Contract Marriage

Chapter 18: The Engagement

"Christian please stop, we can deal with this in a more civil way." Beatrice pleads.

I'm looking at the whole scene like it's from a bad drama series. What just happened.

"Are you kidding me Beatrice you know just what this guy is, he's a player. A girl a month if not a different one every week. He'll chew up Ava and spit her out in a week two tops."He stated making us all cringe.

"You stay away from my sister!" Christian growled before releasing Bradley.

Before anyone could retaliate I've managed to excuse ourselves and push my siblings out of the study and into my room.

"Can you please lower your voice and stop behaving like a Neanderthal. I have a reason for all this and Nonno and Gramps are all on board. There are bigger matters at play them just love and a happily ever after Chris." I steadily retort.

I'm trying my best to hold my ground and not cause his anger to boil over again. He's like a pressure cooker letting of sprouts of steam. It would be funny on any other occasion but today isn't that day, unfortunately.

"Christian Luciano what the hell is your problem. You walk into the Constine mansion and threaten their heir. Have you lost your mind?"

"No Ava I haven't but it appears you have. What were you thinking? You have no experience and the first relationship you jump into is with the biggest player of all time." He's still bellowing.

"This is Ava Chris, like I keep telling you there is a very good explanation for all of this." Beatrice backs me up quickly.

Without mum and dad here we've only got each other to satiate this beast that is our fuming brother at the moment.

"Fine." He's looking pointedly at me. "So enlighten me what's this very good explanation?"

"Ohhhh right of course, well it's all a business transaction. Purely business,  we need the Constine and Luciano names and empires to come together for the businesses and Mafia familia. If we come together we can bring our attached loyalists together giving us more voting power and hopefully a truce follows instead of all this fighting for power and trying to gain the upper hand." I manage to state as evenly as possible given the circumstances.

"Bravo little sis, and why do you have to be a martyr in all of this? Why are you volunteering for such a thing? You are the youngest and is this union of names worth your life? You know very well how we all feel about divorce. What will you do sacrifice all your beliefs, everything you stand for? Just to give in to some patriarchal sense of union. How much of yourself would you give and after all this...who will actually rein over everything?" he's staring at me searching my eyes for the truth.

"It's purely business Chris, there is no need to mix business and pleasure. We'll have a contract on place and everything off concern will be listed on it so there are no shades of grey." I chime confidently but seeing my siblings faces my confidence falters. They are both staring at me incredulously.

"Ava sweetheart do you hear yourself. Honey this is for the rest of your life. What if you meet the love of your life while being engaged to Butthole Bradley or heaven forbid married to the bloody jerk ass." Beatrice implores.

"I know what you're saying but it's really fine." I'm not interested in love and this arrangement will suit me just fine." I reiterate sighing.

"Really you're alright with all this. Bowing down to all this and letting him take the reins. What about Regina, when you've worked so hard?" Bradley questions.

Just then he's interrupted by a knock on the door. He sighs indicating I should get it. I oblige and as soon as I glimpse the intruder I instantly regret opening the door.