For the next two hours, I think of Zane while forcing a smile onto my lips as my father parades me around like a trophy, and Alberto is slapped on the shoulder and told what a prize he snagged. By the time the sun starts setting, my father is two sheets to the wind and in a deep conversation with an allying family.
Slipping from the dining hall, I head toward the bathroom. It’s been hours since I last saw Zane, and I need to find him. Deep down, I know he wouldn’t leave me here. He knows I have nothing to do with this, though that wouldn’t stop him from acting out on his rage and jealousy.
Around the same time he disappeared, there was a commotion out in the garden. A man had beat the crap out of another man. Matteo’s men rushed out to break up the fight, but when they arrived, the other man was already gone.
Something tells me that was Zane, and all I can do is hope that he’s okay while I bide my time till I can go and find him. Walking into the bathroom, I plan to stay inside just long enough to get some of the guards off my tail, so I can start my search. Matteo’s men are vigilante as hell, and getting around them has been difficult, to say the least.
Placing my hands face down on the sink, I stare at my reflection in the mirror.
Can I really do this?
I nearly lost him once before, can I be the one to push him away, to end our perfect love story? Tears sting my eyes. This isn’t going to end well. Zane will see right through me, right through my lies, and deep into my soul. He’ll know I’m lying, and that something else is going on. I’ll have to look him right in the eyes and tell him I don’t love him anymore. That I don’t want him to be in my life. When that is as far from the truth as anything.
Letting him go is going to kill me, but there isn’t another option.
The minutes tick by slowly, and thankfully, no one else comes into the bathroom to witness my break down. I can’t possibly stay hidden in this bathroom all night. I have to find Zane and make sure he’s okay, but leaving this space is subjecting myself to the mayhem beyond these four walls.
Forcing myself to leave the bathroom, I turn and walk out the door. I make it all of ten feet down the hall, my heels clacking against the exquisite floor, before a hand clamps down on my shoulder and whirls me around.
The air expels from my lungs when I’m shoved against the nearest wall, and Alberto’s face comes into view.
“Hiding from me?” The whiskey on his breath tickles my nose, and I struggle against his firm grasp. His eyes are bloodshot, and I know after watching him for the last two hours, that he’s had more to drink than he should have.
“No, now please, let me go,” I say firmly, pushing against his chest, but pushing him is like trying to move a mountain. My movement only entices him further, and he leans in, his lips descending on mine. At the last second, I manage to turn my face, and he lands a sloppy kiss against my cheek.
“Oh, it’s like that, huh? Am I not good enough for you?” His hand grabs onto my tit, squeezing painfully, and a ragged hiss passes my lips. I clench my fist and swing my arm, hitting him in the side of his head. Unfortunately, my punch doesn’t have much force behind it, and since he is drunk, his pain tolerance is down. He just chuckles at my feeble attempt to hit him.
“Stop, I don’t want to do anything with you until after we’re married.”
“Awe, why not? I know you fuck Zane.” Leaning in, he drags his lips across my neck, sucking harshly.
“Stop!” I say a little louder, preparing myself to push him away, but before I can, a shadow falls over us, and Alberto is ripped away and tossed to the ground like a piece of trash.
I’m about to jump into Zane’s arms, telling him how sorry I am, and that he was right about everything. Instead of lunging forward into my lover’s arms, I’m frozen in place. It takes me a good second to realize it’s not Zane standing in front of me but someone else entirely.
Ivan.
“I-Ivan…”
“Hello, Dove,” he greets me casually as if we’re two old buddies who happen to be at the same party. Peeking behind him, I notice that he is not alone. With him is a man of similar stature, who is just as scary and daunting looking as him.
“Um, hi,” is the only thing I can manage to say. I’m not really sure if I should be scared or relieved to see Ivan right now. Why is he here? Surely, Matteo didn’t invite him, the way he talks of the Rossi family, I’m sure he’d rather eat his own shit than dine with them.
Behind Ivan, Alberto is trying to get off the ground. He only barely manages to stand on his own, more like swaying on his feet. He opens his mouth to say something but then stops himself when recognition sets in. Oh, he definitely knows Ivan and whoever this other man is, and from the way his body is trembling, it’s clear he is scared of them.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Alberto snarls after a moment of composing himself.
The man I don’t know shrugs. “Heard there was a party, figured we’d check it out. Kinda pissed we didn’t get an invite.”
“Cut the crap, Roman. Why are you really here?”
“Congratulations on your engagement,” Ivan says, both interrupting and changing the subject. “You seem like a lovely couple. Do you always have to force girls, or is there actually someone who touches your dick willingly?”
“Fuck you, Ivan,” Alberto slurs before storming off. How wonderful of him to leave me standing with two giant men in an otherwise empty hallway.
“You okay?” Ivan asks a moment later, his facial features softening, but only a little.
“Yes, thank you,” I reply, smoothing a hand down my dress, mainly because I need something to do with my hands.
“This is my brother, Roman.” He introduces the man next to him. Ah, brothers, that makes sense now. “Why the hell are you engaged to that douche?”
“It’s a long story.” I shake my head, not wanting to tell him the whole story right here in the middle of the hall, where anyone could hear. “Why are you here?”
“We heard Castro was making a big public announcement. Xander wanted us to check out what he was up to. Gotta admit, I wasn’t expecting this.”
“Yeah. Believe it or not, I wasn’t expecting this either.”
Ivan looks shocked. “Oh, wow. Well, shit. Where is Zane?”
“Around here somewhere. I’m pretty sure he got into a fight after the big announcement.”
“Well, folks, I would like to stay and chat,” Roman announces, “but I think we should head out before dipshit gets back with a small army because he is too scared to fight his own battles.”
“Yeah, that might be a good idea,” I say, looking down the hallway to see if any of my father’s men have noticed I’m missing. Now would be the perfect time to disappear, but it’s not worth it, not after hearing we’ll be shot without warning if we try to leave the grounds.
“Take care,” Ivan says before turning to walk away. I watch them leave via the exit and then head back to the party to try and find Zane. Back in the main room, I scan the crowd. Alberto is sitting next to my father at the table. He’s glaring at me like he’d like to strangle me. I’m surprised he didn’t tell my father about Ivan and Roman, then again, I’m sure he doesn’t want me to tell my father about what he did either.