Page 22 of The Runaway Bride

Elli is grinding her teeth sobadly I may have to get a dental appointment for her. Tia is looking at Brunowith a glint of something in her eye, but I can see he’s doing his best toignore her, for now at least. Tiny is smirking and not hiding the fact he isfinding this highly amusing. Aeron, however, is sitting with a frown on hisface, watching both the women closely.

“The marriage will take place ineight weeks; the venue is here as we’ll have it in the garden, rather than aridiculous old miserable church saga,” I state clearly.

“Yeah, because we’ve all heardand read the stories about the mafia boss making the woman marry him, andsomeone invades the church, guns blazing killing everyone in attendance,” Tiadrawls.

I smirk at her, Bruno laughs outloud, along with Tiny. Aeron remains stoic, and Elli slaps Tia on the back ofthe head before giggling.

“Any questions?” I ask. Not aword has been uttered by Elli, which has me thinking her ploy to play nice musthave started. It is what I expected, and I’m finding this far more excitingthan the small nods and sniffles that an upset Varina gave me on our firstmeeting. Yeah, this is going to be much more fun!

Now, for the next step in myplan. “Tia, it seems you have your eye on Bruno, and we all know that he is atthe point he has to take a bride. So, I figure we can have a double wedding.You and Bruno, alongside myself and Elli. How about that, Bruno?”

“Whatever, Boss, suits me.” He isgiving Tia a smoldering look as he replies to me, and she’s looking a littlelike a goldfish with her mouth opening and closing. Elli is staring at me asthough I’m from a different planet, but she’ll learn I don’t wasteopportunities or hold back when I want something.

“Okay, that’s all good then. I’llget you all the information you need and you can make some choices. But, if youdon’t want to Elli, that’s fine, I can have a coordinator in to deal witheverything.” I flick my head at Tiny and he opens the door, shouts for twosoldiers to watch over these two as they both shuffle out of the office. Assoon as the door closes we wait what we feel is a respectful amount of timebefore we all roar with laughter.

“You fucker, getting me engaged,too. At least mine hasn’t run away, yet!” We all laugh again knowing that thepair of them will make a run for it when they think we are not taking notice.

“Okay, Boss, what about the twothat need dealing with?” Aeron asks, obviously past the laughter at Elli andTia’s expense.

“Let’s go deal with them. Tiny,you come as well.” I walk out of the office with the three of them behind meand head to the mausoleum and its basement.

Opening the basement door, I’mmet with the pair of them no longer in their chains but tied to chairs whichare both bolted to the floor directly over the large drain which is coveredwith a grill type of lid. Both women have tape over their mouths so they cansay nothing, but they are both whimpering and tears run down their cheeks. Theyshow the signs of the beatings they have taken. I know that they were not easyto break, from what Tiny told me.

Sitting in the seat placeddirectly in front of them, I sigh before speaking. “You both were involved inthe shit Terizo was doing, neither of you came to me to report his misdeeds.Instead, you both were complicit, but what is going to get you buried, most ofall, is the shit you caused Varina. You are evil bitches, in fact, you both arevile. You both did unmentionable things to make Varina’s life miserable, andwere even complicit with the accident she had, leading to her death. For thatalone you earned yourselves a death sentence, and I’m more than happy to carrythat out and rid this world of the evil you both are.”

Now, they both fight againsttheir restraints and are making a lot of noises behind their taped lips. I turnto hold my hand out to Tiny for the weapon to take these two out when hescowls, lifts the weapon and shoots one after the other right between theireyes. Shrugging at my expression, he hands the weapon to the soldier standingon one side ready for it to be melted down. The bodies will be taken to thelocal crematorium where they will be burned and then thrown into the localriver. “Sorry, Boss, but I didn’t want you getting your hands dirty with thistrash.” Tiny walks out of the basement without another word.

Looking down at myself I’m happyto see I have no blood or other matter splattered upon me, so quickly leave thebasement and head back to the mansion.

Later that day after keepingwatch on the monitor of my laptop, which not surprisingly has the feed for themansion’s cameras running. I watch Elli and Tia as they show they are shocked,annoyed and then outright angry at the marriages. But the plotting to get awayamuses me highly. It's obvious they have not realized they are seen and heard.

Alex arrives and grins, as hestands behind me watching his sister plotting with her friend. “You’ll have towatch her, Boss. She’s a slippery one, and I taught her well so she may be ableto get away from you without you realizing."

"She's not aware she’s beingwatched as yet. But I’m waiting for her reaction once she does notice. I haveto tell you she is going to make one magnificent wife and mother. I can’t waitto get married, although it’s the one thing I always dreaded, until now.

Chapter 15

Elli

“Tia, we have to get you out of thisstupid marriage. I mean, you are not even involved with the family, so whyshould you get dragged into a marriage with someone you don’t know?” Yeah, I’mranting and I can’t seem to stop myself.

“Elli, I don’t mind if I’m beinghonest with you. I mean if I marry this Bruno guy, I can stay near you and wecan watch each other’s back throughout whatever is thrown at us in the future.”

“What? You are okay with this?”I’m more than exasperated, I can feel my temper rising higher and higher.

“Well, he is hot. A big man,” shesays, wiggling her eyebrows at me. “I just hope he’s big in the rightdepartment, and knows how to use it.”

“Tia!” I exclaim, but the look onher face has me fall into a giggling mess right as the door opens and the womancalled Yasmine walks inside the bedroom with yet another tray.

“I thought you ladies would likea drink. I’ve brought coffee and lemonade, which is homemade, so veryrefreshing,” Yasmine calmly states, as though two women being held againsttheir will in a bedroom is natural around here.

“How long have you worked for Mr.Vincholetti?” I ask.

“A long time, and before youthink of going further you need to know my loyalty is to him, and will alwaysbe that way.” Yasmine turns towards the door but pauses when I speak.

“Yeah, for sure, your loyalty iswith someone who kidnaps women, makes them marry and holds them against theirwill for the rest of their lives. Sure, you go ahead and give your loyalty tosomeone like that. Oh, and don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” Isnidely remark, and she takes a breath before leaving the room, closing thedoor quietly behind her.

“Well, she’s not going to be ahelp. If you still want to run then let’s start checking all exits. Where theguards are standing. How many guards. Oh, and if we can get a weapon and aphone.” Tia picks up a cup of coffee, and one of the cookies from the plate onthe tray and sits in the easy chair in front of the window which overlooks thegarden.

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