Wildfire

Bonus chapter 2

Mariana Montanari

Come on Mariana. You can do this. He deserves it. You've gotta take the jump. I talked to myself as I stayed in my car in front of a bakery.

It was Kenneth's birthday. I had to do this for him. I told myself. I had the option to order the cake. Or even ask Elijah. But I wanted to do this. I needed to do this on my own.

I stepped out of the car, not taking off my sunglasses. The flowers sat in my backseat. Courtesy of Ken, I had not seen my car without flowers for a while.

I walked into the store, the sight of cakes immediately making my blood run cold. If this triggers a panic attack, I'm not going home.

It took me a while to get my breathing back to normal before ordering a chocolate cake. I stood there as it got packed. Kenneth was working from home today meanwhile I had answers to get at work.

I decided to get the cake before that, otherwise I might be covered in blood later. I payed and carried the cake into the car. My eyes stared at it as if trying to burn it, controlling the urge to throw it out and drive over it. His present sat there under the seat wrapped securely.

Holy fuck. I was excited to celebrate a birthday for the first time in 20 years.

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Kenneth Deora

I didn't talk about my birthday. Ever. I hoped she has forgotten by now. I sat in the office next to hers. Both of us decided to move into her house, it was more secure and she didn't wanna live in an apartment. Her house had more space for twilight and raven and another one of the most important factors being that her hyenas were closer.

I fidgeted with the 'M' bracelet on my wrist trying not to think too much about my birthday. I had not done anything worth celebrating yet and honestly I felt useless.

It wasn't fair to Mariana to be married to someone who had achieved nothing worth celebrating in his life. She had gone through hell and back already. I'd seen her mirror episodes, her panic attacks, her complete shut downs but I'd also seen her get back up every time.

She was stronger than most people gave her credit for and I was so fucking proud of my girl.

I controlled the urge to spend the rest of the day in our bar. She didn't need to see it. I hadn't drank since our wedding and I wasn't planning on doing so anytime soon. I looked at the time missing her voice again. Co-dependent much?

I ignored my phone constantly ringing with my mother's name. She did not get to stay till it's convenient for her and leave whenever she's on the line. I would probably still save her if it was about her life but other than life and death I wanted nothing to do with her.

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Mariana Montanari

It was 11 PM when I left work. The drive from here was 40 minutes. I'd be with him before midnight. I checked on the cake. The box was exactly as I left it in the car. It was almost like it was a portal to hell. It's JUST a cake.

The only difference was now I was covered in blood. I drove thinking about how to not crash my car because of a cake. At around 11:36 I parked outside the house.

I rushed towards our bedroom, both Kenneth and I freezing in our tracks as he silently observed the blood all over me and I noticed the whiskey in his hands. "What the fuck happened?" We both asked in unison. Silence.

"I'm gonna take that" I broke the guilt trance first. "I'll-" He starts. "I'm also gonna go take a shower." I said, keeping enough distance between us. He wasn't as fond of blood as me.

He nodded at that. "Is any of it yours?" He asked, still slightly pale at the sight of blood.

I smiled before shaking my head. "None of it is mine. Have some faith in your wife." I said, rolling my eyes before leaving the room to go take a quick shower. It still felt weird to call myself a 'wife'.

11:58. I made a quick run to the car and back and I set everything on the table. I didn't open the cake box. My hands won't let me. I know he deserved it but they just won't move.

"I made you tea-" he stared at the table, then me, and then back to the table. "What's this?" He asked in an unsure tone walking closer to the table.

"Happy birthday?" Why the fuck was I nervous? I looked at him hesitantly. Shit I made it awkward. He did not look like he was enjoying this. "You bought a cake." He stated more than he asked. "Yeah I did." I said, the realization hitting me again.

"Are you okay?" His voice was laced with concern and almost shock. "We can put it away and never talk about it again if you want." He offered as his hands brush away strands of wet hair off my face. "No. It's just a cake. I'll be fine." I said, determination drenching my tone, leaving no room for negotiation.

He thought for a moment before his arms wrapped around me. My breath gets knocked out of my lungs and the tenderness of the touch. "I'm gonna take that as a 'you didn't fuck up'." I said in a half joke. "You can never fuck up." He said, before letting go.

"You know you didn't need to do this." I rolled my eyes at him. "Don't tell me what to do, brat." I mocked before kissing him. "I did need to do this. You deserve it." I said, more seriously. "Pray you don't get kicked out." He jabbed at me. "Fuck you." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Why are we talking about your to-do list, fire?" He said, opening the box. I freeze at the sight. "This isn't a cake-" I could've sworn I bought a cake. "I swear- I had a cake.." I said almost feeling guilty.

"Hey, It's okay. I'm glad it's not a cake." He said, making me nod. I won't say I wasn't relieved.

"I got you a gift!" I said, almost falling on my way to run and get it. "Careful-" His words stopped as he saw the box. "I really hope that's not a hyena." It wasn't but how dare he. "Oh no... You ruined my surprise" I said as a joke but it does make him swallow the dryness in his mouth.

"Open it now." He did. It didn't take a stalker to find out what politicians hate. For Augustus Deora it was music. I'd seen Ken tap away when he's distracted, hum songs while working. A little research on his playlist and you'll find that my boy likes songs with a lot of guitar in it.

"You... got me a guitar?" I nodded. "You're into music and you're also shit at hiding it." I said almost as a challenge. His eyes softened before his smirk took over. "What about the guitar?" He pulled me on his lap. "What can I say, your finger game could use a little help, curly." I already knew I would not be walking the next day.

"Oh yeah?"

Next morning

I woke up with water and iron pills next to the bed as I usually did when he had to leave for work early. Twilight was wrapped around my leg and raven was on my stomach. So with the access to the little movement I had, I checked my phone.

Ken: Your screams did not sound like my finger game needs help, baby. Good morning. Take your pills.

A blush crept in my cheeks as the reminders of the previous night hit.

I scrolled ignoring the messages that weren't Important when another text caught my eye.

Elijah: Did you enjoy the cupcakes, Montanari?

I still went by Montanari for multiple reasons like if I used his last name it would put him on the radar for the other mafias, also because I wanted Mariana's mafia to keep going by her name. I did realize how she saved me. None of that stopped my boy from calling me Mrs. Deora when he felt like it.

Mariana: What if I wanted cake?

I knew he wouldn't buy that.

Elijah: We both know that's a lie.

No fucking shit sherlock? He was In-fucking-sufferable.

I was internally grateful for it but he can't know that. That would break the 'I don't care about you' code.

Mariana: You're a cunt.

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