An Arranged Marriage To The Mafia...?

Casinos.

The red carpets; made my head spin with the smell of cigarettes and dry martinis.
The poker tables; made my senses clear as skantly clad women kissed dice.
The chimes of winners; made the smile appear as lucky punters fell to the belief that all their fantasies were coming true.

What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas it was more than a saying, it was a truth. And no where took it to heart more than the multi-story, multi-million earning casinos plotting along the neon tubed strip. If you won in Vegas you could expect to lose in Vegas, it was simply fair trade. No casino owner wanted to see their money drained by even a dime, no casino owner was ever dumb enough to let a million dollars walk through the revolving doors without the slightest hint of chaotic gaming, without the promise of delivered dreams or without at least coaxing a good percentage back into their safe in some way or another.

Nobody knew the way of the casinos better than me.

My father was a multi millionare, award winning hotel and casino owner, his business prospects perfectly plotted just to the left of the centre of the strip. His entire life had been spent ensuring that tax payers played at his tables, that winners lost their earnings and walked away from his hotels with smiles and memories of wild nights in vegas.

My father didn't work alone.

His name was scripted across the nevada skyline since the early 70's, George Martin Lucas Samuels he was a heavyweight when it came to legalised gaming, an easily recognisable face as one of the most successful casino entrepenuers the States had to offer. Yet, aside from the world-wide sport of poker he was a success underground, a house-hold name when it came to gangland warfare, a face shunned by media, a personality easily argued to be one of the greatest crime bosses; a major player in the Nevada Mafia.

At nineteen I had seen my fair share of horrific circumstances. At four my mother had been brutally murdered in our family kitchen while I sat screaming in our lving room, her blood staining the white tiles as life dwindled and left her broken bones. My father's heart shattered and something deep inside my hero snapped that day. He had ushered me into hiding, feining my death and even burrying an empty casket under my title as a precaution, but it didn't last; in less than ten years his enemy sought me out and in the name of safety my father allowed me to move back to Nevada to keep me fixated under his watchful eye.

I pushed myself away from his crime family, I vowed never to dwell in a life that found my mother murdered in the most heinous of crimes, but no matter how much I refused to lead a life like his I was always drawn toward the illict antics of my adoptive family.

Miss Amelia Mia Louisia Samuels

I laced my fingers with the place card and let the waiter pull my white covered seat back in order for me to sit at the finely laid table cloth. I placed my black purse on the table top in front of me and secretly slid my black glossed prada heels from my feet underneath the cover of the cloth. The matching tables that littered the entire room filled quickly with my father's 'closest' allies and friends, cheap chattering coursing through the air.

My eyes watched lazily as familiar faces entered through the double doors, families swept by and suited men cockily strode in. Hamish Donoghue saunted his way toward our table, his palm firmly shook my father's who stood just to my left, his smile aimed at me. I nodded casually not caring for the newest recruit to our illegal scheme, my attention suddenly pulled and thought reined entirely on the striking group who waltzed lastly through the double fitted arching doors.

The Radev family were the only living, working, members of the casino game who were slightly more successful than my father by a few million american. They held a bigger portion of the strip and captured a greater handful of the mafia action. They were the crime bosses of Vegas and without a doubt the most feared heavy weights of the Mafia.

Father and main shareholder Antonio Radev walked with confidence across the room and stood before our table, his wide warm smile reached his eyes and he greeted us with sheer adoration as he gracefully sat by my father's other side. To Antonio's left his eldest of three sons Marcus grunted a quickened greeting and shyed away from publicity. By Marcus sat the second Radev son James, his face burried deep in thought, his fingers typing furiously across his blackberry. To James' left was the youngest of the three; Ethaniel Radev. Ethaniel's gaze held mine for a moment, his eyes boring through my own; he knew as well as I did the purpose of tonight and I was sure he had the same apprehensive feelings.

At sixteen my father had organised an arrangement which would evidently alter any life plans I had. Along with his most trusted companion Antonio Radev they had sought out what they called; 'an opportunity too good to be true'. Being my father's only child I was sole inherent of the Saumel's multi-billion dollar title, the companies, hotels, casinos would all be mine; a power and responsibility my father never wish to palm over to me to bare alone and with almost little to no experience behind the scenes, this was just one of many excuses they threw at me the moment the word of my betrothel slipped out of their mouths. Yes, they had arranged my marriage, and to no other than Antonio's youngest son Ethaniel 'Ethan' Radev.

The sound of my father rattling a spoon upon the rim of his champagne flute had the room enveloped in complete and utter silence, all ears eager to hear what the two most influencial personalitites of this world had to say that was so important they were all invited. All ears except for two pairs, my own and those of the last boy I would agree to marry; Ethan Radev.