Word count: 4057
Riley's POV
*
Luciano would be taking me out to eat today and I couldn't be happier. Of course there were so many reasons for the sudden happiness.
One, I would be going out with my boyfriend whom by the way, I've found out that my likeness for him has greatly increased over time and I knew he liked me deeply too.
Two, I would be eating. Lots of amazing food would be at my disposal and I could finally stuff my face with some specially made delicacy made by someone that's neither myself nor the other cooks in the mansion.
Three, I would be going out with Luciano and I'd told him I didn't want any situation where anyone would get hurt so we would be going out with so many guards but that would be better because our safety was more assured this way. It was quite painful to live this way where you had to constantly get monitored but what could I say? I didn't ask to get entangled with someone of his status, it just happened and I loved it.
Also, now I knew he wasn't the only reason people had been trying to harm me. My identity was also part of the reason. My brothers were influential men and had enemies all over the place.
Anyway, I spent the afternoon picking out my attire for the date.
After ransacking through my wardrobe several times, I managed to sort out my costume, which consisted of a black knee length body-con crooked arm dress, black pumps with stones embroidered on the top, a black huge ring Luciano had one of his men deliver to me, a thin but prettily expense and unique silver necklace and a black embroidered stone purse to go along.
After my class which ended at three, I went to take a shower so I could start making my preparations.
Immediately I'd showered and straightened out my hair, I let it fall to my back. Then I put on my clothes and other accessories, including black earrings which were just a smaller size to the ring I was wearing. Next, I shaped out my brows and colored it a little to make it more defined, then I applied a little powder and some eyeliner to give me a simple but also classy look.
Looking at the mirror as I smacked my red matte coated lips together, I knew I was good to go.
I texted Luciano, asking where he was and if he was done getting dressed.
Beast: *I'm just about to shower. Are you done?*
Riley: *Yes. You should've showered since.*
Beast: *Then I'd have taken ages waiting for you. I'll be done in ten minutes.*
I rolled my eyes and cat-walked in my room several times, taking pictures and posing as if I was on a runway show.
Sighing in contentment while I checked the pictures, I posted two on my telegram and tiktok page, then added some effects.
Beast's message suddenly popped up on the top of my phone.
Beast: *where are you?*
Shoot! I giggled guiltily and quickly checked myself in the mirror one last time, spraying a little of each of my three bottles of perfume before dashing out of the room.
But I must be ladylike. So I slowed down and gracefully walked down the stairs.
Beast was sitting on the chair closest to the stairs, checking his watch.
But he looked up when he heard the clinking of my shoes. He slowly got up, his eyes moving over my form and that gave me the time to appreciate him. He looked so good, his grey eyes glinting. He was in deep blue three piece suit, which gave him a charming aura. His hair was combed back while the little at the front fell sideways.
My hold on my purse shook a little and I swallowed thickly, feeling a wave of heat flush through me at his good looking features.
"You look so beautiful." He told me with a gentle expression and I bit my lower lip, smiling.
"You look really handsome as well."
"I know. You look like you want to do wicked things to me." He chuckled in his deep tone and I shook my head at his playfulness. "Shall we?"
He stretched his right hand and I took it. But when he pulled me closer to himself, he instantly snaked an arm around my waist.
"We shall."
With that, we walked out and got into our cars. Surprisingly enough, I didn't see Leo anywhere around but I knew better than to ask, knowing what a jealous boyfriend Luci was.
The ride to the venue was filled with small talks and once the car was parked, we alighted. Luci led me in.
The place was dimly lit but warm and cozy.
"Welcome, Mr Morello. Mrs Morello." The attendant greeted with a blinding smile.
Did she think I was Luci's wife? "Oh. I'm not-"
"Thank you. Lead the way." Luci told her and she led us to our table. A sweet song was playing in the background.
"She thought I was your wife." I chuckled, not wanting to sound like I was eager to be his wife. What does being a wife entail anyway?
"You're my woman." Luci merely stated and pulled out a chair for me, which I sat on while muttering a 'thank you.' He moved the chair on the other side of the small round table and placed it a little closer me, sitting.
"You can go through the menu and call for your order. Before that, would you like to be served some appetizers?"
"What do you have for appetizers?" I asked, skimming through the menu. Surprisingly, there were no prices on them. This made me frown.
"What would you like to have?" Luci's sensual voice asked me instead, breaking me out of my thoughts and I paused to look up at him.
"A cup cake and a plate of melted chocolate." I pouted childishly at him, not caring if I was acting too cute in public.
"Do as she said." Luciano told the waitress and she left immediately.
I closed the menu to ogle Luciano. Yes, ogle him. He looked breathtaking without even trying to and he was sooooo caring. The thought of me spending my time with him made warmth spread through my heart.
"Why is this place empty?" I suddenly noted, blinking but he didn't answer immediately.
Then another waiter rolled a tray of my appetizers in, arranged the small plates neatly on the table and left us.
"This looks sooooo good." I rasped, eager to devour the sweetness before me. Then I looked around again. "Luci, don't you notice this place is practically empty? Are you sure its safe for us to be here? There's no one else here but us."
"That's because I bought the place out for tonight." Luci said calmly.
I gasped. "Luci! This place must be so darn expensive." Even though there were no prices on the meals.
I looked around but he just casually picked a tendril from my baby hair and smoothen it behind my ear. "I can afford it baby. Also, your safety is more important to me. There's a full assurance that the diner is safely guarded."
I stooped looking around and gave him puppy eyes. "Aww. you're so cute when you call me baby."
"Should I show you cute?" He asked me with some threat in his voice and I could already see the raw hunger building in his eyes as he stared at me like a hungry lion staring at its prey.
I quickly shook my head in resignation without even bothering to think of what he could possibly do to me with that gaze. Then we chatted a bit and being the foodslut I was, I quickly rang the waiter to make my orders, ordering Wagyu beef. I'd seen it online once and wished I could try it out because of the praises and reviews it got. If I remember correctly, the Wagyu beef translates to 'Japanese Beef' and it's so delicately prepared. Then I also ordered Matsutake mushrooms, which was also a delicious Japanese meal. There were so many delicious dishes on the menu so I ordered for the ones I'd seen online but was told it couldn't be easily ordered from just anywhere. We ordered a wine to go along with it. Luci told the waitress to bring the same meal I ordered for him.
"What was your life like growing up?" I took a bite of the delicious cake and hissed in pleasure.
"Not the typical teenager life. I had to be guarded around everyone. I only trusted my brother and godfather.
"What about Dennis?"
"He later earned my trust. I was grieving my parents then and they'd been killed along with all their bodyguards and loyal men. It was hard to believe what anyone said."
I held his hand and smiled, taking another bite. "Tell me more. How did you know your uncle was the enemy?"
The waiter rolled a much wider tray in, making me salivate regardless of the half eaten cake in front of me. When they left, Luci continued.
"I knew all along that he was the enemy. My cousin Massimo, his adopted son told me. And Massimo was also a boy then. He loved me to the point of sacrificing himself for me so he told me everything that happened when we met in secret."
"Wow. To go against his own father...he really lived him."
"Adopted father. My uncle was ruthless. You have no idea what he made my people go through when I wasn't around all these years."
"It must've been hard talking to your uncle and not showing any resentment all these years."
"I almost had him assassinated. But my godfather forbade me from doing anything to uncle and we waited till I'd grown up and was about to be coronated before I gave him the right punishment."
"You've hard a hard time." I sympathized and finished the last spoon of my chocolate, then rubbed my suddenly growling stomach.
I didn't want to start devouring the food immediately I was done with the appetizers but guess I'd have to do that.
"It's fine." Luci said. Then he picked a plate and delicately cut up the beef into small pieces, with heated concentration. After, he added the mushroom.
He passed his plate over to me and took mine.
"Thank you." I murmured and took a bite. The delicately and calculatingly prepared beef melted on my tongue. "Hmm. This is so perfectly cooked. Have you been here before?"
"Yes."
"Oh." That piqued my interest. "You come here often?" I chewed another slice.
"No. But I've signed deals at two consecutive times in this diner."
"Well thanks for bringing me here. Their food is nice. So after dinner, where next? You mentioned something about the elders earlier on." I chewed while talking.
He was eating so gracefully, as if a camera was hidden on the side.
"Yes. I need to properly bring you to meet with the Elders."
"Okay..." I said skeptically, wondering what that would be for. The elderly men from the coronation looked really stern and scary. I wouldn't want to get on their bad side, since even Luci held them in high regard.
"Don't worry. They're pretty much harmless." He told me and then proceeded to eat a little more portion of his meal before staring at me till I shamelessly finished my meal..and his.
When we were done, I sighed in contentment. "This is so good. I wish I could live here." I moaned.
"Why?" He stared at my mouth with a concentrated gaze and I licked my lower lip, subconsciously pressing my thighs together.
"The food here is so good." I replied a little breathlessly.
Luci's penetrating stare didn't leave my face. Gently, he picked a napkin and wiped the edges of my mouth. "You're so cute when you eat."
His gentle touch sent a ripple of pleasure through me and I sighed again. He was just too caring.
I blushed a little. "Thank you." I murmured.
"We should leave now. So we can meet the elders soon before I tuck you back into bed."
"Oh." I licked the side of my lips. "Can we get some takeaway of the meal we ordered?"
"They'll sort it and hand it over to one of my men." He motioned to one of his men, who I never even noticed before because he was sitting on the far end from us.
"Okay. Let's go...wait, we've not paid the bills."
"They wouldn't accept it even if I tried to pay." He shrugged and gave me a rare, dazzling smile as if he was telling me an inside joke. I smiled in return.
"Guess I'll just drop a tip for the waitress then. She was really professional." I dropped a fifty dollar bill and we were escorted out.
The ride to our next destination was silent, up to the point we swerved into a grand estate. I stared at the vicinity in awe, wondering how rich the people staying in all the houses would be. They all looked grad, with fountain beside two houses. When we finally parked in front of a white painted castle like house, I gasped in wonderment.
"Let's go." Luci got down and helped me alight. Then he led me in. There were bodyguards...everywhere. In the garden. At the doors, the walls, the passages, just everywhere.
The people in the reception-like room we stepped into all gave nods as Luci led me down a corridor. Then we stepped into a black panted room and I blinked, realizing it was a large well furnished room where so many men were already present. But why were the furniture and wall paintings and their dressings and the walls all black?
I swallowed.
Immediately we walked in, they all stopped talking and faced us.
"Elders. Thank you all for gracing me with your honorable presence." Luciano stated and led me to the largest seat which was at the end of the table. He helped me sit on the chair by the left and then took his own seat on the large, throne-like chair.
Their choruses of response followed and I looked from one man to the other as I made myself comfortable on the chair but the faces were too much for me to bother about remembering them if Luciano even introduced us.
"So why have you invited us over?" One of the men with slanted eyes asked.
"I would like to introduce my girlfriend to you all."
Another round of soft murmurs followed.
"She is the same girl that was betrothed to me when she was born several years back. She is Riley Evans."
"Hello elders. It's nice to meet you all." I stated loudly, raising my chin in the air to show some confidence. I kept my hands to my sides and struggled not to fidget with the purse in my right hand.
"I received word from Brianna." One of the Elders said loudly while the others were replying me and their heads all whipped in his direction.
"What did she say?" Luciano asked.
"You know more than anyone present here what she said, since she only repeated your words as a feedback of the message I sent her." His brown eyes narrowed as he spoke. He had thin, straight brows and slightly puckered lips.
"You should've called me yourself if you had any special requests, Elder Stravkos."
"There's no need to cry over spilt milk. I'll have another one of my girls sent over." He waved his hand off dismissively and my brows furrowed a little even though I wasn't clear on what they were discussing yet.
Why did his tone sound so rude and dismissive? Luciano IS the Mafioso head.
Some of the elders murmured amidst themselves.
"That wouldn't be necessary as I've finally found the one I was betrothed to and we are to become a family soon." Luciano stated dismissively.
I gasped softly at his words and grabbed his hand to hold it tightly, my heart soaring. Was this an indirect proposal?
"Impudence! And who might that be?" The Elder's tone sounded grave.
Luciano spared him a single glance before looking away to stare at my thighs. "Is there need to ask such a question when you already know the obvious answer?"
"What exactly is so special about her? Non sei adatto a essere il nostro leader se puoi essere controllato dalle emozioni e ho ricevuto la voce che ti ha stregato con la sua bellezza. No woman owns a mafioso leader, absolutely none." The man argued fiercely but I narrowed my eyes at him, not caring if he was Luciano's respected elder or not because he sure as hell didn't sound like one right now.
"You aren't fit to be our leader if you can be controlled by emotions and I've received word that she has bewitched you with her beauty."
Luciano kept mute though, and that seemed to fuel the man's anger.
"Did she tell you she once had a boyfriend and they were even cozy on the night he finally got killed? Who's to say she never got f*cked by that loser? For all I know, you never cared enough to ask about her all those time and you simply left it all to us. So, why bother now? You shouldn't make yourself subjected to anyone, talk less a woman, who is a lesser creature." He sneered in his deep voice but the words made my skin prick with irritation. I'd had enough of him talking down on me.
Weren't women humans as well? Or if he had a relationship problem, did he have to bring it here to show off his egoistic and immature attitude?! So irritating!
Luciano smirked as he watched the old man rain words while the others kept mute, still murmuring lowly amongst themselves.
I pinched his thigh, feeling pained that someone was talking to me like this and he was taking it all in.
"What?" He asked so softly that only I could hear.
"I'll kill the old thing if he keeps this up." I whispered with anger bubbling inside me.
He looked down at me but shook his head softly, then squeezed my thigh.
Sighing, I nodded.
Then all of a sudden, Luca, Beast's godfather, stood up and opened his arms wide, a smirk on his face.
"John Stravkos, is there something else in your mind or are you simply looking for excuses to gain more power?"
Luci's Godfather didn't even shout but there was a pin drop silence after he spoke. Elder Stravkos also furrowed his brows and instantly stopped speaking.
"Gentlemen, good evening. We the brotherhood have been bonded by blood since the time the positions were handed over to us by our fathers and their fathers and their fathers, who were also sworn brothers. Am I right?"
"Yes." The men at the table chorused.
"The constitution has all our well stipulated rules, doesn't it?"
"It does."
He gestured over to one of the bodyguards who was carrying a thick book.
"Leggi le prime cinque conseguenze dichiarate nel nostro libro sulla Costituzione, vai al Codice di condotta nella sezione DISRESPECT del leader."
"Read the first five consequences stated in our Constitution book, go to the Code Of Conduct under the CAPO DISRESPECT section."
I looked at Luci who looked as calm as ever. Come to think of it, the only times I'd ever seen him panic were when I was injured or shot or kidnapped.
I sighed in bliss. This man loved me too much, more than he realized.
"The mafia Code Of Conduct, article sixteen, Leader disrespect and their respected punishments. One, plotting against the leader is punishable by death. Two, talking back against the leader is punishable by death. Three, disrespecting the leaders wishes and talking down on him is punishable by death. Four, working hand in hand with the enemy and snitching is punishable by death. Five-"
Elder Stravkos vibrated in fury. "I never snitched on Capo. I wouldn't even dare to, even if I-"
"Shhh." Luca shushed him and motioned for the man to keep reading. The elder glared but kept mute.
"Five, stealing from the leader. The criminal's wife, concubines, children, close friends and close relatives will be assassinated along with him."
The elder got up. "This isn't right. I'm being accused unjustly. I didn't do any of these things. I'm not a criminal, I am a respectable Elder."
Luca sighed. "Va bene anziani. Il giuramento di Omerta è davanti a noi. Vorrei che esprimessimo un voto. You all have eyes, and you all have ears. This man has cheated you in several ways and he went away with it all these years. Be it coercing you into things you didn't want or snatching your deals and taking all the glory. We all preach honesty among the brotherhood, but where is that honesty? Elder Paul, didn't he once sleep with your wife and paid you into silence? Do you think he's too powerful to be dealt with? Potrei non parlare o coinvolgermi nelle tue faccende personali, ma ho occhi e orecchie dappertutto. Mi sento tradito per tuo conto. Se non ci sostieni utilizzando l'opuscolo del Codice di condotta, parla ora. O mantieni la pace per sempre."
"Alright Elders. The Omerta oath is before us. I would like us to cast a vote."
"I might not speak or involve myself in your personal matters, but I have eyes and ears all over. I feel cheated on your behalf. If you don't support us using the Code of Conduct booklet, speak now. Or forever hold your peace."
Luca sat down.
I looked around the table. No one spoke for a few seconds. Then suddenly, a man with slight grey hair but soft features stood up.
"I just want to say something."
"Go on." The men chorused solemnly.
"I can relate to what Elder Luca said. I might be one of the most feared Elders but I'm also one of the most softhearted in the brotherhood. Do you all remember how we used to be when we newly joined this foundation? The vibrancy, the honesty and righteousness we dealt with each other. Why then did we allow so much corruption and greed in our midst? We all know one of the first rules we were taught since our teenage years was that you don't covet what belongs to another. Especially their women. Elder Stravkos, you have a lovely wife and concubines in every state in the US, even some in other continents. Why did you still blackmail Elder Paul's wife to sleep with you? Is death that desirable to you that you can't wait to meet your end? You snatch deals from people despite all the billions in your several accounts. You disobey the Code of Conduct and kill people recklessly, as if that's what we preach here. You disregard the relevance of the brotherhood. Now you've dragged your wife, children and grandchildren into this dark abyss. I believe you deserve what you get." He sat.
Elder Stravkos looked red as a lobster.
"Thank you Elder. Now is there anyone who objects to the punishment we will deliver to him? Speak. Now. Going. Going...gone. Elder Stravkos, you will be escorted home to your family where they're all waiting to be executed. Meeting dismissed." Luca walked out and the elders, all looking grave slowly strolled out behind him.
I swallowed thickly as Luci motioned for me to get up. We left in a somber mood. Well, I was sad and gloomy but Luci was working on his laptop all through the journey back home, with bodyguards following behind us.
Did we have to kill his whole family?
Did they even have to resort to death?
Was this how Luci would kill people who disrespected him, without even lifting a finger?
Did his innocent grandchildren deserve to die this way?
I sobbed silently, facing the window so Luci wouldn't notice I was crying. Then slowly, I felt a sudden tiredness and succumbed into the whispers of a deep sleep.