And again.
And bloody again.
The Devil gave me the most warm, loving smile. “My lovely Erica, some of my men will take you up to a suite, so that you can get dressed.”
Afterthatshow, not one word of protest came from me.
Not a fucking word.
In fact. . .if he had told me to jump, I would have hopped as high as possible, and asked if he was pleased.
Let everyone call me a coward. . .at least I’m a living one. . .with both hands. Jesus Christ he’s insane!
Two men walked my way yet kept a decent distance.
I let out a long breath and nodded at the Devil. “Okay. I’ll. . .be back. . .”
“No.” The Devil winked. “Take your time.”
Shivering, I turned and followed the men.
Well. . .I guess I’m getting married now. What the fuck?!
And maybe, just maybe, one day, I could find a way to survive in his darkness.
Because there was no other option.
Gianni called out to one of his men, “Amerigo.”
The man closest to me stopped and looked at him, “Yes, Gianni?”
“Make sure no one throws away that costume or those little ballerina shoes. Ireallylike them.”
Amerigo gave him a knowing smile. “I figured that, boss.”
Oh God. Why does he want to keep them?
Chapter eight
The Devil’s Bride
An hour later, I found myself standing at the makeshift altar at the far end of the grand ballroom.
The same room where blood had been spilled earlier was now transformed into a twisted version of a wedding chapel.
Rows of Gianni’s men and their women sat silently, their eyes fixed on the scene before them, waiting for the union of their leader and his new bride.
The crystal chandeliers had been dimmed. Hundreds of red and white roses had been arranged around us.
This would be no ordinary wedding.
Gianni stood beside me, dressed in a new tuxedo that matched the dark, dangerous energy he exuded. The fabric was black as midnight, with subtle blood red accents lining the edges of his lapels and cuffs.
He looked every bit the Devil of Shadows, a man whose very presence demanded fear and respect.
My mind drifted back to the when I had been escorted to a suite upstairs.
When I entered the room, I was overwhelmed by the sight of over forty very expensive bridal gowns. Each was more beautiful and elaborate than the last, and all arranged for my choosing.
