Marry the Mafia at Christmas

ELARA “Fuckkk…” The moan and grunts coming from the cellar made me freeze. I am supposed to be finding my fiancé Cedric who had gone missing during our engagement party. Mum had sent me to go find him because he was meant to give a speech for the night. Having our engagement made official makes me as excited as getting married to him. We have been betrothed since birth, and all I can say is Cedric is the best decision my parents have made for me. The way he loves me, the way he listens to me, the way he treats me… everything is perfect. Everyone believes we are a match made in heaven, well except my brother Flynn. For some weird reason, he doesn’t like the idea of me and Cedric together. One of the staff told me Cedric had gone to get some vintage wine from the cellar for the toast, which was why I had to come down here, but hearing a s****l moan and grunt, coming from the cellar made me furious. That sound isn’t Cedric, but that of another man, which is why I concluded that it is either one of the guests or the staff. Of all places, why go down on your partner in a cellar where wines are kept? The thought made me shudder. Wrapping my hand around the knob, I pushed it open and stepped in, ready to scold or fire the staff involved in it. However, I froze in my tracks when my brother Flynn looked up, his eyes wide with panic at the sight of me. “What the hell Flynn?” I screamed, disgusted that he would do something like that in this place. “What happened to your bedroom?” While he tried to fix his pants, I moved my attention to the other party involved, and that was when I realized it was a man. The champagne glass slipped through my hand as I staggered back in shock. Not only is my brother having s*x with a man, but with my missing fiancé Cedric. “What…” the rest of the words died off in my throat. “I need you to calm down.” Flynn pleaded, taking a step forward, his body shielding Cedric as he righted his pants. “We can explain.” The more I tried to make sense of what I just witnessed, the harder it became to breathe. The pain in my chest felt suffocating and before I knew it, tears blurred my vision, streaming down my face uncontrollably. “Elara.” Cedric called out, coming into view. “take a deep breath, then have a seat so we can talk about what happened.” I felt someone grab my forearm, snapping me out of the haze I slipped into. Blinking up, trying to clear my vision, I saw Flynn holding onto my arm. I slapped it away and gave him a hard shove away from me. “We can explain.” Flynn insisted. “Explain what?!” I screamed, my voice trembling. “that the same man has been screwing me and my brother?!” “Elara.” Cedric whisper-yelled, his voice tight, “Keep your voice down.” Flynn nodded, his eyes darting towards the door. “Someone might hear you.” He must have noticed that the door was slightly ajar because he rushed over and closed it, hurrying back to our side. I scoffed bitterly. “Are you both worried about people finding out, than the fact that I just caught you both having s*x?” How did my day which started so well, end up so badly? “Is this why you never…” the words trailed off as I lifted my trembling hand to wipe my tears, but I scrubbed it with so much force that I ruined my makeup. “He doesn’t love you, you said,” I choked out, “you told me that I didn’t have what it takes to be his wife…that I didn’t deserve him…those were the words you said to me!” “Keep your voice down!” Flynn retorted. “You need me to get you a mic to announce it to everyone present here tonight?” Cedric sighed, pulling my attention to him. I chuckled bitterly. “Jokes on me for thinking you loved me as much as I loved you.” Smacking his lips, Cedric slipped his hands into his pockets. “Let’s talk about this after the event.” “After what event?” I hissed. “You are still going forward with the engagement?” Flynn asked, surprised by Cedric’s words. I almost laughed him in the face for his foolishness. “I don’t see why not,” Cedric replied with a shrug. “Have you lost your mind?!” my hand instinctively moved to my head, palm pressing hard against my skull as if that might ease the piercing pain in my chest. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block it all out. “you think I am going to go through with this marriage after I found out you screw men?!” “I am Bi.” I blinked rapidly, dumbfounded as I processed his words. “what difference does that make to me?” Cedric licked his lips, his shoulders relaxed. “I am trying to reason with you Elara.” Reason with me? Letting go of my head, I felt the burning sting of tears rising again, but I fought against it. Reaching for the finger that bore my engagement ring, I yanked it off my finger. “This wedding is over.” I threw the ring at Flynn, praying it would hit his forehead, but it dropped at his feet instead. Flynn sighed. “Are you going to do anything?” he asked Cedric, his gaze still on me. In an instant, Cedric closed the distance between us, his hands gripping my shoulders with so much force it almost felt like he would break me. “Your family needs me Elara, they will be reduced to nothing without me, and for that reason, you will go back in there,” he growled, “with the largest smile you can muster, keep the guests entertained until I join you, am I clear?” My fingers curled into a fist and without thinking, I lifted my hand and slammed it to his face and Cedric staggered back, letting me go as his hand instinctively flew to his cheek. Flynn gasped. “have you lost your mind Elara?!” “You are my elder brother!” I yelled at him, shutting his gutter, “It was your responsibility to protect me from men like you…and him.” I moved my angry gaze back to the swine I would have made the mistake of getting married to. “Do your worst Cedric, this wedding is over and that’s final.” With one last glare at Flynn, I stormed out of the cellar, my heart pounding in my chest.