Here We Are
1724 Words
Dante's POV
I love art, my love or art came from my father and just like him, I fell in love with it as well. Before my father died, he had his own collection of paintings, even some he should even have.
Needles to say that he has also passed on that to me as well. Two years ago, my father died, leaving me with my mother, my younger brother, and our little sister. Leaving me to take care of the family business.
From a young age I had always known that I have to take over the business, I just thought that I still had more time before that happened, but unfortunately, my father died in a hotel room.
That was not the worst part of it. The worst part was that he died cheating on my mother with someone who was young enough to be his daughter.
I wish I could say this was the first time my father cheated on my mother, but that would be a lie, when I was younger, I saw him with a lot of women, women he would tell me were his friends.
It wasn't until I was older that I understood the scent he had whenever he would have 'private' meetings with his so-called friends. That's when things went south with him.
I lost every sense of respect I had for him, especially since I was keeping his secrets. I didn't tell my mother because despite what happened between my father and I, she had always loved my father.
I knew that telling her would ruin their marriage, so I tried to protect her by keeping the truth from her so that she could carry on thinking that my father was a perfect husband.
My hatred for my father drove me away from my home, I did everything I could to get away from that house. I even decided to study abroad.
When he died, everything fell on me. I had to step in, and so I did just that, I took over the family business. To people who don't know us, we are wine makers. That part is true, but that is only a front for the real business.
In Sardinia, particularly Porto Cervo, everyone there knows us as the Mafia family because that is what we are. I am a Don, and these last two years I have taken over, I have found that this business was much harder than I thought.
Especially now since I have to take a wife. You see, my father, the bastard that he is, left a clause in his will. He knew that I vowed that I would never fall in love or take a wife, I wanted his bloodline to end with me.
Still, he wants to deny me that as well, which is why I can not let him win, not when it comes to this. I despise my father, and because of him, I am unable to connect with anyone else.
I would be damned if he takes away the only thing that I have control over, who I choose to be my wife. My phone rang on the table, I smiled when I saw the name on the caller ID.
" Hello," I said with a calm tone.
" It's me, Isabella..." a warm melodic tone said on the other line.
" Miss. Haines, what a pleasure to hear from you," I said with a smile.
" I'll do it," she said to me.
" Do what?" I said to her.
" I'll be your wife," she said to me.
" Not that I am not pleased to hear that, but what changed your mind?" I asked her.
" Let's just say I thought about the proposal. It's only for a year. How bad can that be?" she said to me.
" Well then, I'll send a car for you tomorrow morning, I'll see you at the courthouse," I said to her and hung up the phone.
I wanted this to be done as soon as possible, that is why I don't have time to plan a proper wedding.
*******
Clara's POV
" What did you do?" Steven asked me.
He was lying on my couch, I just removed the bullet on his shoulder. I couldn't take him to the hospital because by law, they had to call the police when someone came in with a bullet wound.
" I am doing the only thing I can to get us out of this mess," I said and put my phone on the table.
When I walked in and saw those men with Steven, I knew that I had to do everything I could to save him. They were going to kill Steven, and they were not going to leave a witness, which meant that they were going to kill me too.
" Who were you talking to?" he asked me.
" The man who's painting I have to steal," I said to him.
" You just said that you will be his wife. What's going on?" he asked me. He was surprised.
" Last night, I had the painting in my hand, I had it with me and just as I was about to leave, he caught me and instead of killing me on the spot or probably sending me to jail, he made a proposition, he asked me to marry him," I said to him.
" Marry him? That's crazy. How can you marry someone you don't know? The man just met you... You know what? Maybe this isn't such a bad idea, I mean, as his wife, you will have easy access to switch the paintings," he said with a smile.
" Do you even realize how dangerous this whole thing is? He knows that I want the painting. Do you think that he is going to let me near the damn thing?" I said to him.
" Well, then what's your plan?" he asked me.
" He asked me to marry him for a year, it will take some time, but I have to gain his trust, only then will I be able to get the painting," I said to him.
" And in the meantime, what do you want me to do? Stay here and wait for those thugs to come back and finish the job?" he said to me.
" Of course not! The city is no longer safe for you. You have to get out of town," I said to him.
" What about you? What will you be doing when I'm gone?" he said to me.
" So now you suddenly care about what happens to me?" I said to him.
" Come on, Isabella, you know that I love you. My feelings didn't change because you decided to break up with me," he said to me.
Working with Steven brought us closer, I guess we were bound to feel something for each other. We decided to take our friendship to the next level, and for a few months, things were good.
Until I found out that he was cheating on me, I ended things, but we kept on working together and remained friends.
" Whatever, now I need you to go home and stop bleeding all over my apartment," I said and walked to my bedroom.
I have done all that I can, I even got him some morphine for the pain. I don't see why he should be here.
" Bella, I'm truly sorry about this, I shouldn't have dragged you into this," he said.
" No, you shouldn't have, but you did, and when this whole thing is over, so are we!" I said to him.
" What's that supposed to mean?" he said to me.
" It means that I don't ever want you to see you again," I said to him.
" I understand," he said to me. He slowly got up the couch.
His handsome face couldn't even be recognized under the bruises. I felt sorry for him, but not enough to forget what happened.
" Find your way out," I said and walked to my bedroom.
*****
Morning came sooner than I expected. When I woke up, Steven was gone. He had left a huge blood stain on my couch, I knew that I couldn't keep it anymore.
I will have to get rid of it later. My phone beeped on the table. I took it and found a text message from Dante.
' Be done in an hour'
I took a deep breath and went through the contact list on my phone, I stopped and stared at the number. It was my mother's number. I haven't spoken to her in four years.
Not since I left home, but I am getting married today, and today of all days, I longed to hear her voice. Still, I couldn't bring myself to make the call. I pressed the button on the side and locked my phone.
He gave me an hour to get ready, and I did just that. I took a shower, not sure what to wear for the occasion, I chose a simple yet elegant off-white dress and a pair of gold heels.
I sat in the mirror and put on a little make-up. I went to the jewelry box my grandmother left me and took out a pair of pearl earrings. A few minutes later, I received a text, and the car was waiting for me outside.
A few minutes later, I arrived at the courthouse and found Dante waiting for me. He was dressed in a black suit, stylish and elegant.
" Miss Haines... You look beautiful," he said to me.
" Thank you..." I said to him.
" Shall we?" he said and gave me his arm. I took a deep breath and took it. We walked into the courthouse and got married. The whole process was so quick. It was like a dream.His driver was waiting for us outside.
" Get in," he said to me. I went inside the car, he followed after.
" So, now what?" I asked him as I settled in the car.
" Now we go home, and I'll introduce you to the family," he said to me.
" Your family?" I asked.
" Yes, we're going to Italy,"
- Writer
