"How's this?" The girl asked, holding up a stunning purple gown.

"I told you already. I have no interest in going, so it would be better if you stopped showing me these gowns," I said with a groan.

Enzo informed me that one of his buddies, Matteo, was getting married. So, he decided to drag Ysaline and me along as well.

I hated weddings.

Truly.

Except for the food, though.

Currently, Ysaline, Dante, Enzo and I were in a shop, searching for dresses and suits.

"Xena, this is the 15th gown you've rejected," Enzo snapped.

I rolled my eyes. " So? Nothing struck out to me."

He sighed and motioned Clara, who was showing me the gowns, to stop.

"Fine. Why don't you look around the shop and choose for yourself, yeah?"

Reluctantly, I nodded.

My eyes wandered around the racks but nothing stood out to me.

"Can't I just wear jeans and a hoodie?" I whined, scanning the gowns on the rack.

"Xena, this is a wedding," Enzo gritted out.

I was about to give up when a magnificent black color dress caught my eye. I walked towards the mannequin the gown was on and looked at it in awe.

It was stunning.

It was made of cotton and had glossy gold belt which snaked around the waist of it. There was a long slit on the right side and a deep V-line which exposed a lot of cleavage.

"Beautiful," I murmured, too lost in the beauty of the gown.

Grinning excitedly, I pointed to it.

"It's beautiful, but we're attending a wedding. Not a funeral," He sighed.

So just because black is a funeral color, we can't wear it to a wedding?

That's shit logic.

"Why don't I just kill this Matteo guy and make it a funeral?" I grumbled and continued scanning for gowns.

But then it struck me.

I don't need his fricking permission. If I want to wear the gown, hell I'll wear it.

I asked the staff to remove it from the mannequin. She did and handed it to me with a wide smile.

"I must say, ma'am. You have exquisite taste," She commented.

"Xena!" Enzo scolded, "I told you no!"

"Yeah...so? Just cuz you tell me 'no', doesn't mean I'll stop. Enzo, really, I thought you must have learnt it by now. Ordering me around is useless," I said, shaking my head.

He sighed. "Xena, this is a black gown, which contrasts to the wedding."

"So? I love wearing black clothes and this gown matches my taste. Black, dark, and formal," I said with a shrug and walked to the trial room.

I stripped out of my hoodie and leggings and tried the gown. It fit like a glove. I ran my hand through the smooth gown.

"Are you done?" I heard Enzo yell. Rolling my eyes, I walked out of the changing room.

Enzo's jaw dropped.

Not exaggerating.

His eyes scanned my dress and shone with admiration. "Wow," Was all he could mutter.

"You look stunning," He remarked, finally gaining his voice.

I hummed and walked back into the changing room and changed back into my hoodie and leggings.

Ysaline chose a magnificent blood red gown with a long slit on the left side. Damn, it suited her perfectly. The boys chose their suits as well.

Enzo took out his black card from his wallet and paid for the clothes.

I gritted my teeth. I hated people paying for me. It makes me feel dependent on them. If I had my card with me, I would have paid it on my own.

Nope, it's not what you're thinking. My parents didn't give me the card. I owned a successful company which I built on my own, without my parent's help.

I would have escaped from this shop itself but I needed to create a proper plan. Moreover, I didn't know how many guards were surrounding this place.

I needed to be patient.

●○●○●○●○●○●

I applied a soft, light pink lipstick and silver eye shadows and a thin line eye liner. I tied my hair into a messy bun and finally, wore white sandals with gold studs. Content with my looks, I walked out of the room to Ysaline's.

Without knocking, I barged in and saw Ysaline tying her hair into a ponytail.

She saw me and motioned me to help her. Chuckling at her funny attempts, I tied hair hair into a braided pony tail, leaving a few strands free. She looked in the mirror and smiled widely.

"I should learn this from you," She muttered.

I scanned her dress in awe. The gown fit her perfectly.

"Xen, did you think of an escape plan?" Ysaline asked, her breathing turning ragged.

I sighed. "Enzo is a powerful mafia king, so the escape plan will require a lot of work. But don't you worry, we will escape for sure."

She nodded but then, her face dropped.

"I-I can't even think of an escape plan. I'm relying on you for one," She whispered, her voice cracking at the end. I frowned and placed an arm over her shoulder.

"Ysa, don't you dare say that," I said sternly.

Ysaline shook her head, her lips quivering. "I am. I can't even do anything on my own. I'm useless."

Why was she saying this?

"Ysaline, listen to me. You are one of the best fighters and shooters in the mafia. Your mastermind brain helped us in Madrid, if you know what I mean," I said with a wink.

She chuckled and nodded.

In Madrid, we both got into a heated fight with the Spanish mafia, which led to me punching the second-in-command in the face. They then dumped Ysaline and my asses in the cellar of the estate.

Ysaline, the tech-expert, managed to pick the lock with her bobby pin. Then, she managed to sneak into the office of the Spanish leader and hacked the accounts in the laptop. She mailed and transferred crucial information to our mafia. If that wasn't enough, we spray painted the entire hall room and managed to escape by a helicopter.

Yes, a helicopter.

"Girls! Are you going to take the full day to get ready or what!?" I heard Dante yell from downstairs.

We rolled our eyes.

"Listen, Ysa, you're stronger than you think," I said softly, but firmly.

Ysaline just nodded and gazed down at the floor.

"Nah. Pick your head up, queen. Your crown is falling," I said, lifting her chin slightly.

She chuckled and a large smile etched on her face.

"Now, now. Don't worry about the escape plan. We will think about something," I assured, emphasizing on the 'we'.

"Girls!" Enzo yelled from downstairs.

Rolling our eyes, Ysaline and I walked down the stairs and to the living room where Enzo and Dante were waiting.

"Finally," Enzo exclaimed when he heard our footsteps. He turned around and when his eyes met mine, his jaw dropped slightly.

His eyes locked with mine which surprised me. I thought he would check me out like a pervert but he kept on gazing intently into my blue eyes.

I walked up to him, keeping in mind to keep a foot's distance from Enzo.

"You look phenomenal," He whispered, his green orbs not wavering from mine.

"When do I not?" I sassed which made him chuckle.

Then, I actually realized how smart he looked. Enzo was wearing a black blazer and trousers which made him look devilishly handsome. His hair was styled back in a neat but hot way. The suit fit him perfectly and you could see how defined his muscles were. I shook my head before he caught me drooling over him.

"Beautiful," I heard Dante murmur as he saw Ysaline descending down the stairs. She rolled her eyes and flipped him off. Dante's eyes widened in surprise and shock.

I chuckled. Typical Ysaline.

We got into the expensive Rolls Royce. Surprisingly, Enzo was driving.

During the ride, Ysaline and I chatted with each other, irritating Enzo and Dante.

"We reached," He announced, parking the car in the space.

I got out of the car with Ysaline tagging behind.

Oh, damn. This was an amazing wedding hall.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" I heard Enzo asked, whispering in my ear.

Inodded. He forcefully wrapped his left arm around my waist in a possessive way. I frowned and tried shoving him off but he pulled me closer to him.

"Let's go in," He declared and walked into the hall, forcefully pulling me with him.

Wow...

The interiors were breath taking. White, polished pillars supported the hall. The ceiling was glazed with glimmering gold. The whole hall was decorated with pink and white lilies. In front, the wide altar was present where the bride and groom would take their vows. There were black, polished chairs for the viewers and people attending the wedding.

Overall, magnificent.

People had already started settling in.

"Our seat is at the very front," Enzo said and dragged me in front of the hall.

Dante, Ysaline, Enzo and I sat down at the very first row. The altar was right in front of us.

"Why are we sitting at the front?" I whispered.

"Matteo is in my mafia. I'm his Don and also his friend, so we get the front seat," Enzo whispered back.

I noticed how people's eyes widened in fear whenever they looked at Enzo or Dante.

The groom, who was very handsome, may I add, was at the altar, fixing his suit's cuff.

"Where's the bride?" Ysaline asked, huffing.

"She'll be here any moment," Dante replied.

"I wanna go meet her," I suddenly said, surprising myself as well as Dante, Ysaline and Enzo.

"Why? You don't even know her," Enzo said with a frown.

"You're right, I don't know here, but it's polite. She's probably getting pre wedding jitters. How about Ysaline and I check up on her?"

Enzo stared at me intently.

"No," He denied.

Rolling my eyes, I motioned Ysaline to follow me.

Like hell I would listen to him.

"Hey, I said no!" Enzo yelled.

Not turning around, I showed him the middle finger

I couldn't see his face, but I bet his expression was priceless.

I don't need his fucking permission.

I asked a man near the altar where the bride was and he pointed to the back of the hall. I thanked him and walked behind the hall, into the corridor and spotted a black door at the end.

I don't even know why I suggested meeting her.

I do such stupid things.

Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door twice.

"What is going on in that mind of yours?" I heard Ysaline mutter.

"The door's open!" A soft voice yelled.

I opened the door and walked in.

The room was vast. At the right corner, there was a polished dressing table in front of which the bride sat. Her back was facing us so we couldn't make out how she looked.

"Hey, you don't know me, but I'm Xena," I began.

Finally, after what seemed hours, the bride turned around.

"I'm Serena," She said softly, "You must be from Matteo's side."

I nodded. Kinda.

Man, she was beautiful.

But what concerned me were the dried tear marks o her cheeks. She must have wiped them when she heard us enter.

"I just came to check up on you. Are you okay?" I asked, genuinely concerned.

I instantly rushed to her side and wrapped my arms around her in a hug.

"What's wrong?" I asked, rubbing her back in a soothing manner.

"I-I just miss my parents," She whispered softly, not meeting my eyes.

I knew she was lying. I was good at spotting liars.

Anyways, I didn't push the subject further.

"Shall we walk you to the wedding hall?" Ysaline asked.

Serena nodded. She got up from her chair and started walking out while Ysaline and I followed her.

Suddenly, I noticed that she had a bruise on her ankle.

I frowned and stopped her.

"You're hurt," I exclaimed and made her sit back down on the bed.

Serena's eyes widened and her face paled.

"Are you okay?" I asked, "How did you get this bruise?"

She gave a sigh.

"I don't want to marry him," She said, her voice cracking at the end.

I frowned. "Then why are you? Are your parents forcing you?"

She shook her head.

"No-no, not my parents. He-he is forcing me himself," She murmured, sniffling at the end.

Holy fuck, what?

"Wait, Matteo is forcing you to marry him?" I asked in confusion and she nodded.

"En-Enzo killed my husband because he betrayed the Italian mafia. He want-wanted to kill me too but Matteo said 'he wanted me'. Enzo let him take me as long as I didn't have my freedom and Matteo happily agreed and dragged me to his mansion.

From the past 2 weeks, he didn't let me out of his room. I tried escaping once and managed to run out of the mansion but, obviously, Matteo caught me. He was furious and dragged me back home and chained me to his bed like an animal. Hence, the bruise. Leave room, he hasn't let me get out of his bed."

Holy fuck.

Enzo killed her husband? Matteo forcefully wants to marry her?

Bastards.

I took a deep breath.

"I understand how you feel, Serena. I will help you. Those assholes, Enzo and Dante, kidnapped Ysaline and me."

She gasped. "Their audacity!"

Her face dropped. "But how am I supposed to escape? This is a well-guarded place."

Right, well, I didn't think about that.

"There's a secret backdoor I noticed while walking around the hall. Go right and keep running straight. You'll find it. Once you make it, run to the airport and inform the staff that you're Xena King's friend. Alright?" Ysaline instructed and I smirked.

This was the real Ysaline.

The observant, badass, and smart, queen.

Serena frowned. "You're the Xena King? The American Mafia princess?" She asked.

I nodded and her eyes doubled.

"Your majesty," She said in a mocking tone and did a horrible curtsy.

I chuckled, shaking my head.

She then faced Ysaline and silently gasped. "You're Xena's future second-in-command, right?"

Ysaline nodded and Serena gasped.

"Oh, I've heard s many stories about you! It's said that you're one of the greatest fighters in the mafia!" Serena exclaimed and Ysaline's smile widened.

I smiled seeing that. She deserved it.

"Good luck," I muttered and hugged Serena tightly.

Ysaline joined the hug with a giggle.

She dressed into leggings and a white shirt, not before ripping the wedding gown to shreds.

Serena gave us a resolute look before dashing out of the room.

I hope she succeeds.

"Xena," Ysaline called out, "Let's escape with her."

I shook my head. "No, we can't."

"Why not?"

"If we escape together, 3 mafia men will be looking for us. Dante, Enzo, and Matteo. On the other hand, if Serena escapes alone, only Matteo will be looking for her."

Ysaline made an 'o' shape with her face and nodded.

Ah, now to face the wrath of Enzo.

Ysaline and I walked back to the wedding hall and sat beside Enzo and Dante.

"Where's Serena?" Enzo asked in confusion.

"I met her. She's getting pre-wedding jitters. She said that she'll be ready in 2 minutes," I lied. Enzo nodded, buying my lie.

5 minutes passed.

15 minutes passed.

30 minutes passed.

"Where the fuck is she?!" Matteo yelled loudly, running a hand through his smooth hair.

I suppressed a giggle and kept a straight face on.

Just then, 4 guards came rushing into the hall and ran up to Matteo.

"Si-sir, she ran away," One of the petrified guards informed.

Matteo's eyes turned a scary shade of charcoal black and he fisted his hands so tightly, his veins were visible. He was visibly shaking in fury.

Within a second, the loud sound of a bullet went off.

The guard who had informed about the runaway bride was laying lifeless in his own pool of blood. He was shot right between his eyes.

I silently whistled in admiration.

Nice shot.

Damn, bull's eye.

"I want all of you to find her. If you fail, your death will be worse," Matteo gritted, tightening his hold on his gun.

The guards nodded in terror and scrambled around, finding Serena.

"She escaped?" Enzo muttered to himself in confusion.

"Why would the bride escape?" I asked, pretending to be clueless.

Enzo sighed. "She is being forced into the marriage by Matteo."

I gasped loudly. "What?!"

Wow, I should win an Oscar.

Enzo nodded.

"Then isn't it obvious that she'll escape? I mean, you expected her to just stay silent and marry Matteo?"

"Serena is from the mafia family, Xena, like you and me, and she knows that it is impossible to escape it. It is impossible to escape the mafia. Matteo holds a high rank so it's even more easier to catch her. She should have known before doing anything stupid," Enzo replied with a pointed look.

Time flew by. An hour had passed.

"Capo, we can't find her. She escaped," A guard said defeatedly, gazing down at the floor.

Matteo's jaw ticked and he took out the gun from his holster and bang! The guard fell down on the floor with blood gushing out of the wound. Right through his heart.

Man, Matteo is a fine shooter.

He muttered few curses before storming out of the hall with a raging look.

Poor Serena didn't deserve this. Enzo killed her husband, and the way she talked about her husband, she probably loved him a lot. But then Matteo wanted her and claimed her.

All the 3 men; Enzo, Dante, Matteo, are sick bastards.

What do they think?

After kidnapping the girls they like and forcing her to love them, the girl will embrace them fully and confess 'I love you!'?

If they think that is the case then they're stupid.

Dumbasses.

Bastards.

But then again, they're in the mafia. What can I expect?

"It seems that Serena has truly escaped. But for now. Matteo's gonna find her for sure," Enzo said with a grin.

"How are you so sure about that?" I snapped.

"Mafia men, love," He replied with a slight smirk.

"Come on, now. Let's go home," Dante announced, dragging Ysaline by her wrist.

She frowned and twisted his arm behind his back. He groaned in pain.

"Never touch me again, you bastard," She whispered dangerously in his ears.

Enzo's eyes widened in surprise. "Damn, she's strong."

I smirked and leaned closer to him.

"Mafia women, love," I mocked.

This seemed to shock him even more. I bet no one ever talked to him this way.

After a few minutes, the people present in the hall started moving out once they realized the wedding wasn't going to take place.

Nice.

An enjoyable wedding.