Chapter XXVIII

When I got to my room, I gave myself the long overdue injection of painkillers for my hand. Then I lay down in bed and let the medication take effect.

In the middle of the night I was woken up by loud voices. I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes. I had only slept for four hours. Today is the wedding and there is screaming in the house at two in the morning. What should I do, now that I remembered that the wedding would take place in a few hours. I went out of my room and followed the voices into the living room. Dante's voice was very clear, so he was finally back.

"No, you're listening to me, how could you let her go in there. And without me." He screamed the last part even louder than he already did. I actually wanted to stand outside the room and listen, but I've done that so many times recently. I'm not going to hide anymore and I'm pretty sure the conversation is about me, so I can join in too.

I quietly entered the room and saw Lucca, Pablo and Sergio in the corner on the couch while Dante stood in front of them and screamed. "She's my fiancée and she's injured too. But you can't think of anything better than letting her run a gun shop. He could have shot her, damn it." Still, none of those present paid me any attention. I was about to say something when Lucca beat me to it. "But he didn't shoot her, Perez Junior is a madman who shot into the air to stop us from leaving. But it didn't work because his father quickly took control again. Nothing happened to her, me and Pablo were with her." I breathed a sigh of relief. To be honest, I thought Lucca would betray me to Dante because of our argument, but he didn't.

"With you? Are you kidding me? The only person she should be with is me. She's my fiancée!" Dante got louder again, which caused Luca to stand up.

"Where were you then? Pablo and I tried to reach you a thousand times, but you didn't answer." Lucca paused briefly and then started again. "What should we have done? She would have gone in there without us." He was right, I would have gone in there anyway. I wouldn't have let anyone take that opportunity away from me.

"What should you have done? If necessary, you should have locked her in her room, damn it. You threw her over your shoulder and brought her to safety, like I did." But you had to accompany her into that hall and risk her life."

Did he say lock him in the room? He's lost it. I've had enough. "Lock him up? Are you serious? I'm not a pet or an object." Everyone turned to me. Dante looked surprised and worried at first, before his expression changed to angry and cold. "I'll come to you too!" His attention had now shifted from Luca to me. He slowly walked towards me. "What the hell were you thinking?" he said threateningly. "What was I thinking? I got an order from your father and I did it. What do you actually want from me? You're the one who couldn't be found and I had your father's permission?" He should get off his high horse.

"What do I want? You go to a dangerous arms deal with an injured hand and ask me what I want?"

Our argument was interrupted by Luca. "Do you really think she wouldn't have been safe with us? Pablo and I would have protected her with our lives and you know that."

Dante was just about to reply when his cell phone rang. He hung up the call and focused on us again, but then it rang for the second time. This time he answered the call and left the room. "What do you want, Leonora?" was all I could hear before he disappeared into the hallway.

Sergio stood up and came over to me. "I left this mission to you," he said neutrally and I was getting nervous just from his demeanor. "So I'm the only one you have to answer to and I'm more than happy with the mission. And as for that Perez boy who shot, he's already learned his lesson." As he said his last part, he looked at Luca and then left the room too. That was strange, but all I could think was that the mission had gone satisfactorily for Sergio.

Luca came closer and looked at me. I'm afraid our conversation from the other day wasn't over yet, but Luca stopped in front of me and grabbed my shoulder.

"You should go back to bed. The wedding is in a few hours, so get some more rest."

I looked at him, irritated. Isn't he mad at me for shouting at him like that? With a nod, I went to the stairs, but before I could reach the first step, Dante stood in my way.

I was just about to go around him and go up when he stood in my way again.

We did that two more times until he lost his patience. He held me tight and pulled me towards him.

"Don't think that the matter is off the table. I held back because you weren't my wife yet, but tonight that's over. As soon as we're husband and wife, things will be different here, so look forward to our wedding, Amore, because from then on you'll be mine!"

With these words, he let go of me and went back into the living room. I, on the other hand, ran into my room and slammed the door. I went straight to the table and took my pack of cigarettes. I lit one on the balcony and thought about the conversation we had just had.

I still can't believe what he just said. What did he mean by saying that things would change after the wedding and that he held back? Did he mean the first few days when he ignored me? By holding back he definitely can't mean the times he shouted at me or grabbed me roughly by the wrist.

If I interpreted his words correctly, then marriage will be hell for me.

I can't do it, not like this. I've accepted that I'm not marrying for love, but I can't deal with a tyrant.

But unfortunately, I knew that I would not escape this hell.