I flipped through the pages of the Rivera rule book. It was a highlighted Bible that had been in our family for decades.

Our family wasn't religious, at all. But a long time ago, someone decided that the Bible had a good set of rules.

And they color coded them.

Yellow was something that we should follow, but it wasn't necessary and wouldn't bring shame to the family.

Orange was intermediate, we should follow them, and they were a little sketchy when it came to public view.

Red was hellfire. The name. Ruined. Our lives? Over.

Green was the rules that applied to the boys, so currently just Avox, it also was considered 'red level'.

Blue was the girls, same thing, except in some cases it was worse than red.

The rules didn't even make sense. Murder wasn't even highlighted. Masturbation however, orange.

I mostly followed the rules, I broke a few yellow ones here and there. I was good.

I frowned staring down at the paragraph highlighted in blue.

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: "It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman." But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does.

Funny how the next sentence gives the the woman rights, but it's not highlighted.

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.

Again, highlighted in blue. Avox could sleep with anyone... well not anyone.

I flipped the pages, and stared at Leviticus 18:22, highlighted green. Underlined in red. With a small note. 'Do you wish for death?'

My brothers damnation. We needed to get him away from this family.

"You staring at that damn book again?" Avox was sitting behind Noah and had his chin resting on Noah's head.

He had given up on the book. He chose happiness.

I was lucky, I didn't need to choose.

"There's almost as much blue highlighting as there is red in that book. Seems unfair." Noah was staring at his phone.

I hummed, pondering that for a moment.

"Doesn't really effect me though does it? Mom always said I could be a whore as long as it was with an Accardo."

They both laughed at that.

"Speaking of which..." Noah finally looked up from his phone.

I shook my head. "If you're going to make me talk about him, we're going to talk about your fiancé's fiancée."

Avox rolled his eyes. "She's not my fiancée."

"Yet." Noah mumbled.

"I am so sorry I love you." Avox sighed. "She has low expectations, it's fine."

"Are her expectations in Hell?" Noah turned to look at him.

"Probably." I closed the Bible. "People already think he's gay."

"Pardon?" Avox looked up at me, almost surprised.

I shrugged. "The women of the mafia whisper, Avox. They don't have any proof, it's just speculation."

"What do you whisper about?" Noah leaned forward. "Other than the obvious."

"Everything about the men. Some of them are known to be violent or sterile, and obviously we don't want to be married to someone like that." I looked at Avox. "And some women prefer to be married to someone who will love them. So they'd avoid men like you"

"How do you get that information?" Avox looked nervous.

"I didn't say anything about you." I assured him.

"That sounds horrible but amazing." Noah set his phone down.

"Welcome to my life." I smiled. "So who's the girl?"

"The oldest Ricci girl." Avox frowned.

"Damn. She's marrying high." I mused.

"What does that even mean?" Noah looked between us. "I swear I hear you people say that all the time, and I have no idea what it means."

"Our family is second in command, the Riccis are at the very bottom of the rankings." Avox explained.

"It's like a homeless person marrying a billionaire." I added.

"The Riccis aren't that low." Avox gave me a look.

"Avox, I'm pursuing an Accardo. Compared to us, yes they are."

...
I was staring at the ceiling when my phone buzzed.

Prime:
Anything planned later? today 3:28 pm

Me:
Wallowing in self pity. You? today 3:29 pm

Prime:
I had planned on a date, but I was just informed me she had plans. today 3:29 pm

Me:
Oh. today 3:36 pm

Prime:
Oh indeed. I was really looking forward to it, last time I saw her I was working up the courage to ask but I never got there. today 3:37 pm

Me:
Haha, how many other girls are you texting Prime? today 3:40 pm

Prime:
You really are a dumbass aren't you? today 3:40 pm

Me:
Excuse me? today 3:41 pm

Prime:
Natalia. You're the girl with plans. Do I really seem like the karaoke bar type? So with that out of the way. Do you think you can wallow another day and go to dinner with me tonight? today 3:42

Prime:
Please? today 3:47

Me:
I feel stupid. today 3:50

Prime:
I feel nervous. Yes? today 3:51

Me:
Yes. Pick me up at 6:15? today 3:52

Prime:
Absolutely, we're going somewhere fancy so wear something formal. today 3:55

Prime was... nervous? Did I make him nervous?

No way.

My heart was beating a million miles an hour and my stomach was in knots. Certain aspects of me also felt... fluttery.

I remembered earlier today.

"Doesn't really effect me though does it? Mom always said I could be a whore as long as it was with an Accardo."

I had to buy nice underwear.

...
This was a bit all over the place but eh
Lmk what you think.

^that was what I said after the original chap. It still stands. Some things never change.

<3