Chapter Two

Eric

I wasn't surprised when my parents arranged a marriage for me. It was highly common. My own parents were arranged to marry and they had been together ever since, in a loveless marriage till death did them part. What a shitty way to live. 

I was fucking angry about having to marry some girl. A fucking Italian girl to top it off. There was nothing wrong with Italian girls but she was in the mafia. 

What would she even be like? Would our marriage be entirely loveless like my parents? Not that I cared, I would just tolerate her and have my way with other women behind her back, and I was sure she would do the same. 

I wasn't even told of her name, what she looked like, or what she was like. But she was a woman. The boss of the Italian mafia. How could that be? 

Women were weak and too emotional. She would be the destruction of the mafia. I chuckled at how the most fierce and depraved mafia in the world would fall at her hands. Everyone knew that only a man could run a mafia. 

Perhaps she was put in charge because her father had no sons. But even then, that was quite irresponsible on his part. Still, I would have thought he would have passed it down to a man, regardless if he was blood or not. 

My name was Eric Connall, the boss of the American mafia. At eighteen, I was handed the Mafia to control and to make it the most dominant in the world. 

Now at twenty-five, I lived a lifestyle that involved drinking, drugs, and women. My mafia duties were not neglected, and I was known to be ruthless and unforgiving. People didn't dare cross my path because that was the last thing they would ever do. 

That didn't mean I couldn't have fun. I glanced over at the redhead who was asleep in my bed. I didn't even know her name, and I didn't care. If I was getting married, I may as well have some enjoyment before I had to settle down in a miserable life. Fucking hell. 

"You do know you are getting married, right?" My younger brother walked into my bedroom unannounced as he eyed me with a bored look. 

Fuck, why would I care? It was not like I chose this woman, it was not like I wanted this and as a mafia boss I had a certain reputation to uphold: a bad reputation. 

I scowled as I rubbed my eyes. "Get out, Sean!" I growled at him because his presence irritated me. More so because he was free to choose whomever he wanted to marry and I wasn't. 

Why would my parents even agree to this? All because of some fucking alliance. Fucking hell, I could just take the Italian mafia if I wanted to. 

The woman on my bed stirred and blinked her dark eyes wide open. For a second she looked petrified upon seeing Sean standing by the door. Then he looked towards me in hopes of some sort of comfort but I had none to offer. 

"Leave," Sean ordered as he held the door open with a hand. 

The woman quickly gathered her clothing and left the room in just her underwear. I groaned as I lay tangled in my bedsheets. The deep yellow glow of the sun threatened to spill into the room and did so when Sean kindly pulled open the curtains. 

"Fuck!" I groaned as the light hit my pupils, waking me up entirely. 

Sean smirked, running a hand through his dark hair, and rolled his shoulders. He was a fucking idiot half of the time but he was a decent man. 

He was repulsed with the way women threw themselves at me and I let them, and how I used them for my own benefit and pleasure. 

That was all I knew since father did the same to mother while mother pretended to be the virgin mother Mary when she really could give the devil a run for his money. And my dearest brother followed in my footsteps but he was more reserved. 

"The Italian woman is coming tomorrow so clean up your act," Sean remarked as he eyed my messy bed, the corners of his lips twitching into a grimace. 

"Who even let you in?" I asked as I sat up, frustrated with my lax security. 

He grinned, showing his white teeth while he leaned against the wall, both hands in the pockets of his trousers. "I'm a likable person. Anyone would let me in." He smiled softly. 

That was indeed true as his personality exuded friendliness, a trait I did not have. After all, a mafia was no place for weakness, and I had none. 

Sean left the room a short while later after my ears bled listening to him drone on and on about being a good husband. I took a quick shower and got dressed in a pair of casual sweats and a shirt. 

Heading to my gym, I took some time to run on the treadmill, to feel my body burn some energy. My house was big with four floors and had everything I could possibly want and need. 

That was the luxury of being a powerful mafia boss. I worked hard to get what I had and no marriage was ever going to destroy that. No woman would ever destroy what I had built. 

"How are you feeling about meeting the girl tomorrow?" Gabriel asked, his deep voice laced with a very subtle Italian accent. 

I stopped running and looked toward my best friend and loyal guard. "I don't give a fuck," I said without hesitation. Why was she the hot topic on everyone's lips? 

Gabriel looked almost disappointed, running a hand through his curly brown hair, his matching eyes glistening. "Would you at least try? You might find that you like her." He sighed. 

Perhaps he knew something I didn't. I shook my head as I drank from a bottle, the water cooling me down. "Come on, you've known me for almost all of your life, and that's twenty fucking years. When have I ever liked women? They're nothing but a good fuck.” 

When I said those words Gabriel nodded subtly and rubbed the back of his neck. Perhaps I could settle down. But it would take one hell of a woman to convince me otherwise. I was not sure what to think. I liked the life I had already. 

I walked over to a punching bag that was strung up and began to beat it mercilessly. My punches were controlled and accurate as I imagined breaking someone's jaw and cutting their air supply with a single sharp blow to their neck. 

"Your parents are here," Gabriel said, rushing the words out as he watched my muscles stiffen. 

"Who let them in?" I scowled as I flexed my hands. 

"Your brother," he said, already knowing how pissed I was. 

"That little shit!" I growled as I grabbed a white towel and wiped the sweat that covered my neck and forehead. 

I made my way toward the living room not caring about the state I was in. My parents could be insufferable at times, and mother especially knew how to wind people up. 

I saw my parents in the brightly lit up living room. Mother wore a white dress as she sat on the white sofa, her legs crossed, her back straight as a pole. Father smoked a cigar as he stood by the window. He was a tall dark man. He was also a decent father and man in general. 

"Eric, darling." Mother smiled upon meeting my gaze. Her soft brown eyes met my dark-as-coal ones. She stood up and sat back down as she decided against embracing me. 

I doubted she would want to ruin her expensive dress with her son's sweat despite not seeing me for several weeks now. 

"Son," Father greeted as he continued smoking. 

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I crossed my muscled arms. 

Fuck, I was irritated. I couldn't spend the day alone. No,o the whole family had to come and laugh at my situation. 

Father chuckled lowly, a husky deep sound while Mother's smile disappeared. She hated anyone talking back to her. 

"We just wanted to see how you were feeling. You know about the whole marriage thing." Mother smiled, her blush pink lips stretched out into a thin line. 

"You know how I feel?" I scoffed feeling very much amused. "I'm against it. I do not want to get married,” I stated clearly. 

Father walked towards me and stopped just a few feet away. "I do not care. You will marry the girl. Our reputation depends upon it. This alliance is the best thing to ever happen,” Father growled deeply, his fingers gripping his cigar tighter. "So you will shut the fuck up and do as you're told. I didn't raise an insolent son or I will hand the mafia to your brother," he added. 

He was clearly threatening me and his threats were never empty. Sean spluttered out his drink as he stood silently watching in the room. 

"But I do not want it Father." He gulped and wiped his lips of alcohol with the back of his hand. I could tell he was shitting himself. He never wanted the mafia. 

Father's nostrils flared out in a rage and if it was possible, I did not doubt that steam would be coming out of his ears right now. "If you do not marry the girl, you will take over, Sean. Or I will personally murder you both and give it to someone worthy. Perhaps even this Italian girl." He scoffed to himself. 

I narrowed my eyes at my father. Surely he wouldn't. Sean nodded and took another sip of his drink. He held back his tongue because he knew it was pointless. I had no choice but to marry. This was my fucking mafia, not Sean's and not father's. 

Father stared at me, awaiting an answer. I was not stupid so I knew that I had to reply to him. "Very well," I answered, agreeing to it. 

Father smirked as he patted my shoulder. "That's my son." 

Soon after, my parents both left to return to their home. I took a seat on the edge of the coffee table and gestured to Gabriel with my hand. 

He handed me a cigarette which I lit up, using his lighter. I inhaled the bitter smoke as I attempted to calm my rage.  

"I'm sorry," Sean said as he looked down at me, still from across the room. 

But it was not his fault. My life was written the day I was born. A life of having everything and nothing. I reassured Sean that I would do the right thing. If not for his sake, for my Mafia's sake. 

I had a hunger for power and that woman had power. I wondered if maybe one day I could slit her throat and take over her mafia. It would be rightfully mine after all since she would be mine after we got married. 

That night I tossed and turned in my empty bed. Sleep did not want to find me. I was beyond agitated. Fuck, I did not want this. But it wasn't the worst thing I could think of. Maybe it would be all right. Just maybe.