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“Why do you need to do that?” I ask, trying to defuse the situation. Dorian isn’t happy about the request.
“You aren’t a member of this parish, Ms. Vitali. I just need to ascertain that this is what you want.” Dorian’s grip on my elbow tightens. The fear radiating off of him is palpable. He has no idea what I’m going to say to this man and to be honest, neither do I.
“We’ll be right back, Dorian. I promise,” I tell him, laying my hand on his.
“Alright,” he says, realizing he doesn’t really have a choice in the matter, not if he wants to marry me today. “I’ll meet you at the altar.”
“You will,” I confirm. Come hell or high water, I will do what he wants me to, but only to save my family.
I follow the priest to a small office through a small hallway behind the altar.
“Ms. Vitali, are you certain this is what you want? I’ve known Dorian since we were boys playing stickball in the street. I know how he is. If you don’t want this, I’ll help you leave now. I have a car waiting.”
“Why would you do that?” I ask, confused.
“I can’t, in good conscience, let you do something you don’t want to do. He wasn’t even dating anyone last week, and now he’s got a one-day license from the governor to marry a Vitali without her family present. It reeks of deception.”
This is it. I could tell this priest everything, and he’d help me get free. I can see it now. I’d get home to Queens. My dad and uncles would demand to know what happened. Then my family would retaliate and kill his family. Do I really want that? My mind goes to Cash, who has been nothing but nice to me. Not to mention the rest of those nice people out there in that church right now. On the other hand, Father Flanagan just said they were friends. This could be some kind of loyalty test Dorian has devised. A test to see if I’d blab the first chance I got. A test I definitely don’t want to fail and piss him off. Other than the denied orgasms and initial kidnapping, he hasn’t been so terrible. I’m sure it could be much worse.
“No. I want to marry him,” I lie.
“Why?”
“Because he asked,” I say, knowing that’s a terrible reason to marry someone, but it’s all I’ve got without sobbing again. He didn’t ask. He demanded. He threatened. He played on my loyalty to get something he wanted. What am I getting out of this?
“Alright, then, let’s get you married,” he says, gesturing for me to walk in front of him. I do that. When I walk back into the sanctuary, Dorian looks visibly relieved. I move to stand beside him; he takes my hand again, his thumb stroking the back of my hand.
“Ready?” Dorian whispers.
“Yes,” I lie.
“We have gathered here to celebrate the union of Dorian Rhys O’Shaughnessy and Matilde Emerson Vitali. God has brought them together, and we pray that He will always hold them in His love. May your time together strengthen the love that binds you,” Father Flanagan says, beginning the ceremony.
All too quickly, we are being pronounced husband and wife. Derry produced all three rings, which I wasn’t expecting. The rings make it seem that much more real. When Dorian moves to kiss me, I turn my cheek to him at the last second. I don’t want his kisses. That’s taking this too far. Kisses should be special.
“I will have your kisses,wife. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but one day I will have all of your kisses,” he hisses into my ear so that only I can hear him. I’m not sure if it’s words or his tone of voice that sends a shiver down my spine, I just know one of them did.
I clear my throat to gain a semblance of calm and realize I’ve been crying again. I silently cried through the entire ceremony that bound me to this man. A man I can never love because of the way we started. I also don’t know if he’ll ever love me. He wants me for some reason, which I can’t fathom, but I’ll never know what love feels like, which crushes my soul. How can I ever forgive him for robbing me of love?
“We’re sisters now,” Cash says, sweeping me into a hug the second Dorian releases me.
“Of course we are,” I say brightly, hugging her back.
It’s not her fault her brother is an asshole.
At least there will be one bright spot in being Mrs. Dorian Rhys O’Shaughnessy.
SEVEN
DORIAN
Finally,she’s my wife; I’ll never allow that to change. I about had a fucking heart attack when I saw her in the white dress Cashel chose for her. Her ample tits spill from the top. They are covered in crisscrossed lace. It’s tight until you get to her waist. A peach belt is tied around her waist; then, it flows out into a big skirt. A present I’ll unwrap slowly.
It’s like she doesn’t know how fucking beautiful she is. It’s as if she hasn’t been told every single minute of her life.
My mother pulls me aside while Matilde is talking to and hugging my sisters. She really is a miracle worker, especially with Declan.
“I can’t believe you actually pulled this off. How did you get her to do it?” she asks. I didn’t lie to my family. Everyone but my youngest sister knows that I kidnapped her. I couldn’t leave her there; now I need to fully make her mine.
