I MARRIED A GANGSTER: [2018 EDITION]

Two

I followed Giuseppe DeLuca into the more reserved section of LAX. As I follow Giuseppe, I noticed how three men followed closely behind us.

I could only guess that the men were bodyguards, even though they wore casual outfits that made them look like an average person. In fact, the only thing that gave them away was the wire headphone in their ears.

One of the men held my bags; the other held Giuseppe's. I felt the lack of sleep wrap around me. After last night, I believed I aged about twenty years.

To put it lightly, I had nearly no time to process what was happening in my life.

One moment, I was gloating about acing a chemistry exam, and then the next thing I knew I was contemplating married life.

After my father announced his betrayal and my mother notified me of the importance of my compliance, I spent the night crying.

I cried so much that I earned myself a headache. It wasn't common for a girl in California to be placed in an arranged marriage.

My mind was whirling with how my father could have possibly managed to screw up this severely. It was as if when I was born, I was dealt a hand of cards and I had picked every bad card in the deck.

After a life of misery, I was finally getting a sense of happiness, and someone else ripped it from my palms.

I pondered ways I could get myself out of the situation that I was in. Fleeing was my only idea, but there was no way I was getting from the four men who surrounded me.

Fleeing in Italy wouldn't be wise for me either, seeing as if I did get away there would be no way for me to find refuge or a new life.

The migraine I suffered from raged from within my head. It was as if my thoughts felt entirely too cramped and they craved a release.

The sound of laughing interrupted my pity party. A child was running in their direction. He couldn't have been more than four years old, his brown mopey hair flew in his face as he laughed and ran towards Giuseppe.

"Papa, papa!" the child exclaimed. Giuseppe lifted the boy into his arms and held on to him tight as he screamed in excitement.

Giuseppe muttered something in Italian to the guards next to him, before turning his full attention to the child in front of him.

I wondered more about Giuseppe. Giuseppe seemed like such a kindman and he seemed to be very genuine, but how did a man like him end up in sex trade of sorts?

"Giuseppe, it's so kind to see you." A woman's slow and seductive voice cooed.

The woman was leggy. She had to be close to six feet as she stood over me. Her hair was cut just under her chin, and she had dark bangs that felt over her forehead. Her skin was pale giving her nearly a gothic look. Though, her eyes were hazel, and her lips were full.

Her body looked like something a doctor hand-crafted as the perfect woman. The woman wore a long-sleeved black shirt, but the cut of the cleavage swooped low enough to show off her perfectly shaped breast that seemed to defy gravity. Her white jeans and heels showed that no matter the weather, she was determined to look good.

"Jemma, I wasn't expecting you to bring Angelo. You know I don't like him flying." Giuseppe scolds softly.

"Well, Ceres wasn't willing to babysit for him and your brother is in one of those moods. Annoying." Jemma complained with a pout.

I noted her accent was American.

Perhaps she is another mail-order bride.

"A mood?" Giuseppe wonders aloud, "What could have possibly soured him any further than he already is?"