Married To The Mafia

3. You Guys Are My Only Family

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|| JOANNE LAKE ||

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I patted the bedside table trying to get my hand on my phone.

It was blaring 'Bad Blood' at full volume and disturbing Wolverine's and my sleep.

I finally got my hand on it and slid a finger across the screen, mumbling a 'Hello?' as I placed it over my ear.

"What do you want? Your usual Expresso or-"

"One iced caramel cloud macchiato and two puppuccino. Actually, make it three for Old Man. The asshole is being a bit extra these days." I mumbled. I couldn't start my day without my dose of caffeine and I had spoilt my boy so much that he needed the puppuccino in the morning and he did not like it if it was whipped cream from anywhere else - I do not get the logic.

Wait, are they mixing something that is making him addicted to it?

Oh no!

Don't start early in the morning, Joanne Lake.

"Alright." Olivia said as she hung up.

I tossed the phone onto the bed and narrowed my eyes at my dog. He was sprawled across the king-sized bed while I had been curled up in a corner, about to fall off any minute.

I looked over at the custom-made dog bed I had built for him. Should have spent that money on an extra bed!

I hopped off my bed and stretched.

It's a brand-new day! I thought as I opened the blinds.

I took in the scent of the early morning NY streets..

There was nothing I hated more than waking up from my sleep. I wasn't a morning person. I doubted if I was even a person.

I grumbled to myself as I made my way to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth and did my business.

I looked over at my shower and scrunched up my face. Who in their right mind takes a shower on a Sunday morning?

I walked out of my room and into the kitchen.

I don't really like to boast, but I am a honest person. And the truth was that I was an amazing cook. Just amazing.

Except, today just wasn't one of those days when I wanted to 'surprise' my dear flat mates with the grandeur of Joanne Lake's cooking.

Cereal it is.

Life of the frugal is the life I aspire. I thought to myself proudly as I made my way towards my cereal cabinet. I had a collection of cereal. Whatever I felt like eating, it needed to be in my cereal cabinet.

Most people might call me a spoilt brat.

But in all honesty, what the f**k was I supposed to do with all the money I had?

Yes yes, I could do some philanthropy. But obviously, I do that. I have way too much money to be spend on just me.

There I go, drifting away in my stupid thoughts again.

I grabbed a carton of honey corn flakes and a carton of milk from the fridge. And I had to pour some chocolate sauce over my cereal to make it less healthy and more tasty. I put everything back in its place because Olivia will have my head if I made a mess, and then I made my way to the living room with the bowl and a spoon.

I narrowed my eyes when I saw my Great Dane walk out of our room.

"Good morning Wolverine Lake, I hope you had a fantastic night at the expense of your master's comfort." I glared at him.

Okay fine, I am his mom and not his master. But I just loved calling myself a master. The word more suited for me is probably 'monster' but I guess master will have to do.

He gave me a short bark as if asking me to f**k off and made his way to the kitchen. I followed his ungrateful ass and filled his food and water bowl before I made my way back to the living room, plopping down on the couch and turning the TV on.

I did not particularly like watching the news but as an adult, I needed to be informed about certain things and so I had to torture myself with the boring channel for a while.

I was watching news and munching on my cereal in peace when the front door opened and Olivia walked in, holding the tray of drinks. Five drinks.

"Stella not back yet?" I quirked an eye brow, my mouth stuffed with food.

"She's at Anthony's apartment." Olivia said, passing me my coffee. I mumbled a 'thanks' before placing the cereal bowl down on the coffee table so that I could enjoy my coffee in peace.

She placed Wolverine's drinks on the coffee table and took her own and sat down.

"I tried to take Wolverine out for a walk but.." She shrugged and I nodded in understanding. I knew my dog way too well; he probably wouldn't have even budged.

He was only three years old but he acted like he was senile. i***t. If I didn't love him so much, I would have send him to some Military Style Puppy Camp.

"I am craving Lebanese food today." Olivia said out of nowhere.

I raised a brow. "At eight in the morning?"

Olivia gave me a flat look. "Not for breakfast, dumbass. I just want to eat Lebanese today. Not right now."

I took a sip of my coffee.

Okay, that makes sense and sounds like something Olivia Smith would think up.

"I know this awesome restaurant. I went there with Mr. Alistair last month. Let's go there!" I exclaimed suddenly, checking the couch and coffee table for my phone. "I will make a reservation for the three of us."

Olivia looked elated. "Do that."

"Should we ask Stell if she can make it?" I asked, keeping my coffee down and standing up.

I made my way to my bedroom to get my phone and came back.

"Of course she will be free." Olivia said though even she didn't sound confident.

"Meh, it doesn't matter." I said as I tapped away on my phone, making the reservation.

"All done!" I was about to put away my phone when I saw the notifications on top of the screen. There were quite a few.

I took my cup and took a sip. Ugh, why mails?

The ones on the top were mails from work. Work was getting boring by the day. Maybe I should just quit and go get a cooking degree.

I didn't want to check work mails. Who does that on a Sunday?

Then I saw a message from the bank. I opened it.

Your A/C XXXXXX36 has been credited with USD20,000 on...

I spewed out the coffee back in the cup and Olivia jumped back.

"You okay?" Olivia patted my back, concerned, as I coughed. I showed her the message and her mouth formed an 'o'.

OMG!

OMG!

OMG!

"Who would send you this much money?" Olivia knew that I was a rich kid, but she also knew that I really did not get any large sum of money from anyone. My bank balance has been fat for forever and I plan to keep it that way.

I gave her a flat look when she asked me that. "Bro, your brain isn't functioning?" I asked her.

Olivia can be so dense sometimes.

She looked at me cluelessly.

I rolled my eyes.

This is my hypothesis but I know that I am right.

"Anthony King? Ring a bell?"

Olivia was confused for a second.

I rolled my eyes again and c****d my head, Don't you get it?

Realization dawned on her.

"Oh. My. God. NO WAY!!" Olivia screeched a few moments later.

Finally

"Poor guy added one extra zero. Let's not tell him." I laughed as I picked my coffee back up and took a sip.

"Eww.. You spat on that." Olivia slapped me on my arm.

Why is this woman so violent?

"My spit, bruh. What's the big deal? You don't have problem swallowing Zach's spit or his.." I motioned to the second cup of puppuccino Wolverine was on. "..whipped cream."

I cracked up as soon as I said it while Olivia hit me with one of the pillows, turning as red as a tomato. "You are soo yuck!!" She screeched while I laughed, blocking her. After a few more hits, she too started laughing while Wolverine stared between the two of us probably wondering what he did wrong in his last life to end up with such nutcases.

"Do you think she accepted?" Olivia said once the laughter died down.

I shrugged. "She did."

We both sighed.

I know I predicted it, but that was because I was studying Anthony and I had realized he was a total dumbass who would pop the question out of the blue like this.

There was no doubt about Anthony's feelings for Stella.

It was genuine.

I did not like Anthony. It was my personal opinion. He looked like a jackass to me.

But I had to give it to him - his love for Stella was real.

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"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING??" I started awake from my post-breakfast nap with Olivia shouting. I pushed off my boy's drooling face from my neck and wriggled out from under him while he kept sleeping not giving a damn.

What is wrong with this asshole? He is such a clingy old duck!

I finally fell onto the ground and made my way into Stella's room.

"Wait, how do you know?" Stella asked.

"Your man wired me 20k dollars." I yawned as I walked in.

Her eyes widened.

Yeah sister. The feeling's mutual.

"I was kidding!" She held her head. "That was a joke."

"Return it." She turned to me, her darling friend.

"Nah." I clucked my tongue and sat down on Stella's bed. "No return policies."

"Jo!!" Stella looked at me unbelievably.

"That's not the problem here, Stell. Why did you accept?" Olivia made her face her. "For how long do you even know this guy?"

I grumbles as I stood up and went to stand next to Olivia. I was on her side on this one though I was not going to make any comments. I don't want Stella to think I am against her relationship because of my dislike for the guy.

"Who cares Olivia!? He makes me so so happy! Not everyone gets to spent the rest of their lives with their first love like you." She shrugged off the hands on her shoulders and sat down on the bed. "I have seen people who knew each other for ages divorce after just weeks of marriage. People who started off as one night stands have spent their whole life together. It doesn't matter-"

"I saw that post on Pubity last week." I commented. And Stella glared at me. "What? Truth is truth."

Olivia gave me a weird look.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet this woman who doesn't read memes. What a waste of life! I thought as she shrugged and gestured for Stella to continue.

"What I am saying is, Livy, it doesn't matter how less of a time it has been-"

"I agree with you." I butted in again. So much for not making comments. "It doesn't matter how long you have known each other. What matters is how much you know him."

Olivia nodded and turned to Stella, pursing her lips. "How much do you know this guy?"

Stella took off her shoes looking hella mad.

"And I thought my friends would be happy for me." She turned to me. "You even predicted it."

"Yeah, because I knew he was going to. I never said I approve of it." I crossed my arms and stood there.

Honestly, what could Olivia and I even do? Stella was a twenty-three-year-old independent woman. She was fully capable and had the sole authority to take decisions about her life. We could only advise her as friends.

"Guys, I love him and he loves me. He wants me to marry him because that's how it works in his family." She said calmly.

"His eldest brother got married to a girl ten years younger than him. They weren't dating and he got her pregnant, while he was engaged to someone else." Olivia stated.

"At least he took responsibility." I commented but shut my mouth when Olivia gave me the eye. But I did believe that what the elder brother did had nothing to do with Anthony. Why was Olivia judging someone based on the deeds of someone else? And even if she wanted to do that, why didn't she make that comment while they were dating?

She didn't they would last?

Jeez, I need to stop drifting off to my thoughts world.

"Okay. Let's not fight." Stella said. "He has invited all of us to dinner tonight at his place, with his family."

"Us?" Olivia pointed to herself and me.

Stella nodded with a soft smile on her gorgeous face. "You guys are my only family."

I pouted and went and hugged her. "Now I feel bad."

Olivia sighed and joined.

"Wait, does that mean I have to dress up Old Man?" I asked and they raised their eyebrows at their dear old dumb Jo.

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