Isabella stood by the door, her blue eyes scanning the room, when they landed on her father, they narrowed with anger. Her blond hair was tied into a ponytail, a hairstyle I had learned to do perfectly because even a slight strand out of place would lead to my hands being bruised, the wounds so deep I could barely touch anything for weeks. She wore a dress so short it barely touched her thighs. Her gaze still remained fixed on her father, who froze as he watched Malcolm move towards her.
My gaze snapped back to Kaden's back. My muscles tensed, the sound of my heartbeat thrashing in my ears. Why come back now? I thought, sweeping a hand across my forehead, wiping the sweat. It was like she wanted to get everyone killed.
I turned my head away from Kaden's black suit that stretched across his broad back, which made it harder to see past him to Malcolm and Isabella. I took a small side step away from him, trying to get a peek.
Kaden didn't notice, his gaze fixed on the scene.
Malcolm had reached Isabella, his gray eyes focused on her. Her gaze moved from her father to him. Her face visibly paling as she took him in, her confident posture stiffening, she took a step back. Her anger vanished, replaced by fear. It was so different from the girl I had grown up with. She was never afraid, she made people afraid. So seeing someone who gave her the same feeling she gave everyone she tormented, which was everyone, by the way, made everything more terrifying about this man.
Francisco got up so fast his chair stumbled, the thud echoing across the hall. He strode towards Malcolm, his pace quick, moving in between Malcolm and Isabella, blocking him from her. He chuckled, loosening his collar, a strained smile on his face, but you could see the panic in his gaze. He raised his hands, folding them together.
"Please, forgive her insolence. This is my... my niece! She wandered in at the wrong time. Please pay her no mind," he pleaded, his voice tense.
Niece?
He was still hiding it, still digging our graves even deeper. Francisco Rivera had no siblings; everyone in the hall knew it. He was putting out a gamble, hoping the Santos were unaware. Malcolm stood still, so still it looked like he wasn't breathing, eyes locked on Francisco. Sweat ran down Francisco's forehead. Everyone watched, holding their breath, hoping Malcolm believed what Francisco was saying, a lie that could save everyone today.
Malcolm voice cut through the silence. "I was unaware you had a niece," he said in a flat tone.
Francisco swallowed hard. "Not many know about her, you do understand? Family matters and all..."
Malcolm chuckled, making Francisco flinch, a loud, creepy chuckle that sent chills through my spine; everyone in the hall stilled, his face paled. "We do our research, Francisco." His head tilted slightly, something about that movement was predatory, a slight smirk forming on his lips.
"Listen, Malco-"
Malcolm cut him off. "Don't dig your grave even deeper, Francisco." He started moving towards him; Francisco backed away, taking quick, jerky steps. "You take us for fools," Malcolm continued, his lips curling back, baring his teeth.
"You're making a mistak-
Before he could finish, Malcolm charged towards him. Francisco tried rushing away, moving around him, but Malcolm moved with terrifying speed, grabbing the front of his collar and hauling him up as if he weighed nothing. Francisco gasped, his feet dangling in the air. Then Francisco's 's gaze turned cold, his nostrils flaring. "You can't disrespect me like this."
Malcolm stared at him, cocking his head as if hearing the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard. Then he dropped him without hesitation. Francisco hit the ground with a loud crack, landing on his face. He groaned in pain, blood spilling from his nose.
"Dad!" Isabella's high-pitched scream echoed through the hall, snapping Malcolm's gaze to her. "Dad?" he repeated the word like it tasted bitter on his tongue. Isabella's gaze moved to her dad groaning in pain on the ground, then to Malcolm, who stared down at her, his gaze narrowed. She took a step back, shaking uncontrollably, then took another hesitant one like she wanted to run.
Ace moved away from the altar. My gaze snapped to him, his strides were slow but heavy, like a predator stalking prey. As he moved from the altar, his green eyes shifted to Francisco on the ground, then to Isabella. He walked towards his brother, his scarred face blank, until he stood behind him. "We have been played, brother," he said, his voice a low, deep rumble.
Isabella watched the brothers stare down at her father, who groaned on the ground in pain. Her gaze darted everywhere, looking to see if anyone's eyes were on her as she took hesitant steps towards the door. But I did notice. I noticed everything she did, every movement, every twitch, because anything could tick her off. It could be the sound of your breathing, a side glance away from her, what you wore, how you talked. So I had learned to read her, to prevent her harsh punishments.
Before she could take another step, Ace's hand shot out. He barely moved, taking two long strides before he reached her, his hand grabbing onto her hair, yanking her back. She screamed out. "Let me go! Do you know who I am?" She tried to wrench his hand away from her hair, but he didn't budge, his grip still firm as he dragged her towards where her father cried in pain on the ground. "I won't spare you!" she snapped, her voice cracking.
If this was how they were treating her, Rivera's mafia princess, what would they do to me, a mere servant?
Malcolm stared down at Francisco for what felt like hours. Then he brought his leg down on his leg hard. A cracking sound echoed; Francisco screamed bloody murder. I squeezed my eyes shut, unable to watch any longer. I hated Francisco, but I couldn't watch the torture of another. I just couldn't. Then I felt it, a rough, large hand grab me by the elbow. My eyes shot open, widening. Kaden pushed me in front of him; almost stumbling, I caught myself. His hand still on my elbow, tight, making me wince. I looked up at him; his gaze was narrowed, his jaw tight. "Aren't you just a little liar?" he drawled out, his words laced with venom.
He leaned in slowly, his lips near my ear. "No looking away, little dove," his thick fingers moved towards my face. I flinched. His hand closed around my chin, his hand rough on my skin. He forcibly tilted my chin towards the scene across the room.
Ace reached through his suit jacket, removing a pistol. My eyes bulged out, my pulse racing, a sudden coldness hitting me. I couldn't watch this, I just couldn't.
I turned my head away, glancing towards the ground, my hands shaking. Kaden grabbed a handful of my hair, wrenching my head back to the same direction, the clips from my veil digging into my skin, the sharp pain moving through my scalp.
I gasped. "It.. it hurts." I whimpered, my voice barely audible. His grip loosening, but he still held me firm, forcing me to look.
Then I saw it. Ace's fingers curled around the gun, the weapon aimed at Francisco's leg, the same leg Malcolm had broken not long ago. Then he shot. I jumped at the sound, a sharp bang echoing across the room, blood gushing out from his leg. His bones visible. It felt like I stopped breathing; I couldn't breathe, gasping for air. I felt a feeling of nausea hit me. "Please Kaden, I can't. .." I pleaded, not being able to look any longer.
He spun me around, forcing me to face him, his hand still clutching my hair. Then he shoved my face against his chest, the hand that had been clutching my hair tightly now cradling the back of my head. I squeezed my eyes shut, my hands trembling moving towards his chest, grabbing the fabric at the edge of his shirt. Hot tears flowed down my cheeks, I held back a cry, my grip on his shirt tightening, the wetness making his shirt damp.
I didn't know what I was doing, or why I was doing it. I just knew, my muscles relaxed in his warmth. Before I realized it, I was sinking my face deeper into his chest, my eyes fluttering shut.
"How can I say no, little dove, when you beg me so sweetly?" he murmured. Then his hand ran down the length of my hair with gentleness, over and over again. I let out a huge breath, a sudden lightness filling my body.
The sudden wave of relief vanished as Francisco's gut-wrenching scream boomed across the hall. "Don't just sit there! Defend your Don! Kill these bastards!" He shouted, his voice hoarse as he commanded his men. Then a loud, sharp crack echoed, something heavy hit the ground with a heavy thud. I flinched, my muscles tensing up.
It couldn't be...
"Daddy!" Isabella cried out, her scream piercing the air, a sound of pure terror. Realization hit me like a ton of bricks.
They killed him...
Malcolm's voice boomed across the hall: "Leave no men breathing." He stated firmly, a sharp edge to his tone.
I froze in Kaden's arms, not moving an inch. His hand still stroked down my hair, but no matter how gentle his touch was, I could still hear the screams, the sounds of flesh being torn, of bones being snapped broken, while Kaden's heartbeat stayed steady beneath my ear. Every muscle relaxed, as if his brothers weren't in the middle of a rampage, killing everyone.
I turned my head, looking over Kaden's shoulder. Blood stained the walls, spreading across the floor where dead bodies lay. Francisco lay amongst the bodies, a bullet hole in the middle of his head, blood gushing out onto the floor.
My stomach turned, a wave of nausea hitting me. Forcing down a gag, I looked away, my gaze landed on Malcolm who gestured to his men to drag out the bodies out of the hall. "Fucking clean this mess up," he said, his voice flat.
"And take all the women to the staff rooms."
He was turning the women of the Riveras' into servants.
The men hauled the women, some trying to fight out of their grip and others crying hysterically, throwing curses at the men who stared at them blankly, picking them up like a sack of potatoes. My gaze darted to every single corner of the hall, until I saw her. Her narrowed eyes already locked on mine, her skin stretched into a snarl. She looked like she was on the verge of springing towards me and strangling me to death.
Kaden hoisted me up, snapping me out of thought. My gaze snapped back to his face, his brown eyes already locked on mine, with the same terrifying intensity he always seemed to have. His gaze felt heavy on my skin, lingering for a little too long. I lowered my head, trying to hide the flush in my cheeks. His voice dropped low.
"Time to go home, little dove," he drawled.
He hooked his arm under my knees, holding me against his chest as he turned and started walking towards the door at the back of the hall.
Home?
Why weren't they dragging me with the other women? And the bigger question, why am I still breathing, barely a scratch? I should have been killed for going through with the wedding. Not knowing made me even more terrified.
As he carried me, I felt a scorching hot gaze that pierced through me. My gaze snapped to the direction. Isabella's eyes were still on me as a man roughly dragged her to her feet, pulling her towards where they were taking the other women.
The staff room...
What sick joke was this?
The mafia princess dragged off as a servant. My body went still, my stomach churning.
And I as the wife of the Mafia Kings.