Chapter 7: She is My Wife!

NICOLE

   He just pulled out a gun!

I stared jaw ajars at it and trepidation seized me. I tightened my hold on Raphael and closed my eyes, pressing my body against his.

  "You aren't the only one that knows how to use a gun Dante"I heard Raphael say. My eyes flew open and I saw Raphael slowly bringing out a gun from his pocket.

This was getting scary.

Raphael immedately cocked it and twirled it around his slender fingers.

"Raphael.."I whispered in fear.

He looked down at my frightened self and kissed my forehead. "Shhh Bella. I'm here ok"

I heard his grandfather falsely chuckle.

We both then trailed our gaze to him as he stared angrily at us. I don't get it. Why doesn't he like me? He just met me so why the dislike?

"You have the guts Raphael to go to Africa and pick a barbarian as a wife?! Just following the footsteps of your mother! What has gotten over you!?"He tonguelashed at Raphael as he turned red with fury.

Tears pooled in my eyes hearing the way he addressed me. Nobody dared to interfere. Leila, Lorenzo, Marco, Luca, Thomas, Emilio, Sofia and Aurora just kept numb.

  I wouldn't blame them. This man looked deadly. I felt this sudden discomfort and pain throbbing in my chest.

"Papa!"Raphael yelled back.

"Don't you dare raise your voice at me boy! You are truly growing wings! Going against my orders in the mafia, bringing this black as a wife. She is not even Italian. Can she even handle the gun? Harlot"

I noticed the man called Dante had a smile plastered on his face as he watched what was going on.

I never expected this part of Raphael's family to be this cold.

My lips drew in tightly as I fought the urge to break down in to tears.

"This is my life. She is my wife. And she will be given the respect she deserves. I don't need your permission to pick the girl I want. And I am the capo. I call the shots because this is my mafia. Yes I stopped your orders because I make the rules not you. Understand that!"Raphael raged like an angry bull.

He had hit the roof and I noticed his fists were clenching.

"Raphael your ego will cost you your life. I promise you that"Dante seethed with balled fist.

  Raphaels wrath became more obvious as he shot his step brother and icy glare and aimed the gun at him.

"Dontworry about me. Worry about yourself first"Raphael gritted his teeth in anger.

My eyebrows pulled up together in fear and tears streaked down my cheeks.

  His grandfather just exchanged glances between Raphael and Dante, mostly at Raphael. The temperature in the room seem to rise with the tension as well.

"Please Armani. Don't be angry. You are an elder. You understand Raphael and Dante are just kids. They are children. Please Armani"Aurora quickly interceeded.

I could see the fear coursing through her. Her tone was even faltering.

"You trained him right? You trained the boy. What sort of training did you give him. How to behave like this towards his own family because of this woman?"his grandfather grimaced to Aurora which got the elderly woman embarrssed.

Raphael was about speaking but I held his wrists immediately. He looked at me and I shook my head at him, telling him not to defend me.

  He rolled his eyes and exhaled.

"Lower your gun Raphael"I whispered in fear.

He did slowly and locked hands with mine.

"Forgive me Armani. I probably pampered him too much. Please don't be angry. He is but a child. Raphael has deep respect for you and Nicole is.."

He immedately upheaved his hands at her, cutting her off.

"Not another word about this woman"He scowled.

Aurora immedately nodded her head and had her eyebrows twitched slightly before adopting a pleasant smile. "Shall we have dinner? I prepared alot for your arrival"she requested.

I felt so hurt. It felt like a knife-like sensation watching eveything unfold. Raphael stood up for me and his brother here just threatened his life and Aurora's parental ability got insulted at the same time.

  Why does he hate me when he just met me?

Armani moved to the dinning area  with everyone following suite.

I stood still on the spot, unable to drag my legs.

  "Relax my love. Don't let what he said get to you"Raphael whispered to me before kissing me lightly on the cheek.

I gave him a faint smile and we went over to the dinning table.

Everybody sat down apart from the goons that came with Raphael's grandfather.

Aurora had ventured into the kitchen and later came out with a number of kitchen staffs. They began dishing out food and serving it.

  My eyes streamed around, taking glances at everyone as they ate.

I didn't imagine the atmosphere would be this tensed and filled with apprehension.

  His grandfather cleared his throat and began asking Raphael some questions about the running of the mafia. Gradually everyone began talking but just on a formal basis.

   I watched them discuss about their work without saying a thing and just keeping mute. It seemed his grandfather was ignoring my presence in the dinning table. Once again, I felt hurt by his attitude towards me but I masked my sadness and put on a stoic expression as I listened to their discussion.

"You mean under your nose, your goods were hijacked? Just wow! Are you becoming incompetent?"Armani bluntly asked with his voice rough.

I noticed Raphael's fists were began to ball and in an instant, I placed my hand on his thighs, caressing it.

He looked at me and I guess he knew I was telling him to calm down.

"It's not Raphael's fault. We trusted Alberto because he had been loyal over the years. But Raphael was able to handle the situation"Thomas spoke up. Wow. His boldness was incredible.

Dante huffed at his statement and Thomas gave him a satisfying smirk.

"But you all are incompetent! You are meant to incite fear in the minds of those ingrates so they won't even dare to double cross you!"Armani yelled as he hit his fists on the dinning table causing a loud thud that sent jitters round my body.

  He opened his mouth to speak but his phone rang which caught him short. He brought it out and gazed at the caller before cursing under his breath in Italian.

"Fanculo-fuck" he grunted before standing up.

"I'll be back"He said before walking out with his goons.

Dante let out a low laugh and stood up from his seat. He strolled round the dinning table and came over to Raphael.

"Dear brother"He chuckled, tapping Raphael repeatedly on the shoulders.

Raphael shrugged his hands of his shoulders and stood up from his seat, turning to face him eyeball to eyeball.

"I truly am surprised you are still alive. I was hoping for you to get into some sort of trouble in Africa and you know just die"Dante said with a smirk.

I covered my mouth as I let out as a gasp. How could he wish his own brother dead?

I admit I was like this with Amarachi but once I knew we were related and  my father talked sense into me, I strived to become a better sister to her.

  But Dante, he was so open with his bitterness for Raphael, his own blood. He didn't even try to hide it.

Raphael chuckled darkly, "You want me dead so you can take over the mafia. Well that's if grandfather lets your sorry ass get the seat. Besides you are nothing but a dog to him, if he rejects you, you won't be able to do shit because you are a coward"

Dante's brows pulled together immedately, hinting anger brooding in his eyes. He then drew his lips in and gave Raphael a smile.

"I truly pity your wife. She ended up with a beast for a husband and she thinks she got the best man in the world. Wait until he shows you his colours, you will leave him in a second just like his mother"Dante said at me as I whipped my head to face him.

   "I'll never leave my husband"I retorted back, standing up and interlocking hands with Raphael once again.

"He is my husband for better or for worse and I love him. He is the best man I could ask for. And you should also respect him too because he is your capo" I stated at Dante who scanned me with hungry,cruel eyes.

"Not for long. Your darling husband will perish soon"he scoffed before turning his gaze back to Raphael.

"I promise you Raphael. You will meet your demise very soon and be forgotten like you never existed and once you do, I'll have control over this mafia, over your properties and also..."

He leaned in closer to Raphael. "Over your wife"

That was all it took to tip Raphael over the edge.

"How dare you!"Raphael yelled in an uncontrollable fury. He immedately yanked Dante by the collar of his shirt, breaking the hold of our interlocked hands.

He punched and kicked him to the ground which caused me to let out a shriek. Commotion and chaos infused itself in the atmosphere with everyone rushing to separate the two brothers but to no avail.

  Punches, kicks, the awful sound of bones cracking filled the air with blood dripping on the ground.

"Raphael please stop!"I cried out as I tried to hold him but Sofia held me back immediately. "What are you doing? Do you want to get yourself injured?"she asked with a sorry look in her face for me.

Tears streamed down my cheeks. "Go call Aurora please!"I told her which she nodded and frantically ran to get her mother.

Lorenzo, Thomas and Emilio tried to restrain Raphael whilst Marco, Luca and Leila tried to hold Dante but neither of them succumbed.

  Raphael was too angry at the moment. He aggressively knocked them off before continuing with his blows and punches at Dante.

  I crumbled into tears. All this was happening because of me.

Aurora entered the scene, her face pale with horror.

"Stop it! What have gotten into both of you!"She cried out in fear but instead it did nothing.

Both men had blood dripping from all corners of their faces but neither would back out instead it fueled their anger more.

"What is going on here!?"Armani's voice boomed the minute he strode inside and met the horrifying scene.

I froze immedately, so did everyone else.

  "Hold them down for me!"He commanded in rage to his goons.

They immedately went over to Raphael and Dante, pointing guns at their heads.

  My eyes widened and I panicked.

Would he shoot them?

Tears had already flooded my vision making it blurry and my head spinned.

"I leave for some minutes and you both decide to kill yourselves!? Are you all idiots!?"

Raphael breathed heavily and his fists were clenched so tight that his knucles began turning white.

"Armani please they are..."Aurora began but was rudely and almost immedately interrupted by Armani.

"Enough! Look at you all! Fools! Fighting like animals! Over what!? Could it be over this thing you brought from Africa!?"He sneered pointing his index finger at me.

I lowered my gaze in fear, not daring to face his.

"Don't you dare call her a thing! She is my wife!"

"You are a fool Raphael. You all are idiots! And I'll make sure I deal with you fools accordingly. Take them upstairs for their punishment!"He instructed

  My heart palpitated and cried harder.

What did he mean by punishment?

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I watched Raphael being led away by his goons.

It was all my fault.

"And as for you"he began turning to face my terrified features.

"Your days in this house are numbered. I'll never accept you as the daughter inlaw of this house and I promise if you don't die you will be kicked out of here. Harlot"He balefully  threatened before shoving me out of the way and heading upstairs.