CHAPTER-3

“Are you angry again?" Aria gritted her jaws and sighed hearing Leonus' voice.

"Leave me alone, Leo." She muttered before pulling out her anger on the punching bag. She wanted to pull out her anger on the man who was getting on her nerves these days. The Russian Pakhan but He was out of her reach. Hence she imagined the dummy as Aleksandr and continued her assault on it. He was the unbelievably annoying man she ever met.

Punch. Punch. Kick.

Leonus rolled his eyes and walked near to her. She was about to punch on the punching bag again but he blocked it, catching her fist.

"Stop it!" He snapped at her.

Aria glared at him. "Leonus!" She snapped back, snatching her fist out of his hold.

Leonus gave her a dirty glare before jerking her forward and grabbing her shoulders. "Stop punishing yourself like this, Aria!"

Aria growled angrily. "I don't need your advice," she barked, moving back. Leonus wiped his hair back in irritation. He knew his sister’s way of letting her frustration and anger out.

"This anger is only hurting you and no one else, Aria." He gritted, holding her hand.

Aria jerked her hand from him again and hitting the bag one more time, she moved to the balcony of her room. Leonus sighed and lit a cigarette before following her. He took a long puff of it before offering it to Aria. "It will help you to release the tension."

Aria glanced at the cigarette and snatched it out of his hand. "Nothing can release this tension except for that bastard's death." she muttered before she squashed it in her fingers. "I couldn't get his mocking tone out of my ears. He insulted my authority like the old pricks in Cosa Nostra."

"Who cares about that bastard and those old pricks of Cosa Nostra," he said with a shrug. "I don't."

Aria gave him a dirty look. "You are saying it because you are a man, Leo. Everyone expects you to lead this organisation. They don't see me and my efforts."

"I see your efforts. I don't want to lead Cosa Nostra, Aria. You don't have to feel this competitive spirit with me. And you knew it already. I have told you many times. Cosa Nostra is yours. It will remain yours just don't stop living, Aria. Dont."

Aria blew a breath. "Mom talked to you, didn't she?”

She knows when her mother speaks through Leonus’ tongue. He was the messenger in between them.

"She did. She only wants you to have a normal happy life. She wants your life full of love, Aria."

Aria chuckled. "I don't want romance, I want power, Leonus. I want to be on the top. Marriage, home, love. It's not for me."

Leonus gave his sister a look. "You know, even if soldiers accept you as the new Capo, you can't become one before taking the sacred wedding vows, right?"

Aria snapped her head to her brother. "What?"

"Dad relinquished the rule of marrying an Italian woman for taking over Cosa Nostra but you still have to be married to become the Capo Dei Capi. This rule still stands. Marriage represents stability and maturity. That's the whole purpose behind it and just like every other heir of the Cosa Nostra throne you have to go through the wedding ceremony just like every other previous capos."

"I don't want to marry anyone. Why would I?" Aria frowned. She couldn't get the meaning of getting married to take the title. It was absurd to her. She knew she wouldn't change. She can't.

Leonus chuckled once again. His eyes went to the worn-out cigarette in her hand. He snatched it out of her hand before it could burn her skin and dabbed it against the iron railings. "I heard Dad talking with his inner circle. They asked him this question a few hours ago. I hope you have a name in mind because Dad will soon call you to discuss this matter."

Aria gave him a pointed look. Obviously she had no one in her life to marry with. Leonus smiled at her, "A piece of advice, if the ice princess in you bears to accept It. Marry someone who will stand behind you like a loyal guard. Then only you can move on the top of the ladder."

Aria looked at her brother with wide eyes. She knew what he could be suggesting with these words. "Are you…are you talking about Lucas?"

"One and only! Lucas Albergo. He is the man you need, Aria. He has been with you since your childhood years. He will silently stand behind you in your honour when you throne Cosa Nostra."

Aria was lost deep in thought. Marriage. This had always been a vague concept for Aria. And although She knew Lucas her whole life, she didn't want to marry him. Aria knew Lucas too well. The only two things in her favour were: He was the son of one of Her father's most trusted underbosses and he was good friend of her and Leonus.

And because of their friendship, Aria knew what kind of baggage was going to come with Lucas if she married him. Lucas was a Casanova. Even he didn't know how many affairs or flings he had till now.

Aria looked at his brother. "Lucas is a skirt chaser. Imagine him having affairs after our marriage. The members of Cosa Nostra will question my credibility even more ferociously. You know what kind of things they will say about me. A woman who can't handle her husband, how is she going to handle Cosa Nostra?"

Leonus didn't say anything and only stared at her. He understood what Aria was talking about. "You can handle him."

Aria blew out a long breath and shook her head. "You know how I feel about Marriage, Leonus. I don't want a husband or children," she raised her eyes to her brother. "You will take care of that for me. Your child will become the next Capo, Leonus."

Leonus chuckled and raised his hands in a surrender gesture. "Don't make me the sacrificial lamb here, Sister. Children and marriage are not my cup of tea."

Aria rolled her eyes at his histrionics. "Do you want Selena to take over after us?" She asked jokingly. "She will speak about morals and ethics to everyone around her."

Leonus laughed out loudly at the mention of their beloved cousin. Their mother adored her more than them because She took after her.

"Aunt Sabrina will butcher us alive if we dare to say this in front of her."

Aria chuckled but her features were still serious. "I can't play the role of a good wife, Leo. I don't have it in me. I hate men!"

Leonus smiled. "I am a man. Dad is also a man but I understand what you are saying," he said. "And maybe you haven't met the right kind of man yet, Sister."

Aria blinked a few times. Right kind of man? Only the mighty King could handle this ice Queen.

Suddenly she recalled someone. The man who saved her that night. The tattoo man. The man who seized Aria Salvatore knight’s attention with his attractive personality. Though she couldn't get to see his face, or chase him but she found his special belongings on the ground in that dark night. A black coloured bracelet! She was sure that it was his which looked like a unique design for some ordinary person. But then again, he didn't seem like an ordinary person.

Her hand subconsciously touched the flying eagle bracelet on her wrist. She traced it with her thumb. "Maybe the right kind of man was not born for me."

Leonus sighed and nodded as he turned ahead. "You know! No one is asking you to become a good wife," he said, holding the grill and looking at the dark sky. "The marriage doesn't have to be real. I will talk to Lucas."

Aria's eyebrows pulled together in question. "What are you suggesting, Leo?"

Leonus shrugged. "You can have a contract marriage of three months with him. No one will dare to question your authority once you become the Capo. The drama and rules are until your oath only. After that, your word will become law. And as far as Lucas is concerned, he will have to be discreet about his affairs for three months if you don't…" he stopped and cleared his throat. Leonus was not going to talk about his sister's love life. "You know what I am saying."

Aria understood his uneasiness but she agreed with his plan.

Leonus was right, she had to marry someone before taking her Oath. Sex. Love. Kids or Family. She was not ready to have either of these things. And Lucas Could manage his needs on his own.

Aria's lips pulled into a smile as she nodded in agreement. This was the last hurdle achieving her dream. She already has the answer to the question which was going to come in her next exam.