Relentless Sinner

Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

Gabriella

Jaxon finishes his vows, his voice low but resonant, his eyes burning into mine. He’s giving me that look, the kind where it seems he’s trying to reach past the layers of my mind and peek inside my soul.

I feel the weight of his potent stare and his vows to love and honor me until death do us part but, like shackles, the same words bind me tighter than the rings we’ve just exchanged.

The priest smiles, looks at us with a gentle warmth, then says, “By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Time stops as I hear those words and my heart stills.

We’re married.

I’m married. I married him . I’m no longer Gabriella De Costa. I’m Gabriella Bortsov. Wife to the soon-to-be Pakhan of the Vysotsky Bratva.

My new normal crashes around in my mind like ships on a tempestuous sea, and I try to process it without bursting out of my skin.

Jaxon steps closer, leans in and presses his lips to mine to give me a slow, intimate kiss that binds my fretful fears and restless thoughts.

Suddenly there’s the sound of our cheering guests and everything in my mind fades from around us. Then all I feel is that deep stirring in my soul that wakes every time he touches me.

I can’t believe I can still feel this way for him even after everything that happened. What does that say about me?

This man brought my life to its knees then blackmailed me with the threat to my sister. Yet here I am melting into his body and his kiss.

When Jaxon pulls back the moment lingers between us, heavy, unspoken and raw. A dangerous current passes through our locked gazes and my heart pounds with a mix of emotions, none of them the hatred I should feel.

He breaks the moment with a clipped smile and takes my hand, guiding me toward our guests, who are still applauding.

We take our first steps as husband and wife, my heart trapped between wanting to loathe him and needing something from him I can’t afford to need.

I guess this is what he meant. That he and I were just getting started.

This is the start. The real beginning of our twisted story.

As we continue down the aisle I catch my father staring at us. Of the sea of guests he is the only person not cheering. He has his hands folded in front of him and his head up like a king ready to address his royal subjects. The sour look on his face and the haughtiness in his steely stare are enough to turn a person inside out, then make them disappear from existence.

The disapproval written all over him couldn’t be clearer.

How interesting. Because this is all his fault.

And regardless of whatever plans he previously had for me I have a feeling it would have always ended this way. Jaxon would have always gotten what he wanted because of who and what he is.

My father was the same kind of fool I was when I thought I could trick Jaxon and make a grand escape.

I guess we both learned our lessons the hardest way possible.

Eric is waiting for us at the end of the aisle with a broad smile brightening his face. I noticed he matched Jaxon’s hairstyle with the same style of ponytail and clean-cut look that makes him look younger.

Jaxon leans in again, moving to my ear. “Stay close to me.” The eerie warning in his tone instantly makes my heart triple beat.

I look up at him but find he’s looking over his shoulder, staring at my father with a murderous look.

He returns his focus ahead of us but tightens his grip on my hand as if he thinks someone is going to take me away.

Is that what he’s thinking? That my father would try to take me? Here? Today?

I doubt anyone would dare try anything like that. Least of all my father. The place is heavily guarded with every variety of mafia you can think of, plus members of the Creed.

The moment that thought crosses my mind I remember the massacre that took my mother from me. That was a wedding, too, and we were supposed to be heavily guarded, but look how that turned out. All it takes is finding someone meaner and with equal or more power, then every single one of these men here will have met their match.

Eric takes over and guides the wedding party to the stunning castle gardens, where we take pictures. From there I go through the motions on autopilot.

Thankfully the pictures are mostly of Jaxon and I with our groomsmen and bridesmaids. It’s been arranged for the photographer to take pictures of our parents throughout the day.

Jaxon’s father looked like he could barely stay awake, and of course I want nothing to do with mine. It’s safe to say there will be no pictures of him.

I must have cursed myself with that thought because here comes Dad with his pompous self.

The sight of him approaching turns my stomach and scatters my nerves.

Our last conversation rings through my mind and I wonder what the hell he’ll say to me now. Last time he was quick to give me the rude awakening that Jaxon wasn’t my savior. I hate to think he’s right and I hope he doesn’t give me that I-told-you-so look.

The photographer is talking to us about what he’ll be doing for the rest of the day when he notices Dad approaching. Probably sensing my father’s dark presence, he quickly wraps up our conversation and leaves just before Dad reaches us.

“Congratulations to you both,” Dad says with that twisted smile I hate. I don’t know why he’s bothering with his fake pleasantries. “And what a lovely couple you make.” He looks from Jaxon to me, his gaze lingering on mine.

“What do you want?” Jaxon husks.

“I’m sure I’m allowed to congratulate my daughter and her husband on their wedding day, aren’t I?”

“Perhaps if your intentions were genuine, but they aren’t,” Jaxon snaps.

“Be that as it may, I’m just doing my due diligence. That way, fewer people will talk about us.”

I never even remembered I was worried about that, too, and concerned that if my relatives noticed we weren’t talking they’d start gossiping. The bigger things on my mind cleansed those sorts of petty worries.

“Gabriella knows what I mean. Don’t you, darling?”

“Yes, unfortunately I do.”

Jaxon squares his shoulders and gives Dad a hard stare. “Well now that you’ve done your due diligence, you can leave.”

“Listen to you talk. Well done. You actually sound like the protective husband . It’s a good act.”

“Watch it.” Jaxon steps forward

“You can’t bust my ass for speaking the truth. This is my daughter. She is young and inexperienced with men like you. I think I owe it to her to give her some words of wisdom.” Dad smiles, looking way too cocky as he switches his attention to me. “Remember, my dear, you are just a business contract. That is all.”

His words should be meaningless and run off my back like water. Instead they sink into my mind and crawl beneath my skin, fucking with my emotions.

Before I can even blink Jaxon releases my hand and steps into Dad’s personal space looking like he’s ready to fight. He doesn’t care who’s watching or who can hear. Granted, the men around us are mostly Jaxon’s, but my aunts Gina and Vanessa—Mom’s older sisters—are standing over by the roses, staring in shock.

They hate Dad, so they’ll probably have a field day with this.

“Don’t let me remind you what’s at stake, Salvatore,” Jaxon threatens. “Or maybe I could kill your ass and show you. Your daughter is my wife now. I don’t need you anymore.”

I stare at Jaxon, remembering the warning he gave me about not stopping him if he and my father ever clashed again. I’ll definitely be heeding those words.

I hate contention of any kind; the only good thing about this is that I know they hate each other. So it makes my secret that much safer.

“No need for that. I’ve said my piece.” Dad nods.

“Good, now fuck the hell off.”

“Enjoy the rest of the day,” Dad says with a curt bow, then he strolls away as if they were simply talking about the weather.

Jaxon grits his teeth, balls his hands into fists at his side, and stares ahead at Dad.

When he turns back to me everyone who was watching him looks away quickly fearful he may notice them. But he’s only looking at me and as he does, the harshness in his face fades.

He touches my face and stares at me with tenderness in his eyes that seems unbelievable for someone who just threatened to kill.

“Are you okay?” It feels like we could be those two people again from weeks ago. I almost wish we could be.

My father is awful and vile for all the horrible things he says, but he isn’t wrong. I need to remember that, no matter how much I wish things were different between Jaxon and me. Or how badly I want them to be. “I’m fine.”

“Come on, let’s go inside.” He holds out his hand for me to take.

I take it and go with him, following because I must.