the back of the garden. A gunshot rings out then another scream. My brother goes down. Vitto fires two more bullets into his unmoving body.
I can only stare in horror. The moment he pockets the gun I take off running, kneeling next to my brother. When I see Luigi's face, I know it's too late. He's gone. I close his eyes and turn to face Vitto with an enraged expression.
Before I can say a single word and as hot tears stream down my cheeks, Vitto points the barrel of the gun down at me. "Don't even think about running," he growls at me, "Or disobeying me, or trying to piss me off!"
My blood runs cold as I nod in silent agreement even though I'm still crying. Vitto is a madman. I don't know whether he finally snapped when Bruno killed his family, or if this was always festering deep inside him, but he's beyond salvation.
My only hope now is Adrian.
The irony of the situation isn't lost on me. I follow the man I wanted to save me into the house. He puts me into my bedroom and locks the door twice behind me.
Vitto has already explained what's going to happen next. He's determined the two of us need to get married, and he's already made it fucking clear I won't have a choice in the matter.
As I pace the room he's locked me into, I can't come up with a plan to escape. I'm on the second floor with bars on the window. I'm locked in here all the time and Vitto has guns. I have no doubt he'd rather kill me than let me escape.
I start thinking about Adrian. Lately, I've forbidden the subject of him in my thoughts because going down that road can be too fucking dangerous. I can't get lost in daydreams of what our life could be. I need to focus on getting out of here first, because it looks as if the chances of that are dwindling.
Vitto has already announced his intention of marrying me, but how soon is he going to act on that? And even if he finds a priest, I could delay the wedding and say no... But then I'd fear for my life. I'm already terrified he's going to snap and kill me for so much as stepping on a creaky floorboard.
A few days later, Vitto demands I have dinner with him. He orders me to wear the prettiest dress in these wardrobes, which is a black velvet, tight little dress with bardot sleeves. As I get ready, I can't help wondering if Adrian would like this look on me. The dress, maybe, but now how pale and scared I look because of Vitto.
As I apply my lipstick, my hands shake so badly, I have to fix it three times.
Finally, I head downstairs into the garden where Vitto has laid out a candlelit feast.
I look around suspiciously. It's not like him to do this, to set up everything this way as if I actually mean something to him. I've long since stopped believing a real connection could happen between Vitto and me. He only cares about revenge and claiming what he can't have. I could have been any other girl and he would've reacted the same way.
He sits at the head of the table with his eyes dark and angry.
I take the seat opposite of him, hoping to get some distance, but soon realize this only gives him more leverage to stare me down as if he's trying to read my thoughts. I shake my head, hating the thought of him seeing all my secrets.
"Eat," he barks at me.
I quickly pick up my fork. I'm too afraid not to obey Vitto immediately. I've already seen the consequences of his short temper—the casualties of it are buried all over this piece of land.
My eyes water at the memory of my brother. I can't forget Vitto killed him like that, in cold fucking blood. How am I supposed to move on from what he did? He's a fucking monster and I can never forgive him for killing so many people that meant the world to me.
I'm really an orphan now. I have no one left. I realize I've never felt more alone.
"Talk," Vitto demands next. "Don't be quiet like a church mouse. Talk to me."
He went out today, locking me in my room. I tried to escape but there is no way out of this horrible house. I am stuck with Vitto