As her driver takes them away, I turn to face Father. "You really think Ryder will go along with this?"
"I have faith," Father says, "That one of my sons will do what I want. You're already disappointed me, let's see if Ryder is smarter than you."
"I'm sorry," I mutter.
"Did I hear that right? The mighty Adrian knows how to apologize?"
"Not about the wedding," I grumble. "About Marzia getting away, and with the baby, too. I fucked up."
"Yes, you did," Father replies sternly. "But it's not too late to fix this. We have a new lead on Marzia's potential whereabouts... Come with me, I'll tell you everything."
I fall into step behind him, following him to his office. As I watch Father walk and talk, I realize just how painfully thin he's gotten.
But I find myself too worried to address that particular worry just yet.
40
Marzia
The days are passing by painfully slowly and I find myself more afraid with each hour that ticks by on the clock.
There's been no word from Adrian. Even if he is looking for me, I have no way of making contact. Both Luigi and Vitto have picked up the habit of locking me inside the bedroom, just like Adrian and papa did before them. But unlike papa and Adrian, I never openly hated Luigi.
Not until I got to this fucked up house of terrors.
I'm starting to get a better impression of why no one wants to help the two men that are keeping me captive. I've quickly realized that by coming here, I signed my own prison sentence. They don't let me out of their sight, and it's becoming increasingly obvious the reason they don't have help is because they're both fucking delusional.
I understand how painful losing our parents was for Luigi. I know how horrible he feels, having to give up the throne to the enemy. And I know he doesn't have a special connection with the Bernardis like I do.
Luigi has every right to hate Adrian and his family. But I'm still hoping I can change his mind. That's why I pull him aside today, while Vitto has gone out to get supplies. They know it's too risky if they show up in town too often ‒ people will start to wonder about them ‒ so they're pretending to be just passing through.
It's one of the rare moments we have alone without Vitto, so I'm hoping I can get through to my brother. While we've never been as close as some siblings are, we've never fought either, and I believe I can get him on my side and convince him they can't win against the Bernardis.
We sit down in the garden.
Luigi seems distracted with a bottle of our family grappa while I struggle to find the words to explain myself. "I'm regretting leaving Adrian," I finally find myself whispering. "I think Vitto is bad news."
He looks at me for a long time, weighing up my words. When he finally speaks up, I'm shocked by the words leaving his mouth.
"I've had a bad feeling about him for a while now," Luigi admits. "He has been acting crazy ever since he found out Adrian had taken you captive. I don't know why... but those two have an intense, competitive history."
I remember what happened in the docks when we were children, and I know Luigi is right. Both Adrian and Vitto have had these unhealthy obsessions for a long time, and I've only made them worse. Now, I have a feeling one of them won't survive this rivalry.
"I think we need to leave," I continue. "I'm afraid of Vitto. He's too unpredictable, and I'm afraid he's going to hurt me or you, if you stand up to him."
Luigi nods thoughtfully. "There is a man in town I've been visiting when I went to get supplies. I think he could take us to Adrian. Are you sure he wouldn't turn this against us and kill me?"
I reach for his hand, gently squeezing it. "If I tell him not to hurt you, he won't hurt you. And Bruno listens to me as well. Please don't worry. We just have to—"
"You just have to what?"
Startled, we both look to the terrace doors that lead outside where Vitto is now standing with a thunderous expression on his face.
"Nothing, we were just chatting," I rush to get out. "Weren't we, Luigi?"
"Save me the bullshit, Marzia," Vitto hisses. "I overheard you talking." He tosses the food he got on the floor and comes up to us.
Cold sweat breaks out over my skin and I realize just how afraid I am of him. He's not like Adrian. He's unpredictable and a coward… this makes him very fucking dangerous.
"I heard about the visits you've been making in town," Vitto addresses my brother. "Why would you tell someone we're up her? You've endangered us all."
"The man I was seeing is a distant relative," Luigi pleads with my fiancé. "He is going to help us."
"We don't need help!" Vitto snarls, slamming his fist on the table.
The glass cracks and I feel myself take a sharp breath of air, too afraid to exhale.
"Anyway, he won't be able to play along with your little schemes."
"What do you mean?" Luigi demands. "You didn't, Vitto! He was a relative!"
"I don't give a shit!" Vitto grabs him by the shirt and walks him over to the grass.
I get up, placing my palm over my mouth as I wordlessly watch them argue.
"You betrayed all three of us when you spoke to him behind my back. He could've been the Bernardi's spy!"
"He wasn't," Luigi says, alarmed. "He was eighty years old, for fuck's sake, Vitto—"
"Don't argue with me."
"I'm just—" Before my brother can finish his sentence, Vitto slams a fist into his nose.
I shriek when I hear the crunch of bone, shivering in fear as Luigi stumbles backward.
Vitto is fucking losing it and I have no idea how to stop him. I keep calling his name but he pays me no mind as he pulls out a gun and approaches my brother on the ground.
"That was your last shot," he hisses at Luigi. "One more mistake and you're fucking dead."
"Vitto, I thought we were on the same side," my brother rasps as the blood rushes from his nose. He groans, trying to pick himself up while Vitto watches him with a pitying expression. "I never did anything to hurt you. We want the same things!"
Vitto laughs as if all of this is part of some cruel, twisted joke. He kneels on the ground and stares my brother in the eyes. "You're lying, aren't you, Luigi?"
"What would I be lying about? You're my best friend," Luigi rasps.
"Her." Vitto points at me. "You never wanted me with her."
The short silence that follows his words speaks volumes to all of us.
I realize Vitto is right and it fills me with warmth knowing my brother wants better for me than his tormentor friend. But this doesn't bode well for Luigi and as I watch Vitto's cold, calculating expression, I realize what he's going to do before he even pulls out the gun.
"Luigi, run!" I scream before it's too late.
My brother clumsily gets to his feet and stumbles toward the pine woods at the back of the garden. A gunshot rings out then another scream. My brother goes down. Vitto fires two more bullets into his unmoving body.
I can only stare in horror. The moment he pockets the gun I take off running, kneeling next to my brother. When I see Luigi's face, I know it's too late. He's gone. I close his eyes and turn to face Vitto with an enraged expression.
Before I can say a single word and as hot tears stream down my cheeks, Vitto points the barrel of the gun down at me. "Don't even think about running," he growls at me, "Or disobeying me, or trying to piss me off!"
My blood runs cold as I nod in silent agreement even though I'm still crying. Vitto is a madman. I don't know whether he finally snapped when Bruno killed his family, or if this was always festering deep inside him, but he's beyond salvation.
My only hope now is Adrian.
The irony of the situation isn't lost on me. I follow the man I wanted to save me into the house. He puts me into my bedroom and locks the door twice behind me.
Vitto has already explained what's going to happen next. He's determined the two of us need to get married, and he's already made it fucking clear I won't have a choice in
the matter.
As I pace the room he's locked me into, I can't come up with a plan to escape. I'm on the second floor with bars on the window. I'm locked in here all the time and Vitto has guns. I have no doubt he'd rather kill me than let me escape.
I start thinking about Adrian. Lately, I've forbidden the subject of him in my thoughts because going down that road can be too fucking dangerous. I can't get lost in daydreams of what our life could be. I need to focus on getting out of here first, because it looks as if the chances of that are dwindling.
Vitto has already announced his intention of marrying me, but how soon is he going to act on that? And even if he finds a priest, I could delay the wedding and say no... But then I'd fear for my life. I'm already terrified he's going to snap and kill me for so much as stepping on a creaky floorboard.
A few days later, Vitto demands I have dinner with him. He orders me to wear the prettiest dress in these wardrobes, which is a black velvet, tight little dress with bardot sleeves. As I get ready, I can't help wondering if Adrian would like this look on me. The dress, maybe, but now how pale and scared I look because of Vitto.
As I apply my lipstick, my hands shake so badly, I have to fix it three times.
Finally, I head downstairs into the garden where Vitto has laid out a candlelit feast.
I look around suspiciously. It's not like him to do this, to set up everything this way as if I actually mean something to him. I've long since stopped believing a real connection could happen between Vitto and me. He only cares about revenge and claiming what he can't have. I could have been any other girl and he would've reacted the same way.
He sits at the head of the table with his eyes dark and angry.
I take the seat opposite of him, hoping to get some distance, but soon realize this only gives him more leverage to stare me down as if he's trying to read my thoughts. I shake my head, hating the thought of him seeing all my secrets.
"Eat," he barks at me.
I quickly pick up my fork. I'm too afraid not to obey Vitto immediately. I've already seen the consequences of his short temper—the casualties of it are buried all over this piece of land.
My eyes water at the memory of my brother. I can't forget Vitto killed him like that, in cold fucking blood. How am I supposed to move on from what he did? He's a fucking monster and I can never forgive him for killing so many people that meant the world to me.
I'm really an orphan now. I have no one left. I realize I've never felt more alone.
"Talk," Vitto demands next. "Don't be quiet like a church mouse. Talk to me."
He went out today, locking me in my room. I tried to escape but there is no way out of this horrible house. I am stuck with Vitto unless Adrian finds me... before my husband-to-be kills me in a fit of fucking rage.
"I hope y-you had a nice day today," I manage to get out. "The food is good."
"Can't you put a little more effort in?" Vitto demands.
"I'm afraid."
He laughs out loud. "I'm not going to hurt you unless you give me a reason."
Adrian's reasons were because I loved it. Vitto's are because he hates me.
"Tomorrow we're going down to the chapel and we're going to be married," Vitto announces. "I brought you a wedding dress from a store in town. It's waiting for you inside."
I feel dread sinking in as those words leave his lips. I've found myself praying this would never happen, and now, in a sick twist of fate ‒ I'm exactly where I started months ago ‒ back at the beginning.
I want to argue with Vitto. I'm desperate to tell him to go fuck himself because I'm never going to say I do. But I'm also more aware than ever of the gun tucked behind his back and the other one in his boots. What's stopping him from killing me? He's past the point of caring now, and it would be the ultimate revenge to steal me from Adrian once and for all.
"Aren't you going to say something?" Vitto demands.
I refuse to meet his eyes. Refuse to give him the attention he so desperately craves. Instead, I stare forward, shrugging.
It is obvious he doesn't like this, as he slams a fist against the table glaring at me with an enraged expression. "You should be happier about marrying the love of your life, Marzia," he hisses at me, the silent warning hanging heavily in the air between us.
It's not worth it to argue with him, not when I know this is a fight I won't be able to win. Instead, I just avert my gaze. I've lost my appetite. The food on my plate remains untouched. "May I please be excused?" I find myself saying.
This only sends Vitto into another frenzy. "No, you may not," he grunts. "You'll be excused when I'm done with you."
Abruptly, I push my chair away from the table. I've had enough and I feel sick to my stomach again. If I stay here another moment I'm going to throw up. I can't believe my life has turned out this way. That Vitto is really doing this to me, ruining everything I've ever wanted.
"You know what," he snaps. "I think it's about time I finally took what I've wanted this whole time. Or are you going to insist on running away from me, Marzia?"
My blood runs cold at the sound of those words. Does he mean what I think he means? Is he going to hurt me? I jump up.
He does the same, a menacing look in his eyes as he hungrily devours me with his gaze. "Oh yes, I'm going to sink my fucking teeth in tonight."
I don't wait for him to go on… I take off running. He's lightning fast on his feet after me, chasing me down the hallway, as I struggle not to trip over my own feet. I know if he gets his hands on me—things won't end well. He's told me before he's barely keeping the lust he feels for me at bay and I know I'm only making things worse by making him chase me.
But I'd rather be damned than become Vitto's victim. He's never going to take what he wants, not from me, not if I have anything to do with it.
I stumble up the stairs, with him only a few steps behind me. My heart pounds in anticipation of what's going to happen next. Somehow, I still have the upper hand, and I run to my bedroom, slamming the door closed. Luckily, there's a key in the door, but even as I turn it, I know it won't keep me safe from Vitto, especially given how enraged he is right now.
Shivering, I move some furniture in front of the door. Two chairs, and then I start moving a dresser, working hard and groaning while Vitto threatens to smash the door down. My heart is fucking pounding. If I thought I was afraid of Adrian, this is a thousand times worse.
At first, I thought the worst thing Vitto would do to me is what most men do in this business ‒ sleep around, not let me do what I want ‒, but I know now it's so much worse than that. Vitto Donatti merely sees me as a possession, as something to own and not even treasure. He wants to hurt me for the sake of it, to get back at Adrian. He doesn't give a shit about me, never did. All he wants is to break someone else's toy because he couldn't have it first.
From outside the door, I hear the sound of his maniacal laughter. He's laughing at me because he knows I'm fucking helpless in here. At least there's a bathroom attached to the bedroom... But even so, what's really stopping Vitto from coming in here? It's a momentary reprieve. He will be back tomorrow.
And he tells me as much. I can almost see him on the other side of the door, forehead pressed against the wood as he makes sick promises that chill me to my very bones.
"Tomorrow you will become my wife," Vitto rattles on. "And then you won't be able to resist me ever again. I'm not letting you get away this time. You owe me, Marzia."
I want to fucking smash something in his face, but I know I shouldn't react. If I do, it will only piss him off more and he'll take it out on me the next chance he gets. I need to stay level headed.
His ramblings continue.
Now, I begin to wonder if he's set up permanently in front of my door, so he can intimidate me all fucking night long. I press my hands over my ears, trying to block out the sound of his words but it's no use. My heart won't stop pounding and fear reverberates through my body, knowing there's a madman on the other side of the
door.
I wash up with shaky hands and lie on my bed as the sounds of Vitto's enraged growls finally die down. I don't know whether he's gone back to his room or fallen asleep outside the door, but I know I'm not safe here for long. But there's nothing else I can do. I can't get out the window, not with the bars preventing me from getting out. There's no escape here. I've checked the room for vents, but even the big one isn't big enough for me to hide in.
I lie on my back on the bed, mind racing as I try to come up with a solution. I don't know if I'll ever be able to outrun Vitto. Something tells me he isn't going to give up, not until he's made me his property officially.
I must drift off sometime during the night, but I wake up with a start at the sound of someone hacking on my door. I rush to stand by the window, screaming into the void outside without any hope of being found or someone helping me.
"No one hears you here," Vitto tells me from the hallway. "Scream away, I'll punish you for every time you open that mouth."
I'm shivering by the time he's knocked down the door. He tumbles over the dresser and enters the room, a vision without his shirt and his muscular, toned body glistening with sweat. Any other woman would think him a catch, but not me. I've come face-to-face with the monster beneath his handsome exterior now, and I know there's no mercy inside this man.
He approaches me slowly, like a predator circling his prey. A smile plays on his lips as he hands me a large cardboard box. "Put this on."
I take the box from him with shaky hands, too afraid to argue with him further. Carefully, I take a look inside—my eyes widen when I see a wedding dress resting amidst layers of tissue paper.
"I told you we were going to be married, didn't I?" Vitto seems lost in a world of his own, his eyes clouding over with desire as he watches me shiver. "Put it on, right the fuck now."
"C-can you g-give me some privacy?" I manage. I hate how fucking weak I sound, but I can't help it, I've never been more afraid in my life.
He takes the utmost pleasure in telling me no, before sitting in an armchair in my bedroom, hungrily watching me as I strip down to my underwear. I turn around to take my bra off, but he doesn't let me. His lecherous eyes drink me in as I strip down to my panties.
Adrian's Vengeance: A Dark Mafia Romance Page 25
