Til Death Do Us Part

  • FallenHope95

    FallenHope95 (100)

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    Did she fall into an alternate universe? What in the world is going on? Just this morning, Aelia was pretty sure she woke up naked in front of men, being given the ultimatum about marrying some guy or dying. Now, she's getting wedding things that she's only ever dreamed of. In places that she knew she'd never even been able to afford. It was like, Lia was constantly playing hop scotch with worm holes or something. She couldn't even wrap her mind around where they could have possibly decided that the wedding would be held.

    Doing as she was told by the bossy ladies, Aelia quickly went back into the dressing room. She changed into the dress that Nicola had given her to wear. Thinking about it, how did his men even know what she'd fit into? Well, on another thought, she really didn't. Although, what she did want to know was, who was Nicola really? An who was Luca to this group? High ranking officials or something? Did mafia really even has ranks like in the movies and books?

    Pursing her lips together, Aelia smoothed out her hair and dress. She really didn't want to, but she had to hurry to meet up with the older women. They seemed to be on a time crunch and Aelia was sure that her mind would be driving her crazy if she got lost in her mind once more.

    So, stepping out of the dressing room in her dress. Aelia looked around warily before moving to leave the store. The guard that was inside, was right behind her as she moved around. Probably ready to jump her if she tried to do anything funny. Then, as she got outside, Aelia followed the other guards lead and got into the limo as he was holding the door open for her.

    "Is there anything else besides the rings that we need?" Aelia asked as she glanced towards the other women who were in the car. This whole thing was sprung upon her, so Lia was kinda clueless about what else she could possibly need.
    June 25th, 2019 at 07:20pm
  • Sweet.Persephone

    Sweet.Persephone (100)

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    "We need to go pick our floral arrangements and then the caterer. Everything else has already been taken care of. So after testing out the food, you will be brought back to the hotel room to rest." Gaia responded to her before glancing out of the window, leaning back into the limo to relax.

    Sophia let out a small sigh. "We aren't going to make it to the spa, are we?" She asked, at which point Maria shook her head. "It is a shame but there is simply too much to do and not enough time to do it in... maybe we can fit something in tomorrow morning?" With that, Maria pulled out her phone and started to text away.

    The youngest girl, Juliet turned to Aelia and gave her a warm smile. "That would be some fun at least, wouldn't it? Going to the spa for a bit, that is. we couldn't do anything dramatic but maybe get our nails done." Her smile brightened at the thought.

    As the conversation continued to drone on about the spa and the treatments the woman could get done on the day of a wedding, the car was soon stopped again. The woman came out one by one, followed by the bodyguards again as well. Though, unlike the last place, there was still quite a bit going on in this jewelry shop. It was open, people were walking in and out and there was a normal number of salespeople.

    However, as the women walked in, they were whisked away to a consolation room. A man was sitting on the other side of a long glass table, filled with only the best jewelry that the shop had to offer at a moment's notice. All of it was custom, made only by the best and easily coveted by those who knew fashion.

    The man stood up and smiled at the woman as they walked in. "Good Afternoon, Ladies. Please sit down." He motioned for them to sit in the chairs before sitting down again himself. "I was told that you are looking for wedding rings?"
    June 27th, 2019 at 03:43am
  • FallenHope95

    FallenHope95 (100)

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    All of this wedding stuff utterly blew Aelia's mind. Who would have thought that so much stuff went into planning a wedding? Well, she heard that they take a long time to plan, but she didn't know that the wedding party picked all of this stuff out. No wonder weddings were usually planned a few months to a year or so ahead of time. All of this stuff was exhausting.

    "I've actually never been to a spa, so I wouldn't really know what to be excited about." Aelia chimed in quietly with the girls, offering a weak smile towards Juliet at her words. It would be a lie if Aelia said she didn't think that getting her nails done professionally didn't sound fun, but. She really didn't know what to expect. Back at home, she didn't have the time to get her nails done, nor did she have the need to. Her grandparents owned a farm and all of the people she grew up with weren't very girly or hid it in their cowboy and cowgirl fashion.

    As they arrived at the jewelry store, Aelia could feel her nerves starting to reawaken. There were so many sparkling rings, earrings, and bracelets in this store. Surely, all more expensive than the last. "Wow." Aelia breathed out quietly as she followed the group of girls through the sore and into the back.

    "That we are," Gaia said as she sat down, followed by the other girls. Aelia was positioned in the middle of the group since she was the one getting married. "I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of picking out the top pieces." The man said as he pulled out a row of rings from under the glass and set it on the table for the girls to clearly see.

    An audible gasp escaped from Sophia as she saw the rings. "Is that a Marcelle Bonita's spring collection?" She asked, pointing at the two rings on the right that were rose gold bands with the diamonds shaped into roses. "That they are." The man said, then offered a small smile towards her. Then, he looked back towards Lia and asked for her hand so that he could size her finger. Then, he went about pointing out what rings would be good for her since she had such slender fingers and small hands.

    After trying on a few rings, Aelia seemed to settle on a pretty ring that was simple and had her favorite colors in it. "That is from an up and coming designer Matteo Cansio, he's the son of Lillianna Cansio, a famous actress here in Italy." The man explained to Aelia, which she found interesting.

    The rest of the conversation in the jewelry store was a blur, as well as the visit to the floral shop and the catering testing. All of the flowers that Aelia got to look at with the girls was fun and she loved being able to sample so many different Italian foods. As that was actually the reason she was there. She was a foodie, and she also loved history, so it was kinda like she was on an all expenses paid tour of catering companies here in Italy.

    By the time Aelia got back to the hotel, she felt like she was going to faint. She was so tired and full from the walking and the food that she felt like she could just fall asleep standing up. A tired sigh escaped from the young girl as she sank to the floor in the middle of the hotel rooms living room. She was exhausted, and to think that more was going to occur tomorrow. That thought, caused another tired sigh to escape from Aelia. She was starting to slightly wonder if she had made the right choice.
    June 27th, 2019 at 04:55am
  • Sweet.Persephone

    Sweet.Persephone (100)

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    Luca looked up from the bar area as he watched his bride to be walk into the hotel room and sink to the floor of the room. He raised an eyebrow, finding it rather odd that she would do something like that. Though, as he looked over at the time, the man could understand why. She had been out for quite a while now and he was rather sure that the woman didn't take the best care of her. They wouldn't hurt her or anything like that but they were strong willed and liked to get what they personally wanted.

    He set his glass down before walking over to the pile that was on the floor. "Long day?" The man asked her before reaching a hand out, waiting for her to take it. If she ended up not doing so, Luca reached down and picked her up in his arms and started to carry her up the stairs. Aelia needed to be well rested the next day and the floor was not going to do that for her. Plus, he didn't want to hear the woman complaining that he had left her to sleep on the carpet.

    Once they were at the top of the stairs, Luca turned right and brought her into the bedroom. It was slightly smaller than the one that he was in, but still luxurious and every way. He brought her down onto the bed before speaking. "Everything you need is in here. Make sure not to leave your room until 8am. I will be gone by then and I promised that I wouldn't see you before the wedding."

    With that settled, Luca turned and headed off to his own bedroom.
    June 30th, 2019 at 02:38am
  • FallenHope95

    FallenHope95 (100)

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    With a wrinkle of her nose, Aelia turned her head away from Luca. She didn't need his help, she was just tired. Give her a few moments and she'd be able to catch her breath and walk to where ever her room was. She was a big girl, besides, it wasn't like Luca cared about her at all. Right? "I'm okay." She mumbled quietly.

    Then a small squeak escaped from Aelia as Luca so effortlessly picked her up. She was so surprised by the action that she forgot to struggle against him. Her mind was only able to focus on how tired she was at the moment. Although, after a moment she finally got some sense knocked back into her and gently grasped onto his jacket to help stabilize herself. A little scared that he'd drop her on the hard floor.

    "Thanks," Lia mumbled quietly as Luca placed her on the bed. Although, it seemed that her words of gratitude were going unheard as Luca spoke up before he left. Probably going to his own room, leaving Lia alone in the rather large room by herself.

    Taking a second to take in her surroundings, Aelia took in the room. The plush pillows and blanket. The mattress that she could just sink into and possibly sleep for ages. The lovely beige colored flooring and walls. The white accent on the edge of the doorway and the walls. This place just screamed luxuriously and she couldn't wait to see what the view outside that rather large window that took up most of the wall was going to look like either. An with that, Lia fell asleep, curled up in the fluffy blankets.

    It had to of been no more than five minutes because it felt like as soon as Lia closed her eyes, she had people barging into her room. Being rushed into the bathroom, she was instructed to shower and shave, then with a robe wrapped around herself, Lia was pushed into a chair that was put in her room. A group of three make-up artists got to work on fixing her make-up for the day as another girl got to work on fixing her hair for her. Wanting to make sure that Aelia looked perfect for the big day.

    Then, once she was done with her hair and make-up, the group of people who rushed Lia while she was asleep got her into her dress. It barely registered in Aelia's mind until this moment. Marriage. She was getting married, today, in a few hours to a man she barely even knew. To a mafia member. To a man who killed people and exported them for pleasure and personal gain.

    Suddenly, Lia felt sick to her stomach. She tried to run to the bathroom but the people in her room holding her back. Telling her that she didn't have time for cold feet. She didn't have time to feel anxious. Luca was waiting for her, the man who held her future in his hands was waiting for her to come and marry against her will.

    "I don't want to do this," Lia mumbled quietly, shaking her head as she was pushed out of the room. One of her guards from the other day put an arm around her waist, using just enough force to pull her, but not enough to leave any sort of bruise or marks of the sort. "No, no stop. I can't do this. I'm sorry, but I can't." Lia said, turning and trying to run back to the room once they were in the hall. The man acted quick and grabbed onto her wrist, this time a little harsher, but still not going to leave any bruises.

    By the time they got down to the limo that was waiting for them, Aelia had cried so much her mascara ran down her face. Lucky for her, as she was forced into the limp, she had a makeup team waiting to fix her make-up for her.

    Closing her eyes, Aelia allowed for them to fix her make-up. She had no more tears anyways. Her mind was shutting off and she just slumped back in the seat. Her eyes dulling as she just stared boredly out the window. Wondering how in the world she had gotten here, Why she had to be the one to see the shooting. Why she had to play hero and try to call the cops. Those people were dead already. It wasn't any of her business, she should have just run off and imagined that nothing had happened. It didn't concern her.

    By the time they got to where ever the wedding was to be held, Aelia was just not having it. Sure, she followed the guard who was dragging her into the little waiting room for her to cool off before the ceremony, but, still. Even then, Aelia couldn't handle help but to pace. She didn't want this, she didn't want this at all. She just wanted to go home.

    When it was time and a guard opened the door to her waiting room. Aelia was all set to try and make a run for it, but, then she saw it. The gun in his waistband. The non-caring look in his face. He was prepared to kill her. She could actually die today. This man was prepared to kill her if she didn't follow their little plan. Her whole family could die. It would be her fault. Her fault that people who had nothing to do with that shooting were being killed. Innocent people, dead because of her. It'll be her fault, her fault. All her fault.

    There she went, walking to meet up with Luca. She didn't dare look up into his eyes. His judgmental dark gaze that didn't care about her. She was getting married, right now, to a man she didn't know. To save her family. She had to protect them, because of the stupid mistake she had to pretty much give up her freedom. This was for them, she would do anything for her family.

    Finally, after all of the talking was done. Aelia turned towards Luca. Her bright green eyes on his dark eyes. The man said a few more things to the two of them before telling them that they were now wed and could kiss. Her eyes closed, the feeling of his lips on her brief. The sound of clapping deafening. Her eyes slowly opened, looking into the eyes of a murderer. The eyes of a man she had no feelings for. The eyes of a monster in a suit. "Oh god, what have I done." She mumbled quietly, her words not being heard over the cheers of Luca's mafia family's proud words about him finally finding someone towed. That they could finally continue with some plan, that he was finally a man.

    For the next three years, for the next three years. Lia will play a pawn in that plan, she was tossed into a life she wasn't ready for. Slowly, her eyes closed and a small sigh escaped from Aelia. She had no idea what she was getting herself into.
    June 30th, 2019 at 04:35am
  • Sweet.Persephone

    Sweet.Persephone (100)

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    Luca wrapped an arm around Aelia's waist as he lead her down the aisle. He smiled warmly at his family as they threw confetti into the air and onto the newlyweds. Soon enough, they were being shuffled out of the ceremony area and into a back room for them to relax as the others made their way into the gardens in the back, allowing them to begin cocktail hour.

    Once in the room, Luca let out a sigh as he fell back into the couch, his eyes lifted up as he looked too Aelia. He could see the look on her face, the regret swimming in her eyes. The man was quiet as he watched his new bride looking around almost aimlessly. Luca let out a sigh as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. "You're doing yourself no good, letting yourself drown in the decision you made." Luca told her.

    "It wasn't an easy one, but in the end the right now. I am sure you are upset but let me make a vow to you, a real vow. Not the ones that they made us say but one that I intend to keep." Luca stood up and walked over to the girl. The man lightly took her arm and brought her over to the couch, having her sit down before he sat down next to her. "As long as you keep my secrets, I vow that I will keep you safe. I vow, that while you are with me, I will do what I can to make your life easier. I know this is not what either of us wanted, but I want to make it clear that I don't really want to hurt you or anything like that. I just need you for a bit."

    Luca was being honest with his words, this time deciding not to threaten her. The man was fine with using her, if he needed to, with punishing her, if he had. Or with killing her, her family and her friends if she ended up burning him badly. Though, if he could, Luca knew it was easier to fake kindness, to fake empathy, and to give her things that would, hopefully, buy her loyalty. Having a scared shitless wife for 3 years sounded miserable to Luca. If he could make her happy, it would be easier.

    The man took his phone and placed it into her hands, showing Aelia a copy of her financial records at the school. In the document showed that everything for the next two years of schooling had already been paid for. "This is my wedding gift to you. I have your schooling paid for, your classes, your tuition, your books, your supplies and some extra money for whatever else you might need on your student ID. I know this isn't what you wanted, it wasn't what I wanted either, to be honest. But at least let me take care of you while you're forced to have me." Luca put his phone away before lifting his head up and looking at Aelia's face, hoping that the woman would calm down a little.
    July 4th, 2019 at 05:11am
  • FallenHope95

    FallenHope95 (100)

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    Anxiety was a terrible thing to have. It makes your mind run rapid, thoughts will spin out of control and soon, you'll be devoured by your deepest fears. All because of one little mood. A trait that was often over looked in people. A feeling that barely anyone understood. A thing that people classified as a disability. Anxiety ran rapidly with Aelia at the moment. She couldn't tell what was right and what was left. She just wanted the day to be over, to redo her whole life, but, she couldn't. Anxiety and her life were things that she wasn't able to take back, even if she wanted to.

    A tired sigh escaped from Aelia as she followed Luca towards the couch in the room. Her head down and eyes closed as she tried to calm her breathing. She listened to him speak, trying to find any lies or threats that the man could be hiding on her, but she couldn't pick up any. She wanted to believe in Luca's words, about wanting her to trust him, that he'd not hurt her, but in all of the movies that she's seen. Someone always gets hurt in the mafia world, especially those who were innocent.

    Hearing the rustling of something being pulled from a pocket, Aelia lifted her gaze and looked at Luca. Her eyes showed worry as she watched him type on his phone, and then gasped as she saw what he was showing her. "Oh my god." Aelia breathed out, as she saw all of the numbers. She had been worried about how she'd be able to afford her schooling. The cost of a book was about the same as her paycheck back at the cafe she had worked at. This was a huge weight lifted from her shoulders and as much as she hated to admit it. She liked having her things paid for. As snooty as it was, she was thankful that Luca was loaded, because now she could focus on just her studies and really pass them.

    Closing her eyes, Aelia did her best to calm down. She breathed in deeply through her nose and slowly exhaled through her mouth a few times. "Thank you, Luca." She said quietly as she raised a hand and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she looked up at the man she was now married to. They didn't know anything about each other, they come from two different countries, and things for them aren't normal. Hell, she doesn't even know if he knew the meaning of a normal life, but she was thankful for one thing today. Aelia was thankful that Luca was at least not going to bully her the whole time.

    "Wait, give me your phone," Aelia said quietly, holding her hand out for him to give it back to her. "I'm not going to do anything bad, I swear." She did her best to seem innocent as she waited to see if Luca would listen to her. "We need to put a picture of us on my facebook, it'll be the easiest way to let my friends and family know why I suddenly got a rock on my finger and am living with a guy." She mumbled and then grabbed his phone as she turned her back to him. Then, Lia leaned back a little bit so that it looked like she was laying against Luca's chest.

    Once the picture was taken, Aelia had him send it to her so that she could upload it later. "If you want me to play a loving wife, then I expect you to indulge me in photo ops to seem like a good husband." She told Luca as she handed him the phone back. Lia did her best to lift the edges of her lips into a smile, although they didn't quite reach her eyes since she was still a little upset about everything.
    July 4th, 2019 at 03:34pm
  • Sweet.Persephone

    Sweet.Persephone (100)

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    It took Luca a moment but he did, hesitantly, give Aelia his phone. Once he saw what she was doing, he visibly relaxed. It was nothing too bad, her just wanting a photo. Why she wanted one, Luca did not fully understand but he was going to let her take it. After all, it would do no harm to him and it would make Aelia happy. So, Luca smiled for the photo. Once she finished up, he took his phone back and sent the image to her own cell phone.

    "I can indulge you in your photos from time to time." Luca said with a light smile. He could tell that she was still upset. There wasn't a lot that he could do about it though. Aelia would probably be that way for a while, at least until she learned that things weren't going to be so bad. Luca did plan on taking care of her, and he wanted to keep her out of the business as much as possible for his own sake. This really was just for image, and to get into her country. There wasn't a lot Luca would need from her once they were there.

    Reaching up, Luca, carefully, patted her head before he stood up and reached his hand out to her. "We should go down now. There is a party waiting for us and I heard that the food is going to be delicious." Once Aelia took his hand, he lead her back to the party. Before they entered, they were announced in as "Mr. and Mrs. Massina." As they walked in, people cheered, clapped and smiled at the two of them. There was flashes of light as the photographer took photos of the happy couple.

    As they walked in the rest of the way, people started to come up to them. They congratulated them on the marriage, told them how lovely the ceremony was or told Aelia how beautiful she looked in her wedding dress. One woman came forward and smiled at the two before gushing about how they were a beautiful looking couple.
    July 9th, 2019 at 03:44pm
  • FallenHope95

    FallenHope95 (100)

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    Even though she was putting on a smile, Aelia's heart still felt heavy. She could not believe that she had gone through with all of this. That something like this could happen to her. That she was still alive and surrounded by people who were in the mafia life. They all seemed like normal people. Mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, cousins and friends. It all blew her mind. Everyone just seemed so, so normal to her. Of course, if she turned a certain way, she could see the occasional gun in a guys waistband under his suit jacket and Luca was no different, but still. It just all seemed so normal.

    It's been a while, but this whole wedding thing felt so normal as well. Like they were an actual couple that was in love and wanted to get married. The music that played softly, the laugh's that escaped from peoples mouths. Everyone seemed truly happy to support them, but, were they happy that a deal was made and they were getting access to her home country? Or, were some of these people left out of the news and genuinely think that Lia and Luca are married because they love each other?

    Raising her glass of water to her lips, Aelia allowed for her eyes to roam over the party. Luca was right, the food was good, but she didn't want to seem like a pig and eat everything. She's married to an Italian mobster now, surely, she'll have access to amazing Italian food from now on. Right? The corner of her lips raised in an imitated smile as she caught the looks from some of the party goers, wanting to seem like she was still having fun and enjoying herself. A little while ago, she had excused herself from Luca's side to get some water, but now, she didn't really know where he had gone.

    Cupping the glass with both of her hands, Aelia slowly found her way outside as she looked for Luca. Of course, as soon as her eyes landed on the small garden in the back of the building, Lia couldn't help but to want to explore it, not to mention see the fountain that was in the center.

    As she stepped down the stone steps, her shoes clicked slightly. Alerting the people who were around guarding the place to her presence. The stone path branched from the steps and went to the right, left and straight. Bushes and flower beds being cut in half by the paths that ran through them for people to explore.

    Walking down the straight path, Aelia slowly made her way to the fountain. The tall feature that had an incredible scene of a dragon curling around the fountain's center and allowing water to flow from its mouth.

    "Le feste dentro, questo non è il posto giusto per nascondere una sposa arrossita." The sudden voice caused Aelia to jump slightly and she quickly spun around to see who had followed her. As soon she did though, she really wished she hadn't, as Nicola was standing a couple of steps behind her. A few guards were at his side and he didn't look to please to see that Aelia wasn't inside surrounded by his people.

    "Sorry, I just. Needed some air." Lia said quietly, not sure what he had said to her, but assumed it was along the lines of asking her why she was out here. The older man just looked at Aelia, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "It would be best if you remembered your place at these family gatherings, signorina, you are part of the Massina famiglia now. You need to start watching your back. You never know when a dose of betrayal will strike." Nicola said as he glanced towards the dragon statue and then turned to leave, leaving Aelia to stand there confused and a little scared. This whole fake marriage thing was getting more nerve-wracking by the second.

    1. The parties inside, this is no place for a blushing bride to be hiding.
    2. young lady
    3. famiglia
    July 12th, 2019 at 05:11pm
  • Sweet.Persephone

    Sweet.Persephone (100)

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    Luca wasn't overly concerned when Aelia left his side. It was a large party and there were enough people and guards watching her that she wouldn't be able to escape. And, in truth, he didn't think that the woman was trying to either. It seemed more likely that she wanted to get a drink or some food. Perhaps she needed to use the bathroom or wanted to talk to someone? She wouldn't know anyone here but it was still possible. Besides, Luca wanted to spend some time with the people he wasn't going to see for a while in a few days from now.

    Though, after more and more minutes started to go by with no sight of his bride, Luca started to grow a bit nervous. Not having her by his side at the wedding was odd enough but not having here in the room at all was concerning. And the last thing he wanted to do was lose her. Aelia was his ticket into France. A ticket that he desperately needed now that things were beginning to move into motion. Though, before Luca was really able to worry about it, one of the guards came up and whispered into his ear, letting him now where Aelia had headed off too.

    Excusing himself from his current conversation, Luca made his way outside of the party to where Aelia was last seen. As he continued down the path, soon enough he saw his bride standing besides the fountain outside. At least she was not trying to run away but this was also not where he wanted the woman to be. Though, Luca supposed, that this was an emotional day for her and he was willing to give her a break on their wedding day.

    "What are you doing out here?" Luca asked as he moved besides her. The man glanced at the fountain before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a few coins. "I assume that you wanted to make a wish?" He asked before handed her one of the coins. It was something that tourists like to do a lot in Italian fountains, throw in money and make a wish for something. It wasn't something that Luca believed in but he didn't care if she did at all.
    July 16th, 2019 at 11:45pm
  • FallenHope95

    FallenHope95 (100)

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    As the Private Jet that Luca owned landed on the strip a small sense of relief washed over Aelia. As well as a little bit of anxiety. She was extremely glad to be home, on familiar soil and surrounded by a language that she understood as well as things that she could read, but. She came back married to a man who killed and extorted for a living. Things will never be the same as they used to be. She was in something that she had no control over, a life that she only saw on tv or dreamed about. Never had she wanted it?

    Casting a small tired look towards the men who sat at the front of the plane, Aelia raised a hand and gently rubbed her eyes. She had sat at the back of the jet while the guards and Luca sat elsewhere. She didn't want to try and eavesdrop on them, instead deciding to read and sleep the whole flight. Not that it was very hard to sleep as Luca decided to have her sedated so that he could have trackers implanted in her.

    Just the thought of the trackers sent a chill down her spine. She could feel them slightly, small as half a grain of rice, implanted right under her skin on her right thigh and left arm. He was anal about knowing where she was. Lia didn't blame him though, she just wished he would have talked to her about it instead of forcing it upon her. The evidence of her disapproval was obvious in the growing bruise on one of the guards cheeks where she had hit them with the back of her head before being sedated.

    A small sigh escaped from Aelia as she slowly stood from her spot and followed Luca off of the plane. Her carry-on held tightly in her arms as she had used her bag as a pillow. Sure, there was a bedroom on the plane for her and Luca, but she didn't want to think about what went on in there.

    Exiting the plane, Aelia followed Luca towards a fancy looking car and got in the back with him. The windows were tinted as dark as possible, no dought for safety. "Well, welcome to France," Aelia said quietly, still a little drowsy as she relaxed in her seat, not looking at Luca as she focused on the passing scenery as the car started to drive.
    July 18th, 2019 at 06:18pm
  • Sweet.Persephone

    Sweet.Persephone (100)

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    Luca gave her a small hum in response as he focused on his phone. He knew that Aelia was mad but he didn't really care. The trackers were important. He needed to know where she was at all times and it didn't matter how much she fought him on it, it was going to happen. Luca thought it was better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.... though he wasn't going to ask for forgiveness either. This was something that Aelia was just going to have to get over.

    It wasn't long before the car was pulling up to their new home. Luca had considered going for something more affordable, like an apartment or a smaller house. Though, after long consideration, Luca thought it was best if they got something with more room. It was nothing like his home in Italy but there would be enough space there for the both of them. And it was important to Luca that he could come and go as he pleased without having nosy neighbors. Especially if he needed to bring someone home...

    Luca got out of the car, sliding his phone in his pocket before he turned to Aelia. "This is our new home. I expect you to treat it well. There are three - well I suppose technically four floors. The ground floor, the upper floor, the basement and the attic. There isn't much to the attic but it's a good place to store things." He shrugged a bit before continuing. "The basement is off limits to you. The door is locked and I don't want you setting a single foot down there. If I find out that you got down there, or tried to break in, there will be serious consequences. Do you understand?"

    Heading up to the door, he stopped in front of it, his arms folding in front of his chest as he looked at Aelia, waiting for a response. He was not going to let her into the house until she said she understood what he was saying. Luca wanted to keep her out of his mafia business as much as possible. The basement was soundproof and there were no windows down there. He didn't want her worrying or even thinking about what happened in the basement. It wasn't her issue and Luca already knew how he was going to operate down there without Aelia knowing what was going on.
    July 20th, 2019 at 03:07pm
  • FallenHope95

    FallenHope95 (100)

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    To be fair, Aelia didn't do well with sedatives. She found that out when she was a kid and needed to go under because she needed her tonsils removed. The doctors then said she'd wake up in a few hours. Well, she did, but then she just went back to sleep and was tired for the next three days. They said that she was just being dramatic back then, and she might still be that way because Lia was pretty sure she could sleep for a few days still.

    Looking out the window, Aelia watched the scenery. Looking at all of the houses, apartments, and businesses as they past them by. The buildings steadily getting more and more fancy looking as they drove to the areas that held more money than the working class. "Woah." She mumbled quietly as they started to pass by rather large houses. Places she's always dreamed of living in. To be able to set foot in one of these large houses would be mind-blowing to her, to be honest.

    Then, as they pulled into the private driveway of one of the houses, Aelia could feel her mouth drop. The house was beautiful, like it was right out of a movie. "We're going to live here?" Lia mumbled quietly as she took in the appearance of the place. The white paint, the beautiful landscape, and not to mention the magnitude of the architecture. It was just mind-blowing to look at.

    Slowly, Aelia got out of the car and followed Luca. Her head nodding as she glanced towards her husband. "I understand, I won't go near your man cave." She said, rolling her eyes at her horrible little joke. She knew what he was referring to when he said that the basement was off-limits. It was for his illegal things, and she wanted no part in it. None in the least bit.

    "Can we go inside now?" Aelia asked as she glanced towards the house, her eyes going a little bigger then usual as she admired the vast beauty of the exterior of the place. She couldn't wait to see the inside and explore. Oh, she hoped that whatever room she'd be in would have an ensuite like in the movies. She always wanted to use a bath bomb in one and relax as she listened to her music.
    July 23rd, 2019 at 04:26am
  • Sweet.Persephone

    Sweet.Persephone (100)

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    Luca raised an eyebrow as she called the basement his man cave. It was odd though he supposed he didn't care what she called it as long as she stayed away from that area of the house. Luca didn't want her to know everything and he certainly didn't want to hear her bitching about his work.

    A sigh left his lips as Aelia asked to go inside. Turning to the door, he opened it up before heading in. Once Aelia was inside, he closed and locked the door behind them. "This door is always to be locked unless you are using it, do you understand that? Do not leave this door open."With that, Luca turned back to the house. It was rather gorgeous and spacious in the house. He moved his hands into his pockets as he took a quick glance around. It was nice enough to stay there for a while. When their marriage was over, he would move somewhere better.

    "Go ahead and look around. The designers were here yesterday and have already gotten all of the furniture we need and have made it look presentable. The movers will be arrive tomorrow to get all of your items from your current home to bring it here." Luca told her before he walked further into the house. It seemed to him that everything was set up nicely. The furniture looked nice and the kitchen was already stocked with everything they needed. Same with the bathroom and the bedroom. He was good to go, now Aelia just needed to get her own things here.

    With that, Luca turned and started to make his way upstairs. "Look around. Meet me in our bedroom once you are done. I believe it is to the right, at the end of the hallway upstairs. There are some rules that we need to go over." Luca had no desire to give her a tour. Besides, he barely knew much about the house himself.
    July 24th, 2019 at 12:03am
  • FallenHope95

    FallenHope95 (100)

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    A sense of giddiness filled Aelia as Luca finally opened the door to the house that they'll be sharing for the next few years. This will probably be her only time to live in such a beautiful place so she was extremely excited. Who wouldn't be excited if they got to spend their nights in a place that was like four of their homes growing up?

    Stepping inside, Aelia glanced around the doorway for a moment before looking back towards Luca. "Why does it always have to be locked? Aren't there always guards outside?" She asked, remembering being followed constantly by his guards back in Italy. Then, a small sigh escaped from Lia's lips as Luca seemed to abandon her to explore the place on her own.

    Turning her back to him, Lia momentarily froze as what e said caught her off guard. Their bedroom? Was that just a slip of the tongue? Maybe even mafia guys got tongue-tied now and again? Luca was only human after all, right? Right, it was probably just a slip of the tongue and he wasn't actually meaning their room, and instead actually meant the room she'd be using. Jet lag affects everyone differently after all. Right?

    Slowly, Aelia started to make her way around the house. "Wow." Escaped from her lips as she looked around the large open living room that felt so huge because of the open floor plan and the tall ceilings. Then, she turned towards her right and walked through the kitchen, then past by the guest bathroom. Lia walked past what looked like a personal study or something. Then, there seemed to be a few extra rooms that seemed to be a personal workout room, as well as a few guest rooms.

    Then, as Aelia thought that she was done looking at everything. She went back out towards the living room where the stairs were and just as she was about to go up to them. A small gasp escaped from her lips as she laid eyes on the backyard. "Amazing." She mumbled quietly, staring out the large windows of the view for a moment before continuing up the stairs and heading towards the room that Luca spoke about. "Luca?" Aelia called out as she neared the room, wanting him to know she was coming and not spook him. As she didn't want to scare him and end up getting shot or something.

    Stepping into the room, Lia couldn't help but freeze as she took in the rather large bedroom. "Woah." She mumbled quietly.
    July 26th, 2019 at 09:20pm
  • Sweet.Persephone

    Sweet.Persephone (100)

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    Luca came into the bedroom not long after Aelia had entered it herself. He only took a brief glance at the room before giving it an approving nod. This would do just fine for the next couple of years. There was plenty of space for both of them to live comfortably. The bed was even a California King. More than enough sleeping space for both of them. Luca and Aelia didn't even have to touch in bed if they didn't want to. Hell, she could sleep on the couch for all he cared. 

    Coming deeper into the bedroom, Luca motioned towards the sofa. "Sit." He said as he headed over to the chair. The man leaned back into it, completely relaxed. Luca pulled out his phone and set it down on his leg, glancing down at it for a long moment. But once some time had passed, Luca moved his hands into his lap, lifted his head up and looked to his wife. 

    "There will be some rules while you are here," Luca told her. He paused for a moment in thought before continuing on. "It is most important to me that you do not get me, or yourself, into any trouble. To ensure that there is harmony in this home, I have a couple of rules that you will follow while you are my wife. Of course, once we are no longer together, you will no longer be living here and will be free to do as you wish, as long as you don't speak a word about me and my job."

    He cleared his throat before going into his rules. "There will be a curfew. By 11:00 pm, I want you in the house. I don't care what you are doing if you're sleeping but you will be here. If for some reason, you need to be out past that time, you tell me. If you are going to be home late, you tell me. Rule 2, If I tell you to come home immediately, you will do so without argument or hesitation. I don't care what you're doing. If I tell you to come home you better be booking it here. Rule 3, You do not invite people into the house without warning me first. I prefer that no one come over but I understand that I can't keep your friends or family out for several years without suspicion. So don't do it often but when they come over, I better know well in advance. I mean a 48-hour minimum. No surprise visits, no last-minute plans here. Rule 4, you will not tell others about me in any negative way. You will cover for me when people ask where I am or what I am doing. When people ask, tell them that I am training to run my father's business one day, which is in technology. That itself should solve any questions about why I am in France, or why I am busy or why I clearly have money. Rule 5, even though you are not changing your last name. You will introduce yourself as Aelia Massina. This is for your protection. Rule 6, you are responsible for keeping this house clean and for cooking. I will be expecting breakfast in the morning, and if you are here, I expect dinner. Which leads me into Rule 7."

    Luca pulled out his wallet and removed a credit card from it. He leaned over and offered it to Aelia. It had her name on it. "This is your new credit card. It is linked to my bank account and the money that you spend, I do not expect back. So you don't have to worry about acquiring debt with me or anything. I am giving you a spending limit of $4,000 each much. That should be enough to get groceries and whatever else you need, plus some. I don't care what you spend it on but don't go over."
    August 15th, 2019 at 03:46pm
  • FallenHope95

    FallenHope95 (100)

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    Still taking in the rather large bedroom, Aelia hadn't even heard Luca when he entered. So, when he did speak up with a command, it caused her to jump slightly. She turned slightly as she looked at the mafia heir and then looked towards where he was sitting. Lia gave him a razed eyebrow in return to his command but ultimately followed through. She didn't want to go through being locked up or drugged like last time she tried to disobey him. The effect of that sedative was still running it's course through her veins.

    As Lia sat down, she crossed her legs, wincing slightly at the soreness she still felt from the implanted trackers and leaned back against the couch. It was surprisingly comfortable with how expensive it looked and Lia could feel herself just sinking right into the cushions. All she'll need are a few blankets and she was sure that she'd be able to sleep here for hours.

    Then, when Luca started to speak, Lia made sure to focus completely on the heir to the Messina family. He was in charge here, even though supposedly they were equals in this marriage. He still knew of all of these troubles that could follow them around, and with each rule that he told her about, the more that Aelia could feel herself not approving of them. It was like she was a child that was being grounded. She had to be here by a certain time? She needed to tell him when she planned to have company over? What the hell? That was bull, well, it's understandable for the company. She didn't know what he could be doing and she was sure he'd rather not have his Mafia business going on when her sweet grandparents are over to see her or the house.

    Slowly, Aelia could feel her shoulders sagging. She wasn't very happy with these rules, but she knew better than to argue with Luca about them. Then, as he brought out a credit card, Lia was completely surprised. She wasn't expecting him to give her spending money. Then again, he did force her to quit her job... Looking up, Aelia's eyes widen as Luca said what her allowance was. "F-four thousand dollars?" She squeaked out, that was about what she had in her bank account after working for a year! It was mind-blowing the amount that he was giving her to spend. How in the world did he assume she'd need all of that? She wasn't a spender, hell Lia preferred to shop at salvation armies and only really grocery shopped with her grandparents when things they grew on their farm was on sale.

    This was incredible, the thought of all of the things that Lia could do with that much money monthly really astounded her. She could help her grandparents out, she could buy that new game system she's been eyeing, she could. Lia snapped together as she looked back towards Luca. Her lips slowly frowning as she looked at the man. "This is you paying for my cooperation isn't it?" She asked, her voice quiet as she looked back down at the card. She could understand the curfew, the domestic chores, but, was it necessary to be paid off so much? She was a captive here, why was he doing this to her. For her?

    "Luca..." Aelia said quietly after a few more moments of silence. She held the card in her lap as she looked at the older man. "Can, I add some rules for you then?" She asked, then didn't wait for him to reply. "Rule 1, I want to know when you'll be home if you go out. That way I'm not wasting my time cooking for you and you won't be home. Rule 2, I want you to be an affectionate husband around the company, Rule 3, I get the bed when we fight."
    August 16th, 2019 at 02:42am
  • Sweet.Persephone

    Sweet.Persephone (100)

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    "Yes, it is," Luca said bluntly. He did not care if Aelia knew the truth behind the monthly allowance that he was giving her. In fact, it was better if she did know the reason behind it. After all, Luca could have easily given her a thousand or two to take care of the house and to live on. He was only giving her more because he wanted his wife to be happy and to be silent. Besides, Luca was aware of the fact that he was not going to allow her to work while they were married. So it was best that he was giving her more than she really needed to stop her from bitching at him.

    Though when Aelia started to give Luca rules, he started to laugh at the idea. Did she not understand the situation they were in? Was it that difficult for Aelia to understand that he had all the say in their relationship and she just had to deal with it? "I am paying you to ensure that you will be happy and that you won't complain to me. I think your monthly allowance should also cover some of these rules that you want for me." Luca ran his hand through his hair before leaning forward a bit, shaking his head. "I am unable to follow rule 1. If I miss dinner, it is most likely not on purpose...however, if I know I won't be home, I will let you know. If I miss, do not be angry with me. I assure you that I will eat the leftovers and dinner, and your effort will not go to waste."

    Luca cleared his throat a bit before continuing on. "Rule 2 is a reasonable request and I will follow through. As for Rule 3, Hell No. I am not giving up my bed because you decide that you want to fight with me one day. You can go sleep on this couch or in the guest room but if you don't want to share a bed with me, then that is on you." With that, Luca moved onto his feet. He was about done with this conversation and he hoped that Aelia would recognize that.

    "I told you that I want to make this a relationship that works for both of us, and I mean that. That is why I bought this house for both of us. It is a beautiful home with more than enough space for us to live in. Even a room for your studies, if you chose to use it. It is why I am giving you such a large monthly allowance. It is why I am putting rules in place at all. Partly to make this work but also to keep you and your loved ones away from my business, to keep you all safe. As far as I am concerned, we shouldn't fight at all unless one of these rules are broken. But do not think for a moment that you have any kind of power over me. You will lose that battle every time." Luca took a step away from the chair, though he stopped and looked back at her. "And, another thing, I would recommend you don't find the love of your life during all of this. I personally won't do anything to you if I find out that you are dating and sleeping around, but if one of my business partners find out, they might kill you and consider it as doing me a favor."
    August 20th, 2019 at 01:05am
  • FallenHope95

    FallenHope95 (100)

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    A small sigh escaped from Aelia as she ran a hand through her hair slowly. She didn't mean for this whole thing to blow up into a fight. They weren't even lovers, hell they weren't even friends. So, why was she so upset with all of this? Lia didn't know, to be honest, maybe she just wanted to have this work as a real marriage. Like what she'd always dreamed of having when she did find the one. But then again, life never seems to go according to one's wishes.

    "I'm not like one of your little toys, I know better than to find a random person to hook up with when I commit to someone," Lia mumbled quietly as she stood up from the couch as well. She didn't wait for Luca to say anything as she walked out of the bedroom that she'll be forced to share with the man who was starting to seem like the devil himself. The card that he had given her was clenched in her hand before she got the right idea and slipped it into her wallet as she made her way down the stairs and headed into the room that she was pretty sure was the biggest living room she had ever seen in her life.

    Moving towards the couch, Aelia laid down on one end. The material of the couch was an amazing feeling. It was so soft and the coushions dipped to just the right amount when one sat down on it. If Aelia wasn't so annoyed at the man upstairs, she was pretty sure that she would be able to stretch out on this couch and nap for a few hours. Maybe even the rest of the day, was all of the furniture in this house so damn amazing feeling and looking? This place was like a designer house right out of a magazine or something.

    Reaching for the remote that was on the coffee table, Aelia turned the rather large TV that was above the fire place on. It took barely a second before the screen flipped on to some news channel. Then, Lia started to flip through the channels, wanting to find something interesting that would stop her from feeling so annoyed randomly. She'll admit, she pretty much ran away from Luca after demanding some things that she knew he wouldn't be agreeing to, but still. It was worth a try, the dream of a storybook romance and all that jazz. Landing on the discovery channel, Aelia decided that she'd just watch the destination unknown marathon that was going on, as it was educational as well as interesting.

    Fast forward a few hours later after Aelia managed to make something for them for dinner, she was now lounging outside on one of the lounge chairs in the backyard. A glass of wine that she found in the cupboard poured into a glass at her side. She may be underage for drinking, but what was Luca going to do? Call the cops on her? It was one glass after all. Raising the white wine to her lips, Lia took a small sip before shuttering at the alcoholic taste. "How do people enjoy this?" She mumbled quietly to herself as she glanced down at the fancy glass she poured her drink into. It wasn't that bad, it was really sweet actually, but, it was still alcohol so it'll take a while to get used to.

    (I edited this post.)
    August 20th, 2019 at 02:16am
  • Sweet.Persephone

    Sweet.Persephone (100)

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    One Month Later

    It had been little over a month since Aelia and him had gotten married. Admittedly, things had not gong completely the way Luca planned, not at first at least. Luca found Aelia annoying and stubborn. She wasn't the perfect little quiet wife like he had been planning. If he could get rid of her he would have by now but it wasn't an option.

    Even so, Aelia had figured out a way to live with her. After some arguements, an understanding was made and things finally calmed down. For a while at least.

    Now Luca was sitting in his office, a deep frown on his face. One of his business partners was being rather insistent about meeting his wife. And Luca was at the point where he couldn't say no. And he was worried. Worried that this could blow up his relationship with his partner or with Aelia. Either way that's wasn't what he wanted.

    After a moment, Luca got up from his chair and headed up from the basement. Well. He didn't have a choice at this point. Aelia was going to be his dinner partner for a night and she was just going to have to deal. Once he was on the ground floor, Luca made his way to the kitchen. This was around the time that she was at home and making dinner.

    He peered into the kitchen before heading inside. Luca looked Aelia up and down for a moment before going to the counter and leaning against it. "You look nice today." Luca told her, his voice soft as he did so. "How was class?"
    September 2nd, 2019 at 05:24pm