7. Rork
7
RORK
A s the crowd falls silent, the realization of who has won the tournament slowly sinks in. I can’t help but feel a surge of satisfaction as I see the look of utter shock and disbelief on Nico’s face. His eyes widen, and his mouth falls open in a perfect picture of outrage and disbelief.
I’ve been waiting for this moment for years , ever since Nico sliced my face and nearly took out my eye.
My plan was simple—claim one of the Marino daughters, ruin her, and then leave her broken and defiled on the family’s doorstep. I wanted to destroy Nico in the most personal way possible, to strike at the very heart of what he holds most dear.
But I never could have predicted that the second-eldest daughter, the one I would be competing for, would be the same girl I met just last week outside the bridal shop. Bianca, with her fierce eyes and unbreakable spirit, is a prize beyond my wildest dreams.
As I stand there, savoring the moment of my triumph, Nico finally finds his voice.
“You!” he roars, his face turning an alarming shade of purple. “What the hell do you think you’re doing here, O’Malley?”
I can’t help but grin, reveling in his anger and frustration. “Why, Nico, I’m just claiming what’s rightfully mine. After all, I did win the tournament fair and square.”
Nico stands up from his chair, his fists clenched at his sides. Is it just me or does he look frailer? “You have no right to be here, you bastard. You were not invited. I’ll see you dead before I let you lay a hand on my daughter.”
I laugh, a cold, mirthless sound that echoes across the silent lawn. “Oh, Nico, always so dramatic. You should know by now that I never back down from a challenge, especially when the prize is so… enticing.”
I let my gaze drift over to Bianca, taking in the sight of her in her wedding dress, her face a mask of confusion and uncertainty. She’s even more beautiful than I remembered, and the thought of claiming her as my own sends a thrill of anticipation through my veins.
But even as I drink in the sight of her, my mind is already racing with plans for revenge. I’ll make Nico pay for what he’s done to me. And I’ll do it by taking the one thing he values most in this world. His daughter.
I can see the fear in Bianca’s eyes as she looks between me and her father, and for a moment, I almost feel a twinge of guilt. But then I remember all the years of suffering and humiliation I’ve endured at Nico’s hands, and my resolve hardens once more.
“You can’t stop me, Nico,” I say, smiling. “I’ve won, fair and square. And now, Bianca is mine.”
I take a step toward her, my hand outstretched, and I can see the guards tensing, ready to intervene. But before they can make a move, Nico is right in front of me. I blink, unsure of how he got from the balcony to the lawn so fast.
His hand clamps down on my wrist like a vise.
“Over my dead body,” he growls, his eyes blazing with fury.
My smile stretches, a slow, cruel curve of my lips. “That can be arranged, old friend. But for now, I think I’ll settle for taking what’s mine and watching you squirm.”
My eyes meet Anna’s for a brief moment as she hugs her daughters close to her, her face white with horror. The memories of our childhood together come flooding back, and for a split second, I feel my resolve waver.
There was a time when I would have laid down my life for her, when our friendship meant everything to me. But then I remember the day she chose to stay with Nico, even after he fucking wounded me when I was just trying to save her. She turned her back on me, and now, all I can think about is making her and her precious husband pay for the pain they’ve caused me.
It’s time for me to lay it on thickly. Nico is unhinged enough to actually call this whole thing off, so I have to force him to accept this by using public pressure.
Forcing a smile on my face, I turn to address the gathered crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen,” I begin, my voice ringing out across the lawn. “I know my presence here today may come as a surprise, given the history between the Marino family and myself.”
I can see Nico’s fist clench, his eyes narrowing with barely contained rage. But I press on, determined to play the role of the perfect gentleman.
“But I want to assure you all that the past is just that. The past. My days of rivalry with Don Marino are behind me, and I’m ready to start a new chapter in my life. One that involves settling down and starting a family of my own.”
Nico blanches, and Anna lets out a gasp of dismay.
I pause, letting my words sink in as I turn to face Bianca. “And what better way to bury the hatchet than to unite our two powerful Families? Bianca is a remarkable young woman, and I would be honored to call her my wife.”
I can hear the murmurs of the crowd, the whispers of shock and disbelief. But I keep my gaze locked on Bianca, watching as a flicker of uncertainty crosses her face.
Nico steps forward, his voice low and threatening. “You can’t seriously expect us to go through with this, Rork. Not after everything that’s happened.”
“You must be forgetting, Nico, because I do expect you to go through with this. After all, you made the rules of this tournament yourself.”
“You were not invited!” he snarls, a vein in his forehead pulsing. “How the fuck did you get in here?”
I shrug, purposefully looking bored as I brush off some nonexistent dirt on my shirt. “My invitation status doesn’t matter. The winner gets to marry Bianca, no matter who he may be.”
I can see the frustration and anger building in Nico’s eyes, but he knows I’m right. With the public display of the tournament, he can’t back out of the agreement without losing face in front of every Mafia and prominent Family in the area.
“I could kill you right now,” Nico hisses. “Then you wouldn’t be able to marry Bianca.”
I tsk. “Now, now, Nico, such violent words. But I would highly reconsider that. You see, your security measures are severely lacking and so easy to break. My men are also in this audience right now. If you even reach for your gun, you’ll be dead before you can grab it.”
Nico looks like he can’t breathe. I wish I had a camera to take a picture of his face. I would frame it on my goddamn walls.
“Think about it, Nico,” I continue, my voice smooth and persuasive. “Our Families have been at odds for far too long. This is a chance to put that all behind us, to forge a new alliance that will benefit us all.”
Anna’s eyes widen. For a moment, I allow myself to remember the girl she once was, the friend I would have done anything for. But then I push those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the sweet taste of revenge that is so close I can almost feel it on my tongue.
“So, what do you say, Nico?” I ask tauntingly. “Are you going to play by the rules of your tournament and give me your daughter as promised?”
Nico hesitates, his eyes darting between me and Bianca still up in the balcony. I can see the conflict warring within him, the desire to protect his daughter battling against the need to maintain his reputation in the Mafia community.
Finally, he takes a deep breath and steps forward, his hand clasping mine in a grip that is just a little too tight to be friendly. “Very well, Rork. You’ve won this round. You are free to marry Bianca.”
The crowd cheers, but as they roar and yell, Nico leans in close. “I’m going to fucking end you, O’Malley. You will pay for what you’ve done to my family.”
Cold laughter bubbles out of my mouth as I squeeze his hand painfully. “I’d like to see you try, Nico. Now, bring me my bride.”
As promised, the wedding ceremony begins shortly after with everyone at the tournament scrambling to get a good seat. As I take my place at the altar, my heart pounds with a heady mix of anticipation and triumph. The music swells, and I turn to watch as Bianca begins her slow procession down the aisle, her pissed off father at her side.
For a moment, I’m struck by how breathtakingly beautiful she is. The sunlight catches the delicate beading on her gown, making her look like she’s been dusted in diamonds. Her dark hair is swept up in an elegant twist, revealing the graceful curve of her neck and the soft, youthful features of her face.
But it’s her eyes that capture me the most. The blue seems almost unnatural, with a depth of emotion that belies her young age. As she draws closer, I can see a flicker of uncertainty and fear in their depths, and for a split second, I feel a twinge of something that might almost be guilt.
She looks so innocent, so untouched by the world’s cruelties. And yet, here I am, ready to use her as a pawn in my game of revenge. I could almost feel sorry for her, knowing the fate that awaits her as my wife.
But then I remember the reason I’m here, the years of pain and humiliation that Nico has inflicted upon me. And I know that Bianca is the key to making him pay for everything he’s done.
She’s the perfect vessel for my vengeance, a way to strike at the very heart of what Nico holds most dear. By claiming her as my own, I’ll be taking something precious from him, something he can never get back.
As Bianca reaches the altar and turns to face me, I can see the glimmer of tears in her eyes. For a moment, I’m tempted to reach out and brush them away, to offer her some small measure of comfort in the face of what’s to come.
But I resist the urge, knowing that any show of weakness on my part will only undermine my carefully laid plans. Instead, I take her hand in mine, feeling the tremor of her fingers against my skin.
“You look beautiful,” I murmur, my voice low and intimate. “I’m a lucky man to be standing here with you today.”
Bianca swallows hard, her gaze searching mine as if looking for some glimmer of reassurance before she nods jerkily. “Thank you,” she whispers, her voice barely audible above the rustling of the crowd.
I smile, a slow, calculated curve of my lips. “Don’t be afraid, Bianca. I promise to be a good husband to you, to cherish and protect you always.”
The words feel hollow even as I say them, but I know they’re necessary. I need Bianca to trust me, to believe that I have her best interests at heart. Only then will I be able to use her to my advantage, to make Nico and Anna suffer in ways they never thought possible.