16. Stefano
Her father is sitting opposite me at the breakfast table, his eyes filled with desperation, practically pleading even though he is silent at this moment.
I tilt my head towards him, savoring the emotional torment that both Diego and Amelia seem to be suffering right now.
"Why in the world would I let her go? She only just got here. Do you have any idea how long I've been searching for her?" I say calmly.
"Stefano. " Diego begins to plead again. "If you let her go, she won't run again; she can always let you know where she is. "
"No." I sip my coffee. "No. She will not be leaving here."
"What would change your mind? What would it take?" Diego asks, his hands knotted on the table in front of him. He hasn't touched his coffee, the steam is swirling lazily over the top of the mug, silent and grey.
"Nothing. There is nothing you can offer to change my mind. In fact. I am busy arranging our wedding. It will take place within the week. As soon as possible. Nothing big. There will be no need for you or your wife to attend. But I will send word once we are married. Our families will be joined. It should benefit your business. Not that I care."
Her father's eyes are wide with horror. His jaw muscles are clenching and unclenching when he glances over towards his daughter. He is a man who knows when to accept defeat.
"Dad?" Amelia says, almost pleading too now.
"I'm so sorry, my love." He says weakly. He knows. He knows he doesn't have the resources or the strength to go against me. He has to accept whatever I say and live with it.
I chuckle.
"You're a fucking monster, Stefano." Amelia stands up, her chair falling over behind her. She's furious. "I don't want to marry you. Why the hell would you do this?"
"I told you. You owe me. And I'll take what's owed to me."
"Marrying you won't change the fact that I hate you." She shouts, and although I don't let her see the effect it has on me, it stings my heart to hear those words from her.
At one time she was my entire world. My everything. I would have given her everything and anything.
That time is long gone now though.
She broke my heart, and she broke my trust, and I will never forgive her for that.
I stand up, snarling in anger.
"Diego, you have five minutes to say goodbye to your daughter. And I will give you until the end of the day today to say goodbye to your granddaughter. If you ever contact either of them after that I will kill them both, then I will come and find you and your wife. Do I make myself clear?"
Diego is fighting tears. Amelia's tears are streaming freely down her face.
Yes. Suffer. Feel the heartbreak. Take it in and know that this is what you made me suffer through when you left.
"Dad?" Amelia says desperation in her voice.
"You've got five minutes," I say and walk back into the house. I don't leave though. I stay just behind the wall to listen to their last conversation.
I want to enjoy their pain.
"Dad, you have to do something; there has to be some way out of this." Amelia is crying, her words are tight, and her voice is strained.
"What can I do, Amelia? He is more powerful than our family. There is nothing I can offer him to make him change his mind. You need to go ahead with this. He will kill us. Don't you see? You should never have gotten involved with him in the first place. I warned you so many times."
"Dad, I know. I made a mistake. But you can't possibly want me to marry him? You can't possibly want me to go ahead with that?" She asks in absolute horror.
"Yes, sweetheart. I want you to do whatever it takes to keep you and Elle safe. Even if that means marrying him. The mafia has certain unspoken rules. Once you are his wife, you will be protected. It will be better."
"How will we ever be safe living here? You have no idea what he's capable of." She remarks bitterly.
"Actually, I know exactly what he is capable of, which is why I have to accept this."
"Dad - " Amelia's voice is softer now, perhaps she is also starting to accept her fate.
I carefully move the blinds on the massive patio doors and watch them secretively.
Amelia is wrapped in her father's arms, holding him for the last time.
She used to want to hold me. She used to want to be close to me.
My lips curl into a sneer.
"That's enough time." My voice booms as I step outside. "You need to leave, Diego."
"It hasn't been five minutes." Amelia protests.
Diego turns towards me. "I just wanted you to know that I give you my blessing. I won't argue against this or make any issues for you."
"That's kind of you, old man, but I don't need your blessing. I'll do whatever I want."
I turn towards my security.
"James, you may escort Mr. Ricardi off the premises, and if you ever see him around here again let me know immediately."
"Yes, sir."
James steps towards Diego and grabs his arm, dragging him towards the door.
"I love you, Amelia," Diego calls out.
"Don't do this." Amelia turns to me to beg, tears soaking her cheeks. "Let him walk out on his own."
But James has already dragged him to the front door. Diego tripped up and James just lifted him and continued to walk before he even had a chance to find his feet again.
Amelia turns away from me to run after her father and I grab a handful of her hair, yanking her back towards me, her back against my chest. I grab her jaw from behind and force her to watch her father being dragged away.
"You will never see him again," I whisper darkly against her ear. "This is the last image of your father that will be burnt into your memory. How weak he looks, how he couldn't save you from your fate."
"Fuck you." She spits the words at me as she tries to escape my grip. I pull her hair harder, yanking her face backward so that she is looking at me now.
"Remember - if you go against my word I will kill him. I will kill your mother, and your sister, and your father. Then I will kill your daughter and - you - I might let you live after that so that I can watch your pain, knowing you were the reason for your entire family dying."
"Why did you wait so long? Why didn't you just find me sooner and carry out your threats then? Why don't you kill me right now if that's what you want so badly?"
Her eyes are filled with hate.
Those beautiful brown eyes.
I chuckle, then lean forward and press my lips against hers.
She fights against the kiss, but I'm holding her so tightly she can't move away from me.
I can taste the salt of her tears as I dip my tongue into her mouth.
I release her hair and run my hand over her breasts. She squeals and squirms, but I have her jaw locked in my grip.
Finally, I let her go before my body has a chance to get too carried away. Already I can feel my cock stirring and I'm afraid I might just spin her around, push her against the wall, and drag her pants off - fucking her from behind while I listen to her protests.
But no. I will wait until our wedding night.
I push her away from me and she stumbles, grabbing onto the nearby chair to keep her balance.
For a moment she just stands there with her back to me. She wipes her fingers across her mouth, the taste of my lips still haunting her.
I laugh, low and dark. She's mine now and she knows it. She has no choice but to be mine.
Amelia doesn't turn to look at me. She doesn't say another word. I can see she's upset, angry, and wanting to lash out, but instead, she just walks away. She keeps her shoulders back and her chin held high, trying to pretend like she still has control over this situation.
Soon she'll learn that pretending will get her nowhere. It will change nothing.
She is mine. She belongs to me and she will do exactly what I want when I want it.
She's been sleeping on the sofa these past few nights and I've let her get away with it. But once we are married that won't be an option anymore. She will be my wife and she will sleep in the same bed as me.
When she is out of my sight I nod towards James.
"Contact the guys watching her daughter. I want to know what time her father visits his grandchild. Make sure nothing weird goes down. Although, I think the old man knows better than to try. Also, keep a close eye on Amelia today. There's no telling what she might do. She's not as obedient as her father."
James nods in agreement. "Yes, sir. I'll sort that out, but I doubt she'll try anything. You made it pretty clear what the consequences would be."
"I won't take any risks though."
James heads off to sort out my request and I stand alone at the patio door.
I have what I want. I have Amelia, after years of being patient and waiting, searching - I have her now. I should feel better than this. I should feel - something.
I feel numb, empty, and cold.
I want her to love me like she used to, but I know that time is long gone.
It doesn't matter anymore.
She might not love me, but she will have to learn to respect me if she wants to live at least a comfortable life.
With one heavy sigh, I walk away.
I have shit to do and I can't stand around thinking about what things used to be like.