Married To The Mafia

19. Death Sounds Appealing

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|| JOANNE LAKE ||

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"Well, there's a slight change." Rubina smirked.

"And that is?" It was Leon who spoke this time.

"Olivia has agreed."

Say what?

My eyes widened and the room was completely quiet.

"No, she did not." I said, but the look on her face said she did, and that she was under some pressure.

"I did." Olivia choked out, got up and walked away.

"I think I will stay with her." Anika whispered and I nodded, still staring at the space where Olivia sat earlier.

"No, I will go to her." I looked up to see Stella block her way.

"Are you kidding me?" I wondered out loud and the two turned to me.

"Anika, go talk to Olivia. And ask Wolverine to go with you." I told the twenty two year old. Oh wow, I keep forgetting she's two years younger than me. "Stella, sit back down."

"Don't tell her what to do." Anthony spoke up, glaring but stepped back when Stella gave him a look.

"So what is your decision now, Joanne dear?" Rubina's mere voice was started to annoy the hell out of me.

"Why?" I turned to her and smirked at her. "Didn't find my weakness yet?"

"Your weakness is your two friends and your dog." Xander spoke and I grinned at him.

"Bingo." I said. "But if Olivia does as you say, then she and Stella will be safe. And I can protect my Old Man, so I don't see any compulsion here to say yes."

"We are trying to protect you here." Gregory said.

"Right. And marriage is the solution? Which century is this?" I asked him. "You know I can always leave the country if I want to."

"But they will follow you, Jo, believe me." Leon said.

I wanted to yell at him but he was my friend so I didn't. "Leo, why are they even after me?"

"Because you are Stella's family."

I glanced at Stella and she shifted in her seat uncomfortably.

I rolled my eyes. "Then how will marriage help?"

"You don't get it." Anthony said, resting his hand on top of Stella's. "You are not her real family but you are very close. In the mafia, you cannot attack blood relatives to get even. But they can do anything they want to unofficial relations."

Oooh, I haven't heard that before.

"Who exactly made these rules?" I rolled my eyes. "Were they on crack when they did?"

"Rules are rules." Leon said.

"There must be some other solution." I sighed.

"Oh, you have any brighter ideas?" Xander asked.

"Oh, I don't know. Death sounds appealing." I glared at him.

"Then so be it." In a blink of an eye, Xander stood in front of me, a gun trained to my head.

I flinched back, my heart beating so erratically in my chest that it hurt.

Stella cried.

Leon quickly knocked the gun off his hand which Daniella picked up.