Chapter 7

• Suddenly there felt a heavy commotion outside. Celeste came back into her room after the shower to wear her bridal dress. But neither the hairdresser nor the make-up artist were present in the room.
• Something wasn’t right. She looked outside the window if they were out to give her privacy in order to wear the dress. But they were not available anywhere. A weird sense of unrest occupied her stance. “Sicilia?” She called for the beautician in a waverly tone filled with fear after she put on her clothes. There was no response. Before she could realize a rough hand clamped her mouth from behind obstructing her voice to reach the people.
• “What are you doing? Who are you? Release me.” She shouted through her closed mouth.
• Slowly she could see four men wearing uniform black coats approaching her in deadly long strides. She was very well acquainted with such buffy young men. After all she had been a mafia princess. They appear to be goons of another mafia. Who were they? Suffocation surrounded her accompanied with pensiveness.
• Celeste tried to run out of the room but was caught mid way before she reached the door. She tried to resist the advances of men throwing her arms at them. But they were too sturdy for her. What can a single puny female do to big and Buffy men? “Look, if you want money, that is not a big issue. Give me five minutes and I can sign an amount you haven’t ever seen in your lifetime.”
• Her lucrative offer was turned a deaf ear by the mysterious guys. Before she could process anything, she felt a prick on her neck. And that was the end of all the tricks played by Celeste. The only thought she had was - where were they taking her? Was she going to die? She knows the vicious nature of the mafia. Seconds later blackness surrounded her.
• After an hour she could hear a vague voice of a male shouting at someone. His hands were holding her face securely as if she was water who could slip away from his arms. And her head was not on a pillow. Because it was warm, giving her a feeling of protection. What was it? His lap? It was that same touch which always brought goose pimples on her skin. She could recognize it. Again. “Why the hell would you drug her to get her here? You could have simply plastered her mouth.” There was panic in the husky male voice.
• Celeste wanted to open her eyes but was unable to do it. “Sir, I'm sorry. She wasn't easy to handle and we were supposed to finish the process without a third eye noticing us. So we had to drug her.” The man lamely concluded with his head bowed.
• “Drug her, my foot. Her health is already very fragile and you do these sort of stupid things adding fuel to the spark. For what am I filling up your pockets.” Anthony was blowing off the fuse of every man in his gang when finally the doctor arrived.
• Why was this guy so concerned about her as if he owned her?
• The minions' faces looked relieved. If their fates go on a positive mode the doctor will give good news to their boss that the girl is fine.
• *****
• On the other side of the city…
• The buzz started building between the crowd. The groom’s cheerfulness was slowly getting replaced by desperation. Lucy was sitting in the front row of guests waiting for her husband and daughter. The music had already started and the eyes of the guests were on the red corridor for the father to come holding the hand of his daughter. But…
• Lucy strides towards the bride’s room in a worry and there he was, her husband looking all lost holding the piece of paper in his hands which read, “she's mine, body and soul. I'll destroy anyone who dares take her from me.”
• Tom was a bundle of nerves, “she is kidnapped, Lucy. Our daughter, Celeste, is kidnapped by that Varmint. How are we going to answer Hawkins? ”
• Ten minutes later…..
• “You old piece of flesh, you couldn't keep a watch over a twenty year old girl. What kind of a father are you? I want my future wife before me within twenty four hours. I don't know what you do but I want her back by any means.” Dave warned Tom.
• Tom looked flabbergasted at the young man tossing over him like a predator giant. He never expected such hostile behavior from Dave. The boy grew before his eyes and played in his arms once upon a time who is now dictating terms to him. But unfortunately that is how the mafia operates. It's always the work of power. Survival of the fittest. “Look at the CCTV to find out who kidnapped her.”
• The church had only one CCTV. All others were dysfunctional. And the men entered from the back door. They were all covered in black including their masks. Thus were not easily recognizable. “This is the marriage happening between two mafia families and you did not even have the thought to check the CCTV before you booked the church. Did your brain go to bake cakes, Tom?” Dave shouted at him once again.
• However the only man upon whom Tom has his doubts was Anthony. He is the only capable mutant who could counter the high end security Tom employed in and around the church. The expectation of the unexpected can be done from Anthony Rodriguez. “I will try my best, son.” Tom spoke meekly to Dave.
• “Good. Because if I don't see Celeste marrying me within the next twenty four hours, I will break your bones and throw them to the street dogs.” Lucy shook with terror at the intonation used by Dave when her husband. If not for his lost leg Tom would have been in place of Dave making him taste his own piece of shit for using that sort of voice to him.
• Nevertheless everything changed with that mafia war that happened three years ago which sealed their fate to disaster. She was on the verge of getting a panic attack. But did Dave care?
• This is the mafia. Only two things matter here. Power and money and Dave gains both only when Celeste becomes his wife.
• How?
• Tom had broken his leg and is out of the league. The situation of Anthony without Celeste is like a star without illumination. As long as Celeste is not in his empire Dave has chances to beat him Last but not the least….
• There is insider information that Celeste is not the daughter of Tom Mac Grath but the daughter of another very powerful figure who rules the entire mafia world with the flick of his fingers.
• Who is he? He needs to find out who her actual father is.
• If the information he has is true, marriage with Celeste is his most promising bet. Three birds under one shot.
• Will Dave Hawkins succeed in his aim?
• *****