Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 89032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
I walk in a haze out into the hallway. More staff are lingering around. I catch a few strange looks from them, but nobody speaks to me. Lucy gives me another hug before she’s ushered out toward the aisle. I lose sight of her as she turns the corner.
“Are you going to run away?” Adriano appears at my side. I should be pissed at him since he’s the reason I’m in this mess, but I’m suddenly grateful he’s there.
“Tempted. Would you let me?”
“For a little bit, but you wouldn’t get far in those shoes.”
I lift up my dress slightly and peer at the heels. “You’d be surprised. I could sprint the hundred in ten seconds in these bad boys.”
“The heel would snap.”
“Even better. Make it nine-point-five then.”
I slip my arm through his. He lightly pats my hands. “It’ll be okay. I promise. I’m not going to send you out here and just abandon you.”
“You fucking better not.”
“This is important to the business. You’ll have power, connections—”
“Adriano.” He glances at me, frowning. “I don’t care. Shut the fuck up, okay?”
He nods once. “Understood.”
We stand together in silence. Brother and sister in hell. We grew up together in our father’s house. Adriano was pushed into leadership roles while I’ve always floated around on the outside. The Famiglia made my brother hard and ruthless, while it made me want to fix the world instead. It’s like we’re opposite halves of the same coin. He destroys while I repair.
That’s how I’ve always seen myself anyway. Grace House was my penance. It was my way of doing good despite being born into a family that does so much wrong.
But now what will I be?
With all this power and all these connections?
“It’s time,” the planner says as the wedding march begins. She clears her throat awkwardly. “Uh, Mr. Marino, I just want to say that I had no clue—”
He frowns uncertainly at her. “What are you talking about?”
“The switch, sir. Nobody told me. It’s unconventional, but I’m handling it.” Her eyes widen when Adriano looks confused. “You don’t know?”
I look around, panic hitting me hard in the chest. “Don’t know what?”
“Your husband—” the planner starts, but another member of the staff gestures hurriedly for us to get moving, and Adriano takes off. He drags me forward, but I want to stay. What about Finn? What happened to him?
“What the hell was she talking about?” Adriano murmurs as we walk onto the aisle.
I’m blasted by light and sound. People in fancy, expensive clothes stand and stare at me, some of them grinning and smiling, most of them just looking on impassively. I recognize most of the faces on the Marino side, but the Whelans are all strangers. New York is a foreign city. This whole room feels completely wrong.
Here comes the bride… wishing she were anywhere else…
Adriano walks on stiffly. I keep up, looking to the side, heart hammering in my chest. But slowly, Adriano’s pace slows, and he stops abruptly right in the middle of the room.
The music keeps playing, but the people around us start murmuring.
“What’s going on?” I ask, elbowing him lightly. “Adriano, what are you doing?”
“Bianca, the switch.”
“What are you talking about? Would you start moving?”
“No, listen to me.” His face is twisted in confusion and rage. “Look at your husband.”
I finally let myself stare ahead. I see Lucy first. Her face is pale and terrified. There are tears in her eyes. I don’t understand until I look at the man standing in my husband’s position, and then I suddenly do.
Fuck.
Oh my god.
This is wrong. There’s got to be a mistake.
Cormac is standing where Finn should be like he’s the one I’m about to marry.
My ghost. My terror. My nightmare and my wet dream.
He looks incredible. The tuxedo clings to his muscular body like a second skin. The tattoos on his neck and hands make him seem like an oil painting. His hair’s messy and slightly curly, and his eyelashes are so thick and dark. He’s looking at me with his perfect lips pressed into a tight, grim line, staring hate and lust and death. He’s sin and perfection. He’s everything I hate. He’s my blissful ruin.
“Motherfuckers,” Adriano growls, tugging me forward.
“What’s happening?”
“They switched. Padraig, that fucking piece of shit.”
I stare wildly at where the main Whelan family is seated. The father is gesturing at Adriano like he needs to get on with it. There are hundreds of eyes watching, and most of them are extremely important. None of these men want to be embarrassed, especially not right now.
“But I’m supposed to marry Finn. That’s—that’s—”
“Their fucking killer.” Adriano looks livid. “Get up there. Say the words. We’ll handle everything later.”
Panic swells in me. “This is insane. They can’t just swap grooms.”
“I’ll handle it. For now, don’t embarrass the Famiglia.”
“Adriano, fuck the Famiglia.”
His grip on my hand tightens into claws. “Just do it, Bianca, and let me clean up the mess later.”