Page 27 of Deadly Vows

“You’re the only one.” He lowers his head in the crook of my neck, placing a kiss. “You’re everything.”

It isn’t until we clean ourselves up that we return to the party just in time for Luca’s father’s toast. He’s in the middle of his speech, his glass raised as he speaks to the room filled with followers. No one seems to have noticed our absence. Either that, or they are pretending not to notice our return. My arm remains in the crook of Luca’s elbow as we move through the crowd, and he grabs a glass from a passing server along the way.

When Luca’s father spots us, his face lights up, and the tone of his speech shifts.

“All this to say, thank you for being here tonight. It was a major decision for my son to choose his bride, and I know it’s long overdue, seeing that they are no longer newlyweds. No one could be prouder than I am of my only son. He has proven himself more than worthy to take over my position someday. He has faced every challenge thrown at him without hesitation, and he has accomplished what so many can only strive for at such a young age. And now, he gets to share this life with a beautiful bride and hopefully lots of children soon,” he chuckles, eyeing us.

Choice noises and applause make me blush heavily, but Luca’s father continues before it gets too loud.

“To the perfect son, Luca. You have made the Pasquino’s proud.” Luca’s father lifts his glass, and everyone else follows suit, cheers emitting from the room. Luca’s hand shifts around my waist, pulling me close as he lowers his lips to mine, causing another eruption of excitement. As much as I try to focus on Luca’s kiss, I can’t. These people are all brainwashed, congratulating Luca on being the perfect killer. The things I’ve seen Luca do that I know his father approves of sicken me. Hell, most of his speech was promoting it.

It’s his fault his son is a psychopath.

Luca pulls out of the kiss, turning his attention to the crowd that’s gathered in acknowledgment. He releases me, making his way to his father at the center of the room, and I take the time to look around, smiling at the attention. At that moment, I see the glint of steel, my adrenaline spiking.

“Luca!” I shout.

Luca pauses, looking at me in confusion just as the sound of glass shattering pulls everyone’s attention. The glass that Luca’s father was holding shatters into millions of pieces and isaccompanied by the slow spread of deep red liquid across his father’s suit.

“Oh my God,” I whisper.

For the first time in my life, I see fear on Luca’s face. He sprints to where his father is, holding him firmly as they both sink to the ground. Screams of terror fill the room as everyone in attendance runs in the opposite direction. Some even crash into me as they try to escape. Others already have their weapons out, looking for the enemy, including my husband, who cradles his wounded father in one hand and his gun in the other as he scans the crowd.

“No, no no, Papa, No!” He screams as he shifts his attention between his father and his enemy. He looks so small and broken sitting there. For once, control is out of his hands. His father’s men move around the room frantically, and I hear the struggle around me as they physically attack their enemy, but I can’t move my eyes away from what I’m seeing.

Luca’s father desperately grips his son’s arm, pulling him down so that he can whisper his dying words in his ear. Luca’s eyes widen as his father speaks to him, his expression unchanged when his father’s body falls limp. Luca doesn’t seem to grasp that his father’s gone, shaking his lifeless form, screaming at him in anger, begging him to come back. He tosses his head back, wailing in agony, the sound falling over the room that has almost fallen empty.

I take a small step toward Luca, my hand outstretched, when someone roughly grips me from behind, pulling me in close to their body. I cry out, pulling Luca’s attention. He lifts his gun, hatred in his eyes as he looks at whoever has their weapon pressed against my temple.

“I would put that down unless you want to lose your precious wife, too.” The voice is one that I don’t recognize, but he’s dressed in formal attire, whoever he is. He came here tonightwith a purpose. Luca doesn’t waver, his gun remaining in place as he looks at us. More footsteps echo as Luca’s father’s men surround us, their weapons raised.

“Tell them to back off, or she dies.” He emphasizes his threat by pushing his gun harder against my head, earning a whimper from me. Luca’s gaze darkens.

“Abbassate le armi!3” Luca shouts.

Luca also lowers his weapon slightly, but his grip remains firm, and his eyes remain focused. My panicked breathing accompanies Luca’s voice as each man lowers their weapons. My adrenaline is so spiked that I can practically hear their fingers moving from the triggers. The man holding me hostage chuckles, his hold loosening slightly.

“Here are the terms, Mr. Pasqu-Ahck!”

A shot echoes over the room, and excruciating pain ripples over me. I cry out along with the man who attempted to hold me hostage as a burning pain rips over my body near my stomach. I look down as red liquid saturates the front of my white gown before all of my strength leaves me, and I collapse. My head feels heavy as I try to look around, and I take note that the man has collapsed as well, pressing desperately against a similar wound. It finally dawns on me what happened.

He shot me. Luca shot me.

I shiver as his slow footsteps approach, but he doesn’t stop at me. He walks past me, kneeling next to the man. His expression is eerie as his eyes roam knowingly over the man’s wounded form. Luca takes the barrel of his gun, pressing it into the wound. A loud squelch accompanies the man’s cry of agony as Luca inflicts more pain with a bored expression on his face.

“There are no terms,” Luca says. I don’t know if it’s from the blood loss or the chill of Luca’s tone, but my body grows cold, and I begin to shiver.

“That”—he motions to me with his gun—“is my wife.Youare nothing to me. So imagine the fun I have in store for you,” he says.

“You’re fucking crazy!” the man shouts out in a panic.

Luca only releases a soft, “hm” as he stands to the side to let his men drag the injured man away. He then comes to my side, and I scream, struggling as he reaches for me in an attempt to get away.

“No! Get away from me!” I scream.

Luca grabs me quickly, holding me firm.

“Don’t move. You could rupture something,” he says.

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