His Mafia Prince
Chapter 31: Now or Never

Chapter 31: Now or Never

(TYLER)

"I couldn’t get through to him. T...Thanks." I stutter

"No, you wouldn’t have even if you tried." Sasha frowns suddenly. "Fucking nuisance."

I am not sure where to place Sasha’s attitude. One minute he is nice, the next he is something else. It obviously couldn’t have been Dylan’s idea to be friends with benefits. I can’t believe he’s calling him a nuisance now.

I narrow my eyes. "Why pretend you don’t care about him? You gave him a chance."

Sasha shoots me a surly look. "I didn’t want to kill him for no reason. He misunderstood my intention. He’s young"

"But he’s just about as old as me."

He looks at me intently for a beat. "Believe me, you’re far much tougher than Dylan."

"Then why didn’t you consider him when you were searching?" I hesitate. "Why not pick him when you were already sleeping with him?"

"He was unsuitable," Sasha says, avoiding my gaze.

"But I am?" I laugh gruffly "At least he doesn’t pretend to like you."

"I don’t need to be liked, Tyler. Dylan is naïve. He thinks we can work out a real relationship. That’s an impossibility that you accept. I know Dylan will struggle with it."

"Perhaps he’d have been willing to do whatever you asked of him."

"Maybe." He shrugs. "But that wasn’t the reason for not considering him."

"Then what was?"

"I can’t trust him. He’s been affiliated with other syndicated before."

"Yet you trusted him enough to fuck him?" the words tumble out of my mouth before I can stop them. The comment sounds peevish. That wasn’t my intention. Too late.

"If I didn’t know better, Tyler I think you’re jealous." He narrows his eyes.

"You wish." Heat rushes to my face.

"Whatever you say." His lips curve into an evil smirk.

I shake my head. "You have quite an ego, Sasha."

He begins to circle me and stops at my back. I can feel his warm breath at the back of my neck and it makes me shiver. I’m uneasy and I hate that he seems to know it. When I try to move away, he grabs my waist. "You really feel sorry for Dylan, or are you just giving me a hard time because you enjoy doing it?"

"Since even do you care what I think?" I school my voice making sure to not sound uneven. I try to tug myself away but he holds on tight.

"I might, who knows?"

"Oh, I know. What are you playing at now, Sasha?"

"I’m not playing at anything." He says huskily.

"Then why are you here?"

He purses his lips into a grim line and his expression suddenly turns foreboding. "Unfortunately, I come bearing bad news."

"Which is?" I cross my arm over my chest and look at him intently. I’m certain the news is disappointing and the thought of it makes me uneasy. I brace myself.

"The wedding has been moved up." Sasha’s shoulders are stiff, and the strain on his face is now obvious.

"What?" My eyes widen. "Why"

"We can’t wait to get married later in the week, we have to get married tonight."

"Tonight?" Panic washes through me.

"Yes. My father’s condition isn’t great." He shifts uneasily as pain flutters through his eyes. "The ceremony will be in an hour. Honestly, I’m not sure if Father will last the night. It’s touch and go."

"Damn! Is it that bad?"

"Yes, we can’t postpone the wedding anymore." His throat bobs. "It’s time."

"We don’t even have a marriage license. How will the marriage be legally binding?"

"Don’t worry about that. I’ll work on it. Just change your clothes and hurry downstairs." He bites his jaw. "The justice of peace is already on his way."

I knew this was coming all along. It frazzles me that I can barely hold his gaze now. The news is abrupt and I don’t know what to do or how to react to it. I glance around my room, raking a shaky hand through my hair. "What do I wear now? Does it matter what I wear?"

"Not really." He says. "We won’t take the professional photos now." "We just have to get married fast."

Much as this moment stresses me, I know it is more stressful for Sasha. His father’s condition is grave and he might lose him any time from now. That means the weight of the Triple Triad Syndicate I about to fall on his shoulders.

It is now or never. This is the moment of truth. I doubt he’ll even have ample time to grieve his father considering the responsibility about to land on him. When it happens, he’ll have to be ready to step in his father’s shoes.

If this quickie wedding doesn’t satisfy his men, he won’t be protected. I know he’s just as worried as I am but even then, he won’t show his emotions. I know he won’t. I see no flicker of fear in his eyes as he gazes at me.

I envy Sasha’s strength and I respect it too. Right now, I have to trust him and trust that he’ll have his men under control. I have to trust that his judgment is right. I hope he’s right because if he isn’t, we’re all toast.

***

Minutes later, we are in Mr. Adonis’ study, which seems oddly fitting for the occasion. There are no decorations, no flowers, no music in the background. Mr. Adonis, his wife and son Jericho are watching from folded chairs a few feet away from us. A few members of the household stand behind them too.

Despite the severity of his condition, Mr. Adonis sits up. On his nose is an oxygen mask. At the foot of his chair, there’s an oxygen tank tucked. It’s a pity that he has to do this right now, but then he doesn’t have much of a choice.

Lucia clutches his husband’s hand so tightly that her knuckles turn white. This is far from a joyous occasion for her considering that her son isn’t marrying for love and that she might lose her husband. There’s nothing to glee about a last-ditch effort to keep the family safe and in power.

I have a dress shirt that I found in the closet earlier on, along with a baggy pair of Jeans. Sasha too is in the same suit he wore earlier. The house staff didn’t bother to change either. This ceremony feels more like a funeral and less of a wedding.

I steal a glance at the Justice of Peace. He is an old man whose hands tremble. I can’t quite place the trembling between fear or the fact that he is old. It must be stressful for him to perform the mafia boss’ son’s wedding, especially with the way it’s been rushed. Unless he is blind, he can tell that Sasha and I are strangers to each other.

Miles stands on Sasha’s side. Beside me there is nobody. How typical. I’m used to being alone. I have been for a long time. I wonder if the justice of peace thinks it’s weird that I have no one in my family. I wonder if he performs these rushed kind of weddings regularly. In truth, even if Sasha allowed me to invite someone, I’m not sure who it would be.

The justice of peace reads through the vows in a sombre voice. My pulse has gone haywire and the only thing I can hear now is the sound of my heartbeat rummaging in my head. Something knots at the pit of my stomach, and my mind is in a fog.

He turns his attention to me. "Repeat after me." He utters a long sentence and then stares at me, waiting for a response.

"I...I... Tyler Leif Colton, take you...