“I now pronounce you husband and—”
The rapid, successivebangsof a machine gun boomed from outside and into the ballroom. Screams filled the air as dresses and suits tumbled on the floor. I dashed through the panicked crowd, my arms stretched with a gun in each hand, and threw myself at the altar, knocking down anybody in the way.
I swiveled and, along with my bodyguards, I shot at the fuckers with the machine guns. They were in suits, their faces covered with Halloween masks.
When my men sheltered my body with theirs, I saw Leo was on the floor, his shoulder bleeding, Michele covering him with his body.
“I got him, but she’s down! Take her and go!” Michele yelled over the bullets.
I glanced to my right. At my Angel. At the redness smearing the center of her dress in a growing circle. At her silent face. At her screaming sister.
“NOOOOO!”
Chapter 41
Lina
Blackness. An infinite ocean of blackness.
“Wake up, my sweet Angel.”
“Marciano? Are you here? Am I dead?”
“No, Angel. You’re here. With me.”
“But you’re dead. Marciano?”
Dark blue eyes taunted me in the dark.“Tino. My name is Tino.”
“Tino?” A gasp snagged in my chest as I opened my eyes, a pounding headache and queasy stomach hitting me hard. Was I dreaming? No, I was awake. The dull pain resonating through my body told me so. It was still dark, though; I couldn’t see a thing.
For a second, I couldn’t remember what day it was or where I was. Then the fog enveloping my head cleared a bit. I was at…my wedding. My fucking red wedding. The horrible events rushed in. There was a shooting. Leo! Nicky! Oh my God.
What happened to them? What happened to me?
I was lying on something comfortable. As comfortable as my bed at the mansion, but it was different. The air was humid and the smell of the room, sea breeze and lemon, confirmed I wasn’t at the mansion at all. I attempted to get up, but I could barely lift my head, let alone my body. There was so much pain in my lower abdomen. What the fuck?
I checked my body. A blanket covered me, but I was naked underneath. Panic took over me. I reached a hand to check between my legs. Something was inside me. A…tube of sorts. I felt the extended length and found a plastic bag attached to it. That must be a catheter? To my huge relief, I felt no wetness, no soreness other than the mild uncomfort caused by the catheter. No indication I’d been violated.
For now, at least.
My hand moved to the source of pain and found a lump on my stomach that felt like a bandage or a dressing. Had I been shot?
Tears burned my eyes, but I didn’t let them fall. Crying wouldn’t help me. I had to be strong for whatever was going on. To face whoever took me—it wasn’t so hard to guess it was the Lanzas—and find a way out.
Were they planning to kill me? Of course not. Not now. They wouldn’t patch me up if that was the plan. Torture me? Rape me? Rape me and then kill me like Seppi did to Leo’s Mom?
Every horrifying story I’d heard from people or seen on the news or in a movie ran through my mind. My life was the biggest horror show I was forced to experience live. What did I expect? I was the girl born on Halloween. Horrifying me had been the entertainment of others since I could remember. For some reason, despite my luck and long history of unfortunate events, I was convinced having my wedding on that fucking day was okay.
Like it’d have mattered. The Lanzas would have come on any day the wedding would have been. What was I thinking?
I thought of Nicky and her protective embrace. I thought of Leo and his smile. I thought of Tino and all the trouble I’d caused him. I thought of my wedding that went from a fairytale to a nightmare. I thought of all my plans to finish high school and get a scholarship to become a distinguished violinist.
It was highly likely I’d never see any of those again.
Anger kicked in and held back the panic. I bit back a scream as I forced myself up, the pain unbearable.
Carefully, I felt my way out of the bed, securing the blanket tightly around me. My bare feet touched the floor. Smooth and cold. Not hardwood. Porcelain.
