Arranged Marriage

Chapter 2

I was pulled from the black limo and onto my feet. I was met by five body guards – probably my new husband's, as well as a church that made me feel like an ant in comparison. My body froze at the sight of them. All large build males in black suits and black sunglasses that covered their eyes. None of them made eye-connect with me which made my already unsettled stomach worse.

"Zoey," I called out, wanting something familiar.

"Here, I'm here!" she yelled, running from the other side of the car to me.

I clung to her arms, not allowing her to leave me even for a second.

"Zo, don't leave me," I begged her.

"Come on," she mumbled through her teeth, pushing me towards the church doors.

I had become nothing but a vessel, my soul long gone. In the church, I was surrounded by unfamiliar faces, another two girls that were supposed to be my bridesmaids, the priest and more bodyguards. I didn't know if they were protecting me from something unknown or making sure that I didn't bolt. My grip on Zoey's arms became tighter as people fixed up my dress and flowed out my veil. Flowers were pushed into my hands and my father appeared from the crowd. My hands quickly found their way into his, not wanting to get lost in the sea of bodies.

"Bride is good to go," I heard a man say before there was a beep in the walkie-talkie that sat in the jacket of his suit.

"Everything outside is securer and safe. No sign of him," the voice rang back.

"No sign of who, Pappa?" I whispered, clinging to his arms as the veil was pulled over my head.

"You look so beautiful," he told me again, tears filling his eyes.

"Pappa –,"

My voice was cut off by the sound of music and bodies pushing me towards the aisle. My death grip on Pappa's arm tighten as I struggled to walk down the long aisle between the rows of faces I hardly knew. I refused to look up at the end, not wanting to meet the man that I would be tied to for the rest of my life. But we came to the end, far too soon.

"P-Pappa," I whispered, not wanting him to give me up.

"I wish you luck my darling," he told me, raising the veil.

I whispered another please, which he ignored before kissing my cheek and taking my hand. My eyes were glued to them as I watched him place my hand into the hand of another.

"Treat her well," I heard my father say, "That's all I ask."

"You have my word," the rich deep voice answered, causing my legs to shake.

I licked my suddenly dry lips as my eyes slowly made their way up the arm that belonged to the hand, to the shoulder and the neck. My heart leaped into my throat when they landed on his face. His head was covered with black curly hair that hung around his ears. A strong jawline shaped his face with a thin layer of small stubbles along his cheeks, chin and upper lip. A smile was far from his lips and dark eyebrows held a shadow over his black, soulless eyes. His very presence caused goosebumps to rise on my arms and neck as he brought a sort of fear to my body.

"Shell we get started?" the priest asked us, when he realized that we weren't going to speak.

"Eliza Uccello and Patrick Maestri have you come here to enter into Marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?" 

Our eyes met, almost daring each other to tell the priest no.

"I have," we answered, a little stunned by the sound of each other's voices.