All Chapters of Marked By Him: Chapter 1 - Chapter 7

The piano's melody drifted through the drawing room. I sat rigid in my chair, the porcelain teacup balanced on my knee, watching Alessio's mouth move with the enthusiasm of a man who'd never been told to shut up. For thirty minutes now, he'd been regaling me with stories of his brutality.The way he'd broken the man's fingers, one by one, until the screaming stopped and the lesson was learned."You should have seen his face," Alessio said, leaning back with a self-satisfied chortle that made my skin crawl. "He thought he could steal from me. Me!?”I lifted my teacup and took a measured sip, the liquid barely lukewarm now. The chamomile tasted like ash in my mouth, or maybe that was just the company. Across from me, Alessio continued his monologue, oblivious to my glazed eyes."But enough about me," he said suddenly, and my attention snapped back to him. His cropped brown hair was gelled within an inch of its life. His close set eyes were fixed on me with an intensity that probably

The strobes of the lights danced in a dizzying pattern across the ceiling as the club patrons cheered and yelled in excitement over their drinks.I felt the music thrumming through my chest, settling somewhere deep in my ribcage, and I absolutely loved it.I grabbed Marco's arm, squeezing tight. "I love you," I shouted over the noise, practically bouncing on my toes. "This is the best pre-wedding gift ever!"Marco chuckled, the sound barely audible over the pounding electronic beat. "You're overexaggerating," he said, but there was warmth in his eyes.A waiter walked past, a tray balanced perfectly on his hand. I didn’t hesitate as I plucked a shot of tequila from the tray and threw it back in one smooth motion, the burn sliding down my throat.Marco gave me a look, one eyebrow raised."For extra courage," I explained, setting the glass down on a nearby table with perhaps a bit too much force.He laughed, shaking his head. "Wait here. I'll get us proper drinks." And then he was swallo

Three days had crawled and now, it was my wedding morning. I was in my bedroom while Dad’s voice droned on about the sacred responsibility of being a wife."...and you must remember that this union is bigger than you, Arya. The De Luca family expects-"But his words were just noise, I stared past his shoulder at the window, watching the estate's gardens blur through my unshed tears."Are you even listening to me?" My father's sharp tone cut through my thoughts like a blade.I blinked slowly, mechanically reciting his last sentences back to him. "This union is bigger than me. The De Luca family expects a wife who will uphold tradition and bring honor to both families. I understand, Father. I'm listening."His eyes narrowed into suspicious slits, studying my face for traces of rebellion. The silence stretched between us until Mom stepped forward, breaking the tension with open arms."Oh, my darling girl," Mom whispered, pulling me into an embrace. Her voice trembled on the edge of tears

We changed cars halfway, stopping in an abandoned warehouse where two other cars and some men stood as though they were waiting for us.The three men stepped down from the car leaving me alone, and I silently waited, making sure they weren’t looking at me before I pushed the door open just a crack.Pleased to find that it was unlocked, I pushed the door farther and used the opportunity to break away from them. I didn’t care if it was stupid or about the possibility that he could shoot me for behind. I just pushed my feet to move fast.But he was quicker, he grabbed the back of my neck then tugged me backward, my legs staggering against the ground. “No!” I screamed, tears blurring my eyes. He dragged me back to the others and my heels cracked against marble with every stumbling step. My gown snagged on stone corners and tore, but he didn't slow down."Let me go!" I shouted, twisting, driving my fists into his back. "Do you hear me? Put me down, you arrogant bastard!"My knuckles co