CHAPTER 32 - ARIANNA
CHAPTER
Arianna
P ASSING OUT IS A real possibility. I wasn’t nervous until I entered this room. I was too annoyed with Oscar to think of much else, but now I am nervous. And I don’t like it.
I need no mirror to know my cheeks are bright pink.
Without having to look, I felt Red’s eyes undress me as I came in here; his intense gaze moving over every millimeter of my body.
Now the man conducting the marriage is saying something, but I don’t know what.
My ears ring, and I want to run. I want to run faster than I’ve ever run in my life.
I want to run away from Red Bateman and in the opposite direction of this nightmare.
I can’t bear to look at him. But I can smell him - that aftershave - the one that heats my blood, the one I could drink, is heavy in the air. All I can think of when I get a hint of it in my nostrils, is him .
But I still can’t look at him.
I dare not.
His heat, as well as his magnetism, pulls me closer, yet equally repels me.
Oh God, I really can’t do this.
How can I marry this man who...
Breaking my rule, my head snaps up as Red takes my hand, and I realize the registrar has asked us to join hands. Now that I’ve looked at Red, I can’t unsee him, and the sight burns my eyes.
Damn my traitorous lips for parting as I stare at his finely chiseled face looking down at me with a strange, soft smile.
He looks immaculate.
My heart thunders in my overtight bodice. My breathing is shallow too. I blame that on the bodice as well. It’s got nothing to do with this gorgeous man I’m about to marry...
Nothing.
But Red’s smile isn’t sarcastic or condescending. It... it seems genuine .
Feeling fainter with every second, I will myself not to stagger. I must listen to the registrar because I have to speak at some point. I remember that much from the first time.
My voice box was paralyzed then too, but for different reasons...
God, God, God.
As much as I want to turn away from Red’s intense gaze that sears my very marrow, my eyes won’t move. They, as well as my heart, ignore me, for my heart pounds so fast and so loudly, I’m convinced everyone in the room hears it.
All I see are those blue-gray eyes; the steel within the stone - a perfectly carved statue.
Flawless, but real.
And those dark eyelashes make those cold, yet smoldering eyes even more electric. It’s an impossible contradiction.
His fingers burn mine, and I’m unsure if the pulse throbbing through my hand is his or mine. I then spot that tattoo on his neck again, just below his collar. The whiteness of his shirt exaggerates the tiny glimpse of red and black lines of ink.
I want to know what that tattoo is, but I guess I never will.
Instead, I force myself to listen as the meaningless rumble of the registrar’s voice addresses the room.
“...you have shared in and contributed to their lives in the past, and by witnessing their marriage ceremony today, Redmond Alphonse Bateman and...”
Alphonse? I’m sure Red notices the involuntary twitch of my lips suppressing a smile.
“...Arianna Lucretia Bristoni, formerly Galvatore, ask you to share in their future.”
“Lucretia?” a voice whispers. “Isn’t that a murdering poisoner?”
Red’s eyes dart somewhere behind me, and I guess from the comment, it was Liam who spoke.
The registrar clears his throat, and his voice drones on. I struggle to stay tuned until he gets to one particular part :
“...if there is any person here present who knows of any lawful impediment to this marriage, then they should declare it now...”
Red tenses and I do the same, fully expecting one of these three other people, aside from us and the registrar, to list a whole host of reasons why this wedding should not go ahead.
I could list plenty myself, so why don’t I? Why do I hope Red’s brothers and Del remain silent? Isn’t the wedding being called off not what I’ve prayed for?
I feel myself wavering and hope I won’t pass out, but Red’s hands tightening around mine gives me reassurance over the snorts and muffled chuckles from behind.
If looks could kill, Red’s brothers would be dead three times over, but satisfied, the registrar continues. “...solemn and binding character of the vows... Marriage in this country... Voluntarily entered into for life...”
Voluntarily? I glance at Red, but his eyes have returned to the usual stoic, unmoving stare.
“Redmond, do you take Arianna Lucretia to be your wife, and do you promise to remain true to them for the rest of your lives together?”
He flinched. Red flinched . I saw and felt it. The thought of being in a loveless, pointless marriage too much for him, is it?
There’s still time, Red. There’s still time to back out.
“I do.” Red’s voice travels via my hand through my body, and to divert the effect this has, I stare at his shiny, polished shoes.
“Arianna, do you take Redmond Alphonse to be your husband and do you promise to remain true to them for the rest of your lives together?”
The hissing rush of a noise I can’t fathom grows louder in my ears. I can still stop this. I don’t have to do it. I could just do what Oscar said and leave.
My mouth opens and then shuts. I still haven’t spoken. The silence is heavy, and Red glares at me, but I can’t say it. I just can’t...
“Do you need a few moments?” the registrar asks.
I remain silent, the hatred from behind, crushing.
My family. My family will suffer. I can do this. I can!
“I do,” I say loudly and with startling clarity.
Then, the “repeat after me” part begins. I sense Red’s concern, but this time I recite my part without hesitation. My voice sounds robotic, but I don’t care. I’m doing what I promised, aren’t I? Isn’t that what matters?
There’s a pause in the proceedings, and my head jerks up. What have I missed now ?
“Where are they?” Red hisses, looking over my shoulder at Liam. “The rings? I gave you the rings.”
I don’t want to turn to look at Liam, but I do.
“They’re here somewhere.” Liam pats his pockets. “Anyway, if the worst comes to the worst, there are spares you can use over there.”
I blink. He can’t mean...
I pale. Mine and Roberto’s rings? They’re in here?
Nausea floods me as I follow Liam’s hateful stare to a large chest I haven’t noticed before in the corner, and it dawns on me what else is in there.
Red lurches towards Liam, no doubt reaching the same conclusion: his brothers have brought Roberto’s body into this office. The man I killed is in that chest .
My legs buckle, stopping Red from going for Liam as he leans in to support me.
“Ah, here they are!” Liam exclaims; his tone sickly sweet. “They were here all along! Fancy that!” Striding over, he ignores Red’s withering glare. His fake niceness doesn’t fool me either. The hatred oozing in my direction is thicker than ever.
I get through the rest of the ceremony, repeating the expected parts, while Red’s face remains thunderous. How my legs hold me up, I do not know, but I manage not to look back in the direction of the chest.
“...It therefore gives me great pleasure to pronounce you are now husband and wife. You may now kiss each other.”
Fuck! What now?
Before I can react, Red leans towards me and delivers a quick, chaste kiss on my lips.
Like a traitor, my eyes close, my body wishing for more, but nothing else is forthcoming. Before I know it, we’ve signed the register and I’m escorted back up the corridor.