His name is out before I know it, my voice breaking with relief. I don’t care how desperate I sound because he’s here. My cousin is here and suddenly I’m clinging to him, stammering out words so fast I can barely keep track of what I’m saying. He pulls me back, gripping me tight.
“Liana, stop for a second. Take a breath. I need to talk to you quickly before we get downstairs. That guard who was watching you isn’t who you think he is.”
I look at him with confusion but don’t get a chance to respond before guards barge in looking annoyed. One is holding a bloody nose and speaking into his phone.
“Step back from her. Now,” one of them says with authority.
His voice is flat, like he’s used to being obeyed. Unfortunately for him, my cousin does not obey. Instead, Andre pushes me behind him and crosses both arms over his chest, taking up a wide stance.
“Make me,” he says with a small smirk.
The guard with the bloodied nose growls out as he stalks forward.
“Stop,” the other one says. “Santiago says he can stay.”
“Who the fuck is he?”
“I’m Andre Manitellie. Her cousin. And I’m walking her down the aisle.”
He says it slowly, like he’s daring them to argue with him.
“Clean up this mess,” he gestures to the blood dripping all over the floor with disgust as he laces his fingers through mine and pushes past them, pulling me behind.
“Asshole,” one of them mutters and I look back to find both of their eyes lingering on him as though marking him for later.
Andre doesn’t give them another glance. He turns to me instead, his gaze softening as he offers me his arm.
“Come on,” he murmurs gently, guiding me downstairs.
My mind is a mess, tangled with panic and confusion and the next thing I know, we’re at the foot of the church doors.
“What were you trying to tell me earlier?” I ask as he pulls my veil over my face.
He doesn’t have time to respond because the doors open with a heavy groan, and just like that, the world detonates around me. The music starts and I’m met with so many faces staring at me that I suddenly feel vulnerable and exposed. Thesound of hundreds of gasps ripple out like a shockwave, making my own heartbeat pound so hard I can barely hear anything else. I feel Andre move forward guiding me with him as I keep my eyes cast down. I can’t look at all of these people. I can’t look anywhere else but down. The idea of looking up, of seeing what’s waiting at the end of that aisle, is too much. I can’t do it yet.
“It’ll be okay,” he whispers, and I realize I’m gripping onto him like my life depends on it. I sneak a look at his face, through my veil, noticing the seriousness in his eyes.
“I swear,” he says. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I want to believe him, mostly because I think he believes himself. But deep down I know, no matter how close my family is, I’m on my own with all of this. Unless I run…and I know I won’t do that now either. We reach the altar and Andre kisses both of my cheeks before letting me go.
Every inch of me locks up as I climb. I keep my eyes down, watching each step before reaching the top and stopping. A quick glimpse of the priest who gestures for me to turn towards my new husband and then I’m looking down again.
He isn’t having it though. A tattooed hand slides under my veil, gripping my chin and guiding my face up. My eyes flick to a set of green emeralds and my heart stops.
Rio Sanchez stands in front of me, his tux hugging his body perfectly. He looks like sex and sin and every woman’s dream. Only this isn’t Rio to me. The datura tattoo ripples along his neck as he swallows.
‘Frankie.’
I gave myself to this man. Willingly. I gave him my innocence not knowing it was his to take anyway…and he let me believe it was my choice all along.
“Hello, Datura.”
His voice comes out thick and raspy as he calls me by my nickname with no hesitation at all. A small smirk plays acrosshis lips. Everything drops out from under me all at once. My heart shatters, shock and horror ricochet through me.
‘Frankie is Rio.’
He lied to me about everything. He used me. And now he’s here, standing in plain sight, switching identities like he’s just changing his jacket. Like he didn’t just unravel my entire existence. I say nothing. I don’t think I could respond to him even if I wanted to.
