Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
Susanna
Gabriel takes me wedding dress shopping. It’s so surprising that I stumble when I walk through the door.
He catches my arm. “Are you all right?”
“I just wasn’t expecting this.”
“What were you expecting?”
“I was expecting you were going to take me to a church and force a priest to marry us.”
He chuckles as he leans into my ear. “I have a friend who’s a priest. I don’t need to force anyone to marry us. And besides, I want to see you in a wedding dress walking down the aisle to me.”
A shiver runs down me but it’s not out of fear. It’s out of… excitement. And that’s more terrifying than anything.
If I have to admit to myself, I like Gabriel’s attention. I like the thrill he gives me. I like that he has status, enough to even scare the likes of Luca Moretti. Being married to a powerful man is all I’ve ever wanted.
And now here’s my chance.
I just have to break my family’s heart to get it.
But I’m not sure if I’ll ever be saved so I have to save myself.
I don’t bother going over to the row of wedding dresses. If Gabriel truly wants to marry me, then he’ll buy me the most expensive dress in the store.
I ask the sale’s assistant which one it is and she points to a dress draped across a mannequin in the middle of the shop.
“How much is it?” I ask.
“Twenty thousand dollars.”
I don’t even blink at the price. “It’s perfect.”
The dress itself is beautiful with a Greek feeling to it. A lace bodice and a skirt that drapes down to the floor in a column inspired look. The bodice is sleeveless. It’s a work of art. Truly. And I want it.
I go over to Gabriel, who’s looking through the dresses. “What are you doing? I’m choosing the dress. Not you.”
“Of course. I’m just doing something else.” He turns to me. “Did you already find a dress you want?”
“Yes. That one.” I point to it.
He lets out a low whistle. “It’s beautiful.”
“Yes. And I want it.”
“How much is it?”
“Twenty thousand dollars.”
He stares at me for a moment. “A dress can cost that much?”
“You’re a millionaire,” I say with a shrug.
“Oh, I know. That’s not the problem. I just didn’t realize that a dress could cost that much. But what if I were to say no that that dress?”
“Why would you say no to it? You can afford it. And it’s beautiful. I’m sure it will look beautiful on me. So what’s the problem?”
“The problem is: you’re used to getting your way.”
I scoff. “No I’m not. You kidnapped me. That is the literal definition of not getting my way.”
“You’re a bit spoiled. I had to put you in your place.”
“And you have and now we’re going to get married. So get me the dress I want.”
“Is this how our married life is going to go? I give in to your whims?”
“I will be your wife. Happy wife, happy life.”
He chuckles. His smile makes my core tighten. There’s something so… domestic about this moment. It makes me happy when I know it shouldn’t yet I feel it anyway.
“Truthfully, I want to make a statement,” he says. “I want to show the world that you’re mine and if buying an expensive wedding dress does that, then so be it. But I am inclined to deny you on principle.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s fun.” His eyes rake over me. “I’ll buy you that dress on one condition.”
“What’s the condition?”
“You let me take you into one of those dressing rooms and have my way with you.”
I swallow hard as a blush creeps across my face. “I’m not going to give you my virginity in a dressing room.”
“Oh no. I’m not talking about that. I just need to taste you again.”
I remember the feel of his mouth on me and it’s something I haven’t been able to get off my head. “Isn’t that un-ladylike?”
“Who said you’re a lady?”
“I did,” I say flatly.
“It will be fun, Susanna. And don’t you want to have a little bit of fun in your life?”
The reality is that… I do. I’ve been desperate for fun for years. Alek kept the reins on me too tight and now I’m ready to break free.
“For the dress?” Slowly, I nod. “I can agree to that.”
“Sure. Act like you don’t want this.” He takes my hand and tugs me towards one of the changing rooms. Since this is a luxurious wedding dress shop, the changing room is large and made out of beautiful green velvet walls and dark wood floors.
I feel more like a lost princess than a daughter of a mafia man.
Gabriel doesn’t hesitate to gently push me against the wall and kneel down. The fact that this powerful man is kneeling before me makes a heat settle throughout my body. It gives me power.
He flips my dress up and presses his face between my legs.
Since Gabriel never gave me underwear, I have nothing in the way of his mouth.
He grabs my leg and hoists it over his shoulder, exposing more of me.
I begin to throb. Never have I felt this much of an intense desire of anybody before.
It’s exciting and thrilling and everything I’ve ever wanted.
He settles his lips onto my nub and I cry out.
“You have to be quiet, baby, or we’ll be caught.” His mischievous grin turns me on even more. I have no idea why I like Gabriel so much when I should hate him. Maybe it’s the power he offers. Maybe it’s the freedom.
Maybe I’m just trying to save myself and I’ll run the first chance I get.
But… I’m not sure I want to run. I’m not sure I ever want to run again.
He runs his lips along my nub and folds and I have to press my hands into my mouth to keep myself quiet.
My hips buck into his face, trying to get closer and closer to him.
Trying to reach my pleasure faster. I’ve never been this desperate for anybody.
I would have considered myself weak in the past.
But now, my only thought is Gabriel and how much I want him. How much I need him to show me pleasure.
He licks me harder. My hips roll around. There’s no embarrassment from this. It only feels good. That’s my only concern.
Pleasure builds and builds inside of me until I know I won’t be able to take it anymore.
Gabriel looks up and meets my eyes as he pleasures me. That’s enough to send me over the edge.
I cry into my hands and tremble as I come. Another orgasm I have given to Gabriel. Another bit of my power. The more I give in to him, the more he’ll win and yet, I can’t seem to care. I don’t care.
He sits back on his heels and wipes his mouth. “You taste so good. Like vanilla. How is that possible?”
“Because I’m perfect.”
Gabriel laughs as he stands back up and settles his hands on my hips. “I can’t wait to be married to you. To know I’ve claimed you. To know I’ve won. You can get the dress you want.”
I grab his hands and dig my nails into them. “Once I’m your wife, that won’t mean I’ll be some docile woman you can boss around. I’ll be in charge and you won’t even know it. Remember that.”
He smirks before he kisses me hard on the lips. I can taste myself. “I can’t forget that. You have a presence that cannot be ignored.”
He leaves the dressing room with the final say and I hate him for it.
But when I look into the mirror, I find myself smiling.
Nina
Another package arrives in the mail but this one is large. Almost fully body size, like an actual body could be inside. Did Gabriel kill my sister and mail her body to me and Luca?
I cover my eyes as Luca opens the box. “It’s light,” he murmurs. “So no body.” Then he goes quiet.
“What? What is it?” I ask, forcing myself to drop my hand. And what I see sends a different chill through me. Inside the box… is a wedding dress. It’s a simple one. Satin white. Long sleeves. Nothing special.
But it’s a message and I know in my gut what it means.
“Gabriel is going to marry Susanna,” I whisper.
Luca clenches his hands into fists. “That fucking bastard.”
“But maybe this is a good thing. If he’s married to her, you could make peace with him. She’s my sister. That will guarantee peace.”
“He’ll always hold your sister’s life over my head if I don’t get in line. This isn’t a way for Gabriel to make peace. This is a way for him to hold all the power. He could tell me what to do. Hurt you in some other way. This cannot stand. We have to stop this wedding.”
“Unless they already got married.”
“A marriage can be nullified when the groom is dead. I’ll find Gabriel, kill him, and end this war. He didn’t want to take peace when we offered. Now I’m coming for him.”
Gabriel
I smile to myself as I stand on the dais before the altar. Luca should have gotten my wedding gift I sent him already. Chances are, he’s freaking out, and I can marry Susanna knowing that. My plan is falling perfectly into place. Luca will lose this war.
The moment I marry Susanna, I can call all the shots and he’ll know that. But there’s no way he’ll be able to find out which church we’re at. Not in time anyway.
Marrying Susanna will be fun. Claiming her will be fun. But watching Luca fall and me take over everything will be even more fun.
That is… until the church doors open and Susanna walks inside. The church is empty except for the priest and one witness. Isaac. He’s the only one I can trust.
Susanna’s heels clack on the hard floor, sending echoes through the room. Every sound is like a gunshot.
She looks… beautiful. Her dress fits her perfectly, draping over her body and showing off every one of her curves. She looks more like a Greek goddess than an actual human.
And she will be mine.
The closer she reaches me, the more I think about her and less of Luca. In this very moment, I’m not worried about Luca or taking over everything for myself. All I can think about is how beautiful Susanna looks.
How much I want to make her mine. But also how much I want to protect her. I’ve never felt this sort of feeling before: the urge to protect a woman. I only ever used woman for sex in the past and called it a day. It was just easier.
But now… now that Susanna is about to be my wife, everything is changing. She was just meant to be a pawn in my game and now she’s going to be tied to me forever. And I want this.
I want her. Not just because she can help me hurt Luca. But because I want her.
She reaches the end of the aisle and I take her hand in mine, pulling her up the steps.
The priest begins the ceremony but I barely listen. I only have eyes for the beautiful woman before me.
I’m in danger of falling in love with her.