CHAPTER 4

DAMIAN

I arrived twenty minutes early. It was not by accident. Keeping to time counts as one of my rules. I adhere to it and so, I never forgive anyone who fails to.

Zach Moretti met me at the door himself,

dressed up as hospitality.

"Mr. De Luca." He extended a hand I didn't take. "Thank you for coming. Everything is prepared in the reception room.”

I walked past him without a word and Matteo tailed behind. The housekeeper led us towards the reception.

The room was exactly as staged as I expected. Zach's wife sat stiffly near the window, her daughter beside her, composed, watching me the way people watch something they're trying to decide whether to fear or charm. A handful of staff arranged at the edges of the room like furnitures.

But she was not there.

I turned to Zach who had walked in, but I didn't ask immediately. I let the silence stretch, watched Zach's composure strain under the weight of it, watched his wife's hands fold a little tighter in her lap. People revealed more in silence than they ever did in conversation, and I had learned exactly how to use that years ago.

"Where is she?" I finally said.

Zach's smile faltered. "She's — getting ready, Mr. De Luca. She'll be down shortly."

"Shortly."

"Any moment now," his wife added quickly, too quickly.

The housekeeper moved like she meant to volunteer — half a step forward, already opening her mouth to offer to fetch her. I held up a hand and the room went still.

"I'll get her myself.”

I walked towards the room the housekeeper pointed at but halted when I heard a quiet noise from the back staircase. I followed the noise, making sure my footsteps were faint and that was when I saw her. Moving fast towards the back gate, holding her gown like she had regretted wearing it.

She was trying to escape. From me.

She slowly opened the back door and ran off. I followed her and watched her run towards the fence.

I ended the game then.

“Where do you think you're going?”

She froze completely. I watched her shoulders rise and fall once, slow, like the air had simply left her body. She turned around to face me, I saw exactly what I expected to see. Fear.

“I–I,” she stuttered and it irritated me.

"Don't." I muttered dryly. "I'm not interested in whatever you're about to say, I want to know why you thought this would work.”

She said nothing. Her hands tightened around the hem of her dress, like she was holding onto something.

"Did you really think you'd get past that fence before I noticed you were missing?” I asked and she shifted uncomfortably.

"I had to try,” She whispered without putting up a defiance. Just the truth, offered like she expected nothing in return for it.

I studied her then. The trembling she was trying to hide, the way she kept her chin level despite it. It was clever, but foolish.

"Understand something," I finally said in a low but even voice. "There is nowhere out there for someone like you to run to. The men who would find you before I did would make this entire arrangement feel like mercy by comparison." I let the words settle into the space between us.

“Are you trying to frighten me?” she asked in a whisper. I moved closer and she shifted back quickly.

"Try this again," I warned, "and there won't be a conversation. Only consequences.”

She whimpered and shifted back. I turned back to go in but paused when I didn't hear her footsteps.

“Inside, now,” I ordered and she quickly walked in and I followed, close enough that she understood exactly how little distance remained between her and a different version of tonight.

****************

The reception room hadn't moved when we returned. Zach stood the moment he saw her — relief, then confusion, then something closer to alarm as he registered the silence between us, the visible tension in her shoulders.

"Seraphina, where were—"

"She was getting some air," I said, and the lie was deliberate, given without explanation, daring anyone in that room to question it.

No one did.

Matteo pulled out a seat for her and she quietly sat down. I sat down before he could pull one for me.

The room rearranged itself around then. Zach lowering back into his chair, Isabella's eyes flicking between Seraphina and me, calculating something I had no interest in.

"There won't be a wedding," I announced and the room went still.

The woman and daughter gasped. Seraphina didn't move.

"Mr. De Luca, surely—” Zach started but I cut him off.

"This is a contract," I said. "Not a celebration. She signs the documents and that's all that's required." I looked at Seraphina again, briefly, and watched her absorb the words without reaction — though I noted the slight release in her shoulders.

I watched the stunned Zach again, too stunned to bring out the documents.

Matteo cleared his throat and he reacted quickly, bringing out the documents and handing them over.

I looked at the documents once again and gave them to Matteo who handed them to her.

“Sign them,” he said, like she wasn't aware she should.

She looked at her parents, who seemed to be more concerned about the cancelled wedding than she was. Her eyes went to Isabella but it didn't last. Finally, she picked up a pen and signed them before handing them back. Matteo nodded and handed them back to me.

“She’ll move in two days,” I announced and gasps followed. I didn't care, she was mine now and I would do whatever I wanted with her.

I stood, buttoned my jacket, and walked towards the door, ignoring the surprised faces behind me.

Matteo's phone buzzed before we could reach the car. He looked at it and halted, and his expression hardened.

“What?” I asked and he sighed.

“Dominic,” he finally said. “He sent me a message.”

I continued walking. “What's in the message?”

“It’s about Vincenzo,” Matteo lowered his voice. “His last known location was two blocks from here,” he said and I stopped.

I turned to Matteo and he nodded in understanding. The message only meant one thing, Vincenzo was following us, and possibly stalking my new bride.

“Text Christy,” I finally said. “Tell her our bride is coming home today,” I ordered and walked back where I had come out.