Chapter 573

573 Leave Him For Elijah

“Marcel...” Arianna croaked, trying to bring back her attention to her when he pulled away.

“Not now, Arianna,” He tried to put space between them but she wouldn’t let him go.

“Can’t we stop fighting? Can’t we talk about this, Marcel?” Arianna threw her hands in the air helplessly. She was not used to this routine of blowing hot and cold at the same time, and knowing that it was her fault didn’t help things either.

“You mean, you’re ready to tell me about Elijah?” He demanded, looking her dead in the eyes. There was no compromise on this one. If she wanted transparency between them, then she was going to take the first step.

“God!” Arianna groaned, turning her head, annoyed, “Is that how it’s going to be, huh?”

Marcel said firmly through clenched jaw, “It just doesn’t work that way, Arianna! You don’t just forget a betrayal like this one and move on as if it never happened!”

He told her with a pained expression,

“I trusted you, love. I fucking trusted you! But you had been playing me for a fool all this while. Perhaps Macy was right, I fell for your innocent face and eyes. I was the stupid one all along.”

“God, stop this, Marcel! You are not stupid, okay!” Arianna countered his words with gestures.

.....

She then glanced up at him with tears in her eyes, “I’m so sorry for lying to you, I never meant to keep it from you, but I hate us being this way. I just didn’t want you and Elijah to tear each other apart! God, I love you Marcel and I would never leave your side. However, you need to let go of Elijah. That’s the only way to solve all of this, ” She held his hand, reminding him of the advantages, “And he’d return your weapons, remember, and leave us the hell alone to live our lives? ”

Marcel was tempted, really tempted, to consider her offer, but then he was the leader of the Luciano family and had to do what was right.

“What is the assurance that Elijah would really leave us alone?” He asked her.

Arianna swallowed, “I’ll make him leave. I swear on it with my life.”

He straightened up, “So you plan to meet him and you think he doesn’t have plans of his own? Do you think he wouldn’t try to take you away from me? What even makes you think I would let you meet with such a dangerous man and your ex at that?”

Arianna didn’t say anything, she just pressed her lips together stubbornly, while looking at him. He would never trust her. Marcel would never see her as an equal. To him, she was probably just a property worth protecting.

Marcel came closer till he was backing her into the desk once again. And he reminded her.

“The fact that I’m having this conversation with you amicably when I should be torturing you for his whereabouts is a betrayal on my own part. Your beloved Elijah threatened the safety of my family and it’s my responsibility as the head to bring them justice. So I’m sorry, Arianna, but the redemption period is over for your ex-boyfriend?” He stated, making his final decision.

Marcel picked up the phone and read a message with deep concentration, before turning to announce to her, “Our guests have arrived, Arianna. I would really love it if you don’t make a scene.”

But she scoffed, “So I am the unreasonable one now, is that it, Marcel? I never took you for a sexist. Real smooth, Marcel. Real smooth.”

“You know I didn’t mean it that way,” Marcel groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. He hated this. He hated them fighting, but then, he was torn between love and duty – and duty seems to be winning.

“Of course, you don’t don’t mean it.” She said sarcastically, “You know, If we are going to be fighting like this from now on, you better let me go because I can’t be with someone who doesn’t have forgiveness in him,” Arianna said.

There was a tick in Marcel’s jaw and it was obvious that he was having a hard time with that statement. Was she suggesting that they broke up?

No!

It was not going to happen!

Did she plan to leave him for Elijah?

He would rather die than let that happen. She was his woman and would not let that happen.

Marcel grabbed her arm, “Let’s go.” He said, without giving her a response to her request.

However, Arianna refused to make a move and that didn’t sit well with Marcel.

“Don’t make me carry you on my shoulder over there. We don’t want to feed our guest with such a sight, don’t you think so?” He breathed down her neck, the threat in his tone obvious and she shivered not out of fear, but desire.

Arianna hated her body’s instant reaction to Marcel. Why couldn’t she just hate him for once properly without desiring him at the same time?

The attraction between them grew slowly like a small fire until it expanded exponentially like an inferno threatening to burn them alive and Marcel snapped out of it knowing if he started, there was no backing out until he finished it.

“Let’s go,” He was a lot gentler this time, placing his hand on the small of her waist and leading her out of the office.

???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????

The breakfast was held outside and that was where they headed. The food was already set up and it was almost as if they were celebrating a feast because there was too much on the table.

“You said they are here,” Arianna sighed, taking her seat, annoyed. She has lost her interest in this breakfast and wanted nothing but to go back to her room and spend the rest of her day in misery. It didn’t help matters either that Mimi left this morning with Victor to go see her parents. She was all alone now.

“They are here,” Marcel gestured behind her and Arianna turned around reluctantly only to blanch with shock.

No way.