Broken Chains - completed 1st draft

Part 34

No one else visited her and she assumed that was Marco's order. So, she slept with both wrists still in restraint. But when he woke, she was curled up on her side, both arms tucked into her body. Marco was standing by the door talking quietly to Nicola, when Nicola motioned his head to her and Marco turned, whispered something to him before coming over to Liz's bed,

"They are letting you leave tomorrow. But you'll be on 24/7 watch until I can trust you again."

"Who is babysitting me?" Liz asked,

"Nicola and Sara."

Liz sat up in bed in alarm. "You can't do that to me. They hate me."

"Liz, Nicola saved your life. Did you know you have a rare blood type and you were going to die if we didn't find a match? Nicola saved your life."

"Why did he do that?" she asked.

"Because I ordered him to, and everyone follows my orders or suffers the consequences."

Liz huffed, "Their words hurt me, but I wouldn't kill myself because of it. I'm not that weak."

Liz sat up in bed and reached for the water. After a couple of sips, she put the glass down and looked at the man sitting beside her bed, caressing the scar on her right hand.

"Marco, you have to let me go." He looked up at her wide-eyed. She knew she needed to make him understand. "I'm no good for you. I will bring trouble to you, your door, and your mafia family. You don't need it and I'm not worth it."

'Let me make one thing very clear to you, ragazza ingenua. (naive girl) I own Italy. I am the boss of every Capo around Italy. If I tell them to jump off a cliff, they will do it or face a bullet. If I tell them to prepare for a war with the Greeks and the Russians, they wouldn't dare question it. I'm not going to tell you how many Capo and soldiers are under my orders, but just know the moment the Greek or Russian mafia show their hand, they will be exterminated for good."

A chill ran through Liz's body as she thought of the unnecessary deaths, again for her sake.

"Why would they give up their lives for me, just because you order them to?" she asked.

"They wouldn't for you. But they would for their queen." Marco knelt on one knee and took out a black box from his suit pocket. "I wouldn't have left you earlier, but as you see, I needed to go shopping." He laughed and then turned serious. "Liz Finely, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife and sit upon the throne beside me?"

"What are you doing?" Liz gasped and covered her mouth with her hands, "You're crazy. You don't even know me."

"I know that I love you, and we will get to know each other. I know my family will fight to the death for their queen and I know that Yuri won't go near you once we are married. And I know that when I put a bullet in your father's head, we will rule Greece together."

"So, this marriage is to benefit both of us. It doesn't matter that I don't love you?"

"You will in time."

"A marriage of convenience then?" She folded her arms stubbornly.

"I will live by the wedding vows I say to you and I hope you will do the same, Elizabeth."

"You're crazy," she said.

"So, is that a no?" he asked, grinning,

"I don't know why you think I'm worth all this trouble, or why you would want to be stuck with me for the rest of your life. But Marco Lucianno – shit, I must be crazy." She took a deep breath. "Marco Lucianno, I accept your offer of marriage and I pray you never regret your decision."

Marco took the pink diamond ring out of the box and placed it on her finger. Not surprisingly it fit. He stood up, pulling Liz off the bed and wrapped his arms around her as he leaned down and kissed her passionately.

"I will never let anything hurt you again. I never want to see your tears. You're my queen and will be treated as one."

Thanks for continuing on this exciting journey. Please follow, click that little star and tell your friends about the story.

All rights reserved
©Karina Kantas 2021