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Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Past…..

“Do you take Angelo as your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?” the priest asked the bride in standing and silence to take over.

The whole congregation waits for the bride to answer. A soft sob escaped from her as her eyes wandered around and then set back to the old man she was taking as her husband.

The age difference was something terrible but who could stop him, her parents had gladly sold their daughter to one of the underbosses under Don Dante, and watching this made eighteen-year-old Maria want to puke.

It was obvious that the bride didn't want the wedding and knowing this would be her fate in a few years makes her scared.

“Mama,” she called out to her mother Victoria. “Yes,” she answered immediately.

“I would like to go to the restroom.”

Victoria looked at her dad whose attention was on her husband and wife at the altar. “Can you hold it in, baby?” she asked but Maria shook her head.

“Will be back soon” She stood up without lingering for her mom's permission. She headed out of the church and she was finally able to breathe.

It was hard seeing and hearing all the rubbish. There were guards outside securing the church so she couldn't go far from the church premises.

Maria decided to take a walk around the place and was glad to see an old abandoned shed near the church. Her parents wouldn't complain if she wasn't far away and being inside the church was suffocating her.

She entered the place but was hit by smoke the moment she stepped in, it was so hard that she couldn't stop herself from coughing out.

“What the fuck?” she speaks as she covers her nose.

“Calm down princess, that is so vague of you,” someone said next to her but she could hardly see the person as where he sat was too dark.

The small holes inside the shed shone on where she was standing but hardly on the strange inside her.

“Who are you?” she asked while he chuckled but said nothing, Maria could hear how he took a puff and released it but couldn't see him.

If he was a guest then he would be inside the church not here, ‘he is probably one of their guards who came to take a puff’ Maria assumed but still not comfortable being here with him, yet don't wish to go inside the church to witness all those dramas.

“Why are you here alone?” she asked, trying to converse with the strange. “Because of the smoke?” she answered herself when she received no replies.

“This is annoying,” she said as she rested on the wall of the shed.

“Aren't you scared princess, I could easily hurt you in here, it isn't good to be alone with a stranger.

Maria smiles after she gets him to talk. “Well if you want to, you will have. But I don't think you do”

“Why are you here? Everyone is inside their church, got tired of it?” The stranger asked while Maria frowned and tucked her hair behind her ears.

“I got bored of it. I would rather be here than to be there. Everyone is crazy, it is obvious she doesn't want to get married to that man but they all act like they don't see her tears. I hate it”

“A friend of yours?” the stranger asked but Maria shook her head. “Then why feel pity for her when you hardly know her?”

“Right? But I fear that might be my case soon. My father is no different, he sold his sister to the most dangerous man ever, I fear it will be the same with me or even worse” Her fear was so visible as she spoke and it only added to his anger.

He came here because he wanted some privacy, he never entered the church but he was already bored. Then the last person he thought he would see appeared in front of him willing.

It was so tempting and it was so hard to refuse it, the last time Maria saw him was her aunt's wedding with his dad which was years ago, but for him, it was almost every day. She saw her grow from that snotty little girl to the lady she is now.

Rico had been on her spell since the engagement party, at first it was curiosity about her. But as he grew, it became something else, something strong.

He looked forward to seeing her smile even though she had no idea about her, being in the same presence that she was in, and most importantly being the only one those brown eyes looked at with affection.

That made him so speechless when she started talking to him. She was always like the sky he couldn't reach, an angel that he wasn't worthy of her presence. He worships her yet she knows little about him.

“Your father probably had no choice then, no one can refuse Dante Russo.” No one but me’ he kept the last part to himself.

“How did you know that? I don't recall telling you who my aunt is and who she married” Maria's brows narrowed as she waited for answers.

She couldn't see him but he could and seeing her like this made him happy.

“Everyone knows you, princess. Rather your father, it is no secret how brutal he and cunny he is” Rico said not as an insult direct to her but to her father.

“Oh I see” she mouthed and looked around the shed. “You must be one of the guards, under which capo do you work?” she asked and Rico burst into laughter, no one had ever made such a ridiculous assumption about him.

Ordinary guard. Him?

“What is funny?” Maria scowled, she didn't find anything she said funny, but he had chuckled many times now.

“You, princess. Your assumption is cute” he commented and dropped the cigarettes in his hand, hauling always from the dark where he sat before.

“If I was a soldier under any capo, would you beg your father to take me in” Rico polled as he appeared in front of Maria while she hiccuped repeatedly, enthralled by the man in front of her.

She has never seen a man this gorgeous, with the most beautiful and expressive blue eyes she has ever seen, curly dark blonde hair, and the perfect facial features along with his body.

Men never cared about their appearances in their society, they could get any woman they wanted anyway, but there are some who tried to look at least presentable.

However this is just pure beauty, the most attractive man she has ever seen, and it was so hard not to check him out.

Rico grinned aware that Maria was drooling over him, the way she beamed at him made him so proud. If he is fortunate then she might at least be attracted to him if he can't get her to love him.

He knows it, they are meant for each other. And no man is going to take her away from him.

“If you look at me like that, you make it so hard to control myself, princess”

“Why do you keep calling me that? Because of my father?” Maria asked as her smile quickly faded away.

It is no lie that she belongs to the mafia family, a ruthless and powerful one. But if that is the reason this unknown stranger keeps calling her princess, then she doesn't want it.

“If it is because of my father.…”

“How about because you look like one, like you were brought out of a fairytale” Rico cut her short glaring at her with so much affection.

He has come to the decision that he is never going to escape from the spell Maria has on him.

Her lips nestled into a smile, as she softly bit her lips. “No one has ever complimented me, I mean it is a compliment, right?” She questioned in panic.

“Of course, and no one should compliment you. I'm afraid I won't like it”

Maria didn't take much into his words, a compliment from this beautiful man is all that matters.

“What is your name?” she asked and extended her hand for a shake.

“Rico,” he said, taking her hand and kissing it.

She giggled more, leaving the church was so worth it. “Well, you might not know but I'm”

“Maria Jose Vitalio, I know that princess,” he said, not letting go of her hand.

Her name has never felt so good coming out from someone else.

“I guess you do. Nice to meet Rico.”

“Same here, Maria. I'm really glad I get to meet you.”

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