Forced marriage

~Cassius~

To say my life is bad is an understatement. Dad paces the room back and forth, his steps making my sister uneasy. Jeanne sits on the couch, burying her face in her hands.

"What's going to happen?" she asks, eyes red and watery as she looks at me. Her chocolate hair is mussed up, like she had been running her fingers through them. 

The gaze in her eyes are clear; she doesn't want to go. No matter what, she can't go and I'll make sure that doesn't happens. The rival Mafia family, the fucking Vitos, demands that she must marry the boss himself in order to pay back the debts we owed.

"This isn't fair! Dad, that was all Uncle's fault!" My elder brother barges in, the door nearly thrown off its hinges.

The man who put us in this predicament due to his selfish nature had taken the money and fled somewhere in the world. Now my sister has to make up for the mistake, one she didn't cause. 

My gaze drops to the laptop on the coffee table where emails of 'threats' from the Vitos stare back at me. My stomach twists and I barely resist the urge to smash the laptop. Or maybe chug it at Vito's men who have been coming around to threaten us. 

"I don't want to get married. Please," her tears begin to fall and her shoulders tremble. 

She looks around our living room like it would help her somehow, the walls that are covered with wallpaper that hides the ugly scribbles we drew when we were kids, and the painting of Mom near the staircase—one I couldn't bring myself to look at.

Jeanne looks so small, so much like Mom, a younger version; big hazel doe-like eyes, long smooth hair that ends at her waist, and full lips.

Heartstrings tug beneath my chest and I struggle to breathe.

My ever narcissistic and nasty elder brother, Killian makes his way over, glaring at Dad. His rusty blonde hair is combed back with gel, and he's dressed in biker's clothing, looking like a motorbike gangster instead of the son of a fallen Mafia family.

"Dad, I’d rather fight them and bleed than let them take Jeanne. She's only nineteen," Killian's jaws clench. 

"I second this," I raise my hand.

"Why did you agree with their demands? Don't you know that they'll use her, turn her into a breeding machine before tossing her out?!" 

"And she'll be bullied. There's news and evidence of things like that—"

"Enough, both of you! If I had a choice, I would never sell any of my children off. Your mother would kill me in my dreams and you know that!" Dad snaps, chest heaving up and down with frustration.

"What age is this? Modern century! Does fucking Vito even look at the calendar?!" Killian says. His fists clench at his sides, veins threatening to pop on his forehead.

"I agree. Do we need to have this marriage alliance?" I supply.

"Both of you—"

"Dad," Jeanne calls weakly, interrupting the argument. She looks up at Dad with those eyes, so pitiful and heart-wrenchingly beautiful.

"If I marry Vito, will they stop harassing us?" she asks.

"No," I say. They have been coming around to have meetings with Dad. None of which ended amiably because Dad always looks so pale and on the verge of a heart attack.

"Shut up," Dad glares at me. I make a zipping motion across my lips. He turns to Jeanne and softens his voice.

"Yes. Maybe. I don't know. I'm so sorry, sweetheart." He walks towards her, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Dad genuinely cares for Jeanne. She is the last child of the family and the only daughter Mom left him. He rubs her back affectionately, holding in tears.

Killian looks like he wants to say something but doesn't. He exchanges glances with me. I thrust my chin towards the couch. He scowls, but he gets the message and goes over, wrapping his arm around Jeanne's small shoulders and pulling her into a hug.

Killian never hugs anyone, not even Dad. I suppose it has to do with his past he forbids anyone from mentioning. Him hugging her now is already the best comfort he could give Jeanne. I stand behind them, patting her shoulders.

There is no choice. The wedding is in three days' time at a hotel owned by her soon-to-be husband. What is his name again? Right. It begins with A.

Alexander?

Alexandro?

Wait, I got it.

Alessio.

Alessio motherfucking Vito.

......

Three days later.

Jeanne is picked up by a limousine. She convinces us to let her marry, saying that she'll be happy with Vito. Motherfucking Vito is filthy rich and he'll treat her right.

Might treat her right. I know how it is in the Mafia world. Women are only expected to give birth and take care of the children. Jeanne doesn't have backing. They might hurt her instead.

The demons are chattering like fucking hell in my head, laughing and crashing into every side of my skull.

Dad accompanies her. Killian, being Killian, doesn't show up. Two muscular men belonging to her future husband enter the limousine with Dad's bodyguard, Wayne. To prevent Jeanne from running.

There are rumors that the don of the Vito family is a slimy old pervert. I don't want to ruin my sister's lifetime just for a few millions that were stolen by my uncle. It's not our fault that this happened. But it falls onto us, especially her, to put an end to this shit. 

Even if this wasn't the case, I would never let her marry into a family like the Vitos. Their reputation is notorious, filled with dirty secrets and schemes. Jeanne deserves so much better.

I wait for thirty minutes before I get on my bike. Driving at crazy high speed that threatens to crush my lungs, I burst multiple red lights and arrive at the wedding venue.

A church.

Fucking Vito reserved the whole place for the wedding. The entrance and exit are guarded by his men.

I walk up, testing the heavy bat in my hands. Perfect for whacking their heads.