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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrBSsonVip
"Come in," I mumble, already guessing that it was him behind the door.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKsZoakcUc
But to my surprise, it was Melanie instead.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCak5Z6rg3
"How are you?" she asks as she rushes over to hug me tightly. The hug alone made me want to cry.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4PUgNgJZ0
"I'm fine. For a person who got their freedom taken, I guess."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqkVA96D2Dr
"Is it really that bad?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ825D56Hogs
"It kinda is Mel." I sigh.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZg3VgyDE1
"Tell me about it then. Why did you agree to stay with him if you knew you weren't going to like it here?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEVw40T11d
"It's complicated," I say as I pat the empty space beside me, gesturing for her to come and sit.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUs6SkVDeK
"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."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQX8oOuMkJQ
"But how do you feel about him?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCX3vCOYNK5
"He's smart. I'll give him that. But he's sneaky and stubborn."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhjoNHIIzB
"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."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijpN18VGEu
"That's actually sad thinking about that."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbrOLJ5GJt
"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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsllrHlMfcv
"Let him. I wish he would try."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfm6dmVFmM
"That's not the original copy fiore," he interrupts as he stands in the doorframe of the room.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCgoSoSLEp
The smile on his face made me sick.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOtxTz159V
"I didn't give you permission to speak stronzo."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZ4zJwdhap
"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."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZHi9vovX4
"I wasn't trying to make a point. I was simply saying what I thought in my head."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIraR9Z065Y
He moves from his leaning position and I can see the darkness growing in his eyes.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoZ8PdYs9b
"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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38oQrv3vyC
I look at Mel. "No, stay. You don't have to listen to him."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLsAFuTVpN
"Melanie," he says so harshly that she gives me a sorry look and starts to slip out of the bed.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFamwzvD2H
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3bVYiWhXe
"Don't run away from me now fiore now that your friend is gone," he says as he moves even closer. "You scared?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmVISLD7Go
"No."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Jh4sm7gbe
"You look scared."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAiXkTAhtW9
"No. I don't."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXjKaodVvT
He doesn't reply to me this time but as soon as his knee hits the edge of the bed, I jerk back again.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32NyYP7ijr
"See you're scared. And you should be" he whispers in my ear.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWXY9wHoYA
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡexSNxCQaG5
"I could kill you, you know?" he whispers again.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG75RqyLmih
"Do it then. I know you won't."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBnomVO5k24
"Of course you do. Because you know I need you to do something for me."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDYX7plx1o
"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."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewwi0u0i8q
"If I wanted to play house, I would have found someone temporary."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6OYJ0nr6W
"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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9II6Otv0vw
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByANHr4xVX
"Don't fucking test me. My patience is already thin with you," he growls.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfvXTtH8wO
"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."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIJD6J3bk4
"Keep talking sweetheart. It's all just words. You won't do anything. All talk and no bite."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqcVCYx7m95
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8I0dN4rRx2
I moved closer and I bit his bottom lip, making him bleed.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnHamFdRzD
"Fuck you Cacciatore."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gOO0wbjL7
