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Ruined in Vows (Marchetti Family #3) Prologue 1%
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Ruined in Vows (Marchetti Family #3)

Ruined in Vows (Marchetti Family #3)

By Kelly Kelsey
© lokepub

Prologue

Prologue

Allegra

T he silence of the spacious boardroom is broken only by the sound of the ticking clock, every move of the hand like a noose tightening further around my neck.Though the reason we are here was my idea, my palms are clammy, body tense, and my stomach twists with nerves. I feel so nauseous, as if I could vomit at any given second.

My brother Nico sits at the head of the table like a king about to address his subjects and I sit to his right. Despite being the picture of calm and controlled, I see the concern furrowing his brow. The rage simmering beneath his cool persona, ready to burst at any moment is tangible, a living, breathing thing, almost suffocating the room.

His jaw is clenched tightly, tension radiating from every inch of him. And as if he can’t bear the quiet any longer, he begins to tap his forefinger on the desk. Tap. Tap. Tap. It’s an annoying sound, but at least it breaks up the ticking of the damn clock.

Nico stares off at nothing, refusing to look at me as we wait for our guests to arrive. Though I have to say, guests is a bit of a strong word. If it wasn’t for my papà, we wouldn’t be sitting here, or even in this situation.

Before my papà’s death, he signed, sealed, and delivered my future with an iron-clad contract that you wouldn’t wish upon your worst enemy. An arranged marriage to Riccardo Romano. A man notorious in our world - and not in a good way - for his treatment of women. My brother hates him. And though I have never met him, his reputation is enough to make me feel the same way.

The rumors of Riccardo’s proclivities, how he treats women, are no secret and are well documented. It makes me feel sick to my stomach. And not only will I be married to the man, but my papà happily signed my life away to Riccardo, fully aware of his character. And even though my papà tolerated me at best, I just cannot fathom why he would allow this to happen. To give me to a violent monster like Riccardo Romano. I almost laugh, though the situation is not humorous at all. And the worst thing is, I am as much to blame. I all but forced Nico into going ahead with this.

Shaking my head, I glance around the room at the guards, and then at my brother. He has a look of indifference and detachment on his face, his blue eyes cold. If he gets even an inkling of my current thoughts, he will put a stop to this whole farce and start a war. I love Nico for wanting to save me, but it’s the last thing he needs. Not only does he have another baby on the way with his wife Ocean, but he is still grieving the loss of his best friend, his underboss, and the love of my life, Dante.

Pain shoots through my whole body just thinking his name, and I squeeze my eyes shut as if it can stop the soul-crushing ache radiating through me. It hurts. It hurts so damn much, the hole in my heart gets bigger, my pulse slowing, with every second that passes. Excruciating pain cripples me and if I weren’t already sitting down, I would have fallen to the floor.

It might be the masochist in me, because surely no one in their right mind would ever want to feel this way, but I welcome the pain. It reminds me that Dante was real. That he lived. And even if it kills me in the process, I will continue every day to keep his memory alive.

Allowing myself only a couple of minutes to soak in his memory, I straighten in my chair, pulling myself together. I have a duty to my family; one I must uphold. Marrying Riccardo, though suicidal, is the only way to get someone on the inside. I will be the Trojan horse inside his empire.

Under normal circumstances, I would never get involved in my brother’s business, but after Dante’s death, he called a family meeting and told us that he believed it was Riccardo, working with the Bratva, who was responsible for what happened to both Ocean and Dante. If that was not a big enough act of betrayal, he also thinks that he has formed some sort of alliance with the Russians and is leaking information, not only about our family but the other families in the commission.

It would be easy for Nico to voice his concerns to the other three families, but he has no proof. Which is where I come in. My brother was against the idea, but I convinced him to change his mind. I will marry Riccardo and find the evidence Nico needs to convince the commission to intervene.

The whole plan is dangerous and could get me killed but at this point, I don’t care. One step closer to death, brings me one step closer to reuniting with the man I love. It’s a morbid way to think, but every day is a struggle living in a world where Dante doesn’t exist. At least with my sacrifice, I know my family will be safe, and that I did one last thing to help the people I love. They will mourn me, sure, but deep down, it will bring them peace to know that I am exactly where I belong.

By Dante’s side.

Even if it is in death.

I have never been a particularly religious person, but after what happened to Dante, I refuse to believe he turned to nothing but dust. It was cruel to take him from me in this life, so surely our souls will find one another again, and we will be reunited in the next. If I believe in anything then it has to be that, otherwise, what is the point in all this? What was the point in loving a man so profoundly, only for him to be taken away from me for eternity?

A throat clearing snaps me from my thoughts, and I glance up to find Nico staring at me. After searching my face for a long moment, he sighs, shaking his head.

“You don’t have to go through with this you know? I can take care of Riccardo another way.”

Reaching across the table, I take my brother's hand in mine. Nico is usually allergic to being shown any kind of affection unless it’s coming from his wife, so I smile when he doesn’t pull away from me.

“You know I do, Nico. I love you for trying to renege on this arrangement that Papà bestowed upon me, but I need to do this. You have another baby on the way, Nic. Ocean does not need any stress or worry and neither does Mamma.”

He scoffs. “You think by doing this it will help Mamma relax? She is beside herself with fear of what will happen to you under that monster’s roof.”

Squeezing his hand – whether it’s to comfort me or my brother I’m not sure - I force a soft smile. “I will have guards. Alessio and Gio are there to protect me. We have talked about this already along with every other possible outcome. You have ensured my safety with the additional requirements in the contract.”

Nico shakes his head. “They can’t always be there with you, Leg.” He calls me by my nickname before swallowing. “Not when that asshole takes you to the marital bed.” My brother pales, disgust emanating from every inch of him.

I want to put him at ease, but I know that no matter what I say, it will not help. We both know that there is no way out of consummating my marriage to Riccardo. It will happen. My virginity will be taken by a man I despise and there is no doubt in my mind that if I even try to fight him off, he will force himself on me. Rape me. If what we have already heard is true, then he has no problem with forcing himself on women and taking what he wants. So, like a dutiful little wife, I will lay there and take it. There will be no love between us, just a contractual obligation.

I only wish that before Dante died, he would have finally given in to my attempts at seducing him and taken what was rightfully his. Now I will have to endure such an intimate act at the hands of a man who will no doubt ruin me.

But there is no backing out of it now.

For better or worse, I will be Mrs. Allegra Romano.

Heavy footfalls outside the room draw my attention to the hallway. My gaze lands on dark, evil eyes, before settling on his face. He smirks, the look reminiscent of every single one of my worst nightmares, and the contents of my stomach threaten to come up.

Riccardo Romano.

My future husband.

And the look of pure evil.

Nico and my mamma told me that there is no worse fate than marrying a man like Riccardo, but I disagree.

Because the worst fate of all is losing the other half of your soul, the very fiber of your being, and the love of your life.

My fate was decided long before Dante died, but his death just confirmed it. I shall fulfill my duty, and get the evidence Nico needs, even if that means enduring abuse at the hands of the devil.

Truthfully, none of it matters. Because I died that day with Dante. I am nothing but an empty, hollow shell. Here in body but not in spirit.

So, Riccardo can inflict all the pain he wants, and I will take it.

Because you can’t hurt someone that is already dead.

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