Falling For The Mafia Bad Boy | Completed

Chapter 17 - The End

I was suffocating and dying a slow, painful death. Sitting in the courtroom, waiting for Nico to enter.

    "Honey, stop bouncing your knee like a five-year-old," snaps my mother. Tamara put a calming hand on my knee from the other side, where I was sandwiched between the two.

    "Breathe," she whispers.

The commotion from in front of me causes me to snap my head to where Nico is entering in an orange jumpsuit with his hands handcuffed behind his back. My heart started to race as he got closer, only to break when he refused to look at me.I ignored my mother's and Tamara's protests as I squeezed by them and left our section behind the prosecution. I sat directly behind the defendant's table.

    "Nico," I whisper. By the stiffening of his shoulders, I know he heard me. Why was he ignoring me? Did he think I wanted to be here? "Nico," I plead.

    His lawyer takes pity on me and says, "It's better for his case if you stay away from him."

    Shame filled me at his words. "This isn't my choice," came out as a broken whisper as I left to return to my section.

***

     "All rise," came a voice, snapping me back into reality. After the Judge entered and sat, the people in the courtroom followed suit.

    The prosecutor, George, and Nico's lawyer, Neil, went back and forth until the prosecution finally spoke the words I dreaded. "The prosecution calls its next witness, Callie—"

    "Objection!" Interrupts Neil.

    "On what grounds?"

    "She has no reference to this case."

    "Other than being kidnapped by Mr. Moretti?" Asked George.

    "She was never held against her will by my client."

    "Then her testimony shouldn't be a problem."

    "Overruled. Miss, please make your way forward," commanded the Judge.

I rise with shaky legs and release the death hold on Tamara's hand. As I make my way to the stand with my heart in my throat, I can't glance at Nico. I'm sworn in and told about lying under oath.

    "Now, Miss, do you know the man sitting across from you," asked George.

    "Yes," I said into the microphone, then flinched at how loud it sounded in the quiet courtroom. All the faces behind Nico faded until I could only see him.

    "How do you know him?"

    "He's...my neighbor."

    George continued to ask me basic questions about how and when I met Nico before dropping the bomb. "At which point did Mr. Moretti kidnap you?"

    "Objection, your honor!" Shouted Neil.

    George held up a hand and said, "My apologies. Did Mr. Moretti ever hold you against your will at any point during your acquaintance?"

    The Judge waved Neil off when he went to object. "You will answer the question."

Fear clogged my throat as I glance around the courtroom before settling on Nico, who still refused to look at me. Did I mean anything to him? I wish he would just look at me.

    "Miss?" Questioned the Judge.

    "I-I..." I couldn't stop staring at him, willing him to meet my eyes that held all the memories that haunted me.

    "Miss?"

    "I-I..." I blinked back the tears that threatened to fall. "We're married."

The courtroom erupted into chaos, but I focused on Nico, who snapped his head up and finally met my gaze with confusion.

    "That's impossible!" The prosecutor shouted.

    "Order! Order! I will have order in my courtroom!" The Judge yelled while using his gavel. The room quieted immediately.

    "We have no record of that, your honor." The prosecutor said.

    The Judge turned to me."Miss, need I remind you that you took an oath?"

    "No, your honor."

    "Well, I don't have paperwork that confirms your statement, such as a marriage license."

    "Your honor, I believe she's been an accomplice to Mr. Moretti all along and not taken against her will like we've been led to believe. And all this marriage nonsense is just another ploy to help the defendant."

    "I have proof." Everyone turned towards me. The prosecutor's eyes narrowed in suspicion as I opened my bag and dug around.

    "Here," I pulled out the documents I brought with me. The documents that were sitting in my mail this morning. The Judge nodded to the bailiff, who took my papers and gave them to the Judge. The Judge looked them over and then at the courtroom.

    "Well, they did get married and have the necessary documentation. And under the spousal testimonial privilege, Miss," he pauses, "Mrs. Moratti cannot be called to testify against her husband. You are dismissed."

The courtroom was a blur of murmurs as I made my way out of the chair and back towards the aisle that led to my seat. I briefly catch Nico's eyes and become seared with the longing in his gaze. He quickly masks his face before meeting another man gaze I hadn't noticed sitting in the back dressed in all black. He must work with Nico because they both carry that scary vibe. Nico nods in my direction, and the man nods back before leaving. What does that mean?

Tears fill my vision as I rush out of the courthouse into the cool air.

    "That was a bold move," remarks a male voice behind me.

I spin around in fright then notice the man that was in the back of the courtroom, leaning against the wall next to the exit. I notice a scar above his right eyebrow that adds to his menacing persona. Midnight black shaggy hair frames his striking dark eyes. He was taller than Nico by an inch or two. And his arms were thick with muscles. If I had to guess, this was the man in charge.

    "Perhaps," I shrug.

    "You know what this means?" I shake my head no, and he leans in to whisper, "You're under our protection now." With that ominous message, he walked away to get in a black SUV with tinted windows.  

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Hi Wattpad friends!

I can't believe this is the last chapter! What a rollercoaster ride it has been. Only the epilogue is left!

If you've enjoyed this story, please give it some love by voting and commenting. The only thing left is the epilogue, which will be posted very soon, so please add this story to your library!

Much love,
Emily Rose (@creativemindxo)