The Sin Of Fate

- Chapter Five -

"You're a lucky bastard."

Never have I been so thankful for my brothers. After a short conversation with Elena, the wedding was called off. The story that the guests were given was that the bride got cold feet, and she would not marry unless it was for love. Her parents allowed it because they have a son who'll become capo who could tie with the Famille.

"I'll talk to Capello," Kian says as he sits behind his dark oak desk. One hand gripping a glass filled with some sort of alcohol, the other placed on the armrest. "We'll have the plans drawn up, and hopefully I'll have a cousin, or half-sister to complete the union." Kian informs, "half-sister?" I question his choice of wording, "knowing over father we probably have many half-siblings," Kian states. Sometimes I wonder if it were better if my father was still alive, but I don't. I don't miss him, never will. We lost him around four years ago, just two years after retiring. Maybe one day Kian will tell me how he died, but today isn't that day.

"The Famille will know about your marriage, but we will leave out the part about Ashley Wilson being an outsider," Kian explains as he finishes the last of his drink. "Ashley Bliss," I correct, "she's now a part of my family," I say and Kian's eyes meet mine. There's something behind them that I haven't seen before, curiosity. Either way, me and Ashley are married, whether it was on a drunken night in Vegas. I wasn't drunk, I made that decision with a clear idea of what my future would look like it.

"Just stay out of the media for now," Kian says with his authoritative tone. He knows this is what would have made our father proud, Kian being a leader because that's what Christopher was. Nothing I will be. I will never be Kian, nor our father. "I've called for a car, collect your wife," Kian says with a smirk, "and head home," he orders. "And for the love of God, don't do anything reckless," Kian commands as I leave the room.

I lied to Ashley.

We won't be getting a divorce, especially not any time soon. It's not common in my world, and because she's an outsider, this makes it even more difficult. Everyone in the Famille knows the risk, you enter alive, you leave dead. I was born into this world, and the only way out of it is through my death. The same goes for Ashley, even if she did enter it unknowingly. I should feel guilty I lied to her, but I don't. Lying is in my nature, but I did promise I would try. Too bad I'm one to break promises, I haven't spent almost a decade obsessing over her for nothing.

Ashley doesn't know it yet, but once she does, she'll realize I must be naïve if I'd let her go.

***

"You'll have your own room," I explain as the elevator doors open to my apartment, I wave a hand out in front of me to allow Ashley to walk out first. My eyes go straight to the candles that are burning on the beam, I'm assuming that was Blake's idea of a joke. "It's not what I expected," are the first words that leave my wife's mouth after getting in the car. "And what did you expect?" I ask with a smile as I hang my jacket on the rack beside the entrance.