Duchess Trilogy: Book 1: Mafia

Chapter Eleven: Better to be Honest than to Lie

Brie's POV

It is late in the morning, and I was thankful for the sleep-in from the ball last night. But I was more thankful that Ryan didn't hound me last night like he said he would, as Alex and I were getting to know one another at the ball. Then, the reflection of last night came to my mind as I was getting ready for the morning.

*FLASHBACK TO EVENING*

I couldn't help but feel on edge throughout the whole time of Ryan's demand. So, I just decided to have fun and stay at the ball until extremely late into the night to avoid his talk. Everyone but Alex and I were extremely drunk. I couldn't help but watch everyone be silly while Alex filmed everyone to pick on their crazy behaviors. It was three in the morning when the guards politely asked us to leave as we were becoming reckless. We told them we would, so Alex and I got to work on getting everyone back home.

It was tiresome, but everyone did well with caring for one another on the way back to the estate. I would have hated cleaning up after messes of others. Alex and I did get a moment to ourselves. He asked me if I wanted to hang out with him outside on the patio. I kindly accepted since I wasn't tired.

We sat down at one of the patio tables and admired the view a little bit, enjoying the quiet atmosphere. I took off my heels to relieve myself of some dancing pains from earlier and enjoyed my bare feet along the cold concrete. Glancing around the scenery, it surely was nice to enjoy the time to ourselves quietly.

Alex then glances at me and asks, "So, is there anything you like to know about me? Our family? Or just a simple conversation?"

I sat up a little bit and knew what my first question would be. "Why don't you tell me about your past relationships?" I asked openly.

I could see in his eyes that he was ready for this sort of question. He then pulled out a photograph of a beautiful Burnette-haired woman with brown eyes and a younger version of Alex smiling towards her. "This was my ex-wife." I stared at the photo, surprised that he had a wife.

"She is beautiful, and you both look truly happy... What happened to her, if I may ask?"

He took a deep breath and then told me their whole love story about how they met in college when they were pursuing their careers. He pursued a doctorate, and she was working on her nursing degree. They understood their busy lives, but they made it work as every time they saw one another, they couldn't keep their hands off each other. Young love, he called it.

In the middle of college, they decided to elope in Vegas to be happily married and official, but her parents cut ties with her, upset that she got married so young and married a 'mafia' doctor. It was a troubling time for his wife, but she said that as long as they were together, nothing would stand in their way. One day at work, his wife passed out with unknown causes. They found out that through tests, she had terminal cancer, and it was advancing fast. She only lived another six months and then passed.

I could see the hurt in his eyes from him telling it all. "I'm so sorry that your wife passed away unexpectedly. You two sound like a love story that just ended too soon."

"It's been five years. It was hard in the beginning, but I did move on some. I relocated to this town. Joined this family. Helped the family by being a family doctor when needed..." He then pauses, glancing at the sky.

"So, there was nobody else after her?" I ask curiously.

He rubs the back of his neck and glances at the garden, answering that our kiss was the only time he had been with another woman. I sat and waited for him to continue on.

"There hasn't been anyone that caught my eye throughout the years. But then you came along, and I just presumed you felt the same way. I still feel like a dick doing what I did to you. But at that moment, my drunken self just pictured my wife when you said I could come into the room... I just wanted it all again. Just one more time."