16. Rufino
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Rufino
F inally, we have found our way back to each other and things are going perfectly between us. This is what I dreamed of. This is what I wanted us to be.
The last two days have been pure bliss.
Verity and I are back to our normal selves. Laughing, teasing each other and joking around. We also can’t keep our hands off each other.
We have to figure things out soon. We can’t hide in this mansion forever. But we needed these few days of celebration and comfort to enjoy each other after working out our personal issues.
It’s been so stressful, but now, we are no longer questioning our choice to be together - only how to deal with everyone else. All of those people who believe they have a say in how we live our lives.
My phone has been on silent all morning, my full attention on my wife because she deserves nothing less. In a quiet moment, while we are realign on the sofa, I glance at it to make sure the world isn’t falling apart out there - I groan loudly, instantly regretting my decision. Because, if my brothers anger is anything to go by, the world is in fact falling apart and it’s my fault.
“What’s wrong?” Verity asks, stretching her legs out on the sofa and putting them on my lap.
I run my hand up and down her smooth skin while I read his messages.
“You’re all over the news again. Your father released an article about your kidnapping. He’s hunting for you and offering a reward for anyone who has information. He says he will leave no stone unturned and all of that type of bullshit.”
“We knew that would happen.” She scrunches her nose.
“We did - but that’s not why I’m groaning. It’s because my brothers figured I took you. They are raging.”
Verity sits up, looking worried. “Will they tell my father?” She asks. “If he finds out it was you—” her words trail off as her throat tightens with stress.
“I wish I could say no with confidence, but anything is possible when it comes to my brothers. They might throw me to the wolves to save themselves.” I shrug, wrapping my hand around her delicate foot and pressing my fingers into her sole.
“But they’re your family.” She says, confused.
“Yes, and I put them in a lot of danger by choosing you over them. They will want to protect their own wives and children. I wouldn’t really blame them if they gave me up. I also wouldn’t put it past them.”
“How can we stay ahead of this?”
I bite the inside of my cheek, staring at my phone while I think.
Staying ahead of this is exactly what we need to do.
My thoughts are churning, looking for a solution.
The same idea keeps popping up in my mind. An idea I have had a few times over the past two days, but I kept pushing aside.
Maybe it’s what we need to do.
“Red? What are you thinking? I know that look.”
I turn towards my beautiful wife and grin.
“We give ourselves up.” I say, nodding enthusiastically and squeezing her leg.
“Give ourselves up?” she already looks like she doesn’t like this idea. “No, that’s a terrible idea, Rufino.” She pulls her legs off my lap and sits up dead straight. Her shoulders tense and her body rigid with stress.
“It’s the perfect idea, my love. We do it boldly . We announce our marriage in an exclusive interview - let the world see we are together, and we are in love. If we make a public scene about it, then your father can’t go overboard with his retaliation because that will also be in the public eye.”
She narrows her eyes at me and tilts her head to the side.
“Oh. Wow. That’s actually brilliant.” She says, scrunching her nose as she considers the full plan. “It might just work.”
Grab her face in my hands and kiss her hard. She laughs when I pull away.
“I better make some phone calls then. The sooner we do this the better.”
Choosing to face my battles one at a time I ignore my brother’s messages and open my contacts to find the man I really need to talk to.
Jake Blanch.
The phone rings one before he answers.
“Red, my man. Tell me you have something juicy for me.” He laughs that loud rolling laughter I’m accustomed to.
“The most juicy story you’ll get all month.”
“That’s a big promise. This month has been rather exciting already. Big mafia boss’s daughter got herself kidnapped, and that’s the main talk of the town - can you top that?”
I chuckle. “Oh, I can top it alright. In fact I can blow it right out of the water. I’m sending you an address. Come over this afternoon. I’ll give you an exclusive.”
“Hang on a second - A’Vara - that’s the girl you were caught hooking up with. Is this about her? Do you know what happened to her?” the puzzle pieces click in his mind and rich excitement floods from him.
“I’ll see you this afternoon. Bring your photographer.”
T he photograph they take of us is stunning.
Verity is wearing a long, flowing white dress symbolic of our announcement. We stand together in front of the massive stone and steel archway that curves over the pool. A dramatic piece of architecture that looks bold and strong.
Verity is leaning against me with her hand on my chest, kissing me. The stance is very similar to the first photograph that was ever released of us in the media. Of course, that was a purposeful choice. A deliberate jab at those who questioned the authenticity of our relationship.
The article hits the afternoon print and splashes across the front page of every media site. Our images flood social media, and in no time at all, my phone is ringing off the hook.
My brothers are even angrier than before.
I suck it up, the consequences of putting the news out there are inevitable, I answer Masaccio’s call, standing outside on the patio watching the wind ripple across the turquoise surface of our pool.
“What the fuck is fucking wrong with you?” he screams into the phone.
“So, no congratulations then?”
“You fucking idiot you’ve started a war. Her father is going full force with the threats. He’s demanding she come home and that a divorce be filed.”
“Interesting. I haven’t heard from him.”
“Because you never answer your phone you fucking selfish asshole.”
“You would expect the guy to want to talk to his new son-in-law.”
“I’m going to kill you.” He blurts out.
“Ye, ye, listen. Can you give her father a message for me?”
“Fuck off, you inconsiderate prick. I’m not your errand boy. But if you don’t give his daughter back to him, I will come down there myself and rip her from your hands to return her to where she belongs.”
“She belongs with me.” I snarl.
“She belongs with her father. Our families are enemies.”
I slam the phone down, agitated and pacing faster.
“Who was that?” her voice makes me pause.
“My brother.”
“What did he say?”
“He’s still angry. your father has been threatening my family.”
Verity sighs. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of us.” She says, walking towards me and wrapping her arms around my waist.
“No one is going to get hurt, sweet thing.”
“You can’t promise me that. You do not know what my father is capable of.”
I know what her father is capable of. If you know our world you understand how dark it can get.
Still in my hand my phone rings again.
“Masaccio—” I complain, but when I look down at the screen, I see it’s not him. An unknown number. Someone not in my contact list.
I answer, pressing the phone against my ear.
“Who is this?”
“Where the fuck is my daughter, Rufino Vece?”
“Good evening, Luca A’Vara. It’s nice to speak to you. I understand you’ve been speaking to my brothers.”
“Where the fuck is Verity?”
“My wife? She’s home with me. Where she belongs.”
“She’s not your fucking wife. There is no way in hell that marriage is legit.”
“It’s legitimate. I can have a framed copy of the marriage certificate sent over to you if you like.”
“You can’t be so arrogant that you think I would just let you get away with this?” he snarls.
I glance at Verity who is chewing at her nails, her eyes glassy with anxiety as she shifts from foot to foot, watching me and only hearing half of the conversation.
I move the phone from my ear and press the loud speaker button so that she can hear everything. She has a right to know exactly what is going on. I have no intention of hiding anything from her.
Her father takes a heavy breath on the other side of the phone.
“I called to negotiate.” He says.
“Negotiate?”
“Yes, for the return of my daughter. I can have seven million transferred to your account within the hour if you agree to send her back to me.”
“Seven million?”
Verity bites so hard into her lip I’m worried she is going to draw blood.
“Yes, I assume it’s enough? You are a businessman. I imagine you are as fascinated with money as you with conquering women? On acceptance of the agreement you would be required to divorce my daughter and send her home.”
I chuckle. A dark, malicious laugh that is tainted with amusement.
I look at my wife when I answer him.
“The problem, Mr. A’Vara, is that Verity is like no women I have ever met. She is priceless. She is too rare and precious to put any amount on. No, I am not interested in your money. The only thing I want - well, I already have it.”
Her eyes are shining, wide, blue orbs of relief. If she thought for even a second that I would give her up for all the money in the world she is mistaken.
She is mine.
Verity is the type of jewel you can’t buy. No matter what he offered in trade I would be losing if I gave her up.
For a long moment her father is silent.
I think the line has been disconnected until all hell breaks loose on his end.
He is screaming, raging, throwing a tantrum of monumental proportions.
I wait, watching Verity.
She was relieved when I didn’t accept his offer, but now she looks miserable again. She’s chewing at her lip and fidgeting with her hands.
When she starts to pace up and down with her head turned to the ground, I worry.
“Verity?” I whisper, so that her father can’t hear.
“You don’t know what he’s capable of.” She whimpers.
She’s terrified.
“I told you - it doesn’t matter. We can get through it. I won’t let him take you.”
“But is it really worth it?” she is crying now. Silent tears drifting down her cheeks.
“Are you listening to me?” Luca shouts.
“I’m here. I’m listening.”
“Where is she? I want to talk to her. Put my daughter on the phone.”
“You’re on speaker, Mr. A’Vara. Verity has been listening to everything.”
He snarls.
“Verity you come home. What the fuck do you think you are playing at? It’s obvious you only did this to piss me off. Now the game is over. Come home.”
She is still biting her lip.
Her eyes lift and meet mine.
My heart tightens when I speak to her, loud enough so that her father can listen in.
“Verity, if you want to go home you can leave. But I will not, ever, divorce you.”
I can feel the tension in the air as both her father and I wait for her answer.