Property of the Mafia

[19] Wedding Crashers

"Well, well, ma dear Linette, how've you been? Been a while, no?" Van laughed heartily, his words laced with sarcasm. He proudly threw his hands behind his head, staring at me down his nose. I was stuck in a squashed, dim-lit room with the head of Sangria. Lovely. 

I remained silent as he continued to prattle. Just remembering his perfect, cold, merciless speech before my father's murder... my heart ached to take out the man's thick throat.

"You can drop the act, you know." My face darkened, unable to suppress my anger. "I know you're the one behind all of this."

"Huh? Wh't are ya talkin' about, hon?" His eyebrows turned downwards, feigning innocence. He even tried to look sympathetic, cunning scum. He shook his head, lowering his hands as he propped his chin on top of them. "I'm sorry. It's all my fault for havin' such a worthless son. I hope I can make it up to ya in the many years to come, hmm?"

"What, are you stupid? Are you trying to place the blame on someone else? I heard you. I saw you while I was being carried into the warehouse. Maybe that'll jog your memory?" I exclaimed angrily, unafraid. Anger was overriding my reason.

Van slightly flinched at my words, but overall remained composed. Obviously he was used to making other people scapegoats. I had no doubt in my mind that he was guilty. 

A sickening, almost mocking smile spread across his pale, charred lips. He leaned forwards slowly, dipping his chin towards his neck to cast an ominous shadow over his eyes from the ridge of his brows.

"Now, hon. I'm sure yer tired. Why don't ya rest up a little before the wedding? Seth's a fine young man..." His voice trailed off as he lowered his gaze, eyeing me up and down ravenously. "And I'm sure I don't need to tell ya not to do anythin' silly in the ceremony... red doesn't suit you as well as white does."

It took me a couple of seconds to realize he was threatening me.

"And yes."

"Yes, what?" I hissed under my breath. Van dropped his hands from his face as he turned to leave.

"That is a threat."

I had made one hell of an enemy.

---

"You look absolutely stunning, Miss. Linette."

The clothes co-ordinator, make-up artist, hairdresser, and an assortment of other ladies surrounded me. They were swooning over my entire ensemble, gushing and complimenting me endlessly  with compliments and proclamations. A few of them fawned over me like a porcelain doll, petting my cheeks and patting my hand as I stood motionless in the centre of the room. 

I was in a wedding dress.

A sleek, pure-white, vintage-styled wedding dress that had been passed down in the Sangria family for decades. The sleek fabric cascaded down my figure in gentle ripples, pooling onto the floor around my ankles in small bundles like sand.

Despite all the make-up and primping I had received, the scowl on my face was still clearly visible. I was not happy.

I was getting married. To Seth. 

Today.

Why did the idea of marriage seem so trifle to these people? I wanted to marry some I loved... Leon had been the only exception I had planned on ever making in my life time. Even then, I wasn't too sure of how I felt towards him anymore... 

Anyways, I had always thought that such a life-changing exception would only need to be made once... I should have expected that my life had already gone too far off the 'normal' tracks to have common sense apply to me.