His bluish-gray eyes are locked on me. He stares and does it in a way that makes the hair on my arms stand and my spine tingle. It's not fair that he looks so put together right now while I look like an absolute mess. Even from the distance, I can imagine the scent his body emits that I unintentionally became familiar with. And I hate that I'm aware of it.
The last time I saw him several days ago, he very much told me not to fight the council's order anymore and tie ourselves in matrimony as soon as possible because the arranged marriage was inevitable anyway. Our wedding is scheduled for this Saturday—two days from now. My family tried to get us out of this mess while Mariano wanted to hasten it.
According to him, unlike his father and grandfather, he didn't hold any grudge against my family. He told me our marriage will only be on paper and if I do it, our families will be safe. No more bloodshed.
Forget about how nice he was back when we were both in that hellhole. Or how he tricked me into thinking he was my friend when all along he was the enemy. I don't want to marry him. And now he's here to add salt to my wound.
"I'm sorry about your friend," are his first words to me and my heart squeezes at the reminder.
"Are you, really? Or are you here to gloat?"
He doesn't respond to that. Instead, he steps aside, nods towards the backseat, and tells me, "Get in the car, Ree."
Ree. I scoff. My face heats at his nickname for me. Like we're that close. Our time back then doesn't count because I still feel betrayed after finding out who he is. He's the only one who calls me "Ree", and it grates on my nerves. "It's Gabriella."
"Sure, Ree. Get in."
"I'm not going anywhere with you. If you have something to say, you can say it right here," I insisted as I cross my arms over my chest.
Mariano looks at me. No, he studies me carefully as if he's going to take a board exam and it's imperative that he passes. After he scrutinizes me silently, he sighs and runs his fingers through his long dark hair as if to smoothen it, only strands of hair fall back to his forehead like rebels. A rebel just like him. "Very well. Come with me to Chicago."
I'm taken aback by the audacity of this man. Who does he think he is? If he thinks he can just tell me what to do, he's sorely mistaken. Why the hell would I go with him?
The same people from his family who kidnapped me three months ago are the same people who killed Jino. And I can never forgive them.
Did Mariano just come here to kidnap me "politely"? And he expects me to just calmly agree to be taken away?
I scoff. "Are you serious? What makes you think I'd want to go with you? Jino is dead!" My eyes water, the moisture threatening to escape but I refuse to let it fall. I won't let him see me like this. "I'm not gonna play your games, Morelli. Just leave before I call my brother. He surely wants to get his hands on all of you."
My feet shake as I turn around and start walking away, but his deep voice stops me in my tracks.
"I hate to say I told you so, but I did warn you—"
"How dare you!" I spin quickly, feeling the rush of blood to my ears and the shaking of my body as I jab my forefinger to his chest. What he said drove an arrow into my stomach and it makes me so mad. "Someone I love is dead and you're—"
"And there will be more bodies if you don't take my offer."
"Is that a threat?"
"It's a fact. I already told you, the only way to stop this is to—"
"Marry you?" I laugh in his face and he must see the ridicule in my eyes. "How are you still talking about this? It's not happening!"
He looks like he's losing patience as he lets out a sigh and hands me a folded piece of paper. "My father and Fil are planning to attack Brooklyn in two days. On our supposed wedding day."
My heart drops to my stomach and fear paralyzes me. My entire family is here. When Mariano says they're attacking Brooklyn, he means to say they're attacking my family.
I glance at the paper but I don't take it. "What is that?"
"The oath my grandfather made. I didn't lie to you the first time, Ree. Marry me and this ambush will go away; your family will be safe."
I hesitate taking the paper and when I do, I slowly unfold it and read the print. One bloody thumbprint marred the white paper on top of Don Mario's name.
The document is simple. Don Mario relinquishes his duties and puts his grandson, Mariano, up the ranks to replace him. And his only condition is that Mariano gets married.
"This takes effect as soon as we get married. I'll be in control and stop the attack from happening."
He'll be in control. It's just like what he'd told me before, except this is the first time I'm seeing Don Mario's blood oath. A shrill, inexplicable feeling sits in my gut as I process it. If I had agreed the first time… Perhaps Jino wouldn't have died.
Am I really willing to risk losing my family? That shouldn't even be a question.
As the seconds tick by, my resolve gets weaker.
I lift my gaze and meet Mariano's. Although he's not saying anything, I can almost feel his desperation. Back then, I asked him why he insisted—why he wanted to marry me. He said he had his reasons. When I pressed on, he told me he wanted to overthrow those above him and rule the family.
Power does that to people. I guess he's hellbent to be the next Don.
He wordlessly opens the backseat and steps aside. "Come on. We have a flight to catch," he says. "You can review the agreement on the plane."
"I have to tell my family."
"No."
"I can't just leave!"
His jaw tightens and his eyes go a shade darker. "You can and you will. Get in the car or the deal is off."
My chest heaves as I breathe hard. I can't believe I'm choosing this. I tell myself this is a bad idea as my feet bring me forward. But as I stare him again in the eyes, all I can picture is the lifeless bodies of my family lying in the morgue if I don't do this.
Swallowing, I get in the car and close my eyes. Today is a nightmare. Maybe I'll wake up any second now and realize it's all just a wicked dream.
The cushion next to me dips and the door closes. The engine comes to life and jerks my body backward as it speeds out of the parking lot. The vibration underneath me is an unwelcome shake that tells me this is my reality now.
I swear to myself that I may take the devil's hand tonight, but I will never forget who I am. No matter if I'm staring the fucker in the eye.
My name is Gabriella De Luca.
And this is my hellfire.