Hidden Figures In The Shadows

Alex's POV

They say that life is full of surprises and if it was not for the fact that I actually need the company to be a front, I would have told my father to shove this arranged marriage, but he is right, we do need them. My soon to be wife has no idea that not everything is at it seems, she doesn't know that her father has secrets he doesn't want anyone to find out about and I am okay with that considering that I also have secrets of my own.

I was in my house getting dressed when one of my guys came to tell me some disturbing news about my runner. He has betrayed me and he has to pay for it, no one crosses Mr X and gets away with it, he was like my right hand man and so he should have known better than to cross me. A knock came on my door, I was a little irritated because I have to be at the church for my wedding in an hour. The door opened and Knuckles came in.

" What do you want?" I asked him.

" I'm sorry to disturb you X but we have a problem. " He said. He knows that I hate being disturbed.

" Are you going to tell me what the problem is or do I have to shoot it out of you. " I said to him. I hate people who waste my time.

" Sir Berner has betrayed us, he took off with the shipment. " Knuckles said with a scared tone, he has to be scared because he knows that I don't play around when it comes to money. I turned around and I punched him in the stomach and he fell down.

" Aren't you the one who was supposed to look after that shipment?" I asked him.

" I'm sorry Mr X, he blindsided me. " He said in pain.

" Get up you worthless piece of s***! I want him found you here me? I want him found today, it's your head or his. " I said and turned my back on him.

" Yes sir..." he said and stood up.

I was irritated but I couldn't let that stop me from my wedding day. I finished dressing up and my driver and bodyguard was waiting for me downstairs. He had a worried look on his face but he didn't say anything. He just followed me out to the car and I went in.

" What is it? You have been starring at me for a few minutes now. " I said to him.

" Sir, are you sure that you want to keep your soon to be wife in the darkness about everything?" He asked me.

" Jack I don't see how telling her is going to help the situation. " I said to him.

" I mean sir, you run most of the operations at the house, she will get suspicious. " He said to me.

" Then I guess we just have to be more careful." I said to him.

" What are going to do about the Berner situation? the Columbians are waiting for their guns. " He said to me.

Now let me tell you about the Columbians, we are in business together, they give me what I want and I get them what they need. I know everyone in this city and not only that but I have people everywhere, from the traffic cops to the heads of states, I had everyone on my payroll and the Columbians like that about me. I can get them anything they want but I know very well that my head will be on the chopping board if I don't deliver what they asked for. In the streets, they call me a genie because I make things happen. Berner has just put me in a very tight spot and he knows it. Of all my contacts, the Columbians are the most dangerous of all cartels, if I don't deliver their guns, they will come for me.

" I have another plan for the Columbians, if they don't find Berner by tonight, I will have no choice but to give them our guns. " I said to him.

" But sir, that would mean that we won't have any ammunition. " He asked me in horror.

He was right, giving the Columbians will leave me vulnerable but I don't have a choice right now, that is why Berner has to be found.

" Jack I don't have a choice, I knew that Berner was planning something, I thought that it was the Fed's but now it's pretty clear that made a deal with someone else, no matter. He will be found and dealt with accordingly. " I said with a firm voice.

Jack didn't say anything after that, he just took me to church, when I got there I realised that my father was standing outside, I had no doubts that he was waiting for me. He didn't look pleased but I don't care, I am also not pleased with having to marry a woman I don't love. Jack parked the car and got out, he opened the door for me and I got out. My father saw me and he waited for me to reach him.

" How nice of you to finally grace us with your presence. " My father said.

" I had some business to sort and besides I am here aren't I?" I said to him.

" Alex I know that this is not what you wanted but we need their pipeline, this is more than just about your feelings, and what is it that I hear that you haven't delivered your promise to the Columbians? " My father said to me.

" I take it that you have managed to get yourself a spy? don't worry about the Columbians, I have a plan B." I said to him.

" Alex when you took over the cartel I told you that you have to keep the Columbians happy, this never happened when I was still in charge. " He said with a firm voice.

" Can we talk about this later? I have a ceremony to get to. " I said to him. I was about to walk away.

" One more thing..." He said.

" Yes..." I said to him.

" Your wife must never find out about this side of the family business, you must keep it from her like I did with your mother, it is important that you keep up with the firm. " He said.

" Fine..." I said and we went inside the church. I could see that everyone was there. My mother was sitting there looking beautiful with a beautiful big hat.

My father in law stood up and he shook my hand as I made my way to the alter, a few minutes later he recieved a call and went out, the music for the bride started and the doors opened. I saw two figures coming inside. It was Ella and her father. This might be an arranged marriage but she sure looks like a real bride. She was so beautiful, it was like I was seeing her for the first time. I knew that there was no ways I could get out of this marriage so I did a little research on my wife to be and she was not half bad.

Seeing her like this was breathtaking, I am not saying that I instantly fell in love with her but I definitely felt something for her. I didn't smile but I never took my eyes off her. If I am going to be stuck with someone I didn't plan on having, I wouldn't have picked better myself. I have never felt so many mixed feelings like I was feeling right now, I was angry that my father was pushing this on me but I knew that I had to do all that I can to prove that I am better than my father. Up until now, everything has been running smoothly. I did not plan on having feelings for Ella and in the last week we have spent time together planning the wedding.

I pretend not to care but I could see that she was trying hard to make me happy. I wish that I was a different man because then maybe I would allow myself to actually feel something for her but a man like me has no place for love in his life. I am a man with a double life, a gangster in a suit and I can't allow myself to have weakeneses. In the business I am in, people can use that against me. I have had to be tough and not allow myself to be weak. My father loved my mother and that is why he made sure that she stayed away from this other side of the business. He made sure that she was protected.

As a man I realised that I might have to do the same. I might not love her but I have to protect her and now that I am about to marry her, I am putting her in danger but I am a selfish man so what can I say? I want to have my cake and eat it too, I am a bad boy and that's what bad boys do. Her father gave her away to me, I took her hand and we faced the priest, I didn't let go of her hand.

" You look ravishing by the way. " I said to her.

" You don't look too bad yourself. " She said. She has a sharp tongue, that much I have seen but for some reason, I like it.

" Do you guys need a private moment to yourselves or do you actually want to get on with your union. "The priest said and the people in the church laughed.

" Sorry father, you can begin. " I said to the priest.

He told us to look at each other and we said our vows, we kissed and just like that, we were married. We were holding the wedding party and my parents house. Ella was playing the role of the perfect wife and I was playing the part of the perfect bride, as she should be. Appearances are important.

The wedding festivities were going well when I saw Knuckles lurking in the dark, it was clear that he wanted to talk, I hoped that it would be because he has found Berner. I excused myself and went to see Knuckles.

" I am guessing that you have found Berner. " I said to him.

" No sir but I found his partner, he was working with Smith. " Knuckles said.

" Where is he? I want to talk to him. " I said to Knuckles. I never in a million years thought that Smith could betray me. We go a long way and this is the last thing I expected from him. I don't know but I have a difficult time believing that he would betray me, he knows what I do to people who betray me, he knows that he won't survive something like this, I have to know why he did it.

" I have him tied up in the car sir. " He said.

" Get him to the pool house, I will be there in a minute. " I said and took out my phone. I realised that I only had less than thirty minutes to do this. I am supposed to leave for the airstrip with Ella in thirty minutes. My phone rang, it was Jack.

" Jack..." I said.

" Where are you? your wife is asking about you, she wants to leave. " He said.

" I'll be there in a few minutes. " I said and hung up. I didn't want him to know that we found Smith. I have done a lot of terrible things in my life and I have never had problems sleeping at night after that but Smith is Jack's cousin and he cares about him, I don't think that he would want to be there when I put a bullet through his head. I saw Knuckles carry Smith to the pool house. I followed him. They took a chair and they tied him up. His head was down, it looks like he was asleep.

" Wake him up..." I said and I took out my gun. I took out a silencer and I waited and Knuckles slapped him. He Finland opened his eyes. I saw the horror in his face when he realised where he was.

" Why? " I asked him.

" This is a mistake, I didn't do anything. " He said.

" You know better than that, why?" I asked him.

" I didn't do anything, I would never betray you, I swear it. " He said. I expected him to say that as well, they always say the same things. Smith forgets that I know him like I know myself and I could see that he was scared

" Where is he? If you tell me where to find Berner I might spare your life. " I said to him.

" He took a boat, he is going to meet up with the Serbians. " He said.

" Thank you. " I said and clogged my gun.

" you said you'd spare me. " He said with horror in his eyes.

" You should have known better. " I said and pointed the gun at him, I shot him.

" Alex?" I heard Ella's petrified voice in the background. I cursed a little.