Married to the Mafia Boss

Vittoria

I don’t care what Alessandro says, I’m going to be part of the family business. I’ve been preparing what I’m going to say the whole morning. The documents I have gathered are my academic records, reference letters, CV, and all my credentials. He can’t deny that I will be good for the family. I run through what I’m going to say in my head once more.

I knock on his office door and hear his weary voice call, “Come in.”

I open and step in. I’m dressed smartly and ready to mean business. His face instantly lights up. “Tori! What are you doing here?”

“I want to talk to you,” I say as confidently as I can manage. “And I don’t want you to say anything until I’m done.”

He sits back and laces his fingers together. “Okay, go ahead.”

I lay the documents on his desk. “Here I have my CV, credentials, reference letters, and academic records. I didn’t go to school to become a goody-two-shoes lawyer who upholds the law, Alessandro. I want to run through these documents and explain how I will help the family.”

He nods but doesn’t say anything.

“Firstly, I have an excellent business mind, and while I might not be the most socially adept person, I’m able to find the loopholes that will allow our family to expand, loopholes that I don’t think even Frankie can find…”

The door opens suddenly, and we both turn, and Alessandro holds a hand up. “I’m busy.”

“It’s Ivan Volkov,” Carmine announces. “He wants to see you immediately.”

Before we can say anything, Carmine steps back, and the man from the grocery store walks in. I’m struck again by how handsome he is. Tall, with a beard and with gorgeous eyes. He looks strong and mature, and I can’t help but feel something very strange but strong draw me to him despite my obvious hatred toward him for shooting my father.

I stand behind Alessandro’s desk and wait, irritated that I’ve been interrupted.NôvelDrama.Org owns this.

“Pakhan Volkov,” Alessandro stands up, and they shake hands. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“I prefer it that way,” the Russian leader says. “Keeps us all honest, but my visit will be brief, Don Sorvino. I’ve come to deliver my request for the unity of our families.”

“I haven’t had time enough to work out which would be the best way forward,” Alessandro says, motioning for Ivan to sit down, but he doesn’t.

“I have my terms, and I’m afraid I’m not moved to negotiate on them.”

“Oh?” Alessandro asks, cocking his head to the side. “That doesn’t seem to be in the spirit of unity.”

“I want to unite our families through an arranged marriage,” he says, locking eyes with me.

I don’t look away, his bright eyes seem to drink me in, and I almost feel lost in them.

“Who do you want to marry your daughter off to, then?” Alessandro asks. I’m sure it’s more out of curiosity than anything else.

“I’m not marrying my daughter to anyone,” Ivan says. “I want to marry Vittoria.”

“Never,” Alessandro doesn’t even wait for him to finish his thought. “I will never agree to this.”

“You don’t have a choice, Don Sorvino. You have two weeks. I will plan the entire wedding. We’ll have the reception at a place of your choosing. If Vittoria doesn’t show up to marry me, I will systematically kill off everyone in the Sorvino family and anyone affiliated with them. Do you understand my meaning?”

“I could declare war,” Alessandro snarls, clenching his fists. “You don’t just come into my home and make demands as though you own me.”

“Let me be clear, Sorvino, you wouldn’t even have time to declare war before each person you love would be dead. Besides, I don’t want to own you, but your family is getting too big for its boots, and someone has to put you back in your place. We will evenly share the territories between our two families as payment for the wedding. Consider it a deal you shouldn’t want to refuse.” Ivan looks at me again. “Be there, Vittoria, or I will fulfill my promise.”

Ivan turns and leaves, and I am not sure what’s wrong with me when I admire his tight ass as he strides out of Alessandro’s office even after hearing what’s he willing to do to my family.

My desire to prove myself and to protect my family is stronger than fear though, so I turn to my cousin. “Alessandro…” I begin, but he cuts me off.

“Not now, Vittoria. We need to meet with the family,” he says.

“I want to be in on that meeting,” I say sternly. “It’s my life.”

Alessandro looks at me and then puts both hands on my shoulders. “I’m not marrying you off to that monster.” He hits a button on the phone on his desk. “Carmine, summon everyone in the family to meet in half an hour at the bistro. Close it to other customers. This is urgent.”

“Yes, sir,” Carmine’s voice comes through the speaker.

“Come,” Alessandro gestures for me to walk ahead of him. “We need to get there as soon as possible.”

I get in Alessandro’s car, feeling nervous. I don’t understand why Ivan insists on marrying me specifically. I mean, he must be like twenty-plus years older than me. I think of my father in his medically induced coma in the hospital, and my blood boils. How dare this Russian asshole assume he can own me on a whim?

We reach the bistro and don’t have to wait long for the rest of the main family members to arrive. It’s mostly immediate family from Alessandro and my side, as well as my cousins from my Aunt Louisa’s side. Once everyone is settled, Alessandro stands to speak.

“The Volkov family insists that Vittoria marry Ivan Volkov in two weeks, or they will attack our family.”

There is an uproar from everyone, some of the family members look at me, and I blush slightly, feeling once again like an outsider. Although I want my opinion to carry weight, I’ve always felt socially awkward, even with my family. As though I don’t belong here.

Alessandro holds his hands up. “Obviously, we’re not going to allow that to happen, so we must prepare for a war against the Volkov family.”

“Alessandro,” Luigi stands up, “it’s going to be hard to fight a war against them. They’re a powerful family.”

“So are we,” Alessandro says, “and I’ll be dead before I let that man lay his hands on your sister.”

“Yes, but maybe we should make them think they’ve won,” Luigi says, glancing at me. “Tori is smart. She can handle herself. She could feed us information about their operations, affiliates, and territories, and we could break the Volkovs from the inside out.”

“Are you mad?” Dominic roars. “You want to put Tori in danger in the hopes she can gather information from a dangerous man and feed it back to us.”

Luigi holds his hands up. “I’m just saying that Tori could help us end this without bloodshed. On our side anyway.”

I incline my head, and as everyone starts grumbling, Alessandro shakes his head. “I’m not placing your sister in the hands of this madman in the hope we can win that way.”

“I can do it,” I say, sounding more confident than I feel. “It’s just like a court case: taking what the opposition has and using it against them. It’s strategic, and Luigi is right. We could avoid so much bloodshed this way.”

Alessandro looks into my eyes. “Tori, I’m not arguing with you over this.”

“He is my father,” I say. “I want revenge more than even you do.”

Alessandro sighs and looks at Frankie. “Care to weigh in?”

“I agree with Luigi,” Frankie says with a sigh.

Luigi perks up. “She’s our best shot. She’s intelligent and knows how to get the information we need.”

“I can do this, Alessandro.” My voice is clear even though I feel timid.

Everyone falls quiet as Alessandro’s phone rings. He checks the number and holds his hand up before answering it. He steps away from everyone and has a quiet chat with whoever is on the phone. When he hangs up, he comes back to us and looks at all of us gravely.

“Tori. Luigi. Kira.” I know it’s bad news, and I try to brace myself. “Your father’s condition has taken a turn for the worse. They’re saying it could be weeks or even a few days, but they don’t think he’s going to make it.”

I clench my fists. “It’s all the more reason to take down Ivan. He did this.”

Alessandro watches me for a moment before he looks around at each of our family member’s determined faces. I know they’re all standing with me on this front.

“Fine,” he says at last. “You’ll marry Ivan, but you do know what that will entail, don’t you?”

“I’m prepared to do what it takes to save our family,” I say coldly. “I can do it.”

Alessandro sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “You need to promise me you’ll be careful, Tori. You need to understand that you grew up in an Italian family. Russians are different from us. They do things differently, and they’ll be suspicious of you from the beginning.”

“I understand,” I say quietly, “but it doesn’t matter if they’re Italian or Russian. All men are the same in the end, no matter where they come from.”

“I’ll send word to Ivan. I guess you’d best pick out your wedding dress, and I’ll have Bella and Aunt Louisa’s family prepare the reception at the estate. Remember, everyone, you need to be on your best behavior. It’s going to be tense and uncomfortable, but I want no fighting at the wedding or the estate afterward. Tori’s life very much depends on how we behave.”