Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Just me in a room full of dangerous men.
Yutaro only eases his biting hold on my arm when we reach Mr. Vitale, then he orders in Japanese, “Do not bring shame to the Yakuza! If you do not go through with this marriage, I will kill you right here.”
I nod and swallow hard on the dry lump in my throat.
The man who’s officiating the ceremony has us repeating words that feel like nails being hammered into my coffin.
I keep staring at the dark green tie Mr. Vitale is wearing. It brings out the color of his eyes, which I only looked at once.
I can feel anger and danger coming off him in waves, and with every passing second, I grow tenser.
I begin to feel faint, but luckily, I manage to say ‘I do’ when it’s expected of me. Mr. Vitale takes hold of my hand and pushes a beautiful diamond ring onto my finger.
I tremble so much when it’s my turn, and I almost drop the plain wedding band. When I push it onto Mr. Vitale’s finger, it feels like another piece of me dies.
How many pieces do I have left before all of me is dead?
“You’re husband and wife,” the man officiating the ceremony says. I think he’s Mr. Vitale’s lawyer, but I can’t be sure because too much is happening for me to focus on such a trivial thing.
Mr. Vitale steps closer, and when he leans down, I stop breathing. For a second, our eyes meet before he presses a soft kiss to my cheek.
Maybe he wants to wait until we’re alone before he kisses me on the mouth?
The thought has revulsion rippling through me.
“Yuki!” Yutaro snaps, ripping me out of the harrowing thoughts. “Sign the register.”
I follow the men to a small table and sign my life away on the dotted line.
Once Yutaro has signed as my witness, he says, “I’m leaving. Be a good wife.”
With bitterness and hatred in my heart, I watch as my father’s guard dog walks away.
“Ready?” Mr. Vitale asks.
I keep my head turned away from him as I answer, “Yes, Mr. Vitale.”
“Call me Augusto.”
Right. He’s my husband.
He can do whatever he wants to me.
I’m his property.
The stark reality that I’m married to Augusto Vitale hits hard, and I sway on my feet from the crippling blow.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
Still not looking at him, I nod.
When he places his hand on my back, my body jerks and I clench my hands into fists. The wedding ring feels uncomfortable between my fingers.
As we walk out of the hall with the rest of the Cosa Nostra, a man I haven’t seen before comes toward us.
“I’ve loaded Yuki’s luggage into the SUV.”
“Thanks, Lorenzo,” Augusto replies.
I traveled with three bags. Most of my clothes are new to impress Augusto. I managed to hide my box containing my sentimental items from Yutaro and was able to bring it with me to New York.
When we leave the hotel, I’m hit with a blast of chilly autumn air before I climb into the backseat of one of the SUVs.
Augusto gets in beside me, and once the vehicle begins to move, he lets out a sigh. “We’re going to my parents' house for the reception. My family is looking forward to meeting you.”
Caught by surprise, my gaze darts to his face, but the second I see the anger and danger swirling in his green eyes, I look down at my hands on my lap.
At least it gives me more time before I’m forced to have sex with him.
Staring out the window, I don’t take in any of the foreign city.
Suddenly, Augusto’s hand comes up, and I squash my body into the seat while turning my face farther away.
“Sorry, I just wanted to point out that our house is down that street.”
The ringing returns to my ears, and my vision goes spotty for a moment.
Augusto takes hold of my chin, and I don’t even have it in me to flinch as my head swims with a dizzying feeling.
“Yuki?”
When I blink, my sight comes into focus, and I see a concerned but upset expression on Augusto’s face. “You don’t look well. Would you rather go home?”
No! I’m not having sex with this man a second sooner than is absolutely necessary. I want to go to the reception.
I shake my head and sweep my tongue over my dry lips. “I’m fine. Sorry.”
Not looking too sure about my decision, he settles back into his seat. He stares at me for a moment, then he says, “I didn’t get to say it earlier, but you look beautiful.”
Knowing it’s expected of me, I reply, “Thank you.”
I’m unable to tell him he looks attractive in the tuxedo because I don’t have it in me to give him a compliment.
As a tense silence fills the SUV, I think about everything that’s happened… Everyone who died. Augusto and his friends beating me for days. The excruciating pain. The dental work I had to get done. The injections to dissolve the filler. The gnawing hunger. All the slaps and threats. Being degraded over and over again.