Big Novel

 

By the time Stefan and Lilly arrived back to the mansion is was late and Lilly was sound asleep safe in Stefan's embrace. 

As the driver got out and opened Stefan's car door Stefan gently stroked Lilly's cheek and then looked at Marcus who understood Stefan's silently message, Marcus got out the car and held out his arms waiting for Stefan to deposit Lilly gently into them. 

After Stefan reluctantly gave a sleeping Lilly to Marcus Stefan got out and instantly held out his arms demanding Lilly back, partly because seeing Lilly in another man's arms awoke his jealously-even if it was Marcus who he trusted but if he was being honest it was mainly because after the scare of nearly losing her tonight he just needed to hold the woman he loved in his arms to reassure himself she was okay. 

"Thank you, Marcus, go and see that Mia and Mr. Sinclair are settled as I instructed and organize a car to take Aiden home, I don't want to hurt him but if I see him right now I might kill him and when your done wait for me in my study ...please," Stefan said in a tone mixed with authority and 

anger. 

"Sure Boss," Marcus nodded before he left leaving Stefan cradling Lilly protectively as he walked into the mansion to take Lilly to her room. 

Stefan layed Lilly gently on the bed and went to kiss her on the forehead lovingly before he left but as he bent down Lilly's eyes fluttered open," Stefan?" She asked confused. 

"Yes angel, it's me." 

"Stefan, I am so sorry I should have told you everything about Mr. 

Sinclair but I was trying to protect you... I knew what you would do to him if 

you found out and I didn't want you to go deeper down a dark path and lose more of your humanity because of him...Please please don't hate me and don't kill him he's not worth it and I am sorry I hurt Mia it was me or her..." Lilly babbled nervously. 

"Ssh angel, it's okay I understand and you don't need to apologize. Everything will be okay I promise." Stefan said as he took a crying Lilly into his arms to soothe her, "I will make sure no one ever hurts you again." 

" She killed my friend..." Lilly cried as Stefan tried to put aside his anger to focus on being there for Lilly like she needed. "I am sorry love...I am so sorry and I promise they will both pay, it's late though and you have had a hell of a day please rest and we will discuss everything tomorrow and before you ask I won't kill them...yet I won't do anything tonight and wait until we talk tomorrow." Stefan promised as he cuddled Lilly until she fell back to sleep. 

"Is everything taken care of?" 

"Yes, Boss it is, and as you requested both of the scum have been fixed up and are uncomfortably waiting in the basement for you to deliver your punishment tomorrow," Marcus replied as he poured himself and Stefan a glass of expensive whiskey. 

"Thank you, Marcus... Marcus I erm..." Stefan began, as much as Stefan trusted Marcus and he was the only one he ever felt comfortable talking to - until Lilly appeared anyway, Stefan always found it hard to start these conversations. 

"Don't worry I know you want to talk, let's have a few drinks and I am here when you're ready," Marcus said making Stefan smile, he was lucky to have a friend like Marcus. 

Stefan and Marcus sat in comfortable silence for a while drinking until 

Stefan finally started to open up, "I nearly lost her today Marcus, and when I saw that pig holding a knife against her neck ...I have never felt more powerless or terrified." Stefan said as his voice began to crack. 

"I can understand that Stefan, you love her of course you would feel powerless and frightened seeing the woman you love in danger any man would have..." 

"But I am not any man... I am Stefan Marconi and I am the f*****g king of the London underground I am feared throughout London, Europe and the world and I am the person people fear not the only way around...how did I come to be so...weak?" Stefan asked confused. 

Marcus sighed, " you will always be Stefan Marconi but before you were Stefan Marconi the most powerful man in London or as you modestly put it London, Europe and the rest of the f*****g world and you were a might of been feared but you weren't happy and your still Stefan Marconi a powerful man but now you have something you never had before - happiness and love and that doesn't make you weak it makes you human. " Marcus poured them another drink " there's nothing wrong with being human Stefan but it means you will experience all human emotions- love, happiness but also fear, worry and the feeling of vulnerability at times. Human emotions are new to you and they are terrifying at times but they are worth it- Lilly's worth it Stefan, she makes you a better man, and if you allow yourself you can have a happy future together." Marcus said finishing his drink. 

Stefan stared into the fire and took in everything his friend said, "thank you, Marcus, you're a good friend and give surprisingly good advice for a Mob Boss second- if your career in the criminal underworld doesn't work out you might have one as an agony aunt or therapist." Stefan jested making 

Marcus chuckle. 

I would be great at that job ... I have had years of practice with you." 

Marcus said and he and Stefan spent the rest of the night drinking and 

talking and Stefan forced himself to try and enjoy spending time with his 

friend and stopping himself from visiting his guests in the basement. 

Lilly woke up to a maid bringing her breakfast in bed. 

Good morning, Miss Thompson. Mr. Marconi asked me to bring you 

this alone with this note...is there anything else you require?" The young 

maid asked. 

"Erm no thank you ... I am sorry I don't think we've met what was your 

name?" Lilly asked sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. 

"I apologises Miss my name is Blair I am Gemma's replacement for the 

next few weeks, it's a pleasure to meet you Miss," Blair said as she 

curtsied. 

"Gemma's replacement...is she sick?" Lilly asked worriedly. 

"No Miss I believe Gemma asked for a few weeks leave to deal with a 

private family matter," Blair said as she kept her head bowed 

respectfully. 

"Oh I hope everything's okay, thank you for breakfast and please call 

me Lilly you don't need to curtsy either, although you do it so gracefully unlike my attempt at a curtsy." Blair nodded before smiling at Lilly warmly- she could see why there were rumors amongst the staff that Lilly was the beauty that tamed the beast, Lilly was as kind and beautiful as all the staff said. 

"Thank you, Lilly," Blair said before she exited leaving Lilly alone with her thoughts and to devour her delicious smelling breakfast. 

Lilly thought about everything that happened last night, she couldn't believe Mia and Mr. Sinclair would try to kill her. She hoped Stefan had kept his promise and hadn't killed them she would find out soon enough she guessed as she read the note on the tray which ' Lilly my love, please met me in my study after your breakfast, love Stefan.' 

Lilly, Stefan, Marcus, and Aiden were sat in Stefan's study all having a glass of whiskey - including Lilly who usually hated the strong-tasting liquid but in this case, needed a little for courage. "Are you ready to tell us why Mr. Sincalir attacked you?" Stefan asked and Lilly looked between him, Marcus and Aiden who was sporting a painful-looking black eye and she sighed before replying, " yes..." 

"I used to work for Mr. Sinclair, my brother made me leave school when I was sixteen and I started working at his restaurant. At first, I loved it I met my best friends Matt and Abby there who I miss so much and lots of great people who were very kind to me including a man called Marcel who Mia told me she murdered last night..." Lilly went quite as tears escaped her eyes and Stefan handed her his silk handkerchief " it's oaky Lilly I promise you she will pay for that but right now tell us why he attacked you and we will discuss the rest after ... one thing at a time so we can work out what to 

do." Stefan said and Lilly wiped away her tears and continued and told Stefan everything from the blackmail to the attempted rape, her running away, and to Stefan's shock the evil role Mia played in it all. 

Stefan's face contorted with rage and Lilly flinched, " Please don't hate me Stefan I know now I should have told you but I was frightened... I was trying to protect you after what you told me about your ...history I knew you have killed him and I didn't want you going further down a dark path...and I didn't know what to do about the blackmail...I was worried about my brother and I didn't want you to think any less of me... being on tape." Lilly broke down in tears misreading Stefan's anger. 

"Lilly no...I am angry but not at you I am angry at that bastard and what he did to you...never at you my love. I wish you came to me sooner and we could have handled him together but I understand your motives for choosing not to tell me and I love you for trying to look out for me but you need to trust me enough to look out for you too...that's what a couple is meant to do look out for each other." Stefan said as he pulled Lilly into his embrace and Marcus and Aiden looked at him in a mixture of shock and pride at his actions. "And I am so angry at Mia and how I misjudged her I knew she liked me in a way I didn't like her but I never dreamed she would hurt you." 

"I promise I will always be honest with you from now on... thank you for listening to my request and not killing them last night...I know you have a temper and it must have been very hard for you." Lilly said as she lifted her head and returned Stefan's look of love. 

"Lilly, I won't kill them because I know you might end up feeling responsible and your heart is too pure to shoulder that sort of guilt and because you could never love a cold-hearted murderer and your love is the 

most important thing to me but I do have a Darkside Lilly and I am still a Mob Boss word of this will spread and I can't be seen to do nothing- I will have to deliver some sort of punishment...Mafia-style or I will be seen as weak and that will put us all in danger ...do you understand?" Stefan asked taking Lillys face in his hands and looking at her. 

Lilly paused slightly before she finally nodded, " yes Stefan I 

understand... but promise me you won't kill him or Mia no matter how much they might deserve it you don't deserve to have your soul tarnished because of them." 

"Okay, I promise, if you'll excuse me I have to go and deal with them now but I will see you tonight at dinner if okay? Aiden will keep you company until then and I trust he will do a better job of keeping you safe from now on." Stefan said looking at Aiden pointedly before he kissed Lilly goodbye. 

"Stefan! " Lilly shouted stopping him as he was about to leave. 

"Yes, my love?" Stefan questioned as he turned. 

"Please forgive Aiden, it wasn't his fault I stupidly sneaked away and by the look of his eye I think you've punished him enough," Lilly begged and Aiden stared at her in shock as Stefan sighed dramatically. 

"Fine, for you my love anything but if you get hurt on his watch again I will kill him ...slowly," Stefan warned as he left the room muttering about useless bodyguards. 

"Wow, thank you, Lilly, for that I wasn't expecting that especially since he had every right to be angry as do you ... you got hurt because I failed at my job I am so sorry Lilly," Aiden said looking at her with guilty eyes. 

"You have nothing to apologize for Aiden I meant what I said, it was completely my fault I am really sorry for disappearing on you like that and 

getting you into trouble- I should have thought about the of my actions and 

what they would mean for you...I just saw Mia leaving and Mr. Sincalir 

following her and I naively thought she was in danger and I just wanted to 

warn her." 

"I get it, you're a good person Lilly and you were just trying to do what 

you thought was right," Aiden said and Lilly unexpectedly jumped into his 

arms and hugged him in a friendly sisterly manner making Aiden smile." 

But if you are feeling really guilty about your boyfriend nearly killing me you 

could always make me a pie or two to show how sorry you are.." Aiden 

teased and Lilly giggled as she dragged him towards the kitchen- baking 

sounded like just the pleasant distraction she needed to take her mind of 

what Stefan was doing in the basement and besides a pie would be a good 

way to apologize to Stefan too. 

Unfortunately I can't kill you...I promised my girlfriend but how much 

punishment you receive is up to you..." Stefan said as he circled Tommy 

who was hanging from the wall naked, bloody and bound by painful metal 

chains. 

"PLEASE NO MORE PLEASE...!!!" Tommy begged pathetically between 

painful gasps. 

"Oh, it's not over yet ...YOU HURT MY GIRL ...TWICE!!! Did you really think I would let you off with just a beating? " Stefan laughed as Tommy whimpered. "You have two options here, option one you sigh over all your wealth to me and I will distribute it all between various charities that support victims of rape and then after I castrate you can crawl on your way and as long as you never return to MY CITY again I will allow you to live out the rest of your pathetic life..." Mr. Sinclair paled and he was so terrified over Stefan's threat that he couldn't control his bladder and he wet himself out of fear making Stefan smirk. " Or option two I cut off each of your limbs, nearly skin you to death and then castrate you, my doctor will make sure you don't die from your wounds and then we will wheel you to a gutter somewhere in a foreign county and dump you there and bankrupt you. Either way, you lose your money, power, and c**k it's just up to you if you want to suffer more than that..." Stefan said coldly. 

Mr. Sinclair looked up at Stefan with terrified eyes " Please you can't castrate me...I am a man! 

Whack! Stefan smacked the steel baseball bat off Mr. Sinclair's leg breaking it with a loud crack and Mr. Sinclair screamed in agony. " YOU ARE NOT A MAN! No man would harm a woman especially not in the way you attempted to do to MY GIRL TWICE! A man is meant to respect women! You have ten seconds to decide then I will choose option two and I will start by peeling your skin. TEN! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN! SIX! FIVE! FOUR! THREE!...TWO! 

"OPTION ONE!" Tommy screamed as tears spilled from his eyes and he began sobbing loudly and shaking with fear. 

"Excellent! I am glad you came to your senses as much as I would have 

enjoyed option two more at least this means we will conclude quicker which is good as after I have dealt with you I have one more person to punish before I rejoin my beloved girlfriend. Marcus please bring the paperwork drawn up ...oh and a scalpel, I had a feeling you would choose this option so I had my lawyer take the liberty of getting the paperwork ready I will allow you ten minutes to sign before we conclude our deal with your castration ...don't do anything stupid when I release you to sign or I will move to option two understand? " Mr. Sinclair nodded and Stefan signaled to Marcus and one of his guards who unchained Tommy and dragged him over to the table where he signed over all of his assets and then when his time was up he stood up on shaky legs as he was dragged back to the wall and Stefan was handed a scalpel. 

"Now remember as I cut off your c**k that this is what rapists and attempted rapists deserve..." Stefan swiftly handed out Mob justice as Mr. Sinclair screamed and then fainted, all the men in the room winced and Mia who was blindfolded, gagged and tidied to the wall at the other side of the basement began to cry and whimper began her blindfold and gag knowing she was next. 

Mia's blindfold was removed just in time for her to see Tommy's unconscious and bloody body being dragged from the basement and Stefan appeared in front of her with his eyes full of hatred and his hands covered in blood. 

" Stefan ...I don't know what that gold digger told you but it's all lies .... am like your little sister please don't hurt me because of that lying bitch..." 

SMACK! Mia's speech was cut short by Stefan slapping her hard, " don't you dare talk about MY GIRLFRIEND like that you lying w***e!! " Stefan 

screamed and Mia looked at him fearfully before she changed tactics. 

"Or what Stefan? You and I both know you can't kill me or you'll be declaring war on my family and breaking the Mafia's code - no one in the founding families can kill each other without it being sanctioned by the council first if you kill me you will be sending your whole family into exile as well as declaring war and your whole family and all your staff will end up dead because of you..." Mia laughed cruelly knowing Stefan wouldn't gamble with his families but especially his friend's lives. 

"Your right Mia I can't kill you...as much as I may want to and I promised Lilly I wouldn't kill you anyway as you see she has something you never will a heart. But I can teach you a lesson though before I send you off back home. "Stefan said and Mia gulped as Stefan's eyes lit up with smugness. 

"Marcus, cut off both her pinkies... I want everyone to know I see her as a traitor to the Mafia." Stefan said ordering Marcus to mark her in the way all Mafia traitors were marked, " Then beat her up I want at least three broken ribs and one leg broken, and when she's been beaten up shave her hair off.. since she's so vain I think that will be the biggest punishment of all and then sent her on a private plane back to Italy to her fathers house with my compliments." Stefan ordered and Marcus went to fetch a knife. 

"Stefan please don't do this I am like your little sister and I am sorry please..." Mia begged. 

"Yes you were, and you're not sorry yet but you will be. I can't stand any form of violence against women as you know and I don't permit it because of my mother but since you hurt my girl I will make an exception. Goodbye Mia have a pleasant flight home." Stefan turned to leave and the sounds of Mia's begging followed by her screams soon filled the basement 

as he did.

Advertisement