Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Arianna
Things are awkward to say the least. My uncle Marco can barely look me in the eye. His wife, Ciara, is the woman Cormac kidnapped me for. All of it feels surreal.
“I’m sorry for my brother,” Ciara says. Her red hair and blue eyes give her a kind, ethereal look. Instantly, I like her… unlike her brother. “He has it in his head I need saving when I don’t. He never should have done what he did to you.”
“He shouldn’t have,” Marco agrees. “And now you’re stuck having to marry him.”
“My parents? I want to see them.” I wring my hands together – a habit my mother always hated.
“They’re on their way over,” Marco explains. “How are you feeling about this? Having to marry Cormac?”
“Patrick made it very clear that I would have to marry him to save my family, so I’ll do what it takes. I just don’t want to give up my life. I don’t want to stop dancing.”
“You dance?” Marco asks.
“Yes. Contemporary.”
“There’s so much I don’t know about you.” He sounds almost ashamed about that. “Your father never wanted you in this life. I’m sorry you were brought into it. It’s because of my marriage to Ciara that Cormac even went after you. It’s my fault.”
“It’s not your fault,” Ciara says, placing her hand on his arm. “It’s my brother’s fault. He’s an idiot. I’m sorry, Arianna.”
I can only shrug. What else is there to say? I was kidnapped by Cormac who didn’t actually hurt me. And now I have to marry him. Also, I’m a part of the mafia when I never thought I would be. It’s all confusing and overwhelming.
Which is why when my parents finally arrive at Marco’s house, I fall into both of their arms and start to cry.
“You have to stop this,” Dad hisses at Marco. “She can’t marry that man. He kidnapped her!”
“Patrick will kill you if she doesn’t,” Marco says in a hard voice. “He will do anything to save Cormac. And this is his way. You cannot go after him, Antonio. You do not have the power like he does and you know it. If you want Arianna safe, this is the way.”
Mom sobs into my shoulder as I cling to her. “There has to be another way.”
“Ashley, I’m sorry,” Marco says. “I know this is bad but this is the only way.”
“I can’t give my daughter up. I can’t.”
“She’ll still be a part of your life. She just needs to live with me for the time being until she’s married to Cormac. But no one is taking her away from you. You can still see her. She’s no longer a prisoner.”
“Maybe not,” Dad says. “But she’s forced to marry her kidnapper. That will make her a prisoner for the rest of her life.”
Marco’s eyes tighten. “I’ll give you some space. But this wedding is happening, I’m afraid. For the safety of everyone, it has to happen.” He guides Ciara out of the foyer.
I cling to my parents harder, crying into them.
“It will be ok,” Dad whispers to me. “It will be ok.”
But I’m not sure how any of this will be ok.
Ciara takes me wedding dress shopping. Fortunately, my mom is allowed to come, though she looks like someone shot her from how miserable her expression is.
“I know this isn’t ideal,” Ciara says, “but it’s good that you get to pick out your own dress. You still have some say in your life, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now.”
My eyes settle on a simple, silk gown. No frills. No lace. Just a pure, white gown that resembles water from the way it moves.
“It’s a beautiful choice,” Mom says, her voice tight. I can tell she’s holding back tears.
“I’ll try it on.”
“I’ll help you.”
Once me and my mom are alone in the changing room, I ask her a question that has been burning on my mind since I was kidnapped. “Did you know Dad was a part of the mafia?”
She sighs and after a moment, nods. “I did. I wasn’t a part of that world but I knew he was. I knew he was dangerous but he loved me. And when I got pregnant, we ran away together. He left that world behind, saying he didn’t want you in it. But I knew. I always knew.”
“And yet, you never told me.”
“I know, Arianna. And I’m sorry for that. We thought the less you knew, the better.”
“But it didn’t matter, did it? I was still taken.”
“I know.” She squeezes my shoulders. “I always protected you. Cared for you. And now I have to let you go and it’s killing me inside. I’m so scared you’ll die. I’m so scared you’ll have another accident.”
The pills. “Mom, I never meant to hurt myself. You don’t always have to protect me. I know Cormac is bad and I don’t want to marry him. But…”
“But?”
But there’s always been a part of me that has wanted to live my own life away from my parents. Who has wanted to be treated like an adult and not a child.
“But I will do what I must to save this family. Cormac didn’t hurt me when he had the chance and now he can’t because he’ll die otherwise. So I’m safe.”
“Maybe physically. But that doesn’t mean you’re truly safe.”
I flinch. “Maybe not. But this is how it has to be.” I nod at the wedding dress. “Let’s try it on. It’s time.”
After getting into the dress, I look at myself in the mirror, taking in the way the silk drapes across my body. It’s delicate and refined. It’s perfect for me.
“You look like a woman,” Mom says. “Not a little girl anymore.”
That’s what I want.
I walk back into the main part of the boutique to show Ciara the dress… when I stop in my tracks. Because Cormac is here. Sitting beside Ciara.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
His eyes widen when he sees me in my dress. What is he thinking? “I…”
“He came to make sure your dress was appropriate,” Ciara explains. “He hated the dress I chose to marry Marco in. So he wanted to come control you like he’s done to me. But I explained to him that he can’t do this. That he needs to be a good husband after all the crap he’s pulled.”
“Oh,” is all I can say.
Cormac still hasn’t taken his eyes off me. It makes… something settle in my stomach. Some kind of heat. I don’t understand it. All I feel is the urge to blush.
“What do you think?” I ask after a moment.
He blinks and clears his throat. “You look…”
“Yes?”
“Beautiful,” he murmurs.
Ciara stares at her brother in shock. “Wow. You’re capable of giving compliments?”
He ignores her and keeps his eyes on me. “It’s a beautiful dress, is what I meant. Nothing more.”
“Right.” Because he hates me. Because I’m Italian. There’s no way he would give me an actual compliment.
But the way he continues to look at me gives me hope that he can see me as more than Italian. That he can see me for me. We have to be married. I don’t want to spend my life miserable with my husband, even if he is the man who kidnapped me.
The wedding day fast approaches. Patrick and Marco wanted to make it happen sooner rather than later to keep Cormac in line. I also suspect it’s to keep my dad in line as well.
I show up at the church with my parents and Marco and Ciara. Marco has barely left me out of his sight since I moved in with him. I know it’s because he’s making sure I don’t run.
“Ready?” Ciara asks me. It’s only been a couple of weeks since I was told I would have to marry Cormac. Since my entire life changed. I still don’t know what to make of it. My mind is still processing everything.
But the day is here and there’s no more time to consider anything. I have to marry Cormac to save my family and that’s what I’ll do.
“Yes,” I whisper, even though all I feel is fear in the pit of my stomach. Cormac, other than showing up when I was picking out a dress, hasn’t made himself shown to me in the past couple of weeks, for which I’m grateful. The less time I have to spend with him, the better.
But is this how my life is supposed to go? Hate my husband forever?
The thought chills me to the bone.
My family walks me into the church. Just on the other side of the door is the main chapel where Cormac is waiting for me.
I was told by Patrick that it would be a small wedding. Just a few guests. This marriage is to keep Cormac alive. It’s not meant to be a big spectacle.
Marco and Ciara go into the main chapel while my parents remain at my side.
Mom begins to cry while Dad remains stoic. I don’t say a word.
The doors open and we walk down the aisle as gentle music plays. Cormac stands at the end, next to a priest. This is really happening. My head feels faint but my feet keep moving anyway.
When we reach the end of the aisle, all I feel is a numbness creeping over my body and before I know it, my legs give out and I fall to the floor.
But before I can crash into it, someone catches me. I cling to their shirt, trying to steady myself. Sandalwood. That’s what I smell.
I look up to see that it’s Cormac who caught me. Our eyes lock for a moment. What is on his mind? I would give anything to know.
Cormac’s eyes soften as he gazes down at me. It makes me inhale sharply. He shakes his head, the softness leaving his eyes before he lets me go, setting me right on my feet. His open expression shuts down again.
Everyone in the room is silent. My parents. Marco and Ciara. Patrick. The couple other guests that I don’t know.
Cormac clears his throat. “Let’s do this.”
Dad tightens his hand around my arm. I give him a look before he lets me go. I stand next to Cormac and the ceremony begins.
I can feel Cormac glancing my way but I keep my eyes glued to the priest as he speaks of love and devotion and being kind to your spouse. All things I wish I had with Cormac.
“Do you, Cormac Sullivan, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
Cormac furrows his brow and doesn’t say anything. The room becomes tense. Patrick loudly clears his throat. Cormac finally sighs. “I do.”
A shiver runs down my body – though I’m not sure if it’s a good shiver or a bad one.
The priest sets his eyes onto me. “And do you, Arianna Amato, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
I glance at my family. This is for them. “I do,” I answer the priest.
He nods. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss.”
Cormac stiffly turns to me and cups my face between his hands. For just a moment, his eyes soften again and he plants the smallest of kisses on my lips, making me gasp.
But the moment Cormac pulls away, all I see is coldness in his eyes. It makes me wonder what kind of future we will have together.