Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 102566 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102566 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Time passes in a blur and suddenly, I'm standing in front of the altar, expectantly staring down the aisle. My eyes find Marzia in the crowd, kneeling in the first pew wearing a dark hooded robe that covers her face, as if she's grieving, not celebrating the way she should be at a wedding. My hands form fists and I mutter a curse as I see Nicoletta appear.
Her father walks her down the aisle, smiling widely at the hundreds of guests. This is a huge fucking wedding. But all these people came here for nothing. There's no fucking way I'm saying I do.
Gustavo leads Nicoletta up to the altar and gently moves back her veil.
My bride looks stunning and innocent as ever in her pure white gown, eyes glittering as they meet mine.
I can never quite read Nicoletta, am never certain whether she really wants to marry me or not. But something tells me my wife-to-be has secrets of her own. "You look beautiful," I manage to get out through gritted teeth. "Like a princess out of a fairytale."
"And you're prince charming, right?" Nicoletta's eyes darken as she asks me this, but before I can reply, the priest interrupts to begin the ceremony.
He makes a long speech as I groan my way through. I keep glancing at Father. At my brothers. But none of them bat an eye. None of them give a shit I'm getting married to someone I don't care about.
Then I notice Ryder. He looks pissed off. His fists are clenched in his lap and he looks like he's about to burst. Ryder's always been so calm and reserved, it's a shock seeing him this way. My brows knit together in worry, not understanding the pressure that's making his knuckles white.
"So if you have a reason to speak up," the priest goes on behind me. "Speak now, or forever hold your peace."
There's a moment of deathly silence in the church. I half-expect someone to jump up, to fucking tell Father not to go through with this. But Marzia's figure in the front pew is unmoving and none of my brothers will meet my gaze.
But then Ryder jumps up, eyes alight with fire as he firmly states, "I object."
A whisper passes like a wave through the church.
But Ryder's not done yet. He doesn't explain anything, he just walks up to the altar where Nicoletta and I are holding hands. He rips her hands out of my reach, snarling at me, "Don't you fucking touch her."
Raising my hands in the air, I watch him grab Nicoletta by the elbow. I don't say a word. It's exactly what I was hoping would happen—an obstacle that prevents us from getting married. If nothing else, it buys me time.
As Nicoletta, Ryder, Father, and Gustavo angrily whisper at each other, the rest of the crowd becomes restless. I take the priest's microphone and tell everyone to head outside. This is a family matter now, and a true Bernardi handles family matters behind closed doors.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Gustavo snaps at my brother.
I ignore them all. Instead of paying attention to the erupting argument, I walk straight up to Marzia in her mourning robe.
She's kneeling, and when I reach out to touch her cheek, she turns her head to the side, not allowing me to get closer.
"Bambina," I mutter. "Please, let me look at you."
She keeps looking away, as stubborn as ever. But then I push back the hood.
Except I'm not greeted by Marzia's silky dark locks. Instead, the long hair has been tied into a braid. And as the girl fearfully raises her gaze to mine, I grit my teeth together.
"Fuck," I mutter, taking a step back. The girl in the mourning robe isn't Marzia, it's Eleanora. "Where the fuck is she? Where the fuck have you hidden her?"
Eleanora raises her hands as if she's afraid I'm going to hit her.
I don't. Instead, I tear off her mourning gown. "Father!" I roar. "Send a search party out for Marzia. Fucking now!"
Gustavo snarls at me, "What about your wife, Adrian?"
"As of right now, we're not married," I hiss. "And I've got more important matters to attend to."
Before any of them can object, I storm out of the church. I don't wait for a driver, I get into the Lamborghini myself, and the tires screech on gravel as I race back to the Bernardi Estate.
The Mansion looms ahead of me, already warning me that Marzia is long gone by now. Yet, the hope in my heart doesn't die.
Several cars pull up after me in the driveway and I order the guards to check the entire house. I go straight up to Marzia's room. I almost expect her to be there, waiting for me. I want to believe she made the smallest transgression. That her only rebellion was not going to the wedding to watch me marry another woman. Then those hopes quickly die as I begin to check her room.