5. GUNS AND MEN 

~SCARLETT

I was panicking. 

I was beyond nervous. All my life, I had always been the obedient child, even if it was at my own peril and despite all that, it was not enough to earn me my mother's love. 

Yet even if it was not enough, I never rebelled but here I was, doing the one thing I never thought I had the guts to do. 

My hand reached Viktor's and he gripped me firmly. "You made the right decision," he whispered. 

"Scarlett! You can't do this! You have to marry Marco in my stead! It's your duty to protect me!" Maya shrilled hysterically.

I was still trembling and beyond terrified so I refused to look at her or Mother. I just stared ahead at the man who seemed to be my savior out of the blue, in the one moment I needed him the most. 

And I was beginning to believe that all was well and I was going to be safe with Viktor when Marco suddenly yanked me away from Viktor and shot me his terrifying beady eyes. 

"I told you last night that you belong to me. Your body and soul is mine and you have no right to terminate this wedding. You already agreed to deceive me and you will see it to the end!" He spat in my face and my eyes widened with shock. 

My heart sank and I swallowed bile as the gravity of my situation struck me hard. 

I was wrong after all, there was no savior— no running away from the monster in the form of Marco. I was stuck with him forever. 

"Now, you will come back with me to the altar and you will complete the wedding, Scarlett Vaughn!" 

I remained frozen as he grabbed me forward and began to lead me back to the altar. I heard a satisfied chuckle escape my mother's lips. 

"Serves you right, ungrateful child," I heard her spit and Maya who had already begun to cry wiped away her tears and sniffled with renewed hope. 

I looked back to Viktor for help but he was gone and my already fragile heart shrunk. Did he just abandon me?

I turned back before me and was about to dwell in the realization that I was completely doomed when I saw Viktor appear right before my vision. 

"Scarlett Vaughn is not yet yours," he began in that overly calm voice he possessed. "You will only have full claim over her when you complete the marriage and now that she no longer wants this union, you cannot force her."

It was the way that Viktor spoke nonchalantly that made an uneasy feeling begin to crawl up my spine. If Marco was as dangerous as his reputation preceded him, Viktor surely had to know. . . Yet Viktor was unmoved by this and it gave me one troubling question. 

Who exactly was Viktor? 

"I warn you, Marcelli. Move out of my way or I will be forced to break off our truce," Marco threatened.

Viktor shrugged. "I cannot let you marry this woman without her consent, Bianchi. . ." He trailed. "And this is the house of the Lord. It's not appropriate to fight here."

But Viktor's words only seemed to fuel Marco's anger. Because in a sudden action, Marco shot his fist forward— toward Viktor's face but Viktor was smarter and faster.

He swiftly moved out of the way at a speed that I could never comprehend and Marco missed; despite throwing his fist forward with all his strength. 

The fact that Marco missed, made him lose his step and he stumbled forward.

Thus, he released me in order to catch himself. And Viktor used that opportunity to pull me away from Marco and safely place me behind himself. 

"I will now take Miss Vaughn away from here," Viktor announced and we stepped away from the fallen Marco.

Yet I felt as if this was too easy. Marco did not look like he was going to let it go this easily. 

And I was right. 

The moment we got to the center of the aisle, a gunshot echoed throughout the church and that was when chaos broke out. 

More men flew out of the guests and from the shadows that they had been lurking in; some surrounded Viktor while the  others surrounded Marco. 

"Shit! You've been shot, boss!" The man Viktor called Luca exclaimed. 

And I looked at Viktor to see that his lower arm was bleeding. 

"Oh my god! Viktor!" I cried knowing that this was the second time he was getting hurt because of me. 

It had not even been a day yet. 

Viktor released a low growl that sounded inhumane as he turned toward Marco who still had his gun pointed to us, yet shielded by his men as were we. 

"I will not let you take my bride away. Give her back to me and there will be no need for bloodshed!" Marco warned.

"I don't take orders from anyone. I own this city," Viktor stated in a voice so cold it caused an involuntary shiver to run down my spine. 

His expression had changed and he no longer looked his usual nonchalant self. He looked pissed— almost as if he was ready to hurt Marco till he also drew blood.

Marco had all his men pointing guns at us while Viktor and his men remained unarmed with us kept in the center. 

My family was hiding under the chairs of the church, watching silently, with no intention of intervening. 

Marco scoffed at Viktor's response. "We both know that I am the one who calls the shots in this city!" 

Viktor shook his head at him in pity. "Then you have been misinformed. You should go back and check the stats." 

Marco released a frustrated growl before clicking his gun, about to shoot for the second time when someone else suddenly put a gun to his head from behind him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The priest stated while holding the gun and I gasped.

How did the priest have a gun?

"This is the house of the Lord like Mr Marcelli stated earlier. It is a safe space and under no circumstances must the sanctity and purity of this place be violated.”