“I do,” he replied.
Now, it was my turn. “Do you, Bethany, take Gabriel as your lawfully wedded husband?”
There was a lump in my throat as I tried to get the word out of my mouth, but I was struggling.
“Yyess,” I forced out.
The priest smiled, unknowingly, that this marriage was against my will. “I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
I felt the vomit burning up my throat and then back down as I swallowed it. Gabe stepped forward and then disappeared from my line of vision. The sound didn’t register at first, but as his head jerked to the side, blood splattered everywhere. I stood stunned as he fell to the ground. Screams filled and echoed throughout the cathedral. Something wet was dripping down my face. I looked down to see Gabe on the floor, his head busted open.
I heard my name as my brain tried to register what was happening. “Bethany!”
Next thing you know, I’m being hauled away to a private room. There, I find Luca and the rest of my family.
“What’s going on?” I asked, shaking.
“I promised I would make it up to you,” Luca said.
Right then, Emilio came walking through the door, quickly shutting it behind him. He hands Luca what appears to be a car lock keypad.
“They are all about to drive off now. Everyone is in place,” Emilio said as he handed it over.
Luca takes the keypad and looks to me as he pushes the button. A loud explosion is heard. He presses another button, and another loud explosion occurs. Everyone in the room except Luca and Emilio crutched down onto their knees from the startling sounds that made the room shake.
Luca handed the keypad back to Emilio, saying, “Make sure to get everyone out of here individually.”
Emilio nodded. As he walked out, he shot me a wink as I stood up straight. I was still stunned at what was going on. When the door was shut, there was a sigh of relief from my mother and sisters.
“Jesus, Luca,” Rita said in a low voice. “Could you have made it any more dramatic?”
“I could have blown up the Church,” he smirked.
My sisters and mother got to their feet.
As my mother fixed her dress, “Are you sure that is everyone?”
“That was everyone,” Luca replied confidently, “They are put behind us.”
“Aw, Bethany,” Isabella came to my aid, pulling out a tissue and wiping my face that was saturated in blood.
Confused, I looked at the small mirror in the room. Looking like Carrie at prom, I stood there covered in blood from head to toe. The red blood stained my blonde hair, fair skin, and ivory dress like I was part of a freak show.
Three men walked in to escort my mother and sisters out of the cathedral. Turning around to face my brother, I was speechless.
“I told you I promise to make it up to you.” Luca looked at me, trying to gauge what I was thinking.
Walking toward him, he braced himself as though I was going to hit him, but instead, I wrapped my arms around him. Squeezing him tightly.
Luca returned the gesture. “You think I’d leave my baby sister high and dry?” he kissed the top of my head.
“You could have done it before I had to say yes,” I huffed.
“I’m a man of honor, B. The priest pronouncing you husband and wife upheld our end of the deal. What happens after that is off the table.”
Pulling out of the hug, “Blowing them all up at once won’t seem suspicious?”
“That was Emilio’s touch on it. Alfie took care of the rest of them back in Nevada.”
