Page 10 of His Cursed Heart
A wedding which will bring peace, they say.
A wedding that will bring demise, I know.
The souls that were meant to unite experienced a tragic end, and they think they can prank the fate.
I hope they’ll be burn as a punishment.
The engagement party my father insisted on celebrating in Italy is full of people who can’t wait to see me being in the lion’s den.
I fake smile like a pro while I greet the strangers who congratulate me on my marriage. So touching.
My black dress is the perfect reminder for me to know that this feels like a funeral, not a party.
I feel a hand on my elbow and that one touch sends cold shivers in my body.
My father drags me out of the building, straight into the back garden full of colorful flowers.
“Change your scared face, uccellino. You’re into a castle full of men who would do anything to have this pretty, scared face in their sheets.” He says in Italian. A protective father as always.
“You think I’m scared? Wait until you see your face when I’ll tell my new husband how my father mistreated me for years. You’ll like that, don’t you?” I smile wickedly.
Not that Keaton will care, but he is loyal enough to crush my father if he finds out about my ‘happy’ memories. That’s the only thing I respect about him.
“I see that you still need a little bit of discipline. Very well.” In a second, his hand wraps around my neck like a gold necklace. “Let’s see what your new husband will have to say when he sees his wife with a red neck.”
I start to breathe harder, but hell if that stops me from speaking.
“Oh, so you want me to tell him how you put your friends to-“ I gag when his hand wraps more tightly.
“Don’t test my patience, girl.”
A long time ago I was Daddy’s scared little girl, but I caught something he never saw coming.
Courage.
“What is going on here?” A rough voice comes from the doorframe that separates the hall from the garden.
The hand disappears from my neck and it takes me a couple of minutes to get my vision cleared out.
I look behind me and see a big man that could make Hulk piss his pants, in a dark blue suit and a ponytail that tried to tame his wild curls.
Orion Hale.
“I was just putting a family heirloom around my daughter’s neck, young boy. Who are you to question me on my territory?”
“She is going to be my boss’s wife. The Outfit’s queen. I don’t care who you are, you are not touching Althea.” His voice is so rough and hoarse, a sign that he doesn’t speak that much, but he just protected me from my father’s wrath.
I met Orion once, four years ago when Keaton came to propose to Keres because she saved him from dying. But I can swear that Orion wasn’t as big as he is right now. He is a hunter just like Venus, but he doesn’t work for all the mafias. He works as a bounty hunter for the police department in Chicago, a way to hide his monstrous side.
“Althea you are expected in the main hall.”
“Right.” With that, I turn toward my father and give him one last smile and I leave, entering another den.
“What were you two talking about?” I look over at Orion and frowned.
“For someone who claims that doesn’t like talking, you sure do like gossip.” He looks at me dead in the eyes, and I leave his side too.
When I enter the hall, the first thing I see is the Empress’s long cape. I feel a gulp forming in my neck but I ignore it.