Taken By The Mafia Lord

Everyone forgot to breathe as the tension escalated. Arianna looked at Marcel fearfully and unsure while Adele was confused, and Elijah in question kept up with his act of ignorance.

Until it was proved with evidence that he was Elijah, he was not admitting anything. What if this was merely a test and he complicates everything by conceding easily? No, his life was hanging by a thread here and he would not carelessly lose it.

"When were you going to tell me that you're sleeping with my cousin or was your dick only man enough to sink into her cunt, but not face me directly?" He challenged him, standing face to face with him.

Arianna let out the deep breath she was holding in. It was something else. Elijah was safe - for the moment - she calmed her racing heart. Just what was that bastard thinking by coming here? She was tired of his games!

"I'm sorry," Elijah apologized, "I didn't mean to keep it from -"

"It was my idea." Adele interrupted him. She then turned to Marcel explaining,

"I didn't want you to undermine his efforts, thinking it was as a result of our close relationship. Aziz had been doing perfectly well even before he worked for me, you can ask around. Everyone knows that." She defended him.

Marcel tilted his head in his direction,

"He has the mouth to defend himself. " He claimed.

"And I have the right to sleep with whoever I want, it's my body." Adele reminded him. Just because she was his second in command, doesn't make him her father.

"And are we eating or not?" Arianna interrupted the both of them, "I would leave here if you don't get your asses to your seats right now!," She ordered and just like obedient little lambs, they located their seats.

As expected, Marcel took his place at the head table, with Arianna beside him while Elijah and Adele sat together. It must have been as a result of Arianna scolding them, but none of them said a word as they concentrated on eating breakfast until Marcel broke the silence.

"I'm sorry, for the attitude earlier," Marcel apologized to Elijah to everyone's surprise, "However, I'm very protective of my family, and that includes making sure they have a capable partner." He said.

"Yep, he's not kidding at all," Arianna added, "Thank your lucky God you're not born into the family, else you'd be caged under his golden care forever." She said with a sweet smile that didn't touch her eyes.

Marcel merely shrugged, "Don't mind my girlfriend, she's in her time of the month if you get the point?"

"Yes, it's kind of obvious," Elijah said, holding her gaze for a fleeting moment, nor did it go unnoticed by Adele. But she didn't put much thought into it even though that single look spoke volumes.

"Yes, thank you, sexists," Arianna muttered, aggressively tearing into her steak with her knife and when she finely cut out a fine piece, she put it into her mouth and chewed with pleasure. At least, the food was better than the men right now.

Marcel ignored her ranting and focused on Aziz. He watched the young man talking to his cousin and cutting her steak into smaller pieces for her - something he would have done for Arianna if they weren't fighting right now.

However, there was just something about Aziz that he couldn't place his finger around. It was obvious that Aziz liked Adele, that was for sure, Marcel could see that in his eyes, however, the boy looked ambitious. Too ambitious. He knew that glint in a man's eyes anytime, any day.

Sure, ambition was a good drive in a man, however, it can be destructive when it becomes compulsive. In one word, Marcel felt threatened by Aziz and he wasn't even a Luciano. So yeah, ambitious men like Aziz, he doesn't trust him around his cousin.

But that didn't stop Marcel from starting up a conversation with him. After all, it is said, to bring your friends close and your enemies even closer. He needed to understand Aziz's ambition before it became a threat to him.

"I still want to thank you for your help on that errand I had you do," Marcel appreciated his help in stopping the wedding from happening.

"What errand? " Arianna was quick to pick on.

"Nothing." Elijah answered her this time, "It's a man's thing."

Elijah somehow sensed that Marcel did not tell Arianna everything, so he kept his lips sealed too. He wanted to impress Marcel and gain his trust at the same time.

A silent conversation passed between both men before they went back to eating. Strange enough, after breakfast, Marcel warmed up to Elijah and the next Arianna knew, both men were conversing like two lost kindred souls finally finding each other after a while.

Left out, Arianna decided to find Adele instead of being bored at the corner. It didn't make sense that Elijah was comfortable around Marcel when she was on tenterhooks here.

Does he even realize he's like a mouse in a lion's den? He was carelessly throwing himself in harm's way while she was working hard to save his ungrateful ass. Arianna was even beginning to wonder if it was worth it.

"So you and er…" She thought of his fake name, "Aziz?".

Honestly, Arianna was a bit jealous and curious. Was this all an act or was Elijah truly interested in Adele? It left Arianna questioning if what she had with Elijah in the past had been real. Or just like Adele, did he use her to achieve whatever stupid game he was playing?

"Yes, kind of," She said.

"Kind of?" Arianna found that answer lacking. She took a seat beside Adele who was staring at the men deep in their conversation.

"It's complicated." was all Adele said, but Arianna got the point.

"So the both of you are together, yet not together. Crystal clear." She nodded. Elijah better not be playing with Adele, that would piss her off.

Adele turned to her, "So you and Marcel, what's happening between the both of you?"

"Kind of complicated as well," Arianna gave her a vague answer.

"Why? Because of Elijah?" Adele said and she stiffened instantly.

Arianna raised a brow at her.

The shit just got real.