Chapter 9

Jack

“The day a man gets married is the day he becomes a man,” my father said, straightening my tie. In a few minutes, we’d be walking down the aisle to the front of the church. “Today, you become more than yourself. You become a husband and one day, if your mother has anything to say about it, a father.” He grinned, demonstrating how he felt about that as well. Letting go of my tie, he held my face in his hands, patting my cheeks. “I’m proud of you, son.”

“Thank you, Papa.” I hadn’t called him that in years, but at the moment, it felt right.

“Now, let’s go get you shackled.” Chuckling, he led the way to the church door.

The pews of St. Michael’s were packed with family members on both sides, though Hailey’s was perhaps a little sparser. Her grandfather had invited quite a few people, but they had to travel a good bit farther since most of them were still based in Chicago. My cousin Gio stood at the end of the aisle as my Best Man.

As I took my position next to Gio, my father sat down next to my mother, reaching out to hold her hand. She beamed up at him, leaning in for a kiss despite being in a church. Of course, my father gave her what she wanted, though he kept it brief.

I knew I wouldn’t do so when it was time to finally kiss my bride.

Several rows behind my parents, Chief Barnes’ representative, Bruce Ward, sat silently watching, a frozen expression on his face. I grinned at my father’s inspired choice. I had no doubt he’d not only read the intelligence we’d gathered on Hailey but had deliberately requested her former beau to witness the wedding. There would be no help for her from that quarter. In many ways, my father and I thought alike.

Hailey

Trembling in front of the mirror, I couldn’t keep my gaze from darting to the man standing behind me. My grandfather had gotten so old. Bitterness and grief had deepened the lines on his face, and there was far more silver in his hair than I remembered. I could barely see the resemblance between him and my father anymore, though, at the moment, that was a blessing.

“Stop primping. You look fine. It’s time to go.” He barked out the words, barely looking at me.

I bit my tongue. Whatever protests I made now wouldn’t matter. I just had to get through this sham of a ceremony to the wedding night when Giacomo’s guard would be down.

I was dressed up like a doll. The wedding gown was beautiful. Delicate lace and beadwork covered every inch, making it far heavier than it looked. My hair was piled up on the back of my head with white ribbons threaded through it. Pearls were draped about my neck and hung from my ears. I looked every inch a bride, and it made me want to cry more useless tears.

This was how I’d always pictured looking on my wedding day, but this certainly was not the wedding day I’d dreamed of. Earlier, I contemplated this parody of a sacred ceremony.

It wasn’t Giacomo’s fault my grandfather had decided to barter me. Why should he pay the price more than the man who used me like a chess piece? I fingered my bouquet, staring at the man who had been a massive disappointment as a guardian and parental figure.

A knock on the door made me jump, but I was the only one. Carl, one of my grandfather’s men, leaned over to open the door.

“Oh, my goodness, you look amazing!”

I froze.

“Clara?”

She rushed into the room, her eyes welling with tears, straight to me. Like me, she was dressed for a wedding, wearing a stunning pale green dress I’d never seen before and holding a matching bouquet, though it was much smaller. Coming to a stop in front of me, she threw her arms around me for a hug, and I hugged her back automatically, my heart pounding against my chest as my mind raced.

“Just say the word, and we’ll do a bunk,” she whispered in my ear. “I have a car ready and everything.” Then she stepped back, holding onto my hand, her voice returning to the overly cheerful, almost tearful tone she’d had upon entering. “You are the most beautiful bride!”

“What are you doing here?” I asked stupidly, still trying to process what was happening. Clara was here for the wedding, dressed like a bridal attendant, but she had a car ready in case I wanted to escape… Hadn”t she noticed we were surrounded by men whose sole purpose was to keep me from running?

“Clara is your maid of honor,” my grandfather said, a cruel smile curving his lips. “Every bride needs one.” Our eyes met, and he didn’t need to spell out the message. I understood why Clara was there.

If anything went wrong today, if I tried anything he didn’t like, Clara would be the one to pay the price. Something I’m sure she hadn’t understood when she agreed to come. She probably thought she was going to rescue me, not realizing the danger she put herself in just by her presence.

I almost crushed the handle of the bouquet in my hand before I remembered and eased my grip. Forcing a smile onto my face, I looked away from my grandfather and at my friend—my beautiful, brave, and utterly foolish friend. There was no way I would allow any harm to befall her.

“Thank you so much for coming.” She would never know how much I meant those words. “I’ll appreciate having a friend with me at the altar.”

Disappointment flared in her eyes before she quickly hid it and squeezed my fingers.

“Come on, it’s time,” my grandfather said.

I felt the impact of his words like a steel trap closing around me.

Jack

“I, Hailey Bianco…” Hailey’s voice stuttered over her old name before she composed herself, her hazel eyes boring into mine as if we were the only two people left in the world, and she was planning to make it only one. “Take you, Giacomo DiNardo, for my lawful husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.” Something in her eyes flashed.

Yes, doll, death is the only way out of this marriage. Just as it was the only way to truly leave the Familias, a lesson she’d already learned.

Holding her hands, which felt cold, even through the gloves she was wearing, I repeated the vows and meant them. Hailey was mine now. Mine to cherish, mine to punish, mine to pleasure. Mine to protect and succor, to support and indulge. Mio tesoro. Mia moglie. My treasure. My wife.

“May the Lord in his kindness strengthen the consent you have declared before the Church and graciously bring to fulfillment his blessings within you. What God has joined, let no one put asunder.” As the priest finished the ceremony, possessiveness filled my chest. My father was right. I was becoming a whole new man today. I had never felt this way about another woman—possessive to the point, I was almost needy of her attention and didn’t care that she was glaring at me. She was so totally focused on me; it didn’t matter why.

As I wanted to spoil and indulge her, to see if I could make her smile, I also wanted to touch every inch of her, stake my claim all over her body, and fuck her until she couldn’t walk, so she couldn’t move without a reminder of how thoroughly I’d possessed her.

Was this what love felt like?

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.” The moment Father Lucas gave us permission, I stepped forward, pulling Hailey into my arms before she could react. She stiffened as my lips covered hers, giving her a far-from-appropriate kiss, not at all decorous.

I nipped at her lower lip, grinning when Father Lucas cleared his throat before I pulled away. Hailey’s eyes were widened with shock. Had she expected a chaste kiss from me? She might not love me, she might even hate me for marrying her this way, but she couldn’t deny the passion between us, and I wasn’t going to let her forget it. It was one of the strongest weapons I had on my side.

Taking her hand, I turn to lead her down the aisle.

“Wait! My bouquet!”

I rolled my eyes but didn’t resist when she turned back to Clara to take her bouquet. She didn’t want the wedding, but she wanted her bouquet? There are some things about women I might never understand.

Holding the bouquet firmly in front of her midriff, she allowed me to lead her back down the aisle, head held high, a solemn expression on her face. I grinned widely. She can play the martyr all she wants. When she’s screaming out her climax in bed tonight, things won’t seem so bad.

Hailey

Married.

The ring felt like a shackle around my finger. No wonder they called it being manacled.

Clutching Giacomo’s arm, I tried to pretend I was leaving a regular church service, not a wedding ceremony—certainly not my own wedding. My gaze swept over the crowd, now a sea of faces instead of the backs of heads.

I recognize several of my cousins, uncles, and aunts, though I hadn’t seen them in years. When my gaze turned to Giacomo’s side, I jerked with surprise when my eyes locked with Bruce’s, but only for a moment. We were almost level with him when I finally saw him, but it was long enough to recognize him.

Giacomo’s grip on my hand tightened, pressing my fingers more firmly into his forearm as unexpected rage bubbled up inside my throat. I didn’t know who was to blame for Bruce’s presence at my wedding, but whoever it was, I wanted to kick them. As if I needed that failed romance, if it could even be called that, rubbed in my face. Or perhaps it was his connection to the police they were rubbing in. Either way.

I gritted my teeth and did my best not to squeeze my bouquet too tightly. I had to be careful with it. I needed it to last until tonight. I couldn’t have anyone finding out what I’d hidden inside the flower stems until it was too late.