A marriage alliance

DANTE

   That girl literally raised her hands on me. First was bumping into me and next she slapped me for saving her from thugs that could have harrased her.

She is so daring. She didn't even mind the fact that I was with a gun.

My capos were stunned at the fact that I let her walk scot free without teaching her a lesson.

  I wouldn't blame them for thinking that way.

I am Dante Morelli. My years of training right from childhood has shaped me into what I am now--a fearless and  dangerous mafia boss who shouldn't be mess with.

  And yet today, this puny girl raised her hands at me and I was left too speechless to even react.

I was intrigued by her.

  She was daunting, vibrant and she clearly didn't give two fucks about my personality.

I had never met a woman like that.

A woman who could stand in the midst of hardened men and speak without any atom of fear at them.

  Minutes had flown by yet I couldn't stop thinking about Alina.

Right here in the house of my adversary, Nikolia Fedorov, I still couldn't get the image of her slapping me out of my mind.

  Neither was I paying attention to what sprewed out of the mouth of Nikolia.

Only my capos were.

All I wanted was to settle scores with her.

  Brave she was but she slapped me and I badly needed to teach her a lesson for that.

I was stunned, intrigued but at the same time enraged and in disbelief at how daring she could be.

  "Dante what do you think?" The groggy voice of Nikolia cut into my maniac thoughts.

I was snapped out of it and connected my eyes to Nikolia's.

"What were you saying?" I asked, adjusting my self on the soft cushion.

I glanced at my capos and back to Nikolia.

  "Would you like to see my daughters?"

I let out a suppressed laughter and turned my attention at the stormy weather.

The storm seemed to only grow fiercer. Alina would have been offered a ride by me if she had not been so irritating and stubborn.

I doubt she was even back home. At least I got the chance to see my feisty cat today.

"Cut the chase Nikolia. What do you really want?" I asked, eyes glaring at him.

"Dante can you for once stop thinking that I'm after your life" Nikolia shot back.

"Well please be my guest and tell me what to believe about you. My parents are late because of you and your family yet you expect me to suddenly forget all that and be friends with you?" I sarcastically asked.

Nikolia  sighed and sculled down on the glass of tequilla placed before him.

"I'm sorry about the loss of your parents. Even if I apologise a million times, it won't bring them back. I can't change the  past, I can only alter the future and create a better one for both our families. Which is why I proposed this visit and a peace treaty between our families"

"And how do you hope to achieve your peace treaty?"Stefano asked for me.

I smirked.

"By a marriage alliance. If you could get married to one of my daughters then our families would be eternally in union together" Nikolia offered.

"Are you being serious?" I almost laughed.

Marriage wasn't even in my dictionary nor in my plans any time  soon.

  I wanted to quickly turn his proposal down but I decided to hold myself and check out his daughters, this time in person.

"I am very serious. Let's end the endless bloodbath once and for all"

"Fine" I agreed superficially.

"Let me see your daughters"

A wide smile spread on the crooked lips of Nikolia. I watched him send one of his men to go bring his daughters.

  In a few minutes, the guard returned with two ladies closely following him.

The girls ambled over to their father and stood next to him, each on both sides.

"Meet my daughters Dante, Leila and Vanessa Fedorov" Nikolia proudly stated.

The girls  flashed me sensual smiles and I returned it back with a smug smile.

Accessing their features, there was no doubt they were very pretty and also sexy.

  "Nice to meet you Dante" One spoke. "And also a pleasure to have you and your men in our home" she added.

  "The pleasure is all mine" I replied.

"Where is Alina? Isn't she around" Nikolia suddenly asked them.

They shook their head at him.

Ofcourse she wouldn't be back now. Such a stubborn lady.

"Dante, Alina is my youngest daughter. It seems she's not around" Nikolia told me, his eyes roving around.

"Well anyways..."

I immediately upheaved my hands at him.

"This discussion is over. I want to see all your daughters before we talk any further"

  Nikolia didn't object to it. I could see he was trying to control his rage at the absence of his third daughter.

"Fine. We will have this discussion when all three of my daughters are present"

  Without another word, I bolted up and exited with my capos.

* * * * * * * *

ALINA

  I shambled into the living room with my cloth heavily drenched by the rain.

  I could have come home earlier than this but the rain wouldn't subside so I decided to take shelter again.

  My father and my sisters were seated in the living room, discussing in hushed tones when I walked into them.

  "And where are you coming from with your cloth so drenched?" My father's harsh voice made stop in jet tracks.

  I gulped and spoke. "I went for a jog father and the rain drenched me when I was returning" I purposely left out the part of me meeting Theodore and being almost attacked by thugs.

"Is it that you are just so disobedient Alina?" My father slowly stood up, his dagger eyes glaring at me.

I swallowed some breaths in and spoke. "Why did you ask the guards to lock us in today father? I mean why do you always do this to me?"

"Alina!"

I stopped my questions and adverted my gaze from him.

"How dare you speak to me in such manner? Have you forgotten your manners?!" He raged.

"I'm sorry father but I don't think I was rude" I lowly replied in a whisper loud enough for my father who stood inches away from me to hear.

"Dante was at our house today and because of your absence, he couldn't finalise the deal we had"

Because of my absence?

Of what relevance was my presence anyways?

"Why is it important that I am present? After all you have always told us to be wary of Dante" I inquired.

My father at this period seemed tired of entertaining my questions.

His knuckes were balled up so tight it could turn white.

"Because there is a marriage alliance going on! And you Alina are the one whom I have in mind for him" he uttered the last sentence slowly.

I felt the ground beneath me shook and my knees almost buckled to the ground.

The air was sucked out of my lungs, my fathers words resounding in my ear.

"What? That is not fair! Are you trying to get me married to Dante?" I asked again, my lips quivering.

"Yes. And you better sit up and don't bring shame to my family" he warned before exiting the leaving room.

My eyes followed my father's moving profile before diverting towards my sisters.

"You are lucky. He seems like he is going to be so fun in bed" Leila came to whisper into my ear before erupting into fits of laughter with Vanessa.

I stumbled backwards and my chest heaved repeatedly.

How could father make this decision so abruptly without consulting me first?

I let out muffled sobs and I rushed to my room.