The priest clears his throat before he begins. He goes on and on about the sanctity of marriage and how we should love and respect each other. It’s all fake. I will never love Marco.
And I will definitely never love Will. The second I’m married to Marco, I’m putting Will out of my mind.
“Do you, Marco Amato, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?” the priest asks.
Marco smiles down at me. “I do.”
“And do you, Gianna Bianchi, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
I can’t get the words out. If it was just a week ago, I would have said ‘I do’ without any hesitation if it was my duty to marry Marco. But it’s not my duty to marry him. I’m being forced into this and I want a voice of my own. I refuse to let it go after finding it for the first time in my life.
“She does,” Marco says, turning to the priest. “Now we’re married.”
“She has to say it,” the priest says. “I’m sorry, Marco. But she has to say it.”
Marco sighs. “Gianna, say the words.” When I don’t say anything, Marco tugs me in closer to him. “Gianna.” His hand on my arm tightens, making me cry out in pain.
“Let her go.” Will’s low voice fills the church.
Marco slowly turns to Will… only to find Will pointing a gun at him. The sight of Will with his gun drawn makes my heart speed up. What is he doing?
“Will?” Marco asks. “Lower you gun. What the fuck do you think you’re doing? You’re being ridiculous.”
“No. I’m seeing things clearly for the first time and I will not let you marry Gianna. I will not let you force her into this.”
Marco huffs. “You won’tletme? You don’t get to tell me what to do. You work for me, remember?”
“I quit. Now, let Gianna go.”
“No.”
“I will shoot you,” Will threatens. “Let her go.”
“You think you’re being brave? Why are you doing this? Why risk everything… for what?” Slowly, Marco’s eyes widen and he looks back and forth between me and Will. “Unless something happened. Did you take her, Will? Before I could?”
“I didn’t take her. But I am saving her. I see that now. She cannot marry you. I will not stand back and let it happen. So, either let her go or I will shoot you and you know I’m a perfect shot.”
“We have a witness.” Marco nods at the priest. “So unless you plan on killing an innocent man too, you can’t kill me. He’ll tell the police about you.”
“You paid him off,” Will counters. “He won’t go to the police.” But that’s when I see Will hesitate. He knows that Marco makes a good point. Will’s self-preservation is strong and yet… he’s willing to be selfless for me?
“Do you want to test out that theory?” Marco asks.
“Just let Gianna go.”
“She is not yours. She is mine.”
“She is not yours. Let her go.”
I try tugging my arm from Marco’s grasp but he only tightens it. I can’t stop myself from crying out again.
That’s when Will acts. He pulls the trigger, hitting Marco in the arm. Marco stumbles back and pulls his own gun out of his pocket. He aims it at Will but Will dives behind a pew to avoid getting hit. I curl into a ball with my hands around my head. The last thing I want is to get shot by an accidental bullet.
Will manages to shoot Marco in the hand, making Marco drop his gun. In one quick motion, Will grabs my arm and tugs me along. But Marco still gives chase. That is until Will shoots Marco in the leg, sending Marco to the ground.
“You fucker!” Marco screeches. “I will kill you for this.”
Will doesn’t say a word as he gets me out of the church and back into the car.
