4. Izzy

Chapter 4

Izzy

H is words bounced around the chapel before landing across my skin. They burned me, bringing me to my senses.

My mind was a muddled mess of confusion, chaos, and apprehension.

He couldn’t be serious.

“I’m not signing anything or agreeing to this,” I argued, attempting to escape the confines of his arms.

Except he was much stronger now than he had been in our youth. I could barely budge.

Before, he had been a comfort–a salve needed after a traumatic night–but now I wasn’t so sure. I knew Emilio lived a darker lifestyle, that his family owned most of this town, but he had always made me feel safe. Protected. Loved .

Emilio remained silent, but the chapel suddenly roused with an eerie tune.

A wedding march.

We were only half a dozen steps from the altar at this point, and he wasn’t slowing his pace or loosening his grip.

“Emilio, you aren’t thinking clearly.” My heart pounded into my ears.

This isn’t happening.

My head swiveled, searching for anyone to come to the rescue. But there were only the four of us here and Kazi was not going to be my ally. I found the priest’s attention, but he quickly looked away, clutching a bible to his chest. He was muttering under his breath and his wiry gray hair was disheveled. Upon closer inspection, I noted he appeared to have been freshly pulled from his sleep. His garb was littered in wrinkles and his face still had the indents from a pillow.

Is he even here of his own free will?

“Emilio.” I put as much oomph into my voice as I possibly could. “I am not agreeing to marry you.”

“Kazi, give him the form to sign,” Emilio barked out the order, his voice held none of its previous warmth.

Kazi came up from behind and handed the priest a single piece of paper to sign. Kazi shifted uneasily from foot to foot, his charcoal eyes flashing around in anxiety, his hands clenching and unclenching.

Emilio and I had made it to the altar now too.

“Son, this isn’t right.” The priest cast me a cursory glance, scribbling on the form, nonetheless.

I could just make out what the top of the paper said before Kazi wrenched it away.

NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT.

It looked eerily close to the documents Emilio had me sign in the car.

What the actual fuck is going on?

“Neither are your ties to that abuser. Stephen . Or is it Steve now? You were given grace in our family, but you chose to go against our wishes. This is your salvation,” Emilio snarled the words out, pushing the priest off the altar. “You have until this wedding is over to leave this town. Go !”

The priest’s face turned ashen, and he didn’t hesitate a moment longer before running for the door. I watched over Emilio’s shoulder as the priest made it outside.

I was able to see two men in black suits grab him by the arms as the doors closed shut .

“Emilio, what are you doing?” My anxiety was hammering against my chest painfully. My unease weaved synchronously with my curiosity.

Emilio finally lowered me gently to the ground, keeping his much larger hand wrapped around my bicep. He turned to face me. His caramel eyes met mine. At that moment it wasn’t as if time had stopped, but it was as if nothing else mattered.

We were transported back to when we first met.

When he saved me.

When we spent the summer together.

When I fell in love with him.

My resolve softened.

His free hand came up to cup my cheek, the pad of his thumb finding my lips. He pressed against them, forcing me to kiss it.

Emilio bent down until his lips were centimeters away from mine and spoke in his soft and comforting tone that he used to use exclusively with me. “Bella Isa, I love you. I have loved you since the moment I saw you all those years ago. There are a million things I could tell you, a thousand pretty lies, but here is the truth of the matter: I will spend every last breath showing you what it means to be enough. I will make you my priority in all that I do. I will ensure there is nothing left for you to fear in this world. I will keep you by my side through it all, I won’t let you go again. All I need from you is to take a leap, to trust me. Can you do that?”

“I can, but—” Oliver and Maddox’s faces slid into my mind. I couldn’t do this to them. They were a part of my heart, too.

Correctly guessing where my mind had gone, Emilio’s lips flattened, his voice turned guttural. Harsh . “I was almost too late, but you aren’t with them. And if having those two in your life is what you need for your happiness? I won’t keep you from them. But if they hurt you? If they lie to you? I make no promises. ”

My eyelids fluttered shut, and I squeezed them tight.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Was I really going to do this? Was I going to make this leap with Emilio? A man I hadn’t seen in 10 years? Did I even truly have a choice?

“I do.” Have a choice.

Just like I did all those years ago.

I could recognize that Emilio had planned all of this. From the burgundy moths to the rainbow lights. He clearly wanted to give a delicate side to this moment solely for my sake...

I didn’t open my eyes as he sealed the promise with a kiss.

Now that I knew it was his lips pressing against mine–the familiarity , the comfortability –I couldn’t help but think how stupid I was for not realizing it before. For not knowing he was the one that Yara sent to my hotel room.

That it was Emilio. It had always been and would always be him. I had always loved him, I had buried it, stamped it down, but it was there. A steady thread that pulsated along my nerves.

I owed him a large portion of my soul, my innocence, my mental health.

I may need to go to therapy, but I hadn’t actually lost it yet. And that was because of Emilio, because he had saved me all those years ago. Because he had instilled confidence into me. Because he had always shown me my worth.

A million thoughts swarmed around my mind, but then he slipped something into place on my finger.

My ring finger.

“Mine.”

Crash! Bang!

Behind us, the church’s doors slammed open.