Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 76820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“You had a chance to dress yourself,” Alessandro sneers at me. He unbuttons my jeans, and when he pulls the zipper down, intense fear slams into me.
My breaths sound ragged, and my heartbeat is erratic.
Alessandro yanks the jeans down my legs, and I start to kick and thrash in Tommaso’s brutal hold.
Alessandro slaps me hard between the legs, pressing his face close to mine. “We can’t fuck you, but we can hurt you.”
Paralyzing shame and horror rip my soul to shreds. Bile churns in my stomach from the disgust filling every inch of me.
My eyes are wide on the monster in front of me.
His middle finger rubs over my slit.
Overwhelming anger and humiliation have me gritting out, “S-stop.”
“S-s-s-stop,” he taunts me with a cruel smile curving his lips while he pushes my panties aside. I clench my legs hard, but his arm stops me.
When his finger touches my skin, it rips a hopeless cry from me.
“That’s enough,” Tommaso snaps, his hold on me lessening a bit.
“Are you going to dress yourself?” Alessandro leans closer until I can smell cigarettes on his breath. “Or do you want me to do it for you?”
My throat strains as a tear escapes, and my voice breaks over the words, “I’ll d-do it.”
A triumphant smile spreads over his face, but at least he pulls his hand away from me.
Tommaso shoves me forward, and I quickly grab hold of the dress. I can feel Alessandro’s eyes burning over my bare skin, and I hurry to step into the wedding dress. Yanking the chiffon up my body, I shove my left arm through a sleeve before struggling with my right arm.
Tommaso comes closer, and it has me shrinking away from him.
“I just want to help,” he assures me, none of the cruelty on his face that’s on Alessandro’s.
I watch with a pounding heart as he helps me get my right arm into the tight sleeve. With his head bowed, he whispers, “Stop fighting. You’re just making it harder for yourself.”
“I’ll never stop fighting,” I bite the words out between clenched teeth.
When Tommaso steps away from me, he gives me a look of pity.
Alessandro picks up the veil and holds it out to me. “Cover your face. No one wants to see a bride with bruises.”
I grab it from him, muttering, “Fuck you.”
I’ve never cursed as much as I’ve done in the past four days.
“Wouldn’t you like that?” he taunts me.
Tommaso gives Alessandro a look of warning. “Go wait outside. I’ve got this.”
The two guards stare at each other before Alessandro stalks out of the room.
My eyes lock on Tommaso’s face. “Help me, please. I can see you’re not like them.”
He takes the veil from me and arranges it on the top of my head. Before he pulls it over my face, he looks at me. “You have no idea what I’m like. I might not rape you, but I will kill you.”
The little hope I got from Tommaso protecting me disappears.
He covers my face, then gestures to the door. “After you.”
I can’t do this.
I gather the chiffon of the skirt and walk into the hallway. Alessandro leads the way down the stairs, and when we stop by double doors, the wedding march dramatically fills the air from where it’s played on an organ.
God.
When I step back, Alessandro grabs hold of my right arm and yanks me forward.
“No!” I cry, and even though my arm aches terribly, I try to pull out of his hold.
Tommaso grabs my left arm, and the guards drag me down the aisle as I kick and scream.
Greco is waiting by the altar with a priest who doesn’t seem shocked by what’s happening in his church. Guests fill the pews, and I get a glimpse of Alissa crying where she’s sitting between her father and mother.
NoNoNoNoNo.
I’m brought to a stop by the altar and forced to face Greco, who smiles triumphantly, an evil look in his eyes.
“I won’t marry you.” My words sound stronger than I feel, and to bring my point across, I spit at him.
In the middle of a church full of people, he slams his fist into my jaw. My legs go numb, but Alessandro and Tomasso keep me from falling, forcing me to remain standing in front of the vile old man. I can feel blood trickling from the corner of my mouth where my lip split open again. A drop splats onto the white dress, followed by another and another.
The priest starts to talk, his voice booming over everyone.
Sobs burst from me, and I keep shaking my head, repeatedly saying, “I won’t.”
Only Greco says his vows, and I’m not even asked to say ‘I do,’ then the priest announces, “I pronounce you husband and wife.”
“No!” I shout, the sound echoing around the church.
The church doors creak loudly, and everyone turns to see what the disruption is.