The dress fits perfectly without any modifications. Like it was made for me.
I leave the changing room to show Francesca the dress. It’s then that I notice everyone else in the store looking at me.
“That dress looks amazing on you,” a different sales woman says to me.
“I have to agree,” another woman adds. They don’t think I’m some freak. They all like the way I look.
For just a moment, it instills confidence in me.
That is until the front doors burst open and a man in a ski mask enters, holding a gun.
“Everyone down!” he shouts.
All the women in the shop drop to their stomachs, including me. The dress will wrinkle but right now that is the last thing I should be worried about.
The man comes right over to me without any hesitation. He nudges my back with his foot. “You. Get up.”
I stare at the ground, unable to move.
With a sigh, he grabs my arms and hauls me to my feet.
“Let her go!” Francesca screams, running at the man but he points his gun at her head.
“I will kill you. Don’t move.”
Francesca immediately goes still.
The man tugs on my arm and I force my legs to move as we leave the store. He pushes me into a simple black car that blends in with every other car on the street. I don’t make a sound, even as I wince from the pain of my body hitting the back seat.
He’s eerily calm as he gets into the car and drives us away from the bridal shop. Francesca runs outside but she won’t catch me in time. I just have to hope that the police will find me. Or my brother will.
I don’t say a word as my kidnapper drives. We eventually end up at a large mansion that is so big, it’s almost hard to believe it’s that big.
My kidnapper doesn’t say a word to me as he forces me out of the car and up to the house. It’s only after we’re inside that he lets me go.
A different man stands before me. One I know of but have never met before. Marco Amato. I only know him from the pictures Enzo showed me.
He’s the one who’s at war with my brother.
“Good. You brought her.” His eyes sweep me over. “And already in a wedding dress. How perfect. Do you know who I am, Gianna?”
“Marco A-Amato,” I stutter.
“Yes. And do you know why you’re here?”
I shake my head as my body shivers.
“You’re going to help me destroy your brother. And you’re going to do that by marrying me.”
Chapter Three
Will
The first thought I have when I first lay eyes on Gianna is that she is extremely beautiful. It’s a soft beauty. Old Hollywood style. My mom used to love watching Audrey Hepburn films and she would make me sit down and watch them with her. After she passed, I found myself watching those films of my own free will.
Gianna reminds me of those films. She’s a black and white actress. A silent one at that.
She stares at Marco in shock when he proposes marriage to her. I can’t blame her. When Marco told me of his idea – to kidnap Gianna for him to marry her – I thought it was fucking nuts. But he paid me well and I’ll do most things for money. I trynot to have a conscience that’s going to make me upset with what I do for said money.
