Marino's Heir

Chapter 34

I gripped Jason's arm stronger than before. "Boss, Ma'am. Excuse me." He looked at Father and said, he tilted his head at him. Giving me no choice but to leave him. He went somewhere between all those people, leaving me with this man. I could feel my hands shaking as I slowly reached for his hand. I gulped when I walked closer. It felt like something was stuck in the middle of my throat. What if he's about to kill me in front of all these people? I closed my eyes, shaking this idea out of my mind.

He took my hand and walked us to the middle. "But... I don't know how to dance." I said, looking at the ground. "It doesn't matter." He said and started moving me accordingly. After a moment of silence, only the classic music playing. He spoke, "You're not here to dance." I paused. He suddenly moved, spinning me quickly. He stopped me, close to him enough to whisper. "Marco Gallon is one of those men. Can you recognize him?" He moved slower than before, slower than the music and the people. Slow enough for me to look behind him, look for Marco. I was starting to feel nervous. "No... No. I can't. He's not here." I shook my head and looked at him. It can't be. Not today. Marco is not here. I won't believe it. Father gritted his teeth as his eyes turned mad. He moved us around. To the opposite side, he whispered... "Find him... Cleo, now!" His tone was strict even though he whispered it felt like he was shouting straight to my ear. And like a curse spell, my mind stopped thinking about the worse possibilities when I found Marco. I started thinking about mine, I had to find him. "I'm looking. It's hard with those masks." I said. "I'll be leaving you soon. When you find him, pretend to dance with your hands." I was about to ask, but he twirled me around and left me, another man held my waist and my hand.

We danced as the music fastened. "Hi." The man said. "I'm sorry about earlier." He whispered and faked a smile. "Jason?!" I hit his shoulder lightly, and he held my two hands, putting them behind his neck. "Yeah, I didn't have a choice. Did he tell you something?" He spoke. I turned around, looking for my father or even Marco while still dancing with Jason. "He wants me to find Marco." I said, then looked at Jason again. I caught him rolling his eyes when I said that. "Jason, did you know about that?" I asked him. "Not until yesterday." He replied, then leaned closer. "If he can tell it's you, will he show up?" He asked, confusing me. "What do you mean?" Suddenly, he kissed my cheek as he pulled me closer. "Hey! What are you doing?" I was about to push him, but he stopped my hands by spinning me around. He pulled me back. "Relax.- How the hell do you know that he will show up when you try to kiss me?!?!" I whispered, almost losing my cool. But his gaze went somewhere else, and then he pretended to laugh. He pulled me closer and carried me according to the song and dance moves, I believe. Spinning us for a second, then stopped. "It worked because he is already behind you. Pretend not to know him. Stay safe." He said, then twirled me around and left my hand just like Father did. "Woah, what!?" I almost tripped on my dress, but someone held my arms.

I closed my eyes, thinking I was going to fall on the floor. Instead, I fell right into his arms. His scent, his warmth...his damn cologne. I didn't need to open my eyes. I wanted to pretend like this just a dream. That no, Marco is not involved in a mafia. He is not my enemy. "Wow." He said, getting my attention as he softly held my hand. I opened my eyes, and I saw his beautiful hazel eyes through the mask that was hiding half of his face. I looked at his lips just to make sure, and he smirked. I looked up at his eyes again while we danced. Never talking, just staring at each other. It felt like there were no words to be said, nothing. Nothing was needed to prove to each other that this is reality. This is where we stop, it was all a lie, a fairytale. Fairytales are not real. If it happened, then it's just temporary. Sooner or later, we had to wake up and get back to the real harsh world.

As if he read my thoughts... his smile faded, and his eyes softened, becoming very sad. I moved my hand from his shoulder and reached his face. He never stopped staring at me. As if he knew me, yet didn't and he had to read me just to make sure that the woman in front of him is actually his love.

The classical music didn't stop. We had to dance swaying with the sounds. "Your dress is so beautiful." He said. I smiled. "Thank you." I replied, then looked away. "It fits you perfectly. Perhaps I can borrow one for my sister." I looked at him, surprised. He never told me he had a sister. I quickly changed my expression. "Oh, that's sweet. Is she the same size?" He looked up thinking. "Well, I didn't really focus, but... sigh... you remind me of my girlfriend. You could say they're both the same." He said. I smiled again. "You have a girlfriend?" I asked. I moved my hands behind his neck as the music became a slow one. He hummed, then took a deep breath. "No, I don't." He smirked. "Not a girlfriend nor a sister." He nodded his head, and I felt my smile slowly fade for a second. What does he mean by this....? I raised my eyebrows, "That's... Umm, weird. You just said you have a sister seconds ago, and now you say you don't?" I asked. He hummed for a second, then spoke, "Well, only if she was alive I wouldn't say I don't." He chuckled awkwardly. He looked away and sighed. "Oh uh..I-- Anyway, for the girlfriend, I don't date." He stopped me from talking with this shocking sentence. "Nice. So, who are you with then?" I asked.

I quickly changed my mood. He doesn't have to know that it's me. Otherwise, things could go wrong. My father wouldn't like it. It's known that Marco will attend; his name is on the list, but I had to convince the security to let me in. It's hard for everyone to believe that Vincent Marino's daughter is back. "Hey." Marco, touch my forehead while moving a strand of my hair behind my ear. I looked at him. "Where did your focus go?" He chuckled. "Pardon me." I looked down, embarrassed. "It's alright. As I was saying, I'll see you again." He twirled me around, and I raised my arms quickly as my father told me.

Surprisingly, this time, it was my father who quickly took my hand. "One more move, and it will be the last dance. You better keep him in your hands." As soon as I stepped in front of him, he whispered, looking behind me. I figured he was looking at Marco.

This whole time, my heart has been beating in an abnormal way, and it scared me. Especially right now. We turned the opposite ways, and I saw Marco dancing with another girl. It lowkey pissed me off, but I had to control it. I can't believe he lied about not having a girlfriend.

"What do you want me to do with him?" I asked whispering. He looked at me and smiled when he noticed the anger and pain in my eyes. "Oh, my sweetheart." He chuckled and then stared down at me with a cold expression. "I want you to kill him." My heart dropped. I blinked a few times trying to process what he had just said. "Wh... What?" He got closer to my ear. I felt his grip on my hand get stronger. It hurts. "Kill him." He turned me around, changing the dance moves. Everyone was too focused on their partner and music. They didn't notice us. He whispered as he held my face to look straight ahead at Marco. "I need you to kill Marco Gallon, Cleo. After the dance, take him upstairs and with this beautiful dagger..."

He slipped his hand below my dress and took out the knife I had around my thigh. He turned me around to him and quickly switched the knife with another. He took my hand and continued dancing back again like the rest of us. "You take his life however you like; you choose through his throat or his heart." He looked me in the eyes and made sure I heard him clearly. "It's either you or him." He said this with a serious tone and pushed me.

TO BE CONTINUED....