25. Lucia

25

LUCIA

My wedding day is supposed to be the happiest day of my life and yet, I feel nothing but soul-crushing sadness.

I've barely slept in the last two days, replaying Anton's words over and over in my mind as I lay in my bed, alone.

Regardless of the fact that we're about to tie the knot, I kicked him out of our shared room, and he obeyed without question, which only confirms that he's been playing me this whole time.

Surely, if he cared, he would fight a little harder.

Two days ago, I could think of nothing I wanted more than to marry Mikhail Koslov.

I glance at the closet door where my wedding dress hangs, freshly steamed and ready for me to wear.

The moment I chose it, all I could think of was Mikhail's reaction when he saw it. How his dark eyes would glaze over as he pictured ripping it off me after we were declared husband and wife.

Despite everything I've gone through, I thought that I was finally about to get my happily ever after…

I gingerly dab at the corners of my eyes to try and preserve my makeup.

This wedding might be a complete scam, but I'll be damned if I won't look incredible for it.

Sitting at the vanity table in Bianca's room as Elle fiddles with my hair, I try my hardest to appear happy despite the growing pit in my stomach.

Bianca and Zara sit on the bed, each holding one of the twins who are both fast asleep.

All three girls are dressed in various shades of pale blue to match the color scheme of the wedding.

I can't fault Bianca's organizational skills. She really has pulled everything together, and I feel so much guilt for not being more excited.

Zara smiles, her eyes shining. "You just look so beautiful."

I catch her eye in the mirror and offer her a smile, though it doesn't reach my eyes.

"Zara, I swear if you start crying after I've just done your makeup…" Bianca rolls her eyes as Zara dabs at her cheek with a tissue.

"I'm not crying." She huffs, waving a hand in the air.

The movement stirs Sasha who starts to squawk.

"Well, that's going to set Ben off," she groans.

Right on cue, Ben starts wailing in Bianca's arms, and Zara sighs.

"Hopefully, they'll wear themselves out before the ceremony." She glances my way.

"Please, don't stress. I love that all the kids will be there."

Zara seems to relax as she gently rocks Sasha back to sleep.

"You won't be saying that when Leo is trying to eat your wedding bouquet." Bianca smiles. "If it's still long enough, he will put it in his mouth."

"Welcome to the mad house, Lucia." Zara grins. "In a few hours, you'll officially be part of the family!"

I lower my gaze as my throat thickens, and not in a good way.

"Lucia? Is everything okay?" Bianca asks.

The excitement seems to have been sucked out of the room as all eyes turn to me.

"Of course." I smile.

Elle pauses, her fingers hovering over my curls.

Bianca shakes her head. "That's a lie if ever I heard one."

She gets to her feet, careful not to wake a now sleeping Ben, and moves to perch on the edge of the armchair beside me.

"What's going on?" She reaches for my hand.

"Nothing." My voice cracks.

"I thought you and Mikhail were getting along great. What's changed?"

"W-we were. It's just…" I wave a hand as my eyes start to well with tears. "It's an emotional day."

I pretend to touch up my makeup just to keep my hands busy.

Thankfully, Ben starts stirring again and turns Bianca's attention away from my lack of enthusiasm.

Zara gets to her feet. "I think we should go and get the twins settled. We will see you on the other side!"

Bianca and her leave of the room.

The moment the door closes behind them, Elle puts her hands on her hips and gives me a look that tells me I'm about to get a lecture.

Ignoring her, I get to my feet and adjust my silk robe .

"I need to change?—"

" Lucia ."

"I don't want to be late."

"What the hell is going on?"

I pause, letting out a long breath as I stare at my wedding dress.

"I told you, I'm just getting emotional." I keep my back to her. "Everything's happened so fast, you know? I just can't believe I'm actually getting married today."

I gingerly run my fingertips over the delicate lace of my dress as I try my best to keep it together despite the fact that my chest is being cracked open.

"Yeah, I'm calling bullshit." Elle moves to stand in my line of sight. "I know you too well, Lucia. So, you might as well drop the act and tell me the truth because you're really starting to freak me out."

The pity in her eyes is enough to send me over the edge.

"I overheard Mikhail and his cousin talking the other day."

"Okay, and…?"

"They were talking about how Mikhail's plan is to have me call off the wedding so he doesn't have to."

"That makes no sense." Elle frowns.

"It's what I heard."

"Well, what did Mikhail say? Did you talk to him about it?"

"What's the point?" I shrug. "The reality is, I have to go through with this wedding regardless of our feelings for each other, or lack thereof."

"Lucia…"

"Please, don't." I hate the sympathetic look she's giving me. "Can you just help me into my dress?"

"Fine. "

Neither of us speak as I dress, the reality of what I'm about to do weighing heavily on my shoulders.

I know things could be a hell of a lot worse. I could have been like Bianca, who turned up at her wedding without even knowing she was the bride. At least Mikhail and I know each other, or at least I thought I knew him…

There is a knock on the door, then Bianca calls from the other side of the door. "Lucia? It's time!"

This is it.

With one last deep breath, I plaster a smile on my face and follow Elle out of the room.

Bianca is waiting for us on the stairs, and her eyes light up when she takes me in. "Oh, Lucia."

"Don't you start crying too."

"There's no time for crying." She waves a hand, fanning her face, glancing out of the window. "And it looks like your father has just arrived."

I nod, smoothing my hands over my dress.

"Elle, would you mind carrying the train?—"

Gunshots explode in the air, and the breath leaves my lungs.

Elle grabs my arm and yanks us both down onto the floor as Bianca's scream echoes in my ears.

"What the hell just happened?" I yell.

Bianca peers out the window, and the color slowly drains from her face.

" Bianca ."

She only shakes her head, her body trembling as she stares out the window.

I get to my feet and hurry down the stairs toward her to see what all the commotion is about. Though when I look out the window and see my father lying on the gravel, his crisp white shirt slowly turning red with blood, I wish I hadn't.

"Oh, my god," I sob, my hand going to my mouth as I fight the urge to vomit.

"Lucia, i-it's okay." Bianca tries to reach me, but I can barely hear her.

I run down the remaining stairs, almost tripping over my dress as I hurry to get to my father.

He can't be dead.

"Papa!" I scream as I race toward the front door.

But before I can cross the threshold, arms are around me, holding me back as dozens of guards start to storm the grounds.

More gunfire echoes in the air, but I can barely hear it over the sounds of my screams as I stare at my father's still body, the pool of blood surrounding him growing larger with each second that passes.

He's dying, and I can't get to him.

"Let me go!" I scream, trying to push against the hard body behind me.

I glance down and let out a strangled sob at the tattooed hands around my waist. "Mikhail, let me go !"

"I can't do that." He tightens his hold on me.

With each second that passes, my father gets closer to death.

I have to get to him before it's too late.

"Let me go!" I sob, trying to pull against Mikhail, but he doesn't listen.

I go to scream again, but there's a loud commotion and more gunfire.

Mikhail hauls me back inside the house, placing a hand over my mouth to muffle my screams as all hell breaks loose.

Two of our guards appear, their faces smeared with blood as they drag a half-dead man between them who looks to have multiple bullet wounds in his legs.

"Get him tied up, now!" Alexei orders as he jogs in behind them. He glances to his right and spots Mikhail and me. "Let's go Mikhail before this fucker bleeds out, and we lose our lead."

Mikhail's grip falters for a moment, and I take the opportunity to break free from his hold and sprint out of the house and down the steps toward my father's bleeding body.

"No, no, no !" I cry as I collapse beside him.

There's so much blood, and it doesn't seem to be clotting. There're at least three bullets in his chest and more blood seems to be pooling around his head from a significant wound to the side of his skull.

He's going to die if I don't get him to a hospital soon.

"Someone call an ambulance!" I yell, holding my hand over one of the bullet wounds in his chest. "Please! Help him!"

I look back to the house to see Mikhail sprinting toward me.

"He's dying," I sob as he crouches beside me. "You have to help him. Mikhail ?—"

I collapse on top of my father, clinging to his blood-soaked shirt as my body trembles.

"The ambulance will be here any second." Mikhail rests a hand on my back.

His touch feels strange, but I don't push him away. I need his heat, his presence.

As much as I should push him away, right now, all I care about is saving my father's life.

Sirens blare nearby but already my father looks pale, his chest barely rising with each breath, and I fear they might be too late.

"Oh god." I cling to my father.

Mikhail keeps a hand on my lower back as we watch the ambulance race down the drive toward us. As soon as the back doors open, and the medics come rushing out, Mikhail grabs me around the waist and hauls me off my father.

"No!" I scream, clawing at his arms.

"You need to let them work."

I can barely see through my tears as the medics cut open my father's shirt to reveal the multiple gunshot wounds in his chest and abdomen.

"He's dying." I sob, my knees buckling beneath me.

Mikhail tightens his arms around my waist and keeps me locked against his body as the paramedics get to work readying him for transport.

"Papa!" I cry.

"They are just putting him into the ambulance." Mikhail holds me back as they bring out a stretcher.

"I need to go with him!" I cry, fighting Mikhail. "You have to let me go! He's dying!"

"I'm coming with you." Mikhail hauls me into the back of the ambulance. "It's going to be okay, Lucia."

I want to believe him, but I'm not sure I can.

I barely remember the drive over to the hospital or the doctors rushing my father to emergency surgery. I block out the sounds of the machines and the doctors assuring me they're going to do everything they can to save him .

It's as if I'm watching everything from above, not quite believing that this is real.

Time seems to slow down as I pace back and forth around the waiting room.

Mikhail never takes his eyes off me, even as he answers calls from his brothers.

Looking down at my blood-stained wedding dress, I feel as if I'm living a nightmare.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," I whisper, sinking back down into the seat beside Mikhail. "I-I thought moving the wedding was meant to be safer? I thought…"

My voice cracks, and I bury my face in my hands.

"I will find whoever did this." Mikhail reaches out to tug a loose curl behind my ear, and I can't help but recoil.

"Please just…stop." I wrap my arms around myself.

"What's going on? You've been acting strange for days, and I've been trying to rack my brains as to why, and I'm coming up short here, Lucia."

"Really? Well, maybe you need to think a little harder." I get to my feet to put some distance between us.

When Mikhail looks just as confused, I decide to rip the band-aid off.

"I overheard you and Anton talking the other day about how you want me to call off the wedding."

Mikhail frowns, but then his expression turns to one of disbelief.

"Lucia…" He gets to his feet, reaching out his hand.

"I don't want to hear it, Mikhail." I turn my back on him.

"Lucia, look at me."

I screw my eyes shut at the sound of his gravelly voice, the voice that provided me with comfort, that whispered sweet nothings in my ear as I lay asleep in his arms …

This time, when Mikhail reaches for me, I don't have any fight left in me to push him away. I let him turn me around and lift my chin so I have to look at him.

"I won't lie to you. It was like that at first."

My chest tightens.

"After that first night, when you left me naked in Coney Island, I was pissed off, and I said some things to Anton. I told him I planned on making you hate me enough that you'd want to call off the wedding. And then…" He looks away for a moment, the muscle in his jaw flexing. "And then… Well, you know the rest."

I shake my head. "I thought I did."

"Look." He wipes away the tears on my cheeks with his thumbs. "Did you hear what I answered?"

I lower my head and shake it. "I had heard enough by then, I wasn't going to stick around and listen anymore."

"Well, you should have. Because if you had stuck around to listen to the whole conversation, you would have heard me tell Anton that I love you."

What?

"The last thing I want to do is get out of this marriage, Lucia." He bows his head to rest his forehead against mine. "Because I love you, and I want nothing more than for you to be mine. To be able to shout to the world that you are my wife."

I have no words.

"You've brought me to life, Lucia, and I will happily spend the rest of my days making sure you know how much I love you."

"Mikhail…"

"I love you, Lucia." Mikhail cups my face and leans in to kiss me.

The caress of his lips against mine has the last of my strength shattering, and I cling to his shirt as tears start pouring down my cheeks.

"I promise I will find who did this."

I nod, my throat too thick with tears to speak.

"And then once your father is well again, I will make sure we have a proper wedding. The kind of wedding that you've been dreaming of your whole life."

I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him again.

"I love you," I whisper against his lips as I sink my fingers into his hair.

"I have something for you," Mikhail says after we break apart. "I was going to give you this last night so you could wear it for the wedding."

My stomach twists with guilt as he reaches into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulls out a red box.

"This was my mother's." He opens up the box to reveal a gold heart-shaped locket.

"You want me to have it?"

"I want you to have something to remind you that I am always with you, Lucia." He offers me a shy smile before taking the locket and clasping it around my neck.

"It's beautiful." I finger the delicate gold chain. "It's an honor to wear it, Mikhail."

"Miss Conti?"

I whirl at the sound of my name, my hand going to my heart as I find a doctor coming toward me, his expression unreadable.

Mikhail wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me tight against him as we brace ourselves for the worst.

"H-how is he?"

"He's made it out of surgery, but he's still critical."

Mikhail frowns. "What does that mean? "

"Your father's injuries were severe. One of the bullets in his chest ruptured his left ventricle."

"Oh god." I reach for Mikhail.

"We were able to repair it, but your father lost a lot of blood, which put a lot of strain on his heart. He also received a significant blow to the head which caused internal bleeding in his brain. Our surgeons were able to stop the bleeding but because of how severe his injuries were, we had to put your father into an induced coma to help his body rest."

Mikhail squeezes me closer to him. "Is he going to be okay?"

"We need to get through the night, and then we'll go from there. We'll keep you updated on his condition."

I glance at Mikhail, and he offers me a grim smile, and I know these next few hours are going to be the longest of my life.