Whisper of Blood

Rafael (1 week earlier)

"Father, and how exactly do you expect me to marry this ransom girl? No one even knows anything about the Cappelletti girls. All I know is that her brother is a f*****g i***t. He has mad enemies from all over the world in his short reign on his father's throne." I sighed and ran my hands through my hair. This had to be a nightmare, this wasn't really happening. 

"Listen, Rafael, this is more than just a marriage. This union will give us power in Greece and the parts of Italy my hands aren't already in. Unlike that bastard boy king, what's his name? Fabio? Or whatever. You do not get to take my place at the head of this family until you are married. Further more until you do sit in this chair, you will do what I'm asking of you. I'm asking you to marry Giovanna and wait for her i***t brother to slip up some more. When he does you knock him off his throne and take it for yourself. From the little I gather she hates her brother as much as we do. No doubt you can use her to our advantage."

"His name is Fabrizio, s**t his name is plastered all over the news for Christ's sake. I don't get why we can't just take him out now. The annoying little s**t is throwing everything Gionni and Giovanni built in the trash. Normally I'd like to watch him just destroy himself, but he is going to get his whole family killed."

"That is exactly why I need you to commit to this union son. Your marriage is the key to her families safety, I have known Gionni my entire life, I cannot let his family fall like this." My father took a long drag of his whiskey before continuing, " We leave in a week to bring her here. I'm sure you can make the appropriate arrangements by then."

I mocked saluted him, "yes sir." and I marched out of the office, as I closed the door I heard my father call me a damn fool. I raked my hands through my hair again and cursed to myself as I walked the short distance to my bedroom. I poured myself a whiskey neat and took a long pull from my glass. Sighing I slammed my glass on the table a little too hard and the contents splashed all over the place.

 Yeah, no problem Rafael, it's only marriage. It's only forever, it's not like you need to know her first or anything right. The problem wasn't that I didn't know anything about her, the problem was that no one knew anything about her. All of the Cappelletti girls had been locked away in their tower since the day they were born. Most of us crime family kids knew each other, we didn't always like each other but we ran the same circles, attended the same formal parties. Fabrizio was the only Cappelletti child ever in attendance to these events. If I hadn't personally known that the girls were indeed real, I would think they were an urban legend. I didn't know anyone that knew them let alone has ever spoken to them. What is Gionni kept his daughters locked for a good reason? Maybe they were ugly? Maybe crazy? Was she unfit for the public eye? Why were her and her sisters so elusive? I couldn't begin to figure it out, but I desperately wanted to. 

I felt like I was being watched and I looked up to my bedroom door to find three pairs of eyes looking back at me. Damn triplets, they could never just leave me alone for five minutes. They wanted to be my top men more than anything once I took over. I wanted a better life fore them. They were good athletes and ok students, they deserved more than the guns, drugs, and violence that came with out life. Taking someones life was never easy but pulling the trigger did get easier but the sleep seemed harder to catch. When you finally did catch it the demons were there waiting for you. 

I hear my dumb younger brothers snickering at me as I pace the floor, I run my hands through my hair again. 

"Can I help you assholes with anything in particular? Or did you just come to watch the show of me being miserable? 

It was Enzo who spoke up, he was after all the most likable of the three. 

"We came to see what dad wanted. You always come see us after meetings and fill us in, but here we find you wearing a track in your floor. You obviously have something on your mind, so just spill it. Maybe we can help you work out whatever is going on." They walked in as Enzo spoke spoke and they sat on the couch at the foot my of bed. 

I sighed and pulled my hair through my hair again, I continued to pace. "I'm getting married." The words were thick in my throat, the sound of my voice stopped me dead in my tracks. f**k. I was getting married and I couldn't stop it if I tried. 

Elio piped up from his spot on the arm of the couch, "Not to be that guy, but don't you have to, you know, have a girlfriend in order to marry someone?" 

I grimaced at the question, "I guess not. I meet her in a week and we are bringing her back here. The date has been set, I get married in eleven days." The look on each one of their faces was exactly how I felt inside; complete and utter shock and disbelief. 

"Is this some kind of joke? I mean you really had me going for a second but." Emiliano spoke up, finally breaking the awkward silence. 

I laughed, "Anything but brother. Father told me I have to be married before I can take his place. So I get married or stay his right hand man forever." I shrug, "I guess I choose marriage."

"So who is the lucky lady anyway? Anyone we know? A crime princess?" Elio bombarded me with questions.

"She's a Cappelletti, so no you do not know her, no one does." I chuckled softly, "But yes, obviously a crime princess. That's all I know about her. I just hope she isn't ugly or anything."

"True brother, no one has ever seen them, a complete mystery. I though they were some made up story." Enzo laughed, "So does mystery girl have a name?"

"Giovanna, she's that dumbass Fabrizio's older sister, it's all I know." I run my fingers through my hair again and let out a small groan. I always thought I was my father's favorite, but now I'm questioning it. Had I done something to piss him off? Was this some kind of bogus test? "Please, just get out. I need to work this s**t out alone. I'll come find you guys in awhile." 

None of them said anything, but they all got up and filed out of my room in unison. Now what the hell was I going to do?