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.165Please respect copyright.PENANAzyNcdaCRt0
"Come in," I mumble, already guessing that it was him behind the door.165Please respect copyright.PENANA7bvSGDdG0U
But to my surprise, it was Melanie instead.165Please respect copyright.PENANAxHL1mod7cZ
"How are you?" she asks as she rushes over to hug me tightly. The hug alone made me want to cry.165Please respect copyright.PENANAgbdSERFmmW
"I'm fine. For a person who got their freedom taken, I guess."165Please respect copyright.PENANAIr3HuRTRUO
"Is it really that bad?"165Please respect copyright.PENANAsWCOEdGOay
"It kinda is Mel." I sigh.165Please respect copyright.PENANAfjY0zFR097
"Tell me about it then. Why did you agree to stay with him if you knew you weren't going to like it here?"165Please respect copyright.PENANAhps6tnFyKZ
"It's complicated," I say as I pat the empty space beside me, gesturing for her to come and sit.165Please respect copyright.PENANAaEDr4ml7Xq
"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."165Please respect copyright.PENANAP6afMpQPd7
"But how do you feel about him?"165Please respect copyright.PENANAo0HYBaYKzm
"He's smart. I'll give him that. But he's sneaky and stubborn."165Please respect copyright.PENANAqJpNJyHnrf
"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."165Please respect copyright.PENANAXVWsAOAJmC
"That's actually sad thinking about that."165Please respect copyright.PENANARdBv3GQLXh
"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.165Please respect copyright.PENANAJlY2obiyGq
"Let him. I wish he would try."165Please respect copyright.PENANAh01ciiA2w1
"That's not the original copy fiore," he interrupts as he stands in the doorframe of the room.165Please respect copyright.PENANAkrn5KNkzy8
The smile on his face made me sick.165Please respect copyright.PENANAEMcxNSjXv4
"I didn't give you permission to speak stronzo."165Please respect copyright.PENANAaIM74d2Vhc
"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."165Please respect copyright.PENANA8YVzB2Mojg
"I wasn't trying to make a point. I was simply saying what I thought in my head."165Please respect copyright.PENANAIcLeb0ycqU
He moves from his leaning position and I can see the darkness growing in his eyes.165Please respect copyright.PENANAZnjCcd8O5i
"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.165Please respect copyright.PENANAKgndMtPQwt
I look at Mel. "No, stay. You don't have to listen to him."165Please respect copyright.PENANAwu7XednpL4
"Melanie," he says so harshly that she gives me a sorry look and starts to slip out of the bed.165Please respect copyright.PENANAqWx9tAr0GS
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.165Please respect copyright.PENANAk5RN5acwXs
"Don't run away from me now fiore now that your friend is gone," he says as he moves even closer. "You scared?"165Please respect copyright.PENANA5aaCtAPOOh
"No."165Please respect copyright.PENANAQapbQEQiAC
"You look scared."165Please respect copyright.PENANA7UaAsXfU59
"No. I don't."165Please respect copyright.PENANAcDK4q4aQ7N
He doesn't reply to me this time but as soon as his knee hits the edge of the bed, I jerk back again.165Please respect copyright.PENANAj7zxYm2g74
"See you're scared. And you should be" he whispers in my ear.165Please respect copyright.PENANALaJEJG5TeE
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.165Please respect copyright.PENANAqWFBfN1glJ
"I could kill you, you know?" he whispers again.165Please respect copyright.PENANAmLiTTLdC4P
"Do it then. I know you won't."165Please respect copyright.PENANAO8QdB5XM6M
"Of course you do. Because you know I need you to do something for me."165Please respect copyright.PENANAHofgANT2pZ
"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."165Please respect copyright.PENANAiTp7qkIQBm
"If I wanted to play house, I would have found someone temporary."165Please respect copyright.PENANAf6RhSjrVa9
"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.165Please respect copyright.PENANAAtGipGTIxZ
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.165Please respect copyright.PENANACRLzTPjr8x
"Don't fucking test me. My patience is already thin with you," he growls.165Please respect copyright.PENANAxXoJGNiWxo
"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."165Please respect copyright.PENANABGnY3oN7HW
"Keep talking sweetheart. It's all just words. You won't do anything. All talk and no bite."165Please respect copyright.PENANAEl8QJtjxF2
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.165Please respect copyright.PENANAVE6tJIxLy0
I moved closer and I bit his bottom lip, making him bleed.165Please respect copyright.PENANA6Oez8F2Pmt
"Fuck you Cacciatore."165Please respect copyright.PENANAvfGzRIX2SK