Page 3 of Deadly Vows

Something that I am thankful for.

Everyone here knows this union is arranged. They know we feel nothing for each other and yet they all say the same things as if they read from a script before entering.

“Congratulations, you two will make a beautiful couple.”

But I see the way they look at Luca. They are cautious, hoping their words don’t offend the man who could end their lives if he wanted to. They want to make an impression on the man who will soon hold the world in the palm of his hand.

“Elise!” I look in the direction of my name to see my cousin and closest friend, Arianna approaching.

Her husband is on her arm, a warm smile on his lips as they both approach and I feel a sense of dread wash over me. She’s the one who comforted me all these years, attempting to reassure me that an arranged marriage won’t be a bad thing. But she’s one of the lucky ones. Her husband married into our family and he loves and adores her. She doesn’t know the downside of arrangements. She doesn’t know what it’s like to be at the mercy of powerful men.

“You look beautiful, Elise,” she says as she pulls me into an embrace.

I step back, murmuring my thanks as she and her husband repeat the words of everyone else tonight to Luca.

“This is my cousin, Arianna. We’ve been close as long as I can remember,” I say to Luca. His smile seems forced as he studies her, but he responds.

“Sorry for having to take your best friend away so suddenly,” he says. His voice is cold, his words seeming hollow as he speaks.

“It’s no problem at all. I’m sure we’ll be visiting each other a lot, won’t we?” she says looking at me.

“Yes, of course,” I say.

I shift my attention past Luca to the man who accompanied him earlier when he first arrived. He approaches us with a stoic expression, not bothering us as he begins whispering to his boss. Luca’s expression shifts, his body becoming rigid from whatever news his man is telling him.

“Excuse me,” he says slipping his arm out of mine. I watch as he walks toward the hall of the ballroom without looking back,his man in tow before turning back to Arianna. She’s watching me with a worried expression, pushing my hair out of my face.

“How are you feeling?” she asks.

I suck in a trembling breath, looking in the direction of my future husband.

“I’m scared, Ari,” I say.

“You’ll be fine, Elise. Once all of the excitement is over, he’ll be so busy with work, he won’t even have time for you,” she says.

I’m hoping what she says is true. In an ideal scenario, he would find another woman to keep his company and ignore me, as most men in our world do. Because I know the type of man he is. He owns things, and I am no different from another possession he wants to keep. I see it in the way he looks at me and in the way he speaks to me. He’s like a wild animal being held back from what it desires.

I look away from my cousin for a moment in search of champagne. I spot the crystal fountain made of champagne flutes across the room and when I turn back to Ari, I see her and her husband having a moment. She’s giggling at something he whispers in her ear. Their love is obvious in the way he holds her and the way she leans into him. And when she speaks to me, he continues to watch her in adoration. They make my heart ache. Part of me wishes Luca could be capable of such affection. But I don’t know what part of his life was uprooted for our arrangement, nor do I know how he truly feels about it.

“I’m going to get another drink,” I say, quickly walking away from my cousin. I don’t want to ruin their moment and I don’t want to witness it any longer. I need the liquid courage a glass of champagne will provide me before Luca returns with his ominous presence.

As I make my way to the table, I look in the direction of the hall Luca disappeared into. My eyes widen slightly when I see a blonde. She’s really pretty and her face looks determined as sheattempts to enter the ballroom. Out of nowhere, Luca appears behind her, snatching her roughly by the arm, and both of them disappear around the corner.

I know I should leave it alone. My instincts are screaming at me to go about the party and leave Luca to whatever it is he’s doing. But part of me wants to know what’s happening, and why Luca looked so angry when grabbing that woman. I look around before making my way to the hallway, the music of the ballroom decreasing the further I get. I flinch as the silence is replaced by a whimper.

“You can’t just do this me—Ah!”

My footsteps falter as her voice is violently cut off, followed by Luca’s angry tone.

“I told you, we are finished. How dare you show your face here!” His voice is like venom, making my legs tremble from this distance. I don’t hear the woman making any more sounds, only the thick gurgle of her choking, and as I round the corner, I see why.

Luca has his hand around her throat as she watches him through tear-filled eyes. He doesn’t care though. He finally releases her, and she collapses beneath him, holding her throat as she coughs and gasps for air.

Horror hits me as Luca pulls out a gun, aiming it at the top of her unsuspecting head. Hatred is clear in his expression. He isn’t threatening her, he’s about to pull the trigger. My legs are moving before I can think of the consequences, my hands gripping his arm in panic.

“Luca, stop!” I shout.

Luca turns his emotionless expression in my direction, his features shifting to anger. He rips his arm from my grasp, thrusting his finger past my face as his true nature shines through.

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