His Corrupt Mafia Queen

Chapter 12: The Red Wedding

Raina

Although I couldn’t see anything, I was always told that I had a vivid imagination. Hearing the violins play intricately as Sebastian’s name was announced, I was able to paint a picture of what he looked like. A sleek black and white suit, his hair slicked back away from his face, making it impossible to hide his emotions. I could almost picture everything but what he could be feeling. Maybe, in the end, he was trying to be happy with Sabrina, and the baby Sabrina spoke of was actually growing inside of her. Why am I analyzing this so hard? The burning pain in my chest I tried to ignore, only grew with animosity.

“Everyone, please now welcome the bride, Sabrina Beck” The officiant said. My mind began to blur as it tried to envision Sabrina walking down the aisle in a gorgeous white gown, extravagant no doubt. Completely breathless, I leaned back against the wall trying to keep my mind focused on the task at hand. Unwillingly, I started to drift into places I knew were forbidden. The gun that sat untouched in my hip holster made itself more evident. Being so close to the ceremony was a hazard to my mental stability. My body pushed off the wall and paced circles around my bike. Leaving without Isabel and Francisco was not an option. Through my earpiece, I heard the harmonious music die down. Everything was so quiet, I knew that Sabrina had reached the altar. The two of them probably stood with locked hands. My head shook the image out of me. I grasped the helmet that sat comfortably on the seat of the bike and forced it over my head.

The priest began to speak, and I knew with every word spoken, the closer that the two would be bound to one another. Without much thought, a tight grip formed around my gun, I swiftly pulled it out of the holster.

“Raina! I got Francisco, we should be out in the next few minutes-” Isabel screamed over the earpiece, but her voice was a mere sound of the wind. I was blinded by rage and unwarranted memories that clouded my rational thinking. I knew as I climbed the steps to the cathedral, that there was no turning back. The gun was heavy in my hand, and it screamed to be emptied.

Sebastiano Asso

My life was filled with unexpected twists and turns, but nothing surprises me anymore. The weight of carrying the family name lifted off my shoulders. Sabrina was pregnant. She confirmed it a few days ago, when she told my family and me, the fear in their eyes finally vanished, but only to fill my own eyes. The moment was a strike in the face forcing me into a life I knew I was ready for. A husband? A father? None of those were things I envisioned for myself. Although I was in more control of my life, my businesses, and my family than I was a year ago, I still felt the obligation to please them. My father, all of my uncles, their wives, my cousins, all sat in the front with beaming smiles. I locked eyes with my father, I haven't seen him look at me since before mother and Scarlette died. Him and I saw eye to eye frequently. I can't remember the last argument we had. Finally, I focused my attention on Sabrina. Her hands gripped tightly onto mine. She was a beautiful bride. I couldn’t pinpoint any of her flaws, she was perfect in my eyes, and my family’s eyes. She was ecstatic about this moment, after a long engagement. I knew that she couldn’t wait to be a mother. There was nothing wrong with her, but was she the woman I envisioned myself marrying? No.

“Sebastiano Asso, do you take Sabrina Beck to be your lawfully wedded wife in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to have and to hold, from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?

A smile drew itself across my lips, I had to be content that this was going to be my life. No matter how unhappy I was, I couldn’t be the man my father was. Sometimes you have to sacrifice things in life for the greater good.

“I do” I responded. Sabrina looked at me with awe, I could see her barely containing her excitement. This was where everything was going to start, just a few words away, and I would have to uphold my promises as her husband and to our child.

“And Sabrina Beck, do you take Sebastiano Asso to be your lawfully wedded husband in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to have and to hold, from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?” The priest repeated. Looking past Sabrina, I noticed Christina was nowhere in sight along with Tara. Christina. Forgiveness was out of the picture, but hopefully one day she understands why I did what I did. Even though she was upset with me, I didn’t think she would skip my wedding.

Now wasn't the time to ponder about the broken relationship I had with my cousin. This was it, the final moments of our ceremony. I brought my full attention to Sabrina, whose ruby red lips curved into a smile, where her pearly whites shined.

“I d-” Sabrina began, but would never finish. The sound of a gunshot will always have the same ripping effect, that causes your brain to jump with anticipation and fear, and your eardrums ring for what feels like an eternity. After a gunshot, everything goes by in a quick second. That’s what other people say. But the world around me slowed down, my head flinched back as blood splattered all over my face. The eyes that were once filled with such hope were bloodshot red, the side of Sabrina’s face was penetrated by a bullet. Her crisp white veil and dress were stained with her blood that spilled out of the gaping hole in her face. As her body dropped down at the altar, her hands ripped away from mine. The priest dropped down to his knees in absolute fear. I looked back at the guests that were out of their seats and on the floor panicking. My father and uncles, who never carry weapons in a church, stood up with absolute bewilderment. They were not registering at the moment, they never had to stand in a room of chaos without their guns. My father looked at me, with devastation all over his face. For a few moments my body was frozen, but reality pushed back into my mind. Sabrina was shot dead. I hadn’t realized that in the panic I had completely scanned over the person who was wearing all black and a helmet concealing their identity in the middle of the aisle with a gun pointed at me.

“SABRINA!!” Sabrina’s parents had hollered a gut-twisting scream. Both of them got up from the ground and ran to the altar where their deceased daughter now laid, but I was focused on the individual who kept a firm hand on their weapon aimed at me. This person was either foolish or daring.

“SEBASTIANO GET DOWN!” I stepped down from the altar where Sabrina’s mother pulled her daughter’s lifeless body into her arms, weeping endlessly. I ignored the screams, my father’s commands, my family’s warnings, I took slow steps closer to the masked hoodlum. Heeled boots, gripping clothes that brought out curves, small frame, red hair that spilled out from their helmet and onto their shoulders. A woman.

“WHERE ARE THE GUARDS?!” One of my uncles screamed out. That was the question: why was this person allowed halfway down the aisle without anyone knowing or stopping her. Her gun was still pointed at me, steady and calm. I inched closer and closer to her, a sense of familiarity drew me to her, or maybe it was my hands desperate to strangle the life out of her. She killed Sabrina. All of this seemed so personal. Why kill her and not me? Where were the guards? Where was Tara? Phillip was absent from the lineup of my groomsmen.

My body whipped around looking at Pedro and Rossi, who stared at me as if I was crazy as I approached this killer standing a few paces behind me with their hands up. Their wide eyes kept darting between the shooter and me.

“Christina? Where is Christina?!” Pedro and Rossi looked at the bridesmaids who were Sabrina’s friends, huddled around her. Christina wasn’t among them. Everything in my body that kept me from lunging towards this masked woman disappeared. I turned back around and saw the very same individual darting down the aisle towards the entrance. Before I could even move an inch, numerous hands grabbed hold of my body, keeping me from running after that woman. She disappeared from my sight.

“You are unarmed, you can’t go after her!” My father screamed into my ear as I tried to escape his grasp. A once peaceful moment was swallowed in disruption. Guards that were posted outside where the ceremony took place began flooding in. Sabrina’s family were pleading for help but there was nothing anyone could do to help Sabrina. She was gone. The guards began to surround my family and I, checking to make sure no one else was shot.

Give me a gun” I grunted softly, as Pedro, Rossi, and my father loosened their grip on my body. The rest of my family littered into the aisle and began talking loudly, demanding answers on how this could happen. Sabrina laid in the arms of her weeping mother, her eyes still wide open. The wedding dress was now a crimson nightmare with little jewels still shining through. Looking at Sabrina, I couldn't help but look down at her stomach.

One week ago

“I’m pregnant” I didn’t think I would ever hear those words in my lifetime. I was in my office sitting at my desk signing a few documents, my grip around my pen tightened.

“Are you su-” Before I could finish my inquiry, Sabrina placed a pregnancy test on my desk, I swallowed hard and placed my pen down as my eyes froze on the two lines on the test window. Slowly, my eyes pressed shut. I accepted the fact I had to get married, but this was something I didn’t know I could come to terms with. I wasn’t ready for this, nor was this something I wanted.

I knew I couldn’t be angry with her, it wouldn’t be fair to her or the child. Protection was something I took very seriously, because I knew that I wouldn’t want a child. How was this even possible?

“It was after the garden party we had with your family a few weeks ago. We were extremely intoxicated. I don’t think we were careful that night..” Sabrina responded, it was either she read my mind or she saw my facial expression. That would explain it. I remember waking up that morning with no recollection of the night prior with Sabrina and I entangled naked in each other’s arms.

“You aren’t happy..” Sabrina concluded. I took a deep breath, opened my eyes, and looked up at her. She had a faint smile on her face with shiny eyes that were moments away from releasing tears.

“That's not it Sabrina, I’m just in shock” I pushed away from my desk and stood up. Sabrina knew everything, what I did while we were engaged, the woman I slept with, and after I was shot she was there in an instant, and took care of me every single day. She was the one who nursed me back to health. Yet, I still couldn't even say the word ‘love’ to her.

“It’s just going to be a new adventure. I’m excited” I reassured her as I wrapped my arms around her. She let out a laugh of relief, then began rambling about the baby, how he or she would play piano, go to the best schools, and take over for me when it was my time to retire. Eventually, I blocked out her voice and let my fears settle down on me, but I knew that I wouldn’t let my fears conquer me, that I would be the best man to Sabrina and this child.

The Present

“Give me a f*****g gun!” I screamed out, making my voice much more apparent than the first time around. Guilt, shame, rage started to cloud my judgment. One of the guards didn’t hesitate to give me a loaded gun. My uncles began to take the weapons of the guards who were ordered to stay with Sabrina’s family and keep everyone in the church.

“Sebastiano, we were ordered not to say anything until the ceremony was over but Christina was kidnapped an hour ago. Tara and Phillip took a bunch of guards and went to retrieve her” These men only took orders from me, so the fact they recklessly listened to someone else’s orders made me livid.

“They went to where the reception was supposed to take place. The shooter was seen with another individual leaving the plaza on a motorbike headed in that direction.” One of the guards said, while looking down at his feet, not being able to take the looks of disgust and shame, my entire family shot at him. That was all the information I needed. My mind shut down as I brushed past the guard and marched down the aisle. An aisle that was once celebrating love, now has its bride laying in an expanding pool of her blood, and my thirst for revenge coating right on top.