Chained - Zara Novak Page 0,3
my spouse,” I said. The law had lots of funny loopholes, but that was the oldest in the book. “But why not just kill me? Why do you need my trust?”
“Because I need an heir, and you are the only one that can give me that.”
That was the part that didn’t make sense, but it wasn’t like any part of my evening so far had been normal.
“Dress. Our time is running out.”
“But I—”
“Dress,” he said, this time the word left his mouth like the crack from an iron whip. My body was moving again, and I was dressed before I could even stop myself. As soon as I was clothed the Don waved his hand and the door opened. The large bald thug and the vicar were still waiting outside. “Invite them in,” he ordered.
“C-Come in,” I said, my voice shaking. The large man with the shotgun entered the apartment, followed by the vicar.
“Let’s get it over with,” Don Cartello ordered as he came to stand by me. The vicar stopped in front of us and cleared his throat.
“Dearly beloved—”
The huge man standing behind the vicar cocked his shotgun. “Express ceremony, father.”
“Got it,” the vicar said. He looked up at the man standing at my side. “Vincent Edward Cartello, do you take this woman, Rachel Emily Chase, to be your lawful wedded wife?”
“I do.”
The vicar looked at me. “Rachel Katie Chase, do you take this man, Vincent Edward Cartello, to be your lawful wedded husband?”
My throat went dry and tied itself in knots. I looked at the vicar, the thug behind him, and then at the man keeping me captive. This couldn’t be real, right? This wasn’t legal? You couldn’t force someone to marry you against your will.
Vincent looked at me. “We’re waiting, Rachel. Say the words.”
I don’t know what came over me. Maybe it was the fear of finding out what it felt like to get shot by a twelve-gauge shotgun. Maybe it was the fact that I had just crossed a fucking psycho vampire mob boss.
“I—I do,” I stuttered.
“Then I now declare you man and wife,” the vicar said. “You may kiss the bride.”
The Don moved like smoke, wrapping his hands around me and kissing me again, his lips delicately brushing against mine before he pulled away a second later.
Damn.
Why did I want more of that?
“That concludes our service,” the vicar said and he shut his bible.
“Time to leave,” the big guy with the gun said. The vicar filed out, the big guy walking behind him, leaving me alone with my… husband. He held out his hand and looked at me, his bright red eyes burning with expectation.
“Ready?” he said.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“Home. Your new home. Leave your things. You won’t need them.” He took my hand and then I was walking behind him. We stepped out into the hallway, the apartment door silently closing itself as we exited.
“But I—”
“You’re with me now, wife. It’s time we began our new life together. You have a lot of making up to do.”
“This isn’t happening,” I said. “This isn’t real.”
He just turned and smiled at me again, those bewitching eyes somehow keeping me from running. “It’s real, darling,” he said with a terrifying reassurance. “Til death do us part.”
We walked down the hallway; my hand sealed firmly in his. Every ounce of me was filled with terror. The desire to run was overwhelming, but my feet seemed only too happy to keep pace with his.
I wasn’t in control of myself. I wasn’t in control of anything.
It was at that moment I noticed my breath. Fast, short, terrified.
The hallway started to dim and one of my feet caught on the other. I was falling. Someone caught me.
Darkness swallowed me.
The sound of running water woke me. I slowly opened my eyes, a strange fog lingering over my mind. I was lying on my back, looking up through a car window, lights were passing by overhead.
Only then did the reality of the situation come back to me. I sat up with a start and saw the Don sitting across from me.
My husband.
I wasn’t sure what type of car this was, but if the interior was anything to go by then it was expensive. Two long seats faced one another, I was on one, he was on the other.
“Perfect timing,” he said as the car came to a stop. “We are here.”
A door opened and he climbed out. He extended his hand in my direction and I exited the car. I realized