CHAPTER NINE

ISABELLA

The next morning, I'm awakened by movement in my house. I jump up from the bed, scared that someone got past Rocco and is going to attack me. I put on my robe, grab a little gun I got for my 21st birthday and slowly open my door.

The sight that greets me is not the one I imagined. Rocco is standing there and he's giving instructions to people who are setting up equipments in my living room.

"What's going on here? How did you get in?" I ask.

The noise stops and everyone turns their attention to me. Rocco walks up to me and takes his shades off. Why does he wear sunglasses in the house?

"Good morning. The Capo sent them to help you get ready. You're getting married today."

I don't move or react to his words. I'm frozen in shock. What does he mean I'm getting married today? How does that happen without the bride knowing?

I start shaking my head and Rocco sighs.

"You're nice so I'll give you this advice for free. Go with it. He's not so bad once you do everything he says. The last few days are proof that he'll leave you alone. If you want to survive, I suggest you just stay quiet and do what he says."

A dry mirthless laugh bursts out of me. "You mean I should nod when told that I'll be getting married today?"

"Yes, that's exactly what you should do. We all know what happened with the last wife. I wouldn't want to see you like that."

Once again I'm reminded that even though the Capo has left me alone since the selection, he is a monster and all that can change in a second.

"I have to talk to my father, I can't do this." I say, panicking.

I start to walk towards my father's room but Rocco stops me.

"He didn't come home last night. You can call him and ask him to meet us at the church but this wedding is happening."

I blink back tears that are threatening to fall.

"Don't cry," Rocco whispers. "These people here are vicious and won't hesitate to inform the wives of the underbosses and top families that you cried on your wedding day."

"Give me a minute." I say and walk back into my room.

Once inside, I make sure that the door is locked and then I cry. My life is never going to be the same. I can either keep crying and feeling sorry for myself or I can take a deep breath and be the strong girl I was raised to be.

I wish my father was here, I need him for this. I take my phone from under my pillow and call him. The phone rings a couple times but he doesn't answer. I leave him messages asking him to call me back. If he doesn't attend this wedding, I don't think I can forgive him. I'll take it as him abandoning me to die at the hands of a monster.

I go back to the living room where everyone has set up their station, make up, hair, accessories, everything.

"You ready?" Rocco asks and I nod.

The first thing we do is check out the boxes of new clothes I would need for my new life as Capo's wife. A lot of them are not in my style but they are all in my size.

"You did a good job guessing my size." I tell Rocco.

"It wasn't me." He simply says.

If it wasn't him, then my next guess is Marco, the second in command. I shake out my discomfort at him knowing my size after meeting me just three times.

After the clothes, I am taken by some women to the bathroom to prep my body. Even though I beg them to let me do it myself, they shave and bathe me. They use expensive oils and moisturizers to clean my body. If I was marrying the love of my life, this would be divine.

After my bath, I get into make up and hair. When I finish, the wedding dress I picked is brought to me. Looking at it makes me feel sick. As a little act of rebellion, I picked the ugliest dress in the store. Yesterday, it was a perfect plan. Today, it feels wrong to put it on.

Finally, I am ready and before we leave, I call my father once again. When he doesn't answer, I enter the car and Rocco drives me to my new life.

The venue is an old church the family uses. Rocco opens the door for me and I take three deep breaths. I check my phone one last time for any message from my father and when I don't see any, I get down from the car. I hate that I have to walk this road alone. The scariest day of my life and my father isn't here.

The door of the church is opened as soon as I reach the door. The Capo is standing in front of the church with a priest and his second in command. A few of his men and some women are sitting in the front pews. I take a deep breath and start walking down the aisle to meet my husband.

The closer I get, the clearer his face gets. His face is expressionless. While his guests are snickering at my ugly gown, his face is stone cold. I could have worn a sack cloth and he wouldn't have cared. The ceremony starts when I reach him. It's short, straight to the point and impersonal. He didn't even kiss me. Being born to this life, I never imagined I'd marry for love. I always knew I would marry to elevate my family. But in my imaginations, I married a kind man who wanted to be my friend.

After the ceremony, the Capo leads me out the door and into a different car. The car ride is quiet. He works on his tablet while I study him. A few minutes later, I look out the window and I don't recognise the road.

"This isn't the road to your house." I say.

He nods but doesn't look up from his tablet.

"It's not, we're going on our honeymoon."