Play with Fire.

“I don’t like this.” Marco states as me, him and Franco all sit outside my dad’s office. “They’ve been in there way too long. Something could have happened?”

“Like what?” Franco asks, clearly annoyed. “Your dad had mine check his gun before even making his way into this building. My dad is good but he’s not “kill a man with my bare hands” good. But that fits your dad’s description just fine.”

“Will the two of you just stop it?” I roll my eyes. “None of us really want to be here but we’ve got to make the most of it. They’re probably just thinking of ways to tie our families together. They are probably being more civil than you two fucktards.”

“Such a lovely word for a lady.” Franco smirks. “You’ve clearly been hanging out with your brother for far too long. You’re starting to talk like him. It’s not ladylike.”

“Last time I checked, I’m not in the business of being a lady.” I tell him. “You don’t become part of the world's best cocaine distributors being a lady. I can’t act like a lady in my world. I wouldn’t even be able to act like a lady in yours either. No one would take my seriously.”

“Women aren’t brought up to run mafias.” Franco states with a shrug. “They don’t have the heart for it.”

“You clearly never saw Bella Mafia.” I roll my eyes. “You should never underestimate or disrespect a woman, Gambino. You came from one. I’m sure your father taught you how to treat a woman.” He looks like he’s going to open his mouth to say something smart, but he quickly closes it once the office door opens up. All three of us jump onto our feet and meet our father.

“We’ve come to a decision about how we can unite our families.” My dad states. “It took a lot of debating because we both know our families won’t listen to either of our sides unless we both have common ground and equal footing in this arrangement.”

“After much debate we both agree with our merger needs to have a face; two faces that it.” Franco’s dad states. “It’s not a secret that our families don’t like each other and that this merger is going to be difficult on all of us.”

“Just spit it out, both of you.” Marco hisses. “We’ve been kept in suspense long enough.”

“Stacy, you know I love you and want the world for you.” My dad starts as he walks over to me and takes both of my hands in his. “Your mother, God rest her soul, wouldn’t have wanted this for you but it’s the only thing I can do to keep you safe. Gambino and I have agreed that the best for our families is that you and Franco get married.”

I can feel my jaw drop as my heart shatters. I pull my hands from my dad’s and I back away slowly, only stopping when my back hits Marco’s chest. Subconsciously, Marco wraps his arms around me and squeezes me tight. He’s being protective.

“You can’t be fucking serious?” Marco growls at our father and at Gambino. “Arrange marriages are a thing of the past. You can’t be seriously doing this right now? Marrying Stacy to this playboy isn’t going to magically unite the families. They’ll see right through this. They’ll see right through this fake Romeo and Juliet bullshit.”

“Maybe they will but this is the best for both families.” My dad sighs, running fingers through his greying hair. “Marco, I’m doing the best for our family.”

“By pimping your daughter out?” He scoffs. “Clearly I forgot to get you a Father of the Year mug.”

“Marco.” My dad narrows his eyes and growls at my brother. Marco’s only response was to hold me tighter.

“I-I-I need to get out of here.” I break away from my brother and run out of the warehouse and straight to my car.

I lean up against the modified Camaro as my hands shake and my heart pounds against my chest. I haven’t felt like this since finding out about my mother’s cancer diagnosis. I thought the panic attacks died with her.

My body melts to the ground and I pull my legs to my chest and bury my head in my knees. I can already feel the tears welling up in my eyes.

“You okay?” A voice asks. I lift my head up enough to see Franco standing in front of me; a cigarette dangles from his lips. “You looked a little white in there. I didn’t think marrying me would be that scary.”

“Marrying you isn’t going to be a walk in the park either.” I state as he sits down next to me. “Why did you come out here? You don’t have to play caring husband just yet.”

“I may not like you, but it doesn’t mean I can’t worry about you.” He shrugs. “You looked scared in there. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“My dad just married me off to you; I’m far beyond ‘not okay’.” I roll my eyes. “How can you be so okay with this bullshit?”

“Honestly?” He asks, earning a nod from me. “I’m just as terrified as you. But I know what my dad will do and say if I show it. He’s not big on emotions and fears.”

“That’s brutal.” I bite my lower lip. “I didn’t know.”

“It’s whatever at this point.” He tosses his cigarette away from us. “Look, I’m not happy about this either. But our dads are right. Our families aren’t going to listen to each other if there isn’t some unity. Nothing combines families better than marriage. Deep down, you know they’re right.”

“I think that’s what’s scaring me the most.” I admit with a mutter. “I’m not exactly looking forward to shacking up with Franco Gaminbo.”

“It has to be done.” He states, coldly. “I’m sure once The Triad has been taken down, we’ll be able to go back to our normal lives. We just have to take down this very powerful foe first.”

“And who knows how long that’ll take.” I sigh, running my fingers through my hair.

This is what my life has become. I’m just a pawn in a very dangerous game...