Chapter Nineteen
Gianna
With a gasp, I pull away from Will and turn to face Enzo. He’s breathing heavy and glaring at Will.
“How did you find us here?” I ask.
“Francesca called me. Said I needed to save you from the hitman who kidnapped you again. She told me that he ruined your wedding to Nico. She gave me the license plate of your car. It wasn’t hard for my contacts to find it.
I can get a lot done.” Enzo steps closer to Will.
“You were touching my sister. If we weren’t in a crowded hospital right now, I’d kill you this second. ”
“Stop,” I say, wedging myself between Will and Enzo. “Did Francesca also tell you that she and Nico deliberately didn’t invite you to the wedding? Because they knew you would stop it if I told you the truth.”
Finally, Enzo turns his eyes onto me. “What are you saying?”
“Nico is a bad man. He’s hurt me.”
He shakes his head, taking a step back. “What? What are you saying?”
“I’m saying it as plainly as I can. Nico is a bad man. He’s hurt me.”
“How?”
“He tried assaulting me. He tried forcing me into a marriage I didn’t want. He ripped my hair. He’s a bad man. He wants to control my entire life and I will not stand for it.”
“But… but you agreed to marry him. I never wanted you to marry someone you didn’t want to marry. I don’t understand.”
“Because I was too afraid to voice my own thoughts when you first proposed marriage to Nico. Before I realized just how bad he is. But now I know and I don’t want to marry him.”
“So don’t marry him,” Enzo says simply. “I don’t want you married to a bad man. But Nico has been on my side. He’s been fighting hard to save you… from him.” He shoots another glare in Will’s direction.
“You have it all wrong,” I say, drawing Enzo’s attention back to me. “Nico wasn’t saving me from Will. He was only going to hurt me. I will not marry Nico. Do not take me back to him. I am not safe with him.”
Enzo looks into my eyes for a long moment before he nods. “You don’t have to marry him. I only want you to marry someone who will treat you right.”
“Then… marry me to Will.”
Both Enzo and Will go silent and still. I know the moment the words come out of me, I cannot take them back.
“What are you saying?” Enzo asks. “Marry you… to that hitman? No. He kidnapped you. If we weren’t in this hospital right now, I’d kill him.”
“Then I’m not leaving this hospital. Not until I know Will is safe.”
Enzo runs his hand down his face. “Gianna… what are you going on about? What has gotten into you?”
“I was kidnapped. Yes. It was partly Will’s fault.
But he has saved my life. He saved me from Marco, when Marco tried to force me into a marriage.
He saved me from Nico when Nico tried to do the same exact thing.
Will may not be the best of men but he’s been the best to me.
He has kept me safe and I know he’ll continue to do so. Don’t you want that for me?”
“Of course I want you kept safe. But you are not marrying a fucking hitman. Not one who kidnapped you. Not one who works for the enemy.”
“But he doesn’t work for Marco. Are you not listening? He saved me from Marco. He put his own life on the line to save me when he didn’t have to. That has to mean something.”
“You really want to marry this man?” he asks with a dismissive scoff. “Really? Just so you don’t have to marry Nico?”
“No,” I say in a softer voice. “Because… I love him.”
I can feel Will looking at me but I keep my eyes on Enzo. My brother needs to hear this. He needs to know exactly who I am and what I want.
Enzo rocks back on his heels like I hit him. “You… what?”
“Will has saved my life, Enzo. Multiple times now. And he was going to bring me back to you, knowing he was going to have to give me up. He acted with selflessness in order to protect me. I love him. I’m not going to pretend I don’t.
And I’m tired of everyone in my life telling me what to do.
I am going to make my own decisions from now on.
I am going to be with Will, even if it’s not in marriage.
But if a wedding must happen… then I want it to be with Will.
He will be on your side. He will help protect me.
He will be an ally and help you in this war with Marco.
And you can rest knowing no one will keep me more safe than him because he’s already done that.
“If it weren’t for Will,” I continue, “then I’d already be married to Marco. I’d probably be getting tortured right now. But he saved me.”
“Only because he kidnapped you in the first place.”
“He was hired to do it. Was it bad? Yes. But I’ve seen him change.”
Enzo scoffs. “Change.”
“He’s changed. I know you don’t see it. And even if you don’t agree with me and Will being together, then I will go home with you right now.
But you have to promise to not kill Will.
And you have to promise to not marry me off to a man I don’t want to be with.
If you can do that, I will go with you without a fight. ”
“I’ve never heard you talk like this before.”
“That’s because I’ve changed too. I’ve grown and it was thanks to Will. He’s helped me, Enzo. You have to see it.”
“What I see is that he’s brainwashed you. You’re coming with me. Right now.” Enzo tugs on my arm and pulls me away from Will.
Will doesn’t put up a fight since he’s already made up his mind: I have to go home with my brother.
Enzo continues to pull me along until we leave the hospital and reach his car. “Get in.” I don’t move. “I won’t make you marry Nico. I promise. Just get in. Let me keep you safe.”
Before I can do anything, a car comes zipping into the parking lot and Nico gets out. His leg is bandaged but it’s still bleeding. His skin is pale like he’s on death’s door but he’s not willing to give up yet.
“Nico,” Enzo says in surprise.
“Give her back to me. I have to marry her.”
Enzo pushes me behind him. “No. You went behind my back. You tried marrying my sister without me there and she already told me what kind of man you are. You will not marry her. I will not allow it.”
“You promised her to me,” Nico growls.
“I am taking back my promise.”
Nico surges forward but instead of going for Enzo, he goes for me. He pulls me away from my brother.
Enzo stares in shock for a moment. He’s getting to see the real Nico. The one I saw the moment Nico told me what kind of wife I was supposed to be to him.
Nico drags me towards his car until suddenly, he lets me go. That’s when I turn around and see Will right there. He pushes Nico to the ground and gets on top of him, punching his face over and over and over again.
He only stops when Nico finally stops fighting him.
I notice Nico is still alive though. I’m glad that Will didn’t resort to murder again.
Will gets off Nico and turns to me. “Are you ok?”
“I’m ok.”
Enzo slowly walks over to Will’s side. “You… you just saved my sister.”
That’s when I notice Nico grab his gun from his jacket pocket and aim it at Enzo.
“Enzo!” I scream. Both Will and Enzo turn to look in Nico’s direction. Nico fires his gun at Enzo… but it’s Will who throws himself into the line of fire.
He takes the bullet meant for Enzo and collapses to the ground. In one quick motion, Enzo kicks the gun out of Nico’s hand and kicks him in the face, making him go unconscious.
I run to Will’s side. He was shot in the stomach. “Will. Will!”
Enzo hurries over and after a split second decision, gets Will to his feet and brings him straight back into the hospital. The doctors and nurses are panicking because of the gunshot everyone heard.
“There’s an active shooter,” I hear a security guard say.
Will is put onto a gurney and wheeled away from me. I can only watch.
Enzo pulls me into my arms as I begin to cry. “He’ll be ok. Thankfully we were right outside the hospital.”
“What will happen to Nico?”
“I left him out there. He’ll probably be arrested.”
“And Marco? He’s still out there.”
“I’ll keep you safe, Gianna. You know I will.”
“And Will?” I sob. “Will he be ok?”
“I hope so.” Enzo shakes his head with a sigh. “He saved your life. He saved my life. He didn’t have to.”
“He’s changed. I told you.”
“You really love him, don’t you?”
“I do.”
“And do you think he’d agree to marry you? This is the only way this works. You can’t date a hitman. But if you marry him, I can make an alliance with him.”
“I’m not sure,” I admit. “We haven’t had the chance to talk about it. He has to make it through this first. But if he agrees to marry me… then you’ll let me and Will be together?”
“I have no other choice. You clearly want to be with him and he’s shown that he’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. There’s no one better.”
I close my eyes and say a prayer, hoping that Will survives and I’ll get the chance at freedom I’ve always wanted.