Page 1 of The Runaway Bride

Prologue

Nico

As I stand with my hands clasped behind my back, I glancedown into the ravine and observe the vehicle that my so-called betrothed wasdriving. The moment it had crashed, the car must have burst into flames. If shehad been lucky, she would have died before that took place.

Turning to look at Bruno, I give a nod for him to order thecleanup and coverup of this mess. Varina's father will have to answer thequestions of how she got away, and who helped her, because someone had to havedone so. She was not a forward-thinking woman, she was timid and ratherpathetic if truth be told.

“I’ll sort it, Boss,” Bruno turns and throws orders to thesoldiers that are waiting quietly in the background.

Tiny, as I call him, who is another of my men, is only fivefoot eight to my six foot two, has his back to me but watching every movementfor danger. He is my personal bodyguard, and that is something I don’t feel Ineed, but I have to have one, regardless.

For now, I’m going to be happy to continue turning thebusinesses around. Bringing us all into the modern century, instead of holdingonto the old ways which are strangling everyone with the legalities,authorities and families.

I’ve seen since I was a child that men wanted to love andhonor their wives, do right by their children, yet they’ve had to give them upto the family in one way or another. That is stopping with me. I can makechanges, and big changes, but the thing I will not alter is their allegiance tothefamigliaand the arranged marriages. It would be nice to stop themarriages, but it is one of the ways we can bring families together and keepharmony across the mafia world.

Over the last three generations of leaders in the UnitedStates, the old ways of the mafia have gradually been thrown away. We are notItalian full-bloods anymore, and we don’t see ourselves that way either. We areAmericans, and most of us have no family left in Italy. Most are with us in theUnited States at this point in time. Parents are mainly gone, grandparents too.Bruno, my trusted childhood friend, has no family except for me. We grew uptogether, learning the ways, eating, fighting and fucking our way through ourteen years, and most of our twenties. We may not be blood, but we are brothersnonetheless, and I trust him above all others.

Thinking back to the first meeting I held as Don, I shockedand surprised most of the fold with my direct order to stop teaching the oldways. We were wiping the slate clean and although we are the mafia and willalways have one foot on the wrong side of the law, I will keep us as clean aswe can be.

Traveling back to the manor, I consider how all this hashappened, how a young woman has gotten away to end as she has. Varina was abeautiful woman, but she was timid as a mouse, and it’s that very thing thathas me thinking there is more to her accident and death than we know at thispoint in time.

Not turning up at the church, and disappearing when she wassupposedly getting ready, her mother leaving her for a while to compose herselfbefore wearing the white gown that she had chosen herself.

She was at the point of joining two families, but now thedeal will not continue and I will watch her parents closely from now on.Something is definitely off with them, but as yet I have nothing to be able todrag them into the basement for.

Six months laterwe have disposed of the maid whoassisted Varina’s escape. She met the same fate as Varina, as it was easy torun her off the road after she thought she’d escaped. Death by accident on adark, wet night was the verdict, and one that covered our involvement.

Time will show what is happening and who is involved withVarina’s accident. Now I have to find another arranged marriage deal, but witha betrothed that will not be a doormat. I don’t want or need another Varina; Ineed a wife who has some fire in her veins.

Chapter 1

Nico

Taking a sip of the whisky fromthe tumbler in my hand, I sigh. Seems it’s time to get myself tied down forreal, and the one I’ve chosen may be a good choice, but I had to fight herfather for her hand. He has taken something from the business he runs, and itis a matter of death or daughter, and as I expected, he chose to save his ownlife.

I’ve looked at and into many ofthe females that are eligible from my Consigliere to soldiers' families. Theonly one that even took my eye slightly was Lorenzo Palmeri’s daughter.

Lorenzo Palmeri is a fat, lazyman. He is, however, running his business as he should at eye level, as far aswe know. I have placed a spy in his business building, he has found evidence anillegality is going on. The business is a casino that also holds shows,bringing in customers from far and wide. He will be used as an example; I justneed time to get everything as I want it before I strike.

Tapping on the door of my officehas me calling, “Come in.”

Opening the door, my secretary,who has been with me since I took over as Don, gives me a grimace. “Mr. Palmeriis here to see you. Would you like me to show him through?”

“Yes please, Gail.”

I take a seat, place my whiskytumbler on the mat placed to one side of my desk, and wait. Bruno is standingnear the window and has his hands folded behind his back, waiting and watchingas always. He is my most trusted man and friend, my consigliere, and third inline to run the family.

“I’m sorry for barging in, but Ihave urgent news to inform you of,” Lorenzo quickly says as he walks into myoffice.

“What news is that, Lorenzo?” Iask, and I don’t give him the courtesy of telling him to take a seat.

Coughing nervously, he splutters,“Elli has run. I only told her last night, and when we got up this morning shewas gone. The trouble was I had told her I would never make an arrangedmarriage for her, so she took it badly. She isn’t timid like most of theFamigliawomen. Her mother brought her up truly American.”

“You are telling me my intendedhas run away? You couldn’t watch her even though you knew she was a viablerunner? Honestly, Lorenzo, I’m about to end you one way or the other. You findher and get her back here, or you and I will have far more than a few words.”

I have fisted my hands on thedesk because this is not going to happen again. I’ll find her and marry herbefore she can say ‘Cazzo’. Goddamn it, I’ve not met her yet, and shehas me cursing in Italian. A language I swore never to speak again.

“We will find her and she will bemarried without all the pomp that you would expect. I’m not fucking messingaround, Lorenzo. She either marries me or you die.”

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