Gangsters
Part six
Linzi
quickly climbed down the tree. On the last branch her foot slipped. She dangled
helplessly for a while before her arms gave way and she dropped to the ground,
landing with a thump that winded her. As she lay there regaining her breath she
heard Chris snigger.
"I
thought our marriage was approved of," said an unfamiliar male voice,
"I didn't realise we were eloping." Linzi blushed furiously as she
heard the laughter that greeted this comment. She jumped to her feet to confront
Tubby and stopped, her jaw dropping. She looked at the dark haired young man
standing next to her brother.
"You're
not Tubby...I mean Joseph Luciano." She stammered.
"Sorry
if I disappointed you," he smiled, "But my brother, sadly, is no
longer of this world." Linzi stared. Brother! She didn't know Tubby had a
brother.
"Yeah
he took a long walk of a short pier." Said another unknown man standing
behind Tubby's brother.
"Pier
23 wasn't it Rey?" quipped another man. Tubby's brother held up his hand.
"Guys
please. I'm trying to introduce myself to my blushing bride," he said. He
took Linzi's hand and raised it to his lips, "I'm William Luciano, known as
Billy." Linzi wrenched her hand out of his grasp.
"I
don't care who you are," she snarled, "I don't want to marry you or
anyone else." She whirled round and started off back to the house. Colour
stained her cheeks as she heard one of Billy's henchmen remark on her figure.
She quickened her walk. Chris and Billy, having longer legs, soon caught up with
her. Billy opened the kitchen door with a flourish.
"I'm
glad your brother's dead." Linzi flung at him.
"So's
Billy," remarked Chris, "He killed him." Linzi gaped at her
brother.
"He
killed his own brother?" said Linzi, "And Papa's marrying me to this
madman!" Billy was leaning against the doorframe looking amused. Linzi
glared at him. He held her gaze for a second before trailing his eyes slowly
down her body. Linzi felt her cheeks grow hot at such blatant scrutiny.
"Stop
looking at me like that." She demanded. Billy shrugged.
"Can't
help it." He smirked. Linzi was relieved when Kelley and Lissa entered the
kitchen. Billy raised his eyebrows as Lissa was introduced to him.
"A
Cianni in the Marchessi household," he said, "Very Romeo and
Juliet." Lissa sneaked a glance at Chris, who quickly dropped his gaze from
her face. Linzi smiled fondly at them both.
"You
have a beautiful smile," whispered Billy in her ear, "You should smile
more often."
"I
don't have much to smile about at the moment." Linzi hissed back at him.
Later
in the evening there was a knock on Linzi's bedroom door.
"Come
in." Said Linzi, wondering who it was. Lissa entered.
"So
what do you think of him?" she asked.
"Think
of who?" said Linzi being deliberately obscure.
"Billy
of course." sighed Lissa.
"He's
horrible, just like his brother." Replied Linzi. Lissa looked at her.
"He's
not fat or old is he?" she said.
"I
suppose not." Agreed Linzi reluctantly.
"And
he definitely isn't ugly." Said Lissa. Linzi shrugged.
"Oh
Lissa. It's just that I want to chose who I want to marry. I don't want to be
part of a deal no matter how good-looking or bad-looking my prospective groom
is." Said Linzi her shoulders slumping dejectedly. Lissa patted her
shoulder.
"Sometimes
things can happen for the best." said Lissa. Linzi looked at her in
disbelief.
"They
can," protested Lissa, "Look at me. One moment I'm shut up at home
with a father that doesn't care about me, the next I'm here feeling like part of
a real family for the first time in my life."
"What
about your mother?" asked Linzi curiously.
"She
died giving birth to me," Said Lissa, "I've never known a proper
family life until now. You and Kelley have become dear friends to me."
"And
Chris?" teased Linzi. Lissa blushed.