Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
DALILA
L ucia’s driver pulls into a parking space outside the beautiful old church building with its massive hard carved wooden doorways and quaint iron vine balustrades leading up either side of the white stone steps.
My heart is pounding in my chest when I see Mas talking to Nevio. He came. My brother came. He will explain everything. Maybe he will tell me this was all some crazy joke. Maybe I don’t have to get married and I can go back home.
“I told you your brother would be here.” Lucia says.
I don’t reply. I’m too lost in thought, staring at the men talking.
A weird pang of anxiety twists in my stomach when I think about leaving Nevio. I’ve only known him - properly for a few hours. But the thought of leaving him makes me feel weird.
Why? I don’t owe him anything. I don’t have feelings for him -
I take a deep breath as the kiss flashes through my mind.
Then his lips, traveling over my body, the way he touched my skin, his tongue.
Perhaps, just maybe, you can know someone deeply in a few hours. Perhaps, just maybe, all of this was meant to happen, and the universe just put me in the right place for a reason.
I force a smile onto my face, ready to accept my fate, but then when I look out the window I see Mas getting back into his car.
“Wait, no, where is my brother going?”
“Oh. I don’t know. Maybe he forgot something?” She pulls her mouth tight, knowing that isn’t true.
I lean towards the door to grab the handle and pull it open. Lucia moves faster and grabs my hand, pushing it away. “Don’t. You can’t let Nevio see you.” She says in horror.
“I have to talk to my brother.” I retort. Why does no one understand this? I don’t know what’s going on. I’m about to marry a man I’m not in love with. And no one has told me why.
But it’s too late, anyway. Mas is already driving away. His heavily tinted windows hiding him from my eyes.
I blink back tears. What did he say to Nevio? What did they talk about?
Nevio is walking towards our car. He leans down to open the door and Lucia screams. “What is wrong with everyone? Do you want bad luck forever?” She opens the door and climbs out, closing it behind herself and standing in front of it to block Nevio’s access.
Lucia scolds Nevio. They have a brief conversation, and he hands her something before she sends him into the church to wait.
My eyes follow him. He is massive, a beast of a man with broad shoulders that pull tight against his tuxedo. His high collar shirt is hiding some, but not all, of his red mark. As he walks up the church steps, I watch him pulling his hair over the side of his face. A habit I have seen him do it so many times since yesterday.
It’s strange, but since last night, since that first time that I really looked at him. I mean at him, not at his devil mark — I can’t unsee how beautiful he is. I can’t not notice it now that I’ve noticed it.
He disappears into the church, and I bite my lip nervously.
So why was Mas here and why didn’t he just take two minutes to say something to me?
Lucia pulls the car door open. She has a massive smile on her face. At least someone is happy.
“Come on, you can get out now.”
I climb out of the car, and she hands me a small velvet box. “It’s from my brother.”
I open the lid and stare down at the most beautiful bracelet glittering in the light.
Lucia glances over the lid. “Oh, wow.” She lifts it out of the box. “Give me your hand. It’s something new, so we have almost all of it.” Clipping it onto my wrist, she smiles as she admires it. “It’s gorgeous. Ok, let’s go. It’s time.” She does a little wiggle, like a happy dance. I stop myself from rolling my eyes because all of this seems so fucking ridiculous. But another glance down at the bracelet makes me smile.
He is trying to make this special and I really appreciate that.
I take a deep breath, pulling the tight white dress down slightly so my ass cheeks don’t hang out in the back.
Lucia pushes a bunch of flowers into my hands and stands on her tiptoes to clip a veil in my hair, then pulls it over my face.
I close my eyes for a moment while she fusses about.
It’s going to be ok, Lila. It’s going to be ok. This isn’t what you ever pictured when you thought of getting married one day - but - it’s - going - to - be - ok. I force each word into my brain. Making myself calm down, pushing the anger, confusion and worry away.
When I open my eyes again, I feel better.
I really am good and numbing myself.
“Ok, let me go into the church, then wait five seconds and come in.” Lucia says, then takes my hand and pulls me to the top step. With one last glance at me, she disappears into the church.
I count in my head.
One.
Two.
Three.
Take a deep breath.
Four.
Open your eyes.
I step into the church. The change in light from the bright natural light outside to the darker, orange candle lit glow of this massive space makes me blink a few times, waiting for my eyes to adjust so that I can see more clearly. The veil isn’t helping either.
I trust my feet for the first few seconds and walk.
Then I see Nevio, standing at the altar, his hands clasped in front of him, his shoulders back. His face is stone serious as he watches me, and I can’t help but wonder what he’s thinking.
His eyes bore into me like a blade, piercing through the veil into my soul.
I chew at my lip nervously as I keep walking towards him.
Stopping in front of him, I hear the priest clear his throat. It echoes in the very empty, massive space. Bouncing off the high ceilings and along the stained glass windows.
When he speaks, I jump a little.
“Are we ready?” he says, his voice old and scratchy. I glance towards him, his wrinkled face and grey hair — but he has a warm smile.
“Ready.” I say.
Nevio steps towards me and slowly lifts my veil.
Now I can see his face more clearly and I find it impossible to look away from him. It’s as though he has me tied to his gaze. Inescapable blue eyes. Piercing and bright.
We exchange vows and I’m on autopilot. I keep fiddling with the flowers in my hands. My fingers tugging at the leaves around the base of their stems.
Nevio is still staring.
“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
Suddenly, his lips spread into a wide smile. Dimples form in his cheeks, his eyes seem to glow, and he steps towards me, wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me right up against him.
He doesn’t dip me, by he lifts me off my feet as he kisses me.
That kiss.
That kiss brings back all the sensations I experienced beneath his touch last night.
I hear Lucia laughing in the background. Nevio sets me down on the ground again.
“Let’s go home.” He smiles.
I have so many questions about why my brother was here, but now doesn’t seem to be the right time. I turn to look at Lucia, and she quickly brushes a tear from her eyes. Her smile is making her face glow, and it makes me smile in response.
Nevio leads me out of the church after we’ve signed all the documents. We say a quick goodbye to Lucia, who announces that she is going to be telling everyone . It’s sweet how excited she is for her brother. I think they’re really close. It lets me glimpse a side of Nevio no one else has.
On the way home, I finally pluck up the courage to ask questions.
“My brother — what did he say?”
“Let’s just get home first.” Nevio says, his eyes on the rearview, watching, alert and ready for anything.
I scrunch my brows together. “Is something going on?”
“Let’s just get home, Dalila.” He says forcefully and I feel myself getting angry.
I clamp my mouth shut and stare out of the window in silence.
Inside the house, I toss the flowers onto the kitchen counter.
“We’re home. Tell me what the hell is going on. What did my brother say? Why didn’t he stay and talk to me?”
Nevio walks over to me, reaching out to me. He runs his hands down my arms. A gentle gesture. “Your brother said that there is still danger, even now that we are married, and that you are to stay in my house for the moment. You may not go outside.”
“Excuse me?” so even after pawning me off to some random guy, my brothers are still trying to control me? Still trying to stop me from living my life?
“He wants you safe, Dalila.”
“Bullshit. If he wants me safe, he can tell me himself. He should have stayed to speak to me. Anything. He didn’t even have one minute for me. He expects me to just go along with all of this without explaining a fucking thing.”
Suddenly, the anger is boiling inside me and I can’t control it.
I push Nevio’s hands off me, wanting to leave, wanting to go home.
“Dalila, stop this at once.”
“Who the fuck are you to tell me what to do? Everyone wants to control me like I’m some toy. Some doll.”
“I am your husband, and I only want you to be safe.” He did not just say that!
“Then tell me what’s going on? Husband! Why is everyone keeping secrets from me?” I snap, heated. My cheeks burning from anger.
“I can’t.” He says, his eyes narrowing, frustration creeping onto his face.
“Then leave me the fuck alone until you can.” I push him away, my hands against his solid chest. He doesn’t even budge. So, I step around him and storm up to the bedroom. I need to be alone.