Get out of my house.”
“Daddy…” I started, but he put a hand up to silence me.
“ What gives you the right to come in here after you’ve kidnapped and forcefully wed my daughter? I should have your ass carted out here by the police, you cheap little bastard.” He continued.
Raniero just sat there calmly, letting my father yell at him. I was both impressed and envious of his self-control because I was a few seconds away from losing my shit.
“Dad…” I tried again, but he did the same thing, speaking louder to talk over me.
“Get out of here right now before I go get my pistol and put a bullet through your brain myself!”
“Dad!” I yelled.
At the same time, Mom yelled “Lorenzo!”
Calmly, Raniero stood up and faced my father. I had a moment of worry for my father’s safety running through me, remembering the three men he had easily killed the night before. There was no doubt in my mind that Raniero could easily kill my father without a weapon, he could probably just reach forward and snap my father’s neck if he wanted to. He was a few inches taller than my father and he had a longer reach. My father might have more bulk muscle than my husband, but Raniero was nowhere near scrawny. He had the muscle power, though I didn’t think he would use it if only because he wanted me to be happy and he knew that I loved my father.
But instead of reaching out and snapping my father’s neck, he put out his hand, offering it to my father. My father blinked at him, staring at the hand he offered.
“I would like to officially introduce myself. I am Raniero Siena, son of the Don of the Italian mafia in the area and I have taken your daughter’s hand in marriage. I want to assure you that I have your daughter’s best interests at heart and I never forced her into anything. I kidnapped her, yes, but I explained the situation and offered her the chance to leave. I even told her that I could get her a whole new identity if she wanted to disappear, but she refused and agreed to marry me as my father wished.” He looked down at me and smiled. “I have not and will not hurt your daughter. I have already taken three lives to keep her safe. I know everyone sees me as a monster, but I am her monster now and I will protect her with everything I have.”
My father blinked at him and slowly, reluctantly, he reached out and shook Raniero’s hand.
I’m pretty sure I expected the return of the dinosaurs before I thought I would see that happen.
“Well… as much as I appreciate your honesty, I can’t agree to…” He started, but this time I did get to interrupt.
“I love him.” I told him honestly and the shock on my father’s face was priceless. He just blinked at me.
“What?” He finally asked, so I repeated myself.
