1. Isabella

Chapter 1

Isabella

The reflection I see in the mirror is foreign to me. It doesn’t look like me at all. The wedding dress is beautiful - expensive, luxurious, designed especially for me - but I hate it.

I hate it because I had no say in any of it. The design, the wedding, the entire marriage. It was arranged for me and in my heart I know that if I go through with this, it will end in my death.

The man I am supposed to marry today is cruel, violent, abusive, and controlling. I’m terrified of him. But I am even more terrified of not doing anything and letting this happen.

If I go through with this today, there is no chance of me ever getting away from Marcus. Once I am locked into a marriage with this man, it will be my fate sealed until my death. And I honestly believe my death will come far too soon. He doesn’t care about me. He cares about owning things. Controlling things. Possessing things. People are only tools for him. He doesn’t love me. I understand that. If he truly loved me, he would never do the things he’s done to me. He would never make me feel so broken, so lost, and so worthless.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes. I can’t go through with this.

This, right now, is the moment where I have to make a choice.

Tears spill down my cheeks as I battle with the internal terror of doing what I want to do against doing what I’m supposed to do.

“Hey, I grabbed a few. What the hell?”

Lina walks into the hotel room carrying my bouquet, but when she sees my face, she rushes straight over to me.

“What’s going on, Bella?” She asks with strain knotted across her face.

“I can’t—” I choke on my words. I’ve told no one about Marcus’ dark side. They all see him as this upstanding, generous person. He isn’t. He’s damned good at manipulating people.

“You can’t what, honey? Talk to me.”

“I can’t marry him - he’s not who you think he is - he’s - he’s violent, Lina.”

“Violent?” She whispers. “I fucking knew it. Ever since you met him, things changed. You haven’t been yourself.” She huffs angrily.

“You - you believe me?” I ask in shock.

“Bella, I’ve been your best friend for how many years now? Of course, I believe you. I knew something was wrong. I didn’t know what. Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“I don’t—I just—”

“It doesn’t matter now. All that matters is that you can’t marry this man.”

I sigh, wiping the tears from my face. “There isn’t a way out, Lina - I mean - this wedding is arranged. Even if I wanted to get away - where would I go? I’d need to disappear. It’s impossible .” I sigh, trying to pull myself together. It’s not the first time I’ve broken down. It’s not the first time I’ve wanted to run away.

But every time it happens, I come to the same conclusion - there is no way out. Marcus is too powerful. He would find me, and it would be much worse than it is now if I disobeyed him. I have no choice but to marry him.

Lina is quiet. Thinking. Her brows are knotted tightly.

“There is a way out. I have to make a phone call.”

“Lina—” Does she understand how powerful Marcus is?

“No. This is ending tonight. I won’t watch you marry that man.” She stands ups and paces the hotel room up and down, up and down while punching at her phone. She presses it to her ear and waits.

“Nico - it’s me. I have a huge favor to ask, but it has to be right now.” Her voice is tight. I listen as she explains the situation in a hurry, desperate to get Nico to understand. Nico is her older brother. I’ve met him only once and only for a minute or two. He wasn’t friendly. He was kind of cold and distant and disinterested.

I don’t know why she thinks he would help me. He doesn’t know me at all. But still, I stand there with my heart flipping over and upside down and spinning around while I bite at my fingernails. Thick nervous tension is flooding me.

Is this really happening?

Is he going to help us?

The wedding dress is too tight. The long, flowing layers are claustrophobic, and I want to tear it off my body.

But I can’t move.

I can’t believe Lina is doing this.

She hangs up the phone and turns to face me.

“Get what you need, but only a small bag. It can’t be a lot. My brother will be here in about ten minutes. He’s going to help us, but we need to move fast.”

My mouth drops open in shock.

“Is this really happening, Lina? Marcus has people everywhere. He’s powerful.” I gasp.

“Yes, and there is one man I know who is more powerful.” She looks me in the eye. “Listen, honey, I have to go. I can’t be here. I need to be somewhere where people can see me, so they don’t link me or my family to this.” I know she is right.

“But I’ll be alone with your brother?” I stammer.

“Nico will take care of everything. He promised me.” Lina says. “I trust my brother with my life, and yours.”

She grabs me in a tight hug. “I love you, Bella. It’s going to be ok.”

I nod, feeling numb. Being numb is how I’ve survived so long with Marcus. I know how to turn off my emotions. All of this is too surreal. I feel like I’m in a dream right now.

Lina grabs her things, gives me one more hug, and rushes out of the room. The sudden, intense quiet is heavy and cold.

For a moment, I don’t have a clue what to do.

I snap in to gear.

This is really happening, and it is what I want .

Determination and survival kick in. I can do this.

I grab a small bag and start shoving things into it. A pair of jeans, sneakers, a top, my phone, no - not the phone - Marcus will track it. I toss the phone onto the floor. I scavenge what I can from my overnight bag and shove them into my backpack.I sit on the edge of the bed, my heart beating too fast, and I wait.

Time ticks by so slowly and all I can do is stare at the hotel room door. I keep expecting Marcus to burst in, maybe having found out my plan, maybe knowing — I’m so scared of him it’s like my brain thinks he is everywhere at the same time. “He’s only a man.” I whisper to myself.

The door opens and I jump in fright, leaping to my feet.

My heart is in my throat.

But it’s not Marcus.

A tall, dark-haired man walks into the room and shuts the door behind himself. He is gorgeous. His blue eyes are so piercing I am lost in them for a moment.

“Bella?” he asks. “You look — wow, you’ve grown up since I last saw you.” He says and looks around the room. “We’ve got to hurry. We don’t have a lot of time.”

“Marcus has men everywhere - he will be watching everything.”

Nico grabs my shoulders, pulling me to face him. He shakes me, not rough, but enough to snap me out of the spiral I was falling into.

“Bella. Listen to me because I am only going to say this once. You will do what I say when I say it. Focus. You have to be fast. Trust me. I’ve got this covered. I know who Marcus is.”

I take a deep breath and bite my lower lip. One nod. “Ok.” I try to say it confidently, but it comes out as a whisper. “I’m ready. Whatever you need me to do.” I nod again, convincing myself.

“It’s going to seem like you were kidnapped. It’s the only way we can get you out of here without Marcus assuming you ran. It’s the safest option for you.”

“What if he thinks you kidnapped me?”

“Marcus knows better than to mess with me.”

Nico grabs my small bag and tosses it over his shoulder. He pulls out a gun and grips it tightly in his hand. “Stay close. My men are waiting outside.”

“Wait - why - why would you put yourself at risk like this - for me? You don’t even know me.”

“Bella - now is hardly the time for this conversation. Do as you’re told.” He snaps, his eyes darkening towards me. I feel the fear inside me taking hold. There is a darkness in Nico. I can sense it.

I need to keep my mouth shut and do what he says. He’s here to get me out - not to treat me like a little kid and reassure me that everything’s going to be ok. My fears have nothing to do with him. I have to deal with those myself.

He pushes the hotel room door open and I see three armed men outside.

“Ready?” he says to them. They nod. “Ready, boss.”

“Grab her. If anyone sees us, it has to seem like she’s reluctant to follow.”

“Yes, sir.”

One of them grabs my arm and smiles at me. “Put on a show when the time comes.” He chuckles.

His humor goes over my head. I can’t even smile. I feel sick to my stomach.