Saved: a dark romance Read online

  She takes his arm.

  Rocco accompanies me, Angie, and Dare to a little chapel in a white stretch limousine. In addition to the chauffeur, who looks more like a bodyguard than a chauffeur, there’s another man. Probably also a guard. I can tell that Dare is a little bit uneasy.

  Dare’s eyes are on me and I have a feeling he’s looking at me to see if I want him to take control and get me out of there. Rocco isn’t giving us a second to ourselves.

  I smile at him and give him a big kiss on the cheek, “I’m happy. This is how it’s supposed to go.”

  He nods. Rocco heard it; I know this by the look on his face. No way would I underestimate him, no way would I put Dare at risk. But no way am I not going through with this, either.

  This is how it’s supposed to go. I’m supposed to marry Alessandro.

  ***

  It doesn’t feel like a Vegas wedding. We’re escorted to a little greenhouse filled to the brim with gorgeous flowers, but it’s air conditioned. An outdoor wedding in the desert without sweat. Nice one, Robert the concierge.

  I feel beautiful and excited and I’m probably crazy for it, but I also feel hopeful.

  Rocco whispers something to Dare and he nods and then Dare and my sister walk, hand in hand, out of the little alcove we’re in.

  It’s just me and Rocco with the chauffeur and his partner or whatever standing off in the distance by the door.

  “I delivered you to him the first time. Let’s deliver you again, for the final time.” He gives me a smile.

  The guy who brings his sex slaves to him is giving me away at my wedding. My wedding to the man who owns or at least runs that sex ring. A man who has twisted my heart in knots these past few months. My heart and brain both pause at that and I look at him with trepidation. He shrugs, kind of apologetically.

  “Do you know him well?” I ask.

  He smiles. “Few do. If any.”

  “But, you’ve known him a long time?”

  He nods.

  “I…” I don’t know how to say what’s in me. I don’t know how to describe what’s in me. I try anyway, “I feel like he’s good deep down but he doesn’t---”

  “Never ever speak to anyone about what you think of what he has deep down. If what’s deep down in him is something he shows you? It’s just for you. Talking about it is the fastest way to make sure he does not trust you. You give him what you’ve been giving him. Do what you’re doing. It got you this far. It’s why you’re here, not where you were planned for. Are you okay for me to bring you or would you rather your brother-in-law?”

  I nod. I’d rather it be my father. But that’s not an option. And I heard Alessandro ask Dare to be his best man so I’m not going to ask Dare to give me away.

  All that matters to me is who is at the end of the altar. Rocco cocks his arm and I take it and we start to walk out of the alcove and then I see him.

  My heart seizes for a moment. He’s in black. Tuxedo: black. Black shirt, black bowtie. Totally black. Even his corsage is that black hollyhock with a tinge of maroon. Like the bloom in my bouquet. I smile at him. Big. I feel so much joy bubble up in surprise as he smiles back at me. His smile makes me go weak in the knees.

  It’s like he’s shed the angry skin for a second when he’s looking at me. He’s taking in my appearance and maybe my joy. I feel so much joy at the smile he has on his face. It’s like no smile I’ve seen from him before. I stumble. Rocco steadies me and I giggle. Everyone in the room laughs with me, except Alessandro. He’s now looking at me with this possessive expression that is making my heart pound hard.

  I put my hand to my heart, take a deep breath, and then move to him. I notice the officiant, a bearded short older man in a white suit. He kind of resembles Colonel Sanders. He smiles at me. I smile back.

  “Hi,” I say to Alessandro.

  He moistens his lips and shakes his head at me, but his eyes are sparkling with amusement.

  God, they’re gorgeous. He’s gorgeous.

  There are also two men beside Alessandro that I don’t know. One is a tall guy in a navy-blue suit with strawberry blond hair. He looks quite a bit like Chris Pratt. The guy closest to Alessandro is a mixed-race Lenny Kravitz lookalike. But he’s no more than thirty and he is very well built. He has piercing green eyes and he’s wearing a tuxedo. He’s in a sports jacket and jeans. Everyone is smiling at me. Dare and Angel are on the other side. The bride’s side.

  “Hi everyone,” I say and I hear chuckles.

  The officiant doesn’t even get a chance to say a word, because Alessandro takes my bouquet and passes it to my sister. He takes my hands and starts speaking, slipping a ring on my finger on top of the engagement ring. I don’t even look down at it because my eyes are locked by his.

  “I, Alessandro, take you Holly, to be my wife from this moment forward. I join with you and take you as mine. I give myself to you as yours. You have all of me. And nothing will change that. Not even death.”

  He means this.

  I don’t just hear it. I see it in his eyes. I feel the resolve in his words. Every person in this room has got to feel it. There’s no question about it.

  “That’ll do,” The officiant said with a smile in his voice. “Holly? Would you like to say your own vows or should I help?”

  I don’t even hesitate. I shake my head at him. Ang passes me a simple wide gold wedding band. I slip it on Alessandro’s ring finger and the unrehearsed words roll off my tongue as I stare right into his eyes, meaning every word.

  “I, Holly, take you, Alessandro, to be my husband. I’m yours. Forever. I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make you happy, no matter how challenging it is. I’ll never stop trying. I’m gonna make you feel like you chose the best life partner you could choose. I love you so much.”

  He squeezes my hands and his jaw clenches. His eyes travel from my eyes to my toes and back to my eyes again. He swallows and blows out a slow breath.

  I can’t believe my eyes, the way he’s being. It’s… a dream come true.

  “To confirm, do you Alessandro, take Holly to be your wife?” the officiant asks.

  “I do,” He says without hesitation, his eyes penetrating me like hot lava. My face gets hot.

  “Do you, Holly, take Alessandro to be your husband?”

  “I do!” I say in a way that’s almost like ‘I absolutely fucking do.’

  “By the power vested in me by God and this great state of Nevada, I now pronounce Alessandro and Holly to be husband and wife. I’ve been doin’ this a long time and so I’m good at reading people and I can tell… you, son: you look like you really really wanna kiss your bride. Go ahead and do it.”

  Alessandro grabs me and steals my breath as his mouth catches mine. His hand is on my jaw, the other hand on the small of my back and I’m directly against his body. It is the single most perfect kiss I could imagine for my first kiss with my husband.

  My husband. Wow.

  It’s a beautiful moment and it feels like there isn’t a single other person here besides the two of us.

  His mouth is claiming, his strong lips make mine tingle. The kiss is not chaste, not by any means. I feel like my whole body has turned to Jell-O. His lips are strong, sure, and I’m tingling.

  Finally, he releases my lips and pulls back very slowly, his eyes all I see. All I wanna see.

  I gather my senses and give him a smile. I don’t know if I’ll ever stop smiling. Happiness is oozing out of every single pore looking up at him in front of me, looking happy, too, looking even more handsome than I have ever seen him look. And he’s mine. Mine.

  “Paperwork,” the officiant announces, “A quick five minutes for paperwork and then Mr. and Mrs. Romero, you two can go off and enjoy your reception and your happily ever after.”

  There isn’t going to be a reception, but he doesn’t need to know that.

  A happily ever after? Well… I sure hope so. Does that hope make me crazy? Maybe. I just married a man who is practically a stranger.
But he’s been the center of my existence for a while. And I’m so hopeful.

  My sister has tears in her eyes and my brother-in-law has a smile on his face. They are both happy for us; I can see it. How could they not be? It was short and sweet but it was also succinct. And that kiss? I felt it and can still feel it. I’d imagine anyone who saw it would see that it was a man kissing his bride in a way that showed everyone how he felt about her.

  He feels that way about me? I’m giddy.

  He takes my hand and we walk toward the office, but we’re stopped by the group of people who witnessed our nuptials.

  “Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Romero,” the Lenny Kravitz lookalike says as he gives Alessandro a man hug that Alessandro doesn’t pull away from, and then he reaches for my hand, “Wesley Traynor. Lex and me have been friends since we were nine. Couldn’t let him get hitched without being his best man. Bumped this fine guy right here.” He gestures to Dare.

  Dare waves his hand in a ‘No worries’ gesture.

  The Chris Pratt guy leans forward and extends his hand, “Zack Jacobs. Wes and I work together. Lex and I are… friends.”

  Alessandro quirks an eyebrow up at Zack. Zack chuckles and slaps his back good-naturedly.

  “Good to meet you both,” I say.

  Ang hugs me, dabbing at her eyes and Dare hugs me and shakes Alessandro’s hand. Ang gives Alessandro a stiff hug. She’s trying. I gotta give her that.

  Alessandro grabs my hand again and we go take care of the paperwork.

  A few photos are taken by a young guy in a suit with a long ponytail. He has a petite female partner with pink and purple hair, who is dealing with lenses and another camera. I hadn’t realized someone was taking pictures while we were getting married. I was so focused on the groom.

  We’re given a proof page with a bunch of photos and I gasp when I see how great they are, how happy we look. There’s one of him looking at me coming up the aisle. The look in his eyes? Wow. There’s another of my perspective looking toward him. Same wow factor. Photos of us looking into one another’s eyes as he speaks, as I speak. Us kissing. My heart floods with joy at the sight of two people who look like they’re in love.

  “What photo and video package would you like?” A sweet little old lady who had been playing the organ asks.

  “The biggest,” Alessandro says, looking over my shoulder at the sheet of proofs.

  She smiles and tells us that the package will be sent to our hotel before the end of the next day.

  “I’ll have them picked up here. What time?” Alessandro asks.

  “This time tomorrow,” she smiles and then looks at me, “One of the most handsome grooms, maybe the most handsome groom I’ve ever seen, little dolly. And the way he looked at you? I’ve been here many years, done thousands of weddings, and I’d say you got yerself a keeper.” She taps her chest to make like her heart is all a flutter.

  He’s completely still, a weird look on his face.

  I snuggle into his side. “I know it,” I tell her, and give her a wink.

  He jerks my hand and then moves us outside and Zack takes a couple pictures of us, leaving Alessandro looking mildly annoyed.

  “Where we doin’ dinner?” Wesley asks.

  “We? We’re not,” Alessandro answers, “You’re all goin’ home. I’m startin’ my honeymoon. Like…now.” He gives Wesley a grin and his eyes are sparkling with mischief.

  Wesley grins right back, getting the message.

  I’ve got the ‘message’ too, I’m getting goosebumps. Ang is looking at the ground, her teeth embedded in her lower lip. Dare is tight-lipped and narrow-eyed. I think he thinks of me as a little sister already.

  “Man?” Wesley suddenly looks supremely annoyed, “I come all the way down here to see you hitched and you’re not gonna buy me some fuckin’ surf ‘n turf, at least?” He stomps a foot in outrage.

  “I’m sure you can entertain yourself. Must be somethin’ to do in Vegas?” Alessandro has a teasing look on his face. I like this teasing playful side of him.

  Wesley’s eyes light up, “Oh, I guess I could think of somethin’ to occupy my time tonight.” He eyes me. “Guess you’ll have plenty to occupy you.”

  “Watch it,” Alessandro warns, but he’s still smiling. I lean into him and he lets go of my hand to put his arm around me.

  “Breath-takingly beautiful bride. Beautiful ceremony. My congratulations,” Wesley leans over and kisses my cheek.

  He slaps Alessandro on the shoulder. Zack leans in and says, “Two minutes, Lex?”

  Alessandro squeezes me and then he moves away, glancing at Rocco. Something passes between them and Rocco moves closer to me. Alessandro walks away with Zack and Wesley, out of earshot but still in sight.

  I hug Angie and then Dario again as Alessandro, Wesley, and Zack talk in a huddle. Ang is asking me where we’re going for our honeymoon and I tell her I have no idea.

  I stay back, giving them a minute.

  Finally, Zack slaps him on the back and then Alessandro looks at me.

  “Ready?” he calls.

  Am I?

  I smile and feel the heat rising in my cheeks.

  “You guys going back to Mexico?” Angie asks.

  “Not immediately,” Alessandro answers, coming our way, but doesn’t share further information so Ang waits a beat, two, looking awkward, and when he says nothing else, she blinks, glances at Dare and then turns to me.

  “Oh my God, I’m gonna miss you. Call me after your honeymoon, okay? Tell me all about it?”

  I give her a huge hug. “I will.”

  “Thanks to both of you for taking care of her the last few months. I appreciate it.” Alessandro shakes Dare’s hand.

  Dare’s expression looks almost guarded, I think, it’s hard to tell, as it was for just a nanosecond before his expression clears.

  “Congrats, you two. Holly, you need anything, you know where we are. Lex, call me when you two are back, yeah?”

  “Sure,” Alessandro says casually and then he leads me toward the limo. He stops at Rocco and mutters something in Spanish.

  “Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Romero,” Rocco says to me as he gives Alessandro a nod.

  I give Ang and Dare a wave, “Thank you, you two, for everything.” I blow kisses and then we get in the limo. As it pulls away, I feel nothing but excitement and joy. Until I turn to look at him and the look on his face stops my excitement in its tracks.

  He looks wrecked. Ravaged. Distraught. His expression changes when he catches my eyes on him and goes guarded.

  I swallow and watch him a moment. He looks uncomfortable under my scrutiny. For once. It’s weird. It’s like it’s not even him sitting there, like it’s someone else in his body.

  “Where are we going on our honeymoon?” I ask, trying to be light about it.

  “It’s a surprise.” He straightens up and he’s Alessandro again. I’m just not sure if he’s wedding-Alessandro or the usual one.

  I smile. I almost say, “Really?” but I don’t. I don’t know if our wedding has been a turning point or not. I’m just hoping with the way he looks that the moment isn’t over. That he wasn’t just acting for Dare and Angie’s benefit.

  It couldn’t have been that. It felt so real. I’m filled with nervous energy but not long later, we’re pulling in at The Four Seasons. We were staying somewhere else before. I look around, confused.

  The door opens and when we get out, tourists are staring. I’m sure we make quite a sight, the bride and groom. People start clapping. A few of them take pictures of us with their phones. Alessandro hurries me inside.

  The inside is gorgeous.

  “Mr. and Mrs. Roman. Right this way. Congratulations,” A suited guy says as he ushers us to an elevator, acting as if he knows who we are and where we need to go.

  He pushes the button, the doors close, and as we climb I wonder why Alessandro didn’t correct them on his name. And then I finally look down at my hand. My wedding band is an eternity band
with small square diamonds almost all the way around. But it’s angled so that around the bottom of the square of my engagement ring, it fits snug.

  I love it. I also love the big wide band on his finger.

  The elevator stops and we’re escorted to a door. Alessandro holds my hand the whole way. The bellman uses his card and thrusts the doors aside. I can see that it is absolutely beautiful. There are flowers and lit candles everywhere. I see a champagne bucket on the coffee table.

  The guy says something to “Mr. and Mrs. Roman” that I don’t even register and then he’s back in the elevator and gone.

  Much to my surprise, Alessandro lifts me up and carries me over the threshold.

  I take a sharp breath in surprise and look at his face.

  He’s not smiling. He doesn’t look angry either.

  He spins and puts the ‘do not disturb’ on the outside of the door and then kicks it shut. This isn’t a suite. It’s one huge massive bedroom, the big bed in the center of it, the white coverlet covered in rose petals. There are candles on the dresser, the table, on candleholders attached to the wall and every one of them, dozens of them, is lit.

  He sets me gently on the edge of the bed and reaches for the champagne bottle, pours two glasses, and then pushes a button on the remote that’s on the table and music starts to play.

  All of Me. I think it’s by John Legend. I’ve heard this a few times on the radio at Angie’s.

  He turns the light out. The room is so beautiful in flickering candlelight that it takes my breath away.

  He steps up and catches me by hand. I move to standing and his hand hooks me around the waist.

  “You didn’t get a reception but you need a first dance, I suppose.” He twirls me and a giggle comes out of my mouth.

  And then I begin to listen to the words to the song and we move around and around the beautiful room.

  My God, it’s perfect. Maybe he wasn’t acting. I don’t want this to end. I don’t know how to dance, really, but I just let him lead and we glide, almost float, around in slow circles.

  And I hope and I pray that this is really real.

  I’m looking up into his eyes.