I keep my eyes trained on the docks, waiting for Eleanora's familiar shape to appear. She'll be here any moment, she has to be here—I'm not leaving without her.
As if by some miracle, she appears on the docks. I wait for her to find us with bated breath. She is wearing simple jeans and a top underneath the mourning cloak which she's discarded. When she sees us, she takes off, running on the boat just as the guard lifts the anchor.
"We have to go," he tells Eleanora. "Hide with Marzia."
She joins me in the cabin.
I don't say a word, but we embrace each other tightly and I let out a silent sob. She is the one person I'll have from my life at the Bernardi Estate. I'm so glad she's here. Without her, I would've gone insane.
The boat begins pulling away from the docks when I see a limo pull up in the parking lot.
"Merda!" the guard calls out. "Stay hidden!"
But I can't. Especially not when I see him.
Adrian stands on the docks, screaming my name and waiting for me to notice him.
But I can't, I can't go back, not now. They'll kill the guard and Eleanora and fuck knows what will happen to me.
Adrian is still screaming my name.
Ripping myself away from Eleanora, I run out on the boat's desk. "Adrian!"
"Are you fucking crazy?" the guard groans in despair. "They'll see you! Go back inside."
I shut up, but I can't leave. I watch Adrian stripping off his clothes and getting in the water. If I jumped out now, I could swim and reach him in no time at all. We could stay here... together, and Eleanora and the guard would be able to get away.
But I don't jump.
I just watch the distance between the boat and the shore get bigger and bigger. Adrian's figure in the water soon disappears. We've sped away, and there's no way he'll be able to catch us now.
I don't know why, but there are tears burning the back of my eyes, threatening to fall as I mentally say goodbye to my home of the past few months.
I never thought leaving Adrian would be this heard, not after Bruno killed my parents and I knew I had to hate his whole family. Now, my heart hurts like never before. It didn't even hurt this badly when my parents were killed. This amount of pain is unimaginable, immeasurable. I'm lost in a never ending loop of remembering what I've done with horror and the fear of my new life with Vitto and Luigi.
What have I done?
What the fuck have I done?
I shake my head. I can't let myself think that way. I need to believe this was the smartest thing to do. After all, I did overhear that conversation between Adrian and his father... And he was going to marry another woman today. He was going to betray me in the worst possible way. If I had stayed, I would've been branded nothing but a whore, a plaything. The other woman.
The tears that have been stinging my eyes for a long time are falling again.
Eleanora sits next to me, leaning her heads against my shoulder as I start to cry. She seems to understand how badly I'm hurting. Somehow, she just gets it.
I take comfort in her calming nature and allow her to help me calm down. My heart slows down. Now, the only thing pumping through my body is dread.
I do my best to remember Vitto.
The last time I saw him, he seemed kinder than when we were children. But is he going to be a good husband? Will he be like Adrian, eager to give me what I want and show me my own limits? Or is he the same cruel, angry boy from the docks I remember, who will use any chance to hurt someone?
While the boat is out at sea, I find myself drifting off. I barely got any rest last night, and sleep pulls me under easily, enveloping me in a dark and depraved dream with the two men who are after me—Adrian and Vitto. Before I get the chance to see which one is going to win, Eleanora gently shakes me awake.
We've arrived.
I get off the boat along with the two of them and walk to the boat where a man is waiting for us with a shiny black car.
"There's one more than we thought," he barks at the guard. "We don't need the extra weight."
"She stays," I hiss, grabbing Eleanora's arm and pulling her closer. "She's not going anywhere."
The man looks at me, weighing my words before finally nodding.
We get in the car.
It feels fucking good to have some power again.
After the car took off, I press my forehead against the window, my thoughts circling over the events of today.
I hope I'm wrong about Vitto. I hope my feelings and instincts telling me to turn this car around right now are wrong.
Even if they are, though, there's nothing I can do anymore.
My choice has been made... I'm no longer Adrian's plaything.
Now, I belong to Vitto Donatti.
37
Adrian
Today is the day I marry the woman I don't fucking love.
I spend the day away from both Marzia and Nicoletta. Tradition is, I'm not supposed to see my wife on the day until she walks down the aisle. I'm eager to see Marzia, not Nicoletta. Eager to whisper in her ear one last time, to tell her I will come back for her, that I will claim her one way or another no matter what happens at the wedding today.
As the tailor does my final fitting for the suit, I find my mind racing through a myriad of scenarios, unable to focus on one. Should I stand up to Father and decline to marry Nicoletta? How the fuck am I going to get out of this? A part of me knows I can't go through with the wedding, not if I want to stay true to my heart. But knowing Father, he won't let me walk away from this. Not without a damn good reason.
Time passes in a blur and suddenly, I'm standing in front of the altar, expectantly staring down the aisle. My eyes find Marzia in the crowd, kneeling in the first pew wearing a dark hooded robe that covers her face, as if she's grieving, not celebrating the way she should be at a wedding. My hands form fists and I mutter a curse as I see Nicoletta appear.
Her father walks her down the aisle, smiling widely at the hundreds of guests. This is a huge fucking wedding. But all these people came here for nothing. There's no fucking way I'm saying I do.
Gustavo leads Nicoletta up to the altar and gently moves back her veil.
My bride looks stunning and innocent as ever in her pure white gown, eyes glittering as they meet mine.
I can never quite read Nicoletta, am never certain whether she really wants to marry me or not. But something tells me my wife-to-be has secrets of her own. "You look beautiful," I manage to get out through gritted teeth. "Like a princess out of a fairytale."
"And you're prince charming, right?" Nicoletta's eyes darken as she asks me this, but before I can reply, the priest interrupts to begin the ceremony.
He makes a long speech as I groan my way through. I keep glancing at Father. At my brothers. But none of them bat an eye. None of them give a shit I'm getting married to someone I don't care about.
Then I notice Ryder. He looks pissed off. His fists are clenched in his lap and he looks like he's about to burst. Ryder's always been so calm and reserved, it's a shock seeing him this way. My brows knit together in worry, not understanding the pressure that's making his knuckles white.
"So if you have a reason to speak up," the priest goes on behind me. "Speak now, or forever hold your peace."
There's a moment of deathly silence in the church. I half-expect someone to jump up, to fucking tell Father not to go through with this. But Marzia's figure in the front pew is unmoving and none of my brothers will meet my gaze.
But then Ryder jumps up, eyes alight with fire as he firmly states, "I object."
A whisper passes like a wave through the church.
But Ryder's not done yet. He doesn't explain anything, he just walks up to the altar where Nicoletta and I are holding hands. He rips her hands out of my reach, snarling at me, "Don't you fucking touch her."
Raising my hands in the air, I watch him grab Nicoletta by the elbow. I don't say a word. It's exactly what I was hoping would happen—an obstacle that prevents us from
getting married. If nothing else, it buys me time.
As Nicoletta, Ryder, Father, and Gustavo angrily whisper at each other, the rest of the crowd becomes restless. I take the priest's microphone and tell everyone to head outside. This is a family matter now, and a true Bernardi handles family matters behind closed doors.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Gustavo snaps at my brother.
I ignore them all. Instead of paying attention to the erupting argument, I walk straight up to Marzia in her mourning robe.
She's kneeling, and when I reach out to touch her cheek, she turns her head to the side, not allowing me to get closer.
"Bambina," I mutter. "Please, let me look at you."
She keeps looking away, as stubborn as ever. But then I push back the hood.
Except I'm not greeted by Marzia's silky dark locks. Instead, the long hair has been tied into a braid. And as the girl fearfully raises her gaze to mine, I grit my teeth together.
"Fuck," I mutter, taking a step back. The girl in the mourning robe isn't Marzia, it's Eleanora. "Where the fuck is she? Where the fuck have you hidden her?"
Eleanora raises her hands as if she's afraid I'm going to hit her.
I don't. Instead, I tear off her mourning gown. "Father!" I roar. "Send a search party out for Marzia. Fucking now!"
Gustavo snarls at me, "What about your wife, Adrian?"
"As of right now, we're not married," I hiss. "And I've got more important matters to attend to."
Before any of them can object, I storm out of the church. I don't wait for a driver, I get into the Lamborghini myself, and the tires screech on gravel as I race back to the Bernardi Estate.
The Mansion looms ahead of me, already warning me that Marzia is long gone by now. Yet, the hope in my heart doesn't die.
Several cars pull up after me in the driveway and I order the guards to check the entire house. I go straight up to Marzia's room. I almost expect her to be there, waiting for me. I want to believe she made the smallest transgression. That her only rebellion was not going to the wedding to watch me marry another woman. Then those hopes quickly die as I begin to check her room.
Marzia isn't here. But there is a letter, the ink still drying on the paper as I snatch it from her made bed. It smells like her, floral and sweet, and my chest tightens realizing I've lost her once and for all.
"We've cleared the house, Signore," one of the guards tells me. "She's gone. We've got several parties looking for her."
"Don't come back empty-handed," I bark at him before ordering everyone out of the room. I'm alone now, alone with my thoughts and the letter I hope will explain everything. Still, my hands shake as I hold the paper, and I force myself to take a deep calming breath before reading Marzia's neat handwriting.
Adrian, I found out your father wanted to kill me. You leave me no choice but to escape.
Fuck, she found out about Father's three month threat... but how? I keep reading.
I will be safe where I am, safer than I could ever be with you. If you truly care about me, please don't look for me.
Bambina
“Fuck!” I shout. My fingers shake, threatening to crush the letter, but it's the only thing I have now, and it's the last thing she touched, so I can't let go.
Afterward, I join the search for our missing captive. The teams are combing through the woods trying to find her. As for me, I drive down to the docks. I need a moment to think, to gather my thoughts, and decide what to do next.
I pull up by the docks and walk onto the pier. It's hot and smells like salt and sea. My head's a fucking mess, and Marzia is gone. My life feels like it's fucking over. I never wanted her to leave my side. I would've done anything, everything in my power to save her life. But she took that option away from me.
Something catches my attention out of the corner of my eye, and I shift my gaze to a small boat leaving the docks.
There's no one on it but an old man and a young woman with dark brown hair. She looks just like Marzia.
Part of me can't even believe it. That I've come here by chance and yet there she is—if it's really her. So close and yet so very far away, Marzia spots me too, getting up and watching me as the boat pulls away from the marina.
I raise my hand in greeting, or perhaps it is to say goodbye. My mind races with the possibilities. Of calling for reinforcements, of memorizing the boat so we can stop it the first chance we get. But then I think of the alternative. The gunshots that killed Marzia's parents ring out in my head, reminding me what a monster my father can be.
I grit my teeth as the dark-haired girl raises her hand to wave me off. It is her. It has to be. And I'm just fucking standing here, letting her get away. With a sudden desperation, I realize I can't let her leave.
Stripping off my shoes and blazer, I jump into the water from the pier. I start swimming after the boat. I don't see anything but my destination in sight and keep fucking going, swimming farther and farther out to the sea until everything's a blur, the salt's burning my eyes and the boat is long gone. Whether it was real of a figment of my imagination, I might never know.
It would be so easy to give up now. To just float here on the water and pretend she's still mine. Then I hear voices, an electric buggy coming up to me, men pulling me onto it and delivering me back to shore.
There, my father screams at me while Gustavo shakes his head, muttering we've all betrayed him.
I barely hear any of it. I don't give a shit about anything except for Marzia. And now that she's gone, I have no idea if I can keep going.
She gave my life purpose— now she's been ripped away. I feel like I'll never find that balance again. My heart and head both fucking hurt, pound with the betrayal of her departure.
"Any sign of Marzia?" I bark at one of my brothers, Cillian, as he hands me a blanket.
"No," he replies. "She's gone."
"She was here," I insist. "She was here, on a boat with some old man..."
"You're delusional," Father barks at me. "There's no way Marzia was here. What boat? And what the hell were you doing in the water?"
"Trying to get her back," I hiss. "What I should have done months ago. I need to be with her. Nobody else."
"Well, that's fucking great to hear," Gustavo grunts, glaring at Father. "How are you going to make up for that, Bernardi? Don't make me slit your throat right here."
As soon as those words leave his lips, all the guards surrounding us pull out their guns.
Suddenly, we're in a standoff, eyes wide and guns pointing every which way as we wait for the first shot to be fired.
I knew Gustavo wouldn't like this, and I should've anticipated his anger would wreck us all. He's looking at Father with pure bloodlust in his eyes, and the men surrounding us are tense with the need to fire those guns.
I realize I don't give a shit what happens. My life is meaningless without Marzia any-fucking-way.
I never should've let her get away, and I know I'll regret it for the rest of my life. But she's gone without a trace and there's nothing I can do.
Nothing could change this. It's fucking over.
My captive has broken down her gilded cage and grown wings. Now she's free, and the only thing I'm left to wonder about is whether she'll feel better or worse now that she doesn't answer to me...
38
Marzia
My heart pounds as we get closer and closer to the last meeting point. This is it. This is where my brother and Vitto will be waiting to take me back where I belong.
My stomach is tied up into a giant knot and I feel sick as the car pulls up in front of a large driveway. I've never been to this house before. I heard it is one of Vitto's family's safe houses, the closest to their original home and the only one the Bernardis don't know about.
I get out of the car with Eleanora opening the door for me. She takes the guard's hand and they walk toward the building. Before they can take more than a few stops, gunshots ring out in the air.
My ears are deafened by the
shots. My heart is pounding and I can faintly hear someone screaming. The sound is overwhelming and as it gets louder and louder, I realize it's coming from my mouth.
Eleanora and the guard fall for the ground. She lets out a gargled sound as blood spurts out of her mouth. The guard leans forward, his own torso with two bullet holes as he kisses Eleanora's bloody mouth. In seconds, their bodies collapse to the ground, joined in one final kiss.
I'm still screaming as the driver of the car speeds away. More gunshots ring out. One into the wheels, one through the driver's head. He slumps down on the wheel, pressing the horn. The sound rings out where no one can hear it.
I fall to my knees before them. There's no one else here but me now. I've already realized I've made a horrible, grave mistake. Luigi and Vitto are ruthless. They just shot three people who were their fucking associates. What the hell is going to happen when they find out about everything Adrian has done to me?
The doors of the mansion fly open. There are no guards, only me and the two men who shaped my life until my parent’s death.
Luigi, my handsome brother, holding two guns and with a new look in his eyes, one that speaks of loss, determination and anger.
And Vitto, ridiculously handsome Vitto with his cruel eyes and irresistible smirk.
"Marzia." Luigi nods.
"Finally!" Vitto takes several steps forward, staring into my eyes as if he's trying to pull out all my secrets without asking a single question.
I avert my gaze, unable to handle the weight of his. My mind goes back to seeing Adrian at the docks. How he jumped into the water without another thought and tried to catch me. And the fact that I didn't go back... I chose to leave. And for what?
"How could you?" I whisper.
"What?" Vitto laughs.
"You killed her!" I scream. "You killed Eleanora, my maid! She was my only friend!"
"Unfortunately, we can't trust anyone." Vitto shrugs. "Don't worry, we'll get you a new maid when we get out of this hole."
"I don't want a new maid!" I screamed. "I want you to stop fucking killing innocent—"
Adrian's Vengeance: A Dark Mafia Romance Page 23
