Chapter 85 Rags and Ritches 26

Chapter 85 Rags and Ritches 26
Aria

He caught my wrist, and forced the blade away from his chest before I could even blink. His grip was punishing as he squeezed my flesh into the bone and left me no choice but to drop the bloody knife onto the rug.

I screamed again, rage and pain and something I didn’t have words for ripping its way out of my throat. He might have disarmed me but I was still going to hurt him.

I was going to kill him.

I swung my other arm, fist closed and the force of my knuckles making contact with his cheek bone rocked his head back. I raked my nails down his skin. Screaming like a banshee.

A dozen guns swung towards me. Gio moved. “Take your fucking hands off my sister:” his voice was low and threatening. 

No one moved. Dante didn’t loosen his grip. But his eyes did flicker towards his men. “Put your fucking guns down.” He hissed. “She is my wife.”

His wife. The words echoed in my head. I was his wife. He had seduced me, married me to gain control. Dante Ritches has been using me since the moment he had first intercepted me. And like a fool I had been blind to it all and just done everything he had wanted me to do.

“Yeah, listen to your boss.” A slow lazy drawl caused ice to run through my veins. Nails still dug into my new husband's flesh. I whipped my head around.

“Judge.” I whispered, letting out a sigh of relief at the sight of him. My brother was feared. But it was the Judge who had a reputation for real violence. 

He hadn’t been labelled Judge, jury and execution for nothing.

He stalked into the room like there wasn't weapons swinging around to point at him. “Hey kid.” He came to a stop to the side of me. His hand reaching out to ruffle my hair. “What trouble have you got yourself into this time?” The corners of his mouth twitched but his lips didn’t curve up into a full blown smile. For all of his casual indifference, I could see the severity of my situation mirrored in his eyes.

“Got married.” My voice was flat and emotionless.

He chuckled. “I heard. Congratulations.” Not taking his eyes off of mine, he reached out and pushed my brother's hand down and it was only then that I realised that Gio had the muzzle of his gun pressed to Dante’s head.

Fuck, if he had shot Dante, more than likely the bullet would have passed right through his skull and hit me.

“Let’s not point guns at family, hey.” The judges eyes darted towards my brother before landing on Dante.

“Let go of Arias arm before you leave a mark on her skin and as her unofficial uncle force me to break your fingers.” There was no threat in his voice. 

It was simply a statement of fact.

Dante loosened his grip but didn’t let go entirely. Instead he dropped his hand to his side, forcing mine with it and used it to pull me into his side.

“You’d die before you-“

The judge rolled his eyes. “Don’t start postering Dante. You aren’t going to do shit to me. You need the family. You wouldn’t have taken so much time and effort making her fall in love with you if you didn’t.” The judge shook his head. “You didn’t plan on falling for her at the same time did you?” He chuckled darkly.

I did a double take. Dante loved me? Before I could stop myself my eyes darted up to Dante’s face. His eyes met mine and softened.

“She has a way of getting under your skin.” He muttered.

Gio and the Judge exchanged a look and then both men burst out laughing. “Oh we know.” My brother laughed. “She gets under our skin all the damn time. Not in the way you are implying but we understand.”

I snarled at them. How was it possible that they were siding with the man who had kidnapped, imprisoned, seduced and finally married me?

Assholes.

“Ok, so.” My new husband took a deep breath. “This is a mess. I admit I went about this whole thing the wrong way.” Suddenly he was cupping my cheek. His fingers slid over my skin tenderly and I had to force myself not to close my eyes and lean into his touch.

“But I can’t undo what has been done. We are married.”

Angrily I glared at him. Why did he have to keep saying that? Like it made a difference? Like he thought that because it was him that had trapped me, I would accept it 

I had never wanted to be married. Not ever. I wasn’t a little girl who planned her big day and dreamt of a family. The only thing I had ever wanted was my freedom.

Dante could say he cared about me but he had taken that from me.

Sucking in a deep breath, I stepped out of his arms. “No.”

Dante’s eyebrows shot up. His chest heaved up and down. “What do you mean no? You’re my wife.”

He took a menacing step forward. Almost instantly my brother and the judge closed ranks in front of me.

“She said no Dante.”

“She just needs to listen and she will understand.”

It might have been my imagination but I was sure there was a note of pleading in his voice. Around the bulk of my brothers arm I searched his face.

His eyes darted to mine. “Just hear me out Aria. We could be so good together.”

And there he went again, trying to charm me into submission. Did he really think I was going to fall for his lies a second time?

Fool me once maybe but not twice.

“I would like to leave.” I said in a quiet voice.

“No.” Dante pulled his gun so quickly that no one had the chance to react until it was too late. “No.” His eyes widened as they met mine. “I am not letting my wife leave. Not until she has listened. She’s mine and-“ his throat bobbed as he swallowed. “I did fall in love with her.” He admitted raggedly. “I fell in love with you and I know you-“

Stepping around the two men in front of me, I reached for him. Lifting myself up on my tiptoes to press my lips against his flushed cheek. His sigh of relief was loud. He thought I was giving in.

It just went to prove just how little Dante knew about me.

“The only way you are going to stop me leaving is by shooting me.” I whispered.

Dante’s head snapped around, disbelief pinching his features together. “Aria.”

One last time I pressed my lips to his. “Good bye Dante, don’t look for me.” I whispered and then without another word I turned and walked away.