Page 19 of The Runaway Bride

“I can’t wait to meet thissister. She sounds like she’ll fit right into the family without us having toworry about her.” Bruno looks at me as he knows I was concerned she wouldn’tfit into the family.

“If she can get past Renata’sdeath then she’ll make a good right-hand woman for Elli, as well as a sister.I’m thinking I may need to find her a husband.”

Bruno quickly leaves the roomafter giving me adon’t look at me look.I don’t hold the chuckle backas I watch him flee out of the room. Alex full out laughs, which earns him amiddle finger wave just as Bruno slams the door.

“Boss, I think Elli and Tia aregoing to be a handful, but they are going to be amusing, if nothing else.”

“I have given the order to bringthem both in, so we won’t have to wait long to get their reactions,” I grinmore to myself than Alex. When Tiny walks in and gives me a nod, I know the menhave been placed in strategic places to grab them both.

“Boss, Aeron said you will needto visit the mausoleum.” Tiny gives me a raised eyebrow, and I have a feeling Iknow who they have waiting for me.

Twenty minutes later, I step intothe mausoleum descending the stairs below and into what could be called thecrypt. What it actually is, is a wet room.

Strung up by their arms, gags intheir mouths and stripped down to their underwear are Varina’s mother andsister. “Well, well, look at what we have here.” I tap my chin, pretending tobe in deep thought, but the sight of piss running down the mother's legs tellsme this isn’t going to take long.

Turning to look at Tiny, who hadwalked with me, along with Bruno. “Do you want the honors for a change?”

Tiny shrugs, “Just cause I’msmall compared to all you barbarians doesn’t mean I’m weak or incapable.”

Bruno chuckles and the twosoldiers standing on either side of the room awaiting any orders struggle tokeep their smirks to themselves. Staring at the two women, I feel nothing butcontempt. I state, “Okay, I’ll tell you what, Tiny. Keep them here but don’tkill them. I want them to suffer long and hard for what they have done.”

I hear the women sobbing, but Idon’t care. They threw Varina under the bus years ago, and I wish I had knownas I would have dealt with the situation earlier. As I turn to leave, I look atfirst the mother, then the sister, “You both make me sick to my stomach. Yourtreatment here will show others what happens to traitors to their Don, to theFamigliaand to their own family.”

Whistling as I return to themansion, I can’t help but have a spring in my step. The trash is being gottenrid of and the cleanup was well needed. I will give out a list of others thatneed to be cleaned before the week is out. My soldiers are going to be keptbusy for a while, but I don’t give a fuck. It’s needed, and it’s happening.

Now, I need to get anannouncement ready for my engagement to the beautiful Elliana Palmeri. Takingout my phone, I make a call to Gail, and instruct her on exactly what it is Iwant her to do and to make sure that the announcement is sent to all my Capos.I even had her place a piece near the bottom of the announcement of howeveryone has to address Elli once she’s my wife.

Tiny walks into the office andshakes his head at me. “You know you are going to cause a shitstorm with yourrunaway bride, don’t you? Maybe you shouldn’t be a husband, ‘cause Boss theykeep running from you.”

“Shut up, you’re as bad asBruno.”

“Everything is arranged. Yourwoman will be here by morning, but I’m not sure how you are going to approachthe situation. Don’t be looking at me for clues either. I’ve no idea how tosoothe a woman’s anger,” Tiny chuckles as he turns and leaves the office.

****

I don’t sleep as I’m concernedabout Elli and her friend being brought back to the mansion safely. I have twosoldiers at the ready, one for each of their bedroom doors, and I’ve extrasoldiers patrolling under their bedroom windows. Yes, my runaway bride, you arenot running again.

It's mid-afternoon before Tinystrolls into my office grinning. “You best go speak to your bride, boss. She’sawake and kicking up a storm. You got yourself a live one, and she’s going tobe far more fun than I thought.”

Stepping out of the office,passing Tiny, who is grinning at me like a fool, I head to the stairs. Thenearer I get to the bedroom Elli has been placed, the more of a ruckus I hear.

“Tia, if you can hear me, youneed to trash the room. I don’t care who has us here. They need to know we arenot an easy mark,” Elli bellows.

Chuckling behind me, I turn tosee Tiny, Bruno, Aeron, and the two extra soldiers. The two on guard duty arestanding beside their respective bedroom doors and flinch every time somethingsmashes against the inside of the door.

“Got it, sis,” we all hear and Ilook over my shoulder towards the soldier in front of Tia’s door and smirk whensmashing begins from her room.

“Okay, open the door,” I say tothe soldier outside of Elli’s door.

“Be careful, Boss, the room’sgoing to be wrecked by now,” Bruno chuckles.

The door opens, and the soldierquickly steps out of the way. I enter the room and dodge the vase that isflying toward my head. Lifting my arm, I block what would have been a nastyhit, but things fly fast and furiously. Someone grabs my arm and drags me outof the room, slamming the door behind me.

“Wow, she’s going for it. Maybeit’s a good time to let her wear herself out. Then go in when she’s run out ofall that steam she’s created,” Aeron grins.

Bruno throws back his head,laughing, and it only takes a minute for Tiny, Aeron and me to join him. Inotice even the soldiers are struggling to hold it together.

“Good idea. We’ll come backlater.” I quickly make my way back to my office, but I have a stupid grin on myface all the while.

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