Adara
The papers on the bedside table were the first thing I saw. First, a marriage license. There it was, my signature. Along with his, Vincenzo's, and Vittoria's. Didn't forget the wedding officiant's as well. Under the license was a certificate.
I grimace at the 'Cacciatore' that replaced my last name. But at the same time, it made me feel a little better knowing that I was no longer a Zarcone. I look under the certificate to see another paper that was filled with a list of numbers for many people. Florists, wedding planners, cooks, photographers. You name it. Below all the numbers was a note from him.
"I'm not sure what you want so feel free to plan the wedding however you'd like."
The knock at the door startles me and I slightly flinch at the sound.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGKgzUvXQb
"Come in," I mumble, already guessing that it was him behind the door.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrjW2Kx5PLP
But to my surprise, it was Melanie instead.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5f1QytHKod
"How are you?" she asks as she rushes over to hug me tightly. The hug alone made me want to cry.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn87P7gn3MZ
"I'm fine. For a person who got their freedom taken, I guess."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2qrf7AcU4
"Is it really that bad?"272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6d60PVeTk
"It kinda is Mel." I sigh.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzTQF10K2Z
"Tell me about it then. Why did you agree to stay with him if you knew you weren't going to like it here?"272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsT4L6kRael
"It's complicated," I say as I pat the empty space beside me, gesturing for her to come and sit.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbP5MoE8vWo
"I would rather be here than be at home. But then again being here meant being with him which I hate. But then again, I barely see him throughout the day and we don't even sleep in the same room which is a plus. Mel, he's batshit crazy and hellbent on marrying me so that I can have his kids. Look, he's even managed to get me to sign the papers before I even knew about this! I don't know how I feel about this but I sure as hell won't be doing what he says."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FK2aCJKX1
"But how do you feel about him?"272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0w8nmKfyq
"He's smart. I'll give him that. But he's sneaky and stubborn."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ADelWR3sK
"Must be true if he's managed to capture one of the rarest women I have ever seen in Italy. He must have been watching you before. Planning on how he was gonna make this work, getting your parents to agree, etcetera"Getting my parents to agree was probably the easiest thing for him to do. They'd sell me as much as they could if it meant that they would get something out of it."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6bVLc8BO0
"That's actually sad thinking about that."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTLnimUKsvu
"Exactly. So I'm trying to make the best of it by avoiding him as much as possible. But now he wants me to do an entire wedding myself. I don't understand why he wants a wedding, we already have this damn certificate as proof. Honestly fuck this certificate."
I look at the paper once more before I tear it in half.
"You did not just-Dar, he's going to kill you!" Melanie gasps beside me.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu76FFgEKeF
"Let him. I wish he would try."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qzhjsxFx3
"That's not the original copy fiore," he interrupts as he stands in the doorframe of the room.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTakzc2Okn
The smile on his face made me sick.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClcVoMAqDl
"I didn't give you permission to speak stronzo."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBoPNIz8dJ
"You must forget who you're talking to. Don't try to act all big and bad in front of your friend just to make a point. You're still married to me whether you like it or not."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxm5zpKnTQU
"I wasn't trying to make a point. I was simply saying what I thought in my head."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclEzcENvaS
He moves from his leaning position and I can see the darkness growing in his eyes.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKDPM3Cx2T
"Melanie, darling. I'm gonna need a minute alone with your friend here," he says in a low voice as he slowly walks up to the bed.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFeXuxAGJz
I look at Mel. "No, stay. You don't have to listen to him."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPVBf8AfWe
"Melanie," he says so harshly that she gives me a sorry look and starts to slip out of the bed.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTJDlIAobz
She quietly leaves and shuts the door behind her. I look back at him. Slightly afraid. I swallow the lump in my throat and push myself backward.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0OK0ldR0x
"Don't run away from me now fiore now that your friend is gone," he says as he moves even closer. "You scared?"272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUnBlMoT3I
"No."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGJDnilJTW
"You look scared."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JIos4gwsh
"No. I don't."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4mVpj9hML
He doesn't reply to me this time but as soon as his knee hits the edge of the bed, I jerk back again.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEATf47Yf7q
"See you're scared. And you should be" he whispers in my ear.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz83MEpavkg
His hands snake around my throat and gives it a slight squeeze. My heart races as our eyes lock. For a second, it seems like he was going to suffocate me to death and it will finally be the end of it.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWnqBeEAHu
"I could kill you, you know?" he whispers again.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaR4frFNHbR
"Do it then. I know you won't."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGnzzMQa8W
"Of course you do. Because you know I need you to do something for me."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0rBOwPyj1
"Do you really need me or are you just playing house with me because you're bored? Because that's what it seems like to me."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjG2IW1k9QK
"If I wanted to play house, I would have found someone temporary."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqS5tB4bj3X
"Well find one then. Cause I know to you I'm only temporary." I spit out before I push him away from me after waiting for the right moment.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1GcnSyBsv
My motion wasn't hard enough and it only pushed him a few centimeters away from me. He moved right back on top and this time squeezed harder.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYELs5KxmTX
"Don't fucking test me. My patience is already thin with you," he growls.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1AZC7GHq6M
"And you don't think you're pushing my buttons?! You keep pushing and pushing, and one day I'm going to lash out and you're going to wish that we never met."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6mIpir3hR
"Keep talking sweetheart. It's all just words. You won't do anything. All talk and no bite."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrCFbrUXRS
He was so close I could feel his breath against my nose. I look up to meet his eyes and my lips slightly brush against his. He wanted to play with fire, so he'll get fire.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi774F5nzws
I moved closer and I bit his bottom lip, making him bleed.272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1j5kk1QGR
"Fuck you Cacciatore."272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3to7OJ2wuI
