The Mafia Bride

65.

The next morning I woke up a bit late. I recalled kissing me and mumbling how he had to go somewhere but I should sleep. Okay, I was so tired after last night. Last night turned out to be more interesting than what I'd imagined. So, I was proposed by my boyfriend and we had to celebrate it, of course. So last night was a shocker for me. I mean Leo didn't just give me a ring, he made me sign marriage papers too. So it was an engagement technically we were married. It's strange to think that we are married. Although for now, we have decided to keep it under wraps. Nico probably has an idea but I'm not going to tell him, otherwise he would never let me hear the end of how he was right.

I woke up and took a moment to myself. I stared at the ring in my ring finger. Leo's engagement ring was simple with a huge princess cut square diamond set in rose gold. The design was elegant, simple to let the diamond shine. He must've had some help to choose this. But then he had already helped Andrew chose a ring for Gigi, so maybe Leo was just experienced about jewellery. It was classy yet trendy, simple yet glamorous and it was sturdy yet pretty. Leo always had an eye for beauty... I don't say that because he liked me... but he always liked the most exquisite of things. When I'd ask his opinions about wedding dresses, Leo would choose the classiest and somehow always the most expensive ones with an understated beauty. This ring too seemed like that.

I was excited, I wish I could talk to someone, I went downstairs for breakfast. Strangely Leo still wasn't home. I sat down for breakfast at the dining table. Gigi, Amy, and Nico were there.

"Good morning." Gigi chirped. "Would you like some orange juice?"

"Orange juice tastes like piss." Nico blurted. "Would you like some vodka instead?"

"It is morning Nico." Amy rolled her eyes.

"So?" Nico shrugged.

I took a seat besides Nico. Quietly, I raised my left hand. "Ummm guys..."

"What?" Amy asked. Suddenly, her eyes fell on my ring. Everyone stopped and stared.

"Seriously it is about damned time." Amy remarked.

"Yeah..." Gigi added, "Can't believe he did it yesterday."

"Wait... you guys knew?"

All of them nodded.

"Happy marriage to you." Nico said. "As much as I wanted to act surprised, I couldn't because he literally asked me to bring marriage papers."

"He's been planning it since months you know." Gigi added. "He was so scared. He wasn't even that scared to shoot a man as much as he was to propose you."

"Yeah he isn't even that scared of that council meeting today." Nico added. "Speaking of which... does he have a plan?"

Everyone shrugged. "I don't know I haven't even seen him since last evening." Gigi added.

"That ass isn't even picking up my call since morning." Nico said. "Where is he?"

"He and Alex were heading out for some work. I crossed them on my morning jog." Amy said. "They looked like they were on some mission."

"Yeah Leo told me he had figured out a way." Nico said. "he just said It's what Frank wanted. I don't know... its supposed to be some message. I don't know man."

Just then Alex came in. From the look of urgency on his face, I realised that something was wrong.

"Leo..." Alex blurted. "Leo... has disappeared."

What the actual fuck?

#

The council meeting had started. I was standing nervously next to Andrew. Leo's father was trying to pacify them all. Alex and Amy were frantically trying to search for him. Nico had dashed off to search for Leo. Gigi talked to some other guests. It was a fucking mess and Leo still hadn't turned up.

"This is stupidity." DeLuca junior got up. "We will not wait for him anymore. It is clear that Leo has no guts, he had abandoned his family and we cannot wait for such a worthless man."

You fucking garlic-faced piece of shit. I wish I could say it out loud but I'd rather not risk a gang war. He had already glared at me.

"I'm afraid he has a point." Leo's father said.

This is crazy, how can they believe that Loe would abandon them? Leo would not do that, especially not after he'd just proposed me. My heart refused to believe that Leo could disappear and throw us all to the wolves.

"Let us take the girl." DeLuca said. "blood for blood. If you give her to us, we will forget what you did to Bianca and my father."

"Shut up." Valera blurted. "Bianca's and your father's blood is on your hands. You tried to pimp her out to Leo and Nico. You breached the treaty with the Morettis first. Theirs was a counter action."

A few murmurs rose in the hall.

"Whatever happened it did lead to violence." A man said. "And Don DeLuca has a right to his vengeance too. This girl was Leo's girl. He has taken off so what use do you have of her? Trade her and sort this out."

"I'm sorry but since when does this council trade women?" Alex blurted. He had just walked in the room but had made his presence clear. "When Don Moretti presided the council men would vow to protect women. And here, we are discussing about trading a woman? You were the men of old ways, you should be ashamed."

"It is a practical way to end a war." Someone said. "And you'll find another girl."

"This is so wrong!" Valeria protested. "I will not accept this."

However, no one heard her opinion.

"Tell us one reason why this girl should be spared. She killed my father and sister." DeLuca said. "Rules do not exempt her to be held accountable for her actions."

"Meghana is Leo's widow." Alex muttered. He flung some papers in front of them. "Rules clearly state that a widow of any don must be protected."

In your face you looser! I was cheering for Alex. Damn burn them down. I was so happy that my best friend's boyfriend was such a feminist.

"Hold on a second." Andrew spoke up. "A widow?"

Alex nodded gravely. "Leo is dead. He had made Meg sign marriage papers last night when he proposed to her. That makes her his widow."

Wait... this...this.... This isn't true. It couldn't be true. Leo can't die. Hell, he can't even think of dead.

Alex added. "Nico was called by the hospital who said Leo's body was found burnt on an accident site. He crashed his own car."

"That coward committed suicide." DeLuca said. He broke out into a fit of laughter.

Others gave him a glare. Everyone in the room turned silent. It was too much for me to bear.

"Leo cannot die." I muttered. "He will not die. He has to live for me, for us. He will not die."

Alex's eyes softened as he turned to me, "He is dead... I am so sorry."

Alex showed me the photograph. The body was burnt beyond recognition but I knew it. It was Leo. Suddenly, it hit me. Leo was dead.

Oh my god... Oh my god... Leo is dead. Leo is dead. Leo is dead.

#