Chapter 40
“Fine.” Susana shrugged as she turned to face Kylen. “When I’m rubbing one out,” she didn’t miss Genera’s face as she came into the room holding a folder in her hand, “I’m thinking of a man who isn’t more concerned about appearances and face than doing the right thing. I’m dreaming of a man who would put me first, above anything and anyone, including his family. I don’t want some weak–spined bastard who would
g of a war let his mother walk all over him.”
“You’ve dated someone like that?”
“Amal did. She was engaged to a man whose mother humiliated her at every turn. My uncle got wind of it and shut it all down. No thanks.”
“What else?”
“You were engaged? Tito spoke over Kylen at Amal
Alcee noted he appeared pissed off about it. Amal ignored Tito with a toss of her hair.
“I want a man,” Susana continued, “who is smart and can hold a conversation and not make me feel I’m talking to a caveman. He needs to be able to think for himself.”
“What about looks? You’ve mentioned all these dazzling attributes but what about looks?”
Susaha laughed, “do you know in high school, I dated the school nerd. He wasn’t the cutest boy. He wasn’t the hottest boy. Damned if he wasn’t the most respectful, kindest, sweetest boy and I know I don’t give a fuck about a man’s looks, whether he’s fat or thin, tall, or short, so long as he has strength of character, isn’t a doormat. I’d happy take a greasy, filthy mechanic who comes home to me every night with dirt under his nails, smelling of diesel, than some hot guy in a suit who thinks he’s better than me because he has a dick and money.”
“You do know you just described Barrone.” Torg laughed
“What?”
“The man is five ten, pretty slim. Wears glasses. Deadly as fuck and I wouldn’t underestimate him in a gun or a knife fight, or eyen a fist fight because his father knew he wasn’t going to be big, so he got him trained in multiple forms of martial arts. His mother is Mexican. His father is Italian. He’s all about his family but I once saw him shoot a cousin for groping Barrone’s girlfriend at the time. Shot him in the head.”
“I remember that!” Bastiano laughed. “He caught his cousin commering his girlfriend. He shot first without asking a damn question. She dumped him for murdering someone right in front of her.”
“He said he’d do it again to protect what was his. He’s also very much into his bikes. He rides, Susana and he’s forever in his garage tinkering away, covered in grease. I wonder if Barrone knew anything about you before he put in his request to your uncle.”
Geneves put the files on the desk. “Here you go.”
“Genevra,” Amal spoke up, “you’re part of the Locano family. If Torq told you he wanted you to marry a man ten years older than you, one you’ve never met before, for nothing more than to bear his heirs, what would you do?”
She shrugged, “my parents arranged.” She looked at Bastiano. “They love each other very much, no?”
“They do,” Bastiano gave her a cool glare, clearly still pissed off with her.
“I would do as my Don instructed. I am not much use to my family. If I could do something which would make them feel I was less a burden, then I would do it.”
“You temper is shit. Nobody would want you.” Kylen gave his opinion.
“There is truth to this,” she nodded, “I am a proud Italian, and I appreciate being given the opportunity to start my life. I am not for everyone. I would never marry someone who was not Italian or Sicilian. I would not marry someone who has less than my family because money is important to me. I would not want someone who would beat me. Otherwise, I would trust my Don to put my best interests at heart and marry me off appropriately.”
“You fucked another woman’s husband, Torg gave her a dirty look. “I would not saddle any man with you.”
“Lay off.” Alcee grunted at him. “Christ on a cracker, Genevra, you’re what twenty–five, twenty–six?”
“Twenty–one.”
Chapter 40
“Holy shit, she’s twenty–one. I was hacking into the dark web and setting up an online auction to sell my virginity, so I didn’t get married off to a stranger. She slept with someone’s husband after he and his wife seduced her.” Alcee shook her head. “Seriously Torq Cut the girl slack.”
“An hour ago, you had her against the wall by the throat, Torq said.
“That was then. This is now,” she winked at Genevra. “We’ve made amends. She knows better than to piss me off. We can be friends. Chicks before dicks”
“Amen sister,” Susana extended her fist to Alcee who bumped it. Amal joined in and then she held hers out to Genevra. Genevra cautiously reciprocated.
“Twenty–one,” Amal whispered. “At twenty–one I was being told by my soon–to–be mother–in–law I needed to lose thirty pounds because a hundred and thirty pounds on my frame was too big. She also said I needed to memorize her mother’s cookbook to make sure I knew how to make eggplant parmigiana the way the family did. Bitch wanted me to make it and then not eat any of it. I should have been having threesomes like Genevra.”
Genera shrugged, “it wasn’t all so sexy. He told me he loved me. I believed him. His wife tried to kill me. He let her try. He didn’t even stop ber. It seems he liked her jealousy, and I was what he used to make it happen.”
“Huh. Still better than the bitch I almost got stuck with as a mother–in–law
“Question,” Tito looked at Amal, “was the marriage arranged or was he someone you chose?” When the girls were quiet he laughed, “yeah, that’s what I thought. Choosing didn’t get you reliable results now did it. Maybe you all need to open your minds.”
“Maybe you should shut your mouth.” Amal shot back. “Can we sign these papers and leave? I suddenly have a craving for eggplant parm made the way my mom makes it.”
“Cenevra, our guests should be in the waiting area. Make them comfortable and tell them we’ll be a few minutes.”
“They won’t like waiting.” Bastiano quipped with a grin.
“Who is it?” Alcee asked.
“Your father and brother Torq grinned.
Chapter Comments
This whole arranged marriage consept is appalling It’s fine and dandyas long as everyone (including the bride and groom) is happy, but are they allowed to say no? Are they allowed a divorce? If not, I’d skbg it to human trafficking
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