05

I could hear Enzo and Marcelo screaming and cursing in Italian, and my heart was pounding so hard in my chest that it hurt to breathe, to think. I couldn’t even process my thoughts or what was going on.

« You Irish fucking bastard ! I’ll kill you ! » Enzo screamed.

One of his men bent to the ground, ripped some clothing off a dead body, and shoved it into his mouth to silence him.

« Do you, Oisín Callahan take Elena Morelli to be your lawfully wedded wife ? » The priest asked.

« I do. » He answered smugly.

What the fuck ?

« Do you, Elena-« 

« No, I don’t. » I cut him off.

Oisín clicked his tongue and tilted his head toward his men. I turned to see them threatening Enzo and Marcelo with a gun. When I begged God for someone to save me, I didn’t mean this. I didn’t want a massacre. I didn’t want war.

I just wanted to be free of the man that would take me away from my family. I wasn’t upset with his death, but I was terrified of what this Oisín man wanted from me. Surely, he wasn’t going to marry me because he loves me.

He probably wanted to start a war with Enzo and the rest of the Italian mafia. Looking around at the dead bodies that covered the church floors, I knew he had succeeded in igniting their fear and anger and their desire to fight back.

« It’s okay, Elena. » Marcelo encouraged. « It’s okay. Don’t worry about us. »

Tears brimmed in my eyes as I looked at him. I wanted to run to him. My hands shook in front of me as I kept my eyes on Marcelo and my brother. My brother was an evil man who treated me horribly, but he was still my family.

I could feel the streaks of my tears running down my face, and I let out a sob when Marcelo tilted his chin to encourage me. I shook my head and tried to run to him before hands wrapped around my waist and dragged me back to the altar.

« Let go ! Let fucking go ! » I shouted at the top of my lungs.

He spoke something in his mother tongue, and I saw two of his men grab the back of Marcelo’s and Enzo’s heads and aim the gun into their mouths. I cried even harder and shoved at the hands holding me back.

« Don’t ! » I screamed. « Don’t kill them ! Don’t kill them ! » I cried.

« Let’s try this again, shall me, mo ghrá amháin ? »

« Okay. Okay. Just don’t kill them. » I begged. « Please don’t kill them. Please. »

The last word came out shaky and choked, but I was crying so hard that I couldn’t even form a sentence. I didn’t fear for my life as much as I feared for Marcelo and Enzo’s. I knew I looked disgusting with snot and tears all over my face, but he didn’t seem phased as he forcefully placed me in front of him. Dropping his hands, he waved his hand to the priest.

« Do you, Elena Morelli take Oisín Callahan to be your lawfully wedded husband ? » The priest repeated the question.

« I do. » I ground out through my teeth.

He reached for my hand aggressively and yanked me toward him. I gasped at the sudden touch, and he caressed my hand gently. It was an odd touch. He pulled off the ring I had on, tossed it on the ground, and replaced it with his ring. It was more extensive, and the diamonds shined ; if possible, he looked even smugger. I looked to see that he was now wearing his silver wedding band as well. I didn’t even see him put it on. I yanked my hand away, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of anything.

« By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride. »

Oisín

I cupped her hips and reeled her flush to my chest. She let out a slight sound that resembled a gasp and anchored her hands flat on my chest. She was trying her hardest to push against my chest to keep me away, but that wasn’t going to happen.

Now that we were married, she belonged to me. Ultimately and wholeheartedly, Elena is mine. She was even more beautiful up close like this. The dress she was wearing hid her curves from me, and even though it was a glamorous dress that showcased her gorgeous and full breasts.

I knew if she had been my initial bride, I would have bought her a better and more expensive dress. Her silky dark hair was in some fancy do, and I craved to take out every single pin and see those wild curls run down her back.

Fuck. I desired to see her hair fanned out across my pillows as I fucked her, as I took her, as I tasted her. The thought had now permanently tattooed itself in my mind. Her eyes were soft and doe-like, and their warmth shocked my heart. I couldn’t hold back.

Those lips. Those sinful dark pink lips. The lipstick was screaming out to me to smear it, to fuck it up, and then to fuck her mouth. She needed it, and Christ, I’d give it to her. I’d give it all to her.

My God, I needed to taste that fucking mouth. My hand traveled upward, and I held her by the nape of her neck, keeping her in place, and dipped my head down. A loud slap echoed through the church, and it happened so fast that I think I missed it. She had slapped me right across my face, in front of everyone, and fuck, but it turned me on.

« Don’t fucking touch me ! » She shouted. « Don’t you ever in your fucking life touch me. »

It went dead silent. All I could hear was her heavy breathing and the distant sound of her heart thumping across her chest. She had spunk, something I knew she had, and I wasn’t surprised by her reaction.

I would have preferred her to open her mouth and let me taste her, but this was fine. I could deal with her anger. I wouldn’t have wanted Elena to change herself or change anything about herself to accommodate me. I preferred her anger because it was real. It was a hell of a lot fucking better than seeing her cry and be heartbroken.

I could deal with anger, with rage. I knew it very well myself. Anger and I had grown acquainted with each other over the years, and I knew it better than anyone else. Everyone was holding their breaths as if waiting for me to react, but I didn’t have one.

All I could do was laugh, so I did. I laughed loudly. She looked stunned as she stumbled back with her hand over her chest as she tried to calm her breathing down.

« Do you want to know what that little stunt caused you, Elena ? »

She swallowed, and my hand twitched to wrap around her throat and feel the pulse. I pulled my gun out of my back pocket and aimed it where her brother and that fucker Marcelo were.

« Choose one to live and one to die. » She shook her head vehemently, and I took off the safety.

« No ! No, stop ! You can’t do this ! I married you. Just leave them alone. »

« Enzo is your brother, so that would be the right choice. The only choice. » I said tightly. « Yet you want me to save both. Who is the other man to you ? »

« W-what ? He’s no one. »

« You’re lying. » I tsked.

She covered her ears when I lifted the gun and shot up the ceiling.

« I’m not ! I’m not ! »

« Who is he to you ? »

« For fucks sake, I like him ! » She screamed, and her voice cracked toward the end.

I ushered them to bring him over, and they dragged him by his arms and dropped him at my feet.

« You like this pathetic man ? » I gave him a kick to the stomach, and he groaned in pain. « This pathetic excuse of a man ? »

My anger coiled and ticked at the thought of her liking anyone that wasn’t me. She didn’t have the right to. She couldn’t. Elena is mine. Her heart, soul, body, and mind belonged to me. Fuck sense.

That shit was tossed out of the window from the first moment I saw her. Fuck being sane. Fuck everything when it came to this girl. This beautiful fucking girl. God, I was so fucking in love with her that it didn’t make any sense. Love never did.