Marrying Into Danger

Katy.

Today seems a little too quiet as I type away at my keyboard. The silence throughout the house is one good thing about being a writer. Concentration is key if you want to be successful.

Going to college for Literature was the perfect occupation for someone who was rarely even allowed outside.

My father is the head of one of the smaller Mob families here in St. Williamsburg, Florida, but that doesn’t mean he is any less strict on me and the rules he has in place for my ‘safety’.

Being twenty-eight years old means nothing to him. I spent my whole life inside these walls, I wouldn’t even know what to do with myself if I was set free.

He even forced me to do all my schooling at home, including college. If it wasn’t for my best friend/neighbor, I would have surely lost my mind many years ago.

Beth De Luca has been my saving grace. She’s been my best friend since we were ten. She was able to go to public school and even leave her house, so I would live vicariously through her in ways.

Once my mother died when I was fourteen, she stepped up and became that rock that I needed, and still continue to need for my own sanity.

After my mother passed away from a freak car accident, my life changed forever. I no longer had that person to talk to, to confide in. Beth was right there, ready to be that for me, and I will forever be grateful.

Staring at my computer screen, I can’t seem to get unstuck from the same sentence I’ve been writing and rewriting over and over again. One downfall about me being a writer is that I’m my own worst critic.

A knock at the door pulls me from my screen. Clarice, one of my favorite helpers that is employed by my father walks in.

“Good afternoon, Miss Katy. Your father is requesting you downstairs in his office, when you get a moment.”

Smiling, I nod, and she exits my room. She has always been my favorite helper. I used to always compare her to the teapot from my favorite childhood movie.

She is always there for me for anything I need, especially after my mother’s passing. She took me under her wing, guiding me through life with the best advice.

Walking down the grand staircase that brings me into the foyer of the house, I make my way to my fathers office that is located off to the side by the living room.

The door is already open and he waves me in and gestures a hand for me to take a seat.

“Hey dad, what did you need?”

He puts down his phone and smiles at me. “Well first, I wanted to tell you how proud I am of you and the woman you have become. You and I both know that your mother would be so proud of you, if she were still with us.”

I can feel the tears starting to well up. He doesn’t often have nice things to say to me. He isn’t a bad father, by any means, but he doesn’t talk to me much at all, unless he is lecturing me.

“Thank you, dad. It means a lot.”

His face grows a little grim as he starts rubbing his chin. He seems troubled.

“What’s wrong?” My nurturing side rears its head.

“Well, I want you to know that I love you, and I don’t want you to ever forget that.”

My stomach drops. Although it’s meant to be a term of endearment, the way he is looking, I can’t help but think that bad news follows.

“Something has happened. Something that may seem a little unfair for you. It’s a business transaction, of sorts.” He lets out a nervous chuckle. “There’s no easy way of breaking this news to you, so here it is. I got into something that I can’t get out of, myself. So the only way to protect this whole family, this whole empire that I’ve built, is to offer you.”

My heart drops.

“What do you mean, offer me?”

I hope this doesn’t mean what I think. I’m not in the business like my father, but I’m not completely blind to it.

“I mean, Katy, that you are going to marry Vincent Ricci.”

His words cut through me like a blade.

I don’t know much about Vincent Ricci, but what I do know, isn’t good in the slightest.

He is a scary man, a powerful man. Someone who gets what he wants, no matter who is hurt or killed in the process. My father must have really fucked up this time.

“Dad, what the hell did you do?” Is all I can manage to get out.

How could he do this to me? What made him think that this was even morally okay to offer up his own daughter, making me marry a man who is so old…so dangerous.

“Please, Tesoro…you must understand that my hands were tied. It was either this, or he came after us. And you know how that would turn out. You are saving all of us. You need to do this, if not for me, for Benny.”

He always dangles my little brother above my head. Like I should cave just because of him. Don’t get me wrong, I love my brother. I would do anything for him, but he and I don’t usually see eye to eye.

Benny is still very young and naive. He knows nothing of the world. Well, I guess I don’t either. I’ve been a prisoner of this house my whole life.

“Now’s not the time for a guilt trip,” my voice is now becoming more angry. “I have always done everything you wanted me to do, no questions asked, but this? This is too far. I refuse.”

He shifts in his chair and leans forward, resting his chin on his hands. “Katy, I get where you’re coming from, but I think you misunderstood me, you have no choice in the matter. This is happening.” His voice has a calmness about it that makes my skin crawl.

My body must be in shock, because I’m not able to move a muscle. This is a new low for him.

“Now that that is settled, you have two days to gather clothes and anything you may need. You’ll be staying with Mr. Ricci leading up to the wedding in two months.”

Subconsciously, I hear him speaking, but everything is muffled. What did I ever do wrong to deserve any of this? The marriage, the disrespect…everything.

The man that sits in front of me is quickly becoming a stranger to me.

Having nothing else to say to him, I stand up and swiftly leave his office.

I run to my room, the tears are now breaking through the threshold, covering my face.

My door slams and I feel as if I could collapse right then and there. How could he do this?

Dropping onto my bed, I bury my face in my pillows and let out a loud, muffled scream. I know I need to be an adult about this, but it’s hard.

How can anyone be calm in a situation like this? I’m too old to be treated like this.

I want my mom. If she were still alive, this would not be happening. It wouldn’t even be an option. I just want to talk to her so badly.

The next best thing would be to call Beth, my rock, my person…

Scrambling to the nightstand, I pick up the phone, dialing her number. I know that in this day and age, having a landline is a little outdated, but my father has really bad trust issues. Part of me knows he listens in on the calls that I have, but I don’t care…

Today, he really hurt me and broke any trust that we had. Personally, I want him to listen, I want him to know just what I think about him and the fucked up things he does.

After a few rings, I start to worry she won’t answer, but she finally does. Thank God.

“Hey! What’s up?” Beth’s voice rings out from the other end of the call.

Once I hear her, I can’t hold back the sobs that are escaping my chest.

“Oh my God, what’s wrong, Katy?” The sincerity is more than I can handle.

“My—my father. He really did it this time, Beth.” I manage to get out between the hyperventilation that plagues me.

“Just take a breath, and tell me what he did.”

Taking her advice, I sit silent for a moment, trying to regulate my breathing so I’m able to form a normal sentence.

“Okay…I’m okay. Beth, it’s bad, life ruining. He practically auctioned me off.” I finally manage to get out.

The line goes silent for a moment.

“What the fuck do you mean he auctioned you off?”

Taking a deep breath, I lay it all out for her. “He got himself into something bad and to get out of it, he offered me to marry a middle aged man, who is extremely dangerous, may I add. Well, the man took him up on the offer, and now I’m being forced to live with him up until the wedding, which is in two months.”

Again, the other end of the call is silent, but this time, I can hear Beth’s breathing getting heavier.

“Are you kidding me? Is he fucking insane? What person in their right mind would do that to their own kid?” Beth’s reaction is honestly one that I was hoping for, it makes me think that I’m not crazy for reacting this way.

“Beth, I don’t know what I should do…honestly, I don’t think there is anything I can do. I could fight going, but we both know that I won’t have a choice.”

Before she can respond to me, the line goes dead. Fuck…

I can hear faint breathing on the other end, and I know he is listening.

“Fuck you…” I say, softly before slamming hanging up and slamming it back down on my nightstand.

He doesn’t deserve respect. When has he really ever shown me any respect?

This man is no longer my father.

Katy.

The hot Florida sun is shining in my bedroom window as I gather some more of my belongings, putting them into suitcases that are scattered across the floor. It’s a sad thought that my whole life is able to easily fit into three suitcases.

What a fulfilling life…

It’s been two days since Carlos dropped the bombshell on me in his office. Today is the day, the day that my life as I know it, officially ends.

I can’t morally refer to Carlos as my father any longer, not after the utter disrespect and lack of moral family values that he displayed to me.

Now, I’ll have to live across town, with a man that I’ve only heard horror stories about in the tabloids and from the usual cul-de-sac moms talking on their Saturday morning walks. I’m always able to hear them if I have my window open.

With how boring my life usually is being a prisoner inside these walls, I can’t help but look forward to the drama. It helps me feel partially human.

I’ve heard so many different things about Vincent Ricci. Anything from him having the police force on his payroll to a couple secret trades that went bad, people died and it became public, and then things just…disappear.

From everything I’ve gathered over the years, he is someone to stay away from, but yet, here I am. Getting packed and ready to go live the rest of my life with him.

I’m strong, I know I can handle anything, but this is going to be a challenge, physically and mentally.

Growing up, I always imagined finding a worthy husband, someone my family would be proud of me marrying. I’d be swept away and taken care of, never having to worry about a thing.

Leave it to Carlos to do the exact opposite of that. I shouldn’t be too shocked. This is partially the reason his ‘empire’ is lacking thereof…

Finally, I’m all done packing. All of my clothes and shoes, bathroom essentials and all of my equipment for my job as a writer. That is one thing I refuse to give up on. I’ve spent so much blood sweat and tears into this career, and I’d die before I let that all be for nothing.

It’s really the only thing I have.

A knock on the door pulls me back to the harsh reality of what is happening today.

Carlos peeks his head in, asking if I’m ready. I do one last once over of my room and then nod my head, trying my damndest to hold in my tears. He doesn’t deserve any emotion from me.

One of the butlers comes in and gathers my bags for me. As he grabs them, he looks up at me with a look that screams remorse. Giving his arm a squeeze, I walk out of the room behind Carlos.

If I’m going to miss anyone who lives in this house, It’ll be the help. They have all come together and helped raise me over the years. They were the ones there for me when my mother died, or when I graduated both high school and college, congratulating me on all the hard work. They are the ones who have truly cared about me the most.

As we make our way to the foyer, everything inside of me is screaming for me to run, or to refuse to go, but deep down, I know that I honestly have a choice in the matter. Carlos will either force me, or Vincent will show up here and force me to go. Why not save what dignity I have left, and just go with my head held high.

In all honesty, I have two months before the wedding takes place. That’s plenty of time for me to think of a way out of this, no matter what it takes. The clock starts the second I walk into Vincent’s house. The determination is stronger than I’ve ever felt before.

Once we are standing in the foyer, waiting for the driver to pull the car around to the front, Clarice walks up to me, her eyes filled with tears. She is the one that I didn’t want to see before I left. Not because I didn’t want to say goodbye, but because she’d be the hardest one to leave behind.

Her arms wrap around my waist tightly, her short height almost allowing me to rest my head right on top of hers.

“Just take care of Matt, will ya? Don’t cry, I’ll be okay. You raised me afterall.” I whisper into her ears, causing both of us to shed some tears.

“Just do me one favor,” Clarice says as she pulls away and looks up at me, caressing one of my cheeks and brushing away my tears. “Don’t ever forget what a wonderful and strong woman you are.”

One thing about Clarice is she always knows exactly what to say to make anyone feel better. As hard a time as this is, I appreciate her saying that to me.

“Cars here, you ready, Katy?” Carlos hollers over to me and Clarice as we say our goodbyes.

No, I’m not ready, but I won’t show him that. Instead, I nod and walk over to him, giving Clarice one last wave goodbye before walking out of the house.

As my bags are loaded into the trunk, I jump in the back seat while Carlos sits in the front with the driver.

We take off down the road, heading to the other side of town, to my untimely fate. The drive seems to be going too fast for my liking and I watch as Carlos gets chummy with the driver, smiling and laughing as if he isn’t about to make the biggest mistake of his life.

Does he really think that giving me away to Vincent will give him the peace he wants? How well does he really know Vincent?

He may just get me, and then go against his word with Carlos. Then what?

Carlos just seems a little too happy to be walking into this agreement blindly.

The car pulls up in front of the house, my new home. At first glance, it’s stunning. Like a mansion in Italy would look like. Palm trees surround the house and wrap the whole way to the backyard. The house is white with tan accents. The windows on the front of the house seem to go from floor to ceiling from the inside.

It's breathtaking and seems to take away some of my anxiety. The driveway and walkway up to the front porch is a masonry masterpiece with strategically placed big stone that accents the house perfectly.

As we step out of the car, the front door opens and a few of Vincent’s helpers come out to fetch my bags. First glance, they seem nice, but timid and quiet. I’m not so sure that’s a good thing.

It’s never good to see the house help scared to be at work.

Carlos starts walking to the door and the nerves really set in. It’s all too real, now. This is it.

I go to follow him, but my feet won’t move. As if they’ve melted into the ground like cement. He notices and turns back to me, helping guide me to the front door. Can I really do this? Is he really going to allow this to happen to me?

Once we are inside, I notice that the inside of the house makes the outside look mediocre at best. The beautiful marbling of the floors and columns in the middle of the foyer is enough to make me cry. My family home is very beautiful and well decorated, but compared to this…this is a home fit for a royal family.

The curious side of me can’t wait to see the rest of the house. This is only one room, and it’s barely a room at that. I can’t imagine what the kitchen or bedrooms look like. Or better yet, how extravagant the bathrooms are. I’m a sucker for a good bathroom.

I’m sure I look silly with how in awe I must look, but remember, I never get out of the house, so this is a huge step for me.

As I look around in amazement, I hear footsteps approaching me. I look forward and see a man walking towards us. A tall man…a handsome man. A silver fox of a man, who seems more put together than I could have ever imagined him to be.

This is Vincent Ricci in the flesh. He seems to carry himself very well. His suit is straight as an arrow, his shoes look to be never worn outside of the house. His eyes are an ice blue that seem to see right into my soul.

My stomach is doing flips as he looks me up and down, analyzing his future wife.

I can’t help but feel a little nervous, especially with how handsome he is.

No…

Those feelings get shoved down, deep down. This isn’t the time for that. Yes he is handsome…hell, who am I kidding. He’s a silver fox, but I can’t show weakness. I don’t know him. And I’m being forced to live here with him, to marry him in a few months. He is the enemy.

Or is he.

Vincent smiles and my knees want to give out.

Stop it!

This man has a bad reputation, he is a bad man, and I’m not about to get wrapped up in this…this illusion.