Page 58 of Leave Me (Touch of Death 2)
The rest of the ceremony is a blur of pompous bullshit. We speak words before God that neither of us mean. Vowing to love each other in sickness and in health. It’s laughable. Before I know it, the words “I do” are slipping from my mouth.
“You may kiss the bride,” the priest says, a beaming smile on his aged face.
I wonder if he knows what he’s condemning me to.
Enrique steps forward and slides his fingers over my cheek, almost lovingly. Then his lips meet mine, soft, yet persistent. Tension crackles through my body, building until I feel like I’m going to explode, but I have to remind myself—I chose this. Time and time again. The kiss only lasts a moment, and then he’s gone, turning me toward the gathered crowd. The people are all a blur, except one.
Gabriella sits in the front pew of the church to the right, just her and Lorenzo. Of course, it’s reserved for family, and aside from her, I have none. The bruises on her face have healed, but I can see the pain in her eyes, laced with an anger I understand better than anyone. I tear my gaze from her and walk down the aisle toward the doors.
Once outside the church, confetti rains down on us in a shower of color. People smile and congratulate us, and I’m just numb to it all. Photographers snap pictures, and I find myself wondering why. Enrique isn’t exactly going to look at them at a later date and recall how happy we were. Perhaps he just wants to reminisce over my misery.
I finally see a face I recognize in the form of Una. I can’t really miss her. She parts the crowd in a bright-red dress that clings to her curves, matching the fascinator that sits among the white-blond waves that fall to her waist. Everyone seems to move away from her as she cuts through the guests with that graceful swing of her hips. Some of them will know exactly who she is, and those that don’t can sense the dangerous vibe she emits, much like a gazelle senses the presence of a lion. Nero breaks away from a group of men and comes to her side. Her arm links through his, and they become two predators in a field of prey; beautiful but deadly. They walk straight toward Enrique and me. It feels as though the entire congregation of gathered guests holds their breath, though I know it’s probably just me.
“Adelina,” Una purrs. “Congratulations.” She smiles, though her eyes promise retribution. She never liked me, and I imagine even less so now.
I watch as Nero shakes Enrique’s hand, the promise of death in his eyes. The two men stare at each other, and I’m surprised Nero came given the fact that Enrique all but declared war on him.
“Thank you for coming,” Enrique says.
Una presses to Nero’s side, and he smirks. “Oh, we wouldn’t miss it,” she says before glancing at me once more. “We didn’t get you a wedding gift.” She holds out her arm before unfastening the thick, silver cuff that encases her wrist. “I want you to have this.” I’ve never seen her not wearing the piece of jewelry, and I assume it has sentimental value.
“Oh, no. I couldn’t…”
Before I can object, she snaps it on my arm. I glance down at the thick cuff. It’s not really my style, but it’s touching that she gave me anything. “Nonsense. It looks stunning on you.”
She moves away, and Nero replaces her. “I hope your marriage is everything you hope for,” he says, eyes locking with mine.
I don’t miss the double meaning. While Sasha was telling me I couldn’t do this, I could always sense Nero considering the merits of my going after Enrique. He’s a strategist, always looking for a plan that benefits him while requiring minimal risk. I gave him that. If I fail in killing Enrique, then he’ll undoubtedly find another way. If I die in the process, well, that’s not his problem. The only people Nero truly cares for are his men and his family. I can almost respect that kind of unscrupulous planning. It’s something my father would do—prioritize his family and allow someone else to take the risk.
He leans in, kissing my cheek. “Use the gift wisely,” he says.
He steps back, and I frown as I watch them both move off, the crowd scrambling to get out of their way once more. Use the gift wisely. I glance down at the bracelet. How am I supposed to use this? Enrique turns away, speaking to someone else. I turn the cuff around on my wrist, running my fingers along the polished edge. There’s a tiny ridge, and when I press my finger to it, part of it pops out on a spring release. I allow it to drop away from the main body of the metal by half an inch and wince when it slices through my finger. It’s a blade. Tiny but razor-sharp. I push it back inside before my eyes dart over the crowd. I spot Una near the gates that exit the churchyard. Our eyes lock, and she gives me a small nod.
