An Arranged Marriage To The Mafia...?

"Amelia." Maria Radev's eyes smiled from her lavish wooden doorway, her thick arms extended perfectly and wound me securely in an embrace only a mother knew how to achieve. I smiled fondly and inhaled the rich familiar fragrances of her perfume before she moved quickly to her youngest son, dragging him inside and she fussed over him, her palms brushing the disoloured skin my father had so kindly embedded upon him.

I smiled warmly as the family reunited. Maria seemed happier than the last day I had seen her; tear-staind and blubbering over her lost son, tonight she smiled and laughed warmer than I had almost ever seen her. Antonio stood more at ease and relaxed by a luxury sofa in the main foyer, firmly grasping his son's hand and placing a tender kiss upon my cheek.

"Come, come." Maria returned to fussing, "quickly now, we have so much to discuss and dinner is already served in the dining hall."

I frowned slightly, the dining hall in Maria's life was rarely used and was reserved for major moments in her family life. It had been the very table I was forced around at the age of 16, it had been the table they had informed me of my marriage at.

Ethan walked a half pace behind me as my crossed through the large double doors and I stood timidly before the lavish set up on the dinner table, though it wasn't the intricate glass ware or expensive china that had my heart flipping in my chest but two figures in particular who sat at reserved placings. One was aged and weary; my father. The other was young and smiled wickedly from his seat; Mason. Ethan had touched the small of my back and he directed me firmly toward a seat, he fell swiftly to the one on my right, while my father was found at my left.

Slowly I lifted a flute of champagne before me and drank greedily from it's gold rim, Ethan's lip pulling in a small smirk as he watched me from the corner of his eye as Maria rose slightly in her chair, poised in perfection ready to address her guests.

"As you all are aware, we are anticipating a very prompt and promising engagement ahead of us." Her eyes fell toward Ethan, "I've gone to the trouble myself of organising few arrangements, but proper proceedings say that Amelia should and will have to make the bigger decisions. So dear," Her focus was soley on myself, "As of Tuesday we will have to begin organising a wedding..."

I gulped and nodded slowly, for the first time since Ethan so carelessly handed me my engagement ring it felt extremely heavy and important situated perfectly on my slender finger.

"But more importantly." Anotonio smiled at his wife and rolled his eyes shortly at her fuss, "We are required to reach and contract the agreement before anything may be taken further. This is to say a pre-nuptual agreement and wager will be signed and agreed to for both parties and a contract of the earnings, inheritance and promotions that come easily with the marriage between the two of you."

This dinner was not simply a meal between families to socialise or reconnect, it was an event to clarify the grey areas of my marriage; a wedding that although circumstances were now apparently changed I still refused to admit would occur.

I ate in silence, withdrawing myself from conversations and only muttering small helpless comments when spoken to. The prospect of being situated by my suspicious father and my ever changing finace made my head spin. I didn't want to be married.

"The hotels are our main concern." Antonio looked up from an empty plate, "I think it's best to leave hotels to the blood line. George leaves his to Amelia and we will leave ours to Ethan. Together they own and manage them." I nodded my head shortly, I didn't particularly care. "This is the same for all our business... our business that is legal at least."

"Amelia will have no part in the gangland." My father spoke boldly from my side.

"I couldn't agree with you more my friend." Antonio didn't make eye contact with my father and it made me more curious than ever. "Women have no place in a world where lives are constantly in danger and therefore my legacy will be passed down to Ethan alone. As for property, investments... when the time comes it will all be divided as equally as possible between my two remaining sons." A harsh silence developed over the table, James' death once again managing to lick at the corners of conversations reminding us of the massive hole he'd left behind.

"Amelia is my sole inheritant."

"lastly, I want both Amelia and Ethan to read over the pre-nuptual agreements and sign. Any questions either of you have now is prime opportunity to speak up."

Two small document booklets were passed along the mahogony table, my finger tips taking hold of one quickly and easily, my eyes scanning over the prospects of what was on offer if by chance we were ever able to file for divorce.

"Of course pre-nups are entirely for the idea of divorce. Divorce in our case is a last minute opportunity and both families must agree to the conditions. Divorce will not be easily obtained and sufficient reasons must be presented on more than one occassion." My father said nothing as Antonio briefly described the documents before us. "If permitted each party will receive 7.5 million in compensation for the wedding. They will however each lose their inheritance and hotels along with all other business, I can't stress enough that divorce will be the very last resort."

"And Amelia's weekly allowance?" A gruff voice boomed from my left.

"Allowance?" I heard my own voice question as my head snapped up from the files.

"A weekly allowance for marrying Ethan,-"

"I'm being paid to stay married?" I didn't find it a great prospect, but more yet another degrading factor of this wedding.

"A condition of the marriage," My focus moved to my father, his eyes cast downward, "is to develop an heir, to bear a child."

My expression turned to pure disgust and rage attacked my vocal cords, "I'm being paid to sleep with him."

Slowly my eyes moved across the table, Ethan face had paled and eyes held a look of shock and disgust while they burned holes in the table top and I was sure my own face mirrored his. Maria's expression was of total shock and I knew immediately that as a wife she had not been considered in this decision and that this entire idea was completely my father's.

"Amelia," My father's hand moved to touch my hand as I suddenly stood.

"Don't you dare touch me." I heard the tone break as my vision blurred. "I am not some cheap whore you can pay off to marriage and motherhood."

Marriage was suppose to be a committment between two ideal people, two people who wanted to spend eternity bound to eachother, two people who were devoted and completely in love. It was not suppose to be a negotiation for families to earn more, for families to widen their prospects. It was not a negotiation that either party was paid to enter into.

"I'll be in the car." Pushing the seat backward I moved swiftly from the lavish table, my ears depicting a stern voice and I knew instantly that Maria's shame had developed into an interrogation.

Slowly my small flats hit the tiles of the foyer and I froze. Mason stood tall and smiling from the front door, his expression darkened and a terrifying smile plastered in the corner of his sadistic lips. Instinctively I backed away, my back touching against the enterance way I had only moments ago walked through, Mason following me step for step. In a split second I pushed off the wall and through the small doorway, my legs pounding against the floors and lunging me back along the way I had came. I could hear the sound of Mason's gaining speed and it terrified me to no end. I slipped at the small kitchen doorway, holding the wall for support but suddenly straightening to the sight before me, my heart racing and burning underneath my rib cage.

Ethan and Antonio stood in the same places their chairs had once been, their faces hard and stern, arms raised and gun pointed in wary accusation across the table.

Their traget?
My Father.