Chapter 63

*2101 Woodpine Road*

**I stared at** Nikolai sleeping while smiling like a weirdo. It was a surprise of how he made me so happy. I never thought I would be here lying next to a man I loved. I never thought I would be in love.

Looking down at the bed covers that were on top of me, I shifted them slowly and got on top of Nikolai. Luckily he slept like the dead so I slowly started kissing down his neck feeling him stir under me. I kissed down his chest to his abdomen and then slowly pulled off his boxers. He stirred again and I stopped. I knew he wasn't going to open his eyes but that he was half awake half asleep.

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I lay down on the bed next Nikolai, trying to catch my breath. "Wow" He looked at me and I nodded gulping for air. He pushed himself up and then grabbed something out of the bed-side table.

"So I was actually going to give this to you tonight and then sleep with you but you are quite persuasive." I chuckled but then choked when I saw a red box in his hand. He chuckled "Relax, I'm not proposing." I sighed. "Not that I wouldn't want you to but it is quite early."

He chuckled well shaking his head. "One day Tatiana, don't get ahead of yourself!" He gave me the box and rubbed his hand down his chest. I looked down at the box then back at him. I was nervous about what could be in the box. "You know Moretti, for someone who isn't proposing this does look like a ring box." He sighed. "It is a ring box. Just open it, it won't bite.

I slowly flipped open the box and a sliver sing glared back at me. I looked at him and he said. "It's a promise ring. We've only been dating for a year but when I saw it I knew it would look better on your finger than anyone else's. I want you to know that you are it for me and that there can and never will be someone else for me." I grinned at him. He took the box and took out the ring before taking my left hand and slipped the ring on my middle finger.

"This ring comes with a pledge that I will be faithful to you no matter what. When you look at this ring, I hope it reminds you of my promise to never stop loving you. This ring symbolizes my intent to marry you someday, and one day I'll replace it with an engagement ring and a wedding band. It is a symbol of the promise to always return to you and to never keep secrets from you. It is a promise that everything you tell me will stay between us if that is what you want. This ring is a Promise to keep all my promises." He whispered the last bit as he slipped the ring to the back of my finger and kissed it after saying the words.

I stared down at him in awe and blushed fiercely. "I love you, Tatiana," I grinned. I don't think I could ever get tired of hearing those words come from his mouth.

One Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
"Nikolai, I'm glad you could make it." Silva stood next to Nikolai chuckling. "So did you give her the ring," He whispered looking over Nikolai’s shoulder at Tatiana. He nodded, "Yeah I did, Sunday morning actually." Silva nodded and patted Nikolai shoulder. "Good she deserves happiness and I can see you give it to her."

Tatiana walked back to Nikolai after her talk with Grace. Nikolai remember the shocked face when Grace saw the ring on her finger and she immediately pulled Tatia to the other side to talk to her. "Hey we need to get a seat they're about to begin." Nikolai nodded at Silva and they walked to the front table close to the make-shift stage.

"Ladies and Gentleman, Welcome to the 2017 Omertà Ceremony. Although this is an annual thing I am glad to announce we will be adding a new member this year." Silva spared Nikolai a look before continuing.

"Before we start the meeting and then the partying." The crowd erupted in cheers. Silva grinned, "We'll need to start a proper Omertà, so I would like to ask Nikolai Moretti to join me on the stage."

Nikolai stood up and walked up the stage where Silva was waiting for him. He whispers "You ready for this?" Nikolai looked back at Tatiana and nodded. Silva turned to the crowd. "To become a full member of the Ferreira Mafia Family or Cosa Nostra – to become a "man of honour"- an aspiring member has to pass a Mafia initiation Ritual. I'll be having the honour to do it tonight."

Nikolai gulped as Silva turned to him "This ceremony involves significant ritual, oaths, blood, and an agreement is made to follow the rules of this Mafia. Are you ready to take this Oath and become a family member?" Nikolai nodded again for the crowds' sake.

"Good first the Basic Rules are;" Silva gave Nicolai a paper and he had to read it in front of the crowd.

"I promise to not present myself alone directly to another of our friends. There must be a third person to do it. I promise to never look at the wives of friends or any other woman that is not mine." When Nikolai said two sentences he looked up at Tatiana before continuing.

"I promise to never be seen with cops unless told so by Silva, the Don. I promise to not go to pubs and clubs unless on a mission. I promise to always be available, for Cosa Nostra is a duty, even if your wife is about to give birth. I promise to always respect appointments."

Nikolai gulped nervously looking at Tatiana. She nodded giving him a big smile and Nikolai knew he wasn't making a mistake.

"I promise to treat any wives with the most possible respect. When asked for any information, I promise to always answer with the truth. I promise to understand that money cannot be appropriated if it belongs to others or to other families."

Finally the last one, Nikolai thought to himself

"People who can't be part of Cosa Nostra are *anyone who has a close relative in the police, *anyone with a two-timing relative in the Family, *anyone who behaves badly and doesn't hold to moral values." Nikolai looked at Silva "I understand and accept all these rules. I promise to always obey these rules or so help me."

Silva nodded and took the paper away from him. "Give me your left hand, ring finger." Nikolai placed his hand in Silva’s and Silva took a needle and pricked Nikolai ring finger, a few drops of blood were spilled on a card bearing the likeness of a saint. Silva walked to the table where the heads of the family sat; Tatiana, Grace and the other high members that work for Silva.

Silva lit the card on fire and passed it to Grace, who passed it to Tatiana, who passed it to Dimitri and so it went around the table were about 15 people sat. Silva walked back up to Nikolai. "Repeat these words after me. I promise to be there for the family." "I promise to be there for the family," Nikolai repeated Silva’s words.

"I promise to never forsake the family," Silva said in a business-like tone. "I promise to never forsake the family." Nikolai continued to say the Oath after Silva and when the last member around the table took the card Nikolai said the last oath.

"I promise to keep all my promise or so help me I will be forsaken." The crowd stood up and cheered. Silva grinned at Nikolai and pulled him closer. "Well done Nikolai. Welcome to the family! Now all you have to do is sign this contract that just includes all the things you promised and so on."

****Copyright © 2018 by Grace Write**