An Arrangement for the Mafia Princess

Chapter 4- Enzo

-Enzo-

I felt a little bad pulling Reilly from her father so quickly after we signed the marriage license, but it needed to be done. If I’m being entirely honest, I’ve not felt bad about much in my life. She’s my wife, though, and I feel like I started things out on the wrong foot.

“You can see him after the dust settles,” I tell her as I speed down the interstate back to the hospital. “Once it’s safe.”

I glance across the car as she nods slightly, but she’s still quiet. I wish I knew what she was thinking. She said her vows, she kissed me, and she signed the marriage license. Everything she did indicated that she was agreeing to this, but she seems so uncomfortable and unsure now.

“I barely know you,” I tell her. “I need you to tell me what you’re thinking. I can’t guess.”

She sighs. “It’s silly, but I’m nervous to meet your mother right now. The family history… everything happening right now… it seems like a bad time to bring home a wife.”

My lips tug up into a smile. “You were her idea. She’s the one who knew your father was looking for a husband for you. She also somehow knew he was sick. She’ll be happy to see you.”

“How did she know?” she asks.

“Hell if I know. All the women in my family are gossipy bitches. Someone probably heard it when they got their hair done and spread it down the family tree.”

We both stay quiet the rest of the drive. The valet is closed at this late hour, so I turn into the garage and park in the first spot I find. I hop out and go to open Reilly’s door, but she’s already climbing out, overpriced handbag on her arm. It’s a bad time to realize just how stunning my wife is, but I can’t help it. She truly is.

Reilly’s long strawberry blonde hair hangs over her shoulder, grazing against one of her breasts that’s peeking out over her low-cut dress. Her eyes, though, I assume, she got from her mother. They’re the lightest blue, but the outside of her iris is somehow darker. Her curves, God, her curves. Nothing too big, but nothing small. She looks like a real woman.

“Are you alright?” she asks, blinking up at me.

“Yeah,” I tell her, a little embarrassed to be caught staring at her like that. She’s my wife, though. I take her hand and pull her toward the elevator. “If my family gives you s**t, just ignore them. I’ll deal with them at a better time.”

“Why would they?”

“Because others want to take over,” I explain. “Since I’m married now, it will fall to me. You’re the new boss’s wife, so don’t be afraid to slap them around if you need to.”

The elevator dings, and we step out. I still have her hand grasped tightly in mine, more for myself than her. I’m dreading walking in. I don’t want to have to comfort my brothers and my mother while I immediately take on a role I’ve been preparing for my whole life, yet feel so unprepared for. Reilly squeezes my hand.

We walk through the waiting room, where family members all turn to look at us as we step in. Some look shocked to find that I’ve not been in the room the entire time, while others openly stare at my new wife. I stop and have her walk around me, taking her other hand instead, so I can keep her as far away from them as I can.

“Where are my brothers?” I ask no one in particular.

“They’re in the room,” my uncle Emiliano tells me. “We thought you were in there, though.”

I shake my head and hold up our joined hands. “No, I had to go pick up my wife.”

“Your wife?” he asks, a smile stretching across his face. He comes over and hugs me. “This is legal, yeah?”

“It is,” I confirm, releasing him from our hug and patting my jacket pocket with my hand. “I’ve got a copy here.”

“Good man,” he says before pulling Reilly into a hug. “Welcome to the family, sweetheart.”

“Umm, thanks,” she says softly. She’s uncomfortable, but she’ll have to get used to it. That’s just how the family is.

I lead my new wife away and down the hall to the room. She doesn’t say a word about the family or the fact that my uncle just wrapped his arms around her. She’s quiet, and I think I like that.

Inside the room, I find my mother seated by the bed, holding my father’s hand in one of hers and her rosary in another while she whispers prayers.

Dante comes beside me, leaning over to whisper to me. “She’s been like this since you left.”

I nod, taking in the beeps of the machines. He’s still alive. I did it. “Any news?”

He shakes his head. “No. They’re keeping him alive with the machines. There’s no chance of recovery.”

“Reilly McCarthy?” my youngest brother Luca whispers as he joins us at the door. “What are you doing here?”

“I, umm,” she turns to me with pleading eyes.

“It’s not a secret,” I tell her. “Reilly became my wife tonight.”

Luca’s eyebrows pull together in confusion, but Dante understands. He’s older, and he knows how it goes here. “You got married?”

“I did.”

Mamma looks up at us, giving us a sad smile through tear-filled eyes. “You did what needed to be done, Cattivello?”

“Yes, ma’am. Their priest performed the ceremony and was headed to city hall to file the paperwork. I received the text in the car that it’s done.”

“It’s late at night,” she says.

I nod. “And I married Sean McCarthy’s daughter. He’s as connected as Papi. It’s filed and it’s legal.”

“Good. We need to take him off the machines. He would not want this.”

Reilly pulls her hand from mine. “I’ll step out to give you privacy.”

I grab her hand again, holding it tightly. “It’s not safe. You need to stay in here.”

She scrunches her mouth. It’s clear she’s uncomfortable, and I realize it’s probably because her mother died. Reilly was young, but she was old enough to remember it. She pulls her hand from mine again and leans in to me, whispering in my ear. “I’ll be over here. Go take care of your mom.”

There’s that guilty feeling again. This isn’t how any bride wants to spend their wedding night, though I’m sure Reilly doesn’t want the traditional physical celebration with me, either. I’ll deal with my new wife later, because she’s right, I need to take care of my mom.

“You’re right,” I say, putting my arm around my mom. “He wouldn’t have wanted this.”

“He’d have been happy about it if he knew you were getting married, though,” she says, leaning against me. I reach into my jacket for my handkerchief, but I don’t have it. I gave it to Reilly earlier tonight.

“Just tell us when you’re ready, Mamma,” I whisper as Reilly passes a box of tissues to me. “We’ll all stay with you.”

She reaches up and pats my cheek. “You’re a good boy. You all are. Your father was so proud of all of you.”

I know he was. Alessandro Esposito was a complicated man. He was hard on us, but it’s because he wanted us to be better so we could become the best. The first time I was arrested, he didn’t come to bail me out, but left me there overnight. The next day, I got another driving lesson since I hadn’t been able to shake the cops that night.

Nothing the man did was legal, but what is legal anyway? Some men made a bunch of rules that suited them and hurt the rest of us. The laws are in place to make people compliant, and no Esposito will ever be.

Except for Reilly, because I swore to her father that she’d never be dragged into anything illegal. She’s not like Mamma or my aunt and cousins. She grew up in this world, but her father kept blinders on her. Reilly will be the first Esposito to live her life as a completely law-abiding citizen.

Mamma says another prayer before calling the doctor in. He tells us what to expect before he turns the machines off and pulls a tube from Papa’s throat. Mamma sits back in the chair and takes his hand, determined to be his strength until his very last breath.

Luca pulls a chair beside her and takes her hand while Dante stands behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. She has my brothers. She doesn’t need me. It’s a strange feeling, because this is such a heart-wrenching moment, but I feel dainty fingers slide into my hand and turn to find my new wife there with me.

My lips form a thin line before I mouth ‘thanks’ to her. This is one of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced, and she lived through it as a child. Add on the fact that she told me today that she was shot as well… I don’t know how she handled that. As an adult, it hurts deeply, and I fully understand what’s happening.

Then there’s the fact that I gain everything upon his death, and it’s hard not to be excited by that. The situation sucks. I’ll mourn my father, and after the funeral, I’ll officially take my place.

Papa’s breathing becomes so shallow that it hurts to listen to. Reilly squeezes my hand, and when I glance at her, I realize that this is upsetting her as well. I let go of her hand and put my arm around her, holding her against me. I’d meant it to comfort her, but it’s helping me, too. She reaches over and takes my hand.

The beeping of the heart monitor slows even more. I thought this would be instant. I thought they’d turn off the machines, and that’d be it. I was so wrong, though. This is horrible, and I hate that I’ve made Reilly stay in here with us. Something in his throat gurgles, and I feel Reilly tense under my arm.

She releases my hand and rushes into the bathroom. I take a step toward her, but then the beeping turns into one tone, and his shallow breaths stop.

My breaths stop for a moment, the shock of watching my father die keeping me from checking on my wife. He’s gone. I’m in charge. It all feels so heavy, and while I want to hug my mother, I’m not sure I can move. My father was a good man, and even though it’s a sham of a marriage, he’d want me to take care of my wife.

I twist the handle to find that the door isn’t locked, so I crack it and slip inside. Thankfully, Reilly is standing at the sink, taking slow, deep breaths and not using the bathroom.

“He’s gone,” I tell her.

She turns to me. “I’m so sorry, Enzo.”

I shake my head, not wanting to talk about it. “Are you alright?”

“Me? Are you?” she asks.

“Why are you hiding in the bathroom? I’d be a pretty s**t husband if I didn’t come check on you,” I tell her with a lopsided grin. I’m doing everything I can to ignore the pain in my chest.

Reilly shakes her head. “I’m sorry. I’m alright, though. I’ll tell you later. Are you sure you’re alright, Enzo?”

“Yeah,” I try to say, but my voice cracks, giving me away. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I can’t do this here. I’m in charge now. I have to be strong for my family. “I could use a hug.”

I am shocked as she unbuttons my jacket and slides her arms inside, holding me tightly. I wrap my arms around her small frame, letting the warmth of her body comfort me. She makes me feel comfortable, and that scares me, but I like it. A tear escapes, and I reach up to wipe it away, but she notices.

“Sorry,” I tell her, clearing my throat as I release her.

Reilly stands back slowly, her hands slowly moving along my body as she backs away. She grabs a tissue from the box on the counter and wipes away my tear.

“It’s alright. No one can see you in here.”

“You can.”

She sighs. “I don’t count.”

“You’re my wife,” I say softly. “I’m afraid you’re going to count a lot more than either of us realized when we agreed to this.”