Chapter 4

The maid quickly covered her mouth as she realised Mariana had no idea of the marriage.

"Excuse me." The maid said, rushing out of the room and locking the door behind her.

Mariana felt like she was falling. There is no way she was going to marry that man. She'd rather die!

The following day.

Mariana could not even close her eyes, let alone get to sleep. She spent most of the night pacing the floor cursing her father and Marcello, hating her father.. How could he had done this to her? He couldn't have thought of a worse punishment. She was locked up in a strange environment, paying for his crimes.

Marriage?

To a consigliere, the adviser to a Mafia family.

To him of all people. A dangerous man who had the coldest grey eyes she'd ever seen.

There was a knock on the door and when she opened it she found a maid holding a tray of fresh fruits, scrambled eggs and a glass of juice.

"Your breakfast, signora." The maid said, smiling.

Not long after the maid had left, another one much older arrived, carrying a massive armful of wedding finery which she informed Mariana she would help her get into preparation for the ceremony at ten in the morning.

"I'm not wearing that! I'm not getting married." Mariana said as the maid laid out the wedding gown.

"This is your wedding gown." The maid said. 

I can't breathe. This can't be happening. Mariana thought.

"I told you, I am not getting married. I'd rather die." Mariana snapped at the maid.

The maid whose name Mariana recognized as Victoria because of the name tag.

Victoria stared at Mariana for a moment before leaving the room.

A few minutes later, the door abruptly opened and Marcello strode in.

"We are getting married today." He blurted.

"I'm not marrying you!" She flashed him a furious look. "I'd rather die!"

"Yes, well, you can get that choice." He said, eyes locking with hers.

Mariana glared at him. "I'm sure you didn't kidnap me just to get married to me. Why?"

His gaze was as calm and deep as the sea. "I had a change of mind."

"Why?" She blurted.

Why did he want to marry her all of a sudden?

"I got to know that your mother was a part of a Mafia family and the second daughter of the Capo dei Capi, the head of Las Vegas mob." Marcello's eyes bored into her.

Shock was written on Mariana's face. "What does that got to do with me?"

"There is no stronger bond than blood. For our connections to be straightened globally and for peace to be an option we have to become family." He paused then continued, "Now, go get ready."

"Give me a moment." Mariana said in a whisper. She was trying to process all what he had just said. Her mother who had died after giving birth to her was a daughter of a Mafia boss. "I need some time to think. To get used to this idea. We don't even know each other…" as she talked, her eyes filled with tears.

"Did I break down your dreams?" His eyes darkened. "You were going to get married to the man you love?"

His words struck a nerve. 

"Damn you…" Mariana yelled in tears.

He closed the distance between them, caught the back of her neck in a painful grip, and brought his face down to hers. "Shh. Do not yell at me."

His fingers burned where they held her. His body burned with an unexplainable desire. He fought the reflection of himself he saw in her teary eyes, and something like guilt flashed in his eyes before it disappeared.

"Either you marry me or you die. Choose one." He said after releasing her.

She didn't answer.

"We will never be husband and wife." His voice was soft and full of meaning. She looked at him. "Only our names will stand side by side. Now be smart."

It still didn't change the fact that they would be legally married.

She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Am I clear?" He asked and she nodded.

He gave her one last glance before leaving the room.

Victoria came in. 

"You haven't eaten your breakfast."

She shook her head. "I'm not hungry."

I can't believe I'm doing this. Mariana said as she stood up from the chair after Victoria had done her makeup. 

How could it be possible that within a less than an hour she would be married to Marcello? She loved reading romance novels and whenever the couples in them get married, having their happy-ever-after. She'd imagined how her wedding would be. She'd always imagined it would be filled with excitement and love. Empty dreams. How could this be happening?

She stared at herself in the mirror. The dress was gorgeous; A-line jewel backless chapel train, the diamond necklace glittering wherever the sunlight hit it and her hair was in a bun.

"You look gorgeous." Victoria gushed.

"I don't think I can do this." Mariana muttered.

"You can." Victoria said, smiling.

Those two words helped Mariana.

"Are we done?" 

"Just a second." Victoria came with a white short lace bridal veil.

"Oh, no."

Victoria gave her a pragmatic look. "Do you want to stay alive or don't you?"

***

The first thought Marcello had was how the situation changed so fast. Hours ago he had no thought of commitment but here he is about to get married.

He told himself several times that it was just a formality and it was no big deal.

Temptation was walking right towards him. He had never felt like this to any woman he had just met. But she was different. And he couldn't point out the reason why he felt the way he did. To her. Jesus, she got a body you'd see on a pornstar. It couldn't be real. She looked innocent only if she was just a fake but it doesn't seem like she is.

It was regrettably real.

He hadn't ever wished a girl could get out of his sight before, especially one with an ass like Mariana, his soon-to-be bride.

Other men would be happy to have such a gorgeous woman as his wife but he wasn't. As far as he was concerned, love and commitment were two things he stayed well clear of and intended to keep doing so.

Loving someone meant you could lose them. They could be there one minute and gone the next.

Like his parents.

Sometimes Marcello found it hard even to remember what his mother and father looked like. He couldn't even remember their voices. He just turned eight years old when they died, and as each year passed his memories of them faded even further. 

He had completely forgotten their touch.

But there was one touch he knew he was not going to forget in a hurry.

As soon as the priest asked them to join hands, he felt a lightning bolt shoot up from his hand, travel from the length of his arm and straight to his groin as if she had touched him there with her bare hands. Then he realized this was actually the first time he was touching her with his bare hands and not wearing a glove. 

Her hand was trembling with fear. He could feel her shaking, she knew. She didn't meet his gaze

Her hand was so tiny and fragile that he felt if he squeezed them slightly they will break. His hand almost swallowed it whole. He felt a primal stirring in his loins when he thought or what might feel like to enter her. To posses her. To feel her sexy body grip him tightly.

"Stai zitto," Shut up. He said to himself.

The priest asked them to join their right hands, and declare their vows before God and his people. They faced each other and Mariana had no choice but to look up into his eyes.

He spoke first. "I, Marcello Colombo, take you, Mariana Anderson, as my lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part." How sweet the words sounded from his mouth. There was no mention of the word 'love'.

Mariana held back her tears as she recited the words expected of her and the priest blessed their rings.

Marcello picked up a ring off the red cushion.

Mariana hesitated before bringing her trembling fingers forward. He slipped the ring onto her finger. It was a simple white diamond ring. 

She slipped his ring onto his finger. He had tattoos on his fingers. It was a poet and a small cross on his middle finger. She didn't know why but it made her feel ridiculously hot all over. 

She is no more Mariana Anderson but Mariana Colombo. It was like she blinked and her life took an unexpected turn.

"I now pronounce you man and wife." The priest gave Marcello a smile. "You may lift the veil and kiss your bride."

Mariana's eyes flicked with something that looked like panic. No, she can't have her first kiss with him. A man who kidnapped her. "No…"

Marcello didn't give her time to finish her sentence. Besides, he'd kissed a few selected women before. All he had to do was plant a kiss on her lips and step back. No big deal.

He lifted the veil from her face and planted his mouth on hers.

Mariana's eyes widened. Her heart skipped a beat.

They stared at one another.

Her soft lips on his, her shallow breath in his ears, the taste of her, the feel of her so…so addictive, he couldn't stop himself from pushing his tongue into her mouth just as she opened them. 

Straight lust in all its itchy, burning glory rushed through his veins.

His body stir against hers so he gripped her by the hips and pulled her flush against him.

The priest cleared his throat. "Ahem…"

Marcello dropped his hands. He looked slightly stunned for a moment, but then he gave himself a mental shake before giving the priest a stern gaze, "Had to make it look real."

Everyone believed him. 'Marcello wasn't one to have a weakness.'

Marcello turned to look at Mariana but only to find her watching him with the softest brown eyes he'd ever seen as pink tinted her cheeks. So cute and innocent. But they don't last. Now she was a part of his world.

Mariana's heart was beating so fast that it felt like she could hear it. She hadn't expected him to kiss her like that in front of all this people and she'd like it.

They walked down the aisle, past the standing and clapping guests, and went outside. Dozens of waiters were waiting with champagne in trays. It was now time for them to accept the blessings and congratulations of guests before they could move on to the tables and sit down for dinner.

Marcello grabbed her left arm and it didn't appear as if he had any intention to let go any time soon. He held her as if she was going to escape as soon as she left his sight. He took a glass of champagne and handed it to her. "You are now a Colombo, remember that."

She stiffened. She was now one of them. She could feel a lot of gazes on her.

A petite brunette, with a beauty that could stop a man in his tracks, walked up to them. She smiled at Mariana. "It is so nice to meet you. I can't believe you are my cousin. Immediately I heard about you, I couldn't wait to see you."

Mariana looked at her, confused.

"I am sure you might not know me. I am Elena Miller. Your late mother was my aunt. I was three years old when she left." Elena stopped then continued. "I am so sorry for talking too much."

"It's nothing. I talk a lot too, sometimes, especially when I'm excited." Mariana replied, smiling.

"Congratulations on your wedding." She pulled Mariana into a friendly hug.

"I hope you get through this marriage." She whispered into her ear before letting her go and walked away.

Mariana smiled. Deep down she knew she already liked Elena. 

A few more guest came to congratulate them but most of them were not friendly enough to Mariana. She hoped she would meet more of her mother's relatives but there was no one except from Elena.

'Maybe they didn't want to meet her.' She thought, sad.

So her mother's surname was 'Miller'.

"Congrats, Marcello." A high female voice said. Marcello and Mariana turned toward the voice of who had spoken and something in Marcello's demeanor shifted slightly.

"Gabriella," he said with a nod.

Mariana's eyes froze on the woman, she was a blonde and had dark-green eyes. She wore an above-knee-length, strapless green gown that exposed her cleavage.

"You must be Mariana, my brother's wife." She gave a fake smile.

So she is Marcello's sister,' Mariana thought.

She raised a brow.

"Not actually my blood brother." She said, her words filled with meaning.

"I hope you enjoy your marriage because I'm not sure you would."

What does she mean by that?' Mariana couldn't help but wonder.

"Congratulations, man. Permit me to say that your wife is so gorgeous." Dante approached them, wrapping his arm around his wife's waist.

Gabriella rolled her eyes at his action.

"We should go to the table." Dante added.

'All of me' by Billie Holiday played softly from an old radio. Lights wind around the wooden slats of the patio cover, and the garden looked beautiful. The chairs were soft and the food was good, but it was uncomfortable having dinner with a bunch of strangers.

Marcello's fist clenched beside Mariana and she looked up at him. He was staring at someone with a hard gaze.

"What is he doing here?" She heard him ask a man.

"Maybe boss invited him over." The man replied him.

"I heard you are building your own crew." Everyone's gaze on the table was at the man who spoke.

The man wore a black tuxedo. He had grey hair, blue eyes and a scar on the left side of his face. His look.

A shiver ran down Mariana's spine.

"Already built." Marcello replied, coolly.

"How many men do you have?" 

"A thousand."

"So few."

Marcello gave a mischievous smile before saying, "But strong."

"You've a lovely wife." The man said, bringing his glass up to his mouth to take a sip from it.

"I know." Marcello locked gaze with the man.

Mariana could feel the tension in the air.

A few minutes later.

Dinner continued with meaningless chatter but Mariana could still feel the tension. Was this how they eat together?

Each of them never loosing their guard.

It began with a simple suggestion between the men to visit the race tracks.

The unknown man sitting beside her grunted annoyingly. She'd learned his name was Vincent, though he'd hardly said more than a word.

It seems he came with the man with the scary looks.' Mariana thought.

"I got better things to do than watch the Colombos lose." He said.

Marcello gaze darkened. 

"Vincent,..." The man with a scar on his face warned from his seat beside Jacopo.

"The truth is always bitter, Uncle Federico." Vincent scowled.

"I'm not sure what you are talking about." Marcello drawled. "Oh, I get now. I don't think I lost when I shot- uh, what was his name again? Ah, yes, Alessio…?" Marcello's eyes flickered with dark enjoyment. "Shot that one straight in the skull."

Mariana sat down still, anxious to get away from them.

Marcello's amusement faded into a deathly quiet that even his family and guests at the head of the table noticed. Everything went motionless.

They never saw it coming.

Mariana's pulse leapt into her throat as an arm clamped around her waist, pulling her to her feet. Her head was forced to the side as a cold barrel pressed against her temple.

Shouting rang out in Italian. Chairs fell backward as everyone jumped to their feet. Guns rose in every direction.

Her eyes widened in horror.

"Just watch how I do the same thing to your donna." Woman.