Chapter 1 Twins

Riley Collins's POV:

Breathing became a struggle the moment the judge said the words, "Miss Riley Collins, do you take Jackson Black to be your lawful husband?"

Every instinct inside me screamed no. But choice had never been part of this arrangement. When Jackson delivered that outrageous proposal, I accepted because refusing wasn't an option. My sister's life dangled in front of me like bait. She needed surgery after the crash that shattered her spine, and he was the only one willing to cover the cost.

So I slipped into the white dress he sent. I forced my feet into the stiff shoes he picked. I pinned my hair exactly the way he ordered. I played the part of the compliant bride, because for now, obedience was the only weapon I had. Later, somehow, I would find a way out. I didn't care what it cost.

I wanted nothing more than to hold my sister before signing my life away, to reassure her that everything would be fine. But Jackson refused to let me see her. The ache in my chest twisted deeper, tightening until it felt unbearable.

The ceremony took place on a manicured lawn, lined with white chairs and carefully placed flowers. It should have been beautiful. Instead, it felt like I was walking into my own burial. The heels bit into the soft ground, making my legs tremble. My gloved hands were clammy, cold, and stiff.

He stood beside me like a shadow-dark, unreadable, and cruel. Every word he spoke gnawed at me, reminding me exactly how powerless I was.

"Answer, damn it," he hissed under his breath, tightening his grip until pain shot through my fingers.

A soft cry escaped me. "Ow..."

The judge's voice drifted toward me again. "I'll repeat the question, Mr. Black..."

Air refused to enter my lungs. I had never struggled so much to force out a single word.

Memories from the night before clawed their way back. He had pushed me into surrender, using me like something he had bought instead of a woman who had never been touched. Every moment of it still lived in my mind, sharp and raw.

Jackson tightened his grip on my hand, pressing into the sensitive spots until pain shot up my arm. His expression grew even darker. I turned my head toward him, swallowing the tears and the last scraps of my pride. For a second, my mind blurred, and I noticed the tattoo I'd seen on his neck the night he pinned me to the sofa and forced himself into me was suddenly gone. Maybe I was losing my grip on reality.

...

The judge repeated the vow again, his voice fading beneath the rush of blood in my ears. Jackson's scent surrounded me, somehow different from yesterday-heavier, suffocating.

Then...

Pow!

The crack of a gunshot ripped through the air, jolting every nerve in my body. Jackson reacted instantly, yanking me against him and shoving me in front of his chest like I was nothing more than a human shield.

"Stay right here, damn it!"

Another shot rang out. Then a third.

Panic exploded across the lawn as people shrieked and scattered in every direction.

"Ahhh!"

The judge dropped flat to the ground. I barely had time to turn my head before someone seized a fistful of my hair and wrenched me backward.

"Ow!" I gasped, whipping around. Jackson loomed over me, clutching me as if he owned every piece of me, his breath thick with cigarettes and garlic.

I twisted hard, trying to slip out of his grip. My eyes darted to his waist, searching for any sign of a weapon, any way to defend myself or end this nightmare on my own terms.

There was nothing. No gun. No knife. No lifeline.

I braced both hands against him and pushed with everything I had, desperate to tear myself free, desperate to get away from the monster holding me hostage. It was useless. His grip only tightened.

Something shifted in the air, sharp enough to cut through my panic.

"Let her go. Now." That voice-low, commanding-paralyzed me.

I turned my head slowly. A man stood a few feet away, sharing the same face and the same build as the one crushing me against him. But the eyes were different. This man looked at me like he had already peeled back every layer of me with a single stare. It was the same body, the same features as the brute holding me... yet absolutely not the same man.

And then I noticed it. The tattoo. And the scent-cleaner, darker, and familiar. His cologne reached me before he did, and for a heartbeat I forgot how to breathe.

It was him. The one from last night.

Jackson had a brother. A twin.

Dear God... who had I given myself to? It wasn't Jackson. I knew that now. I recognized the scent and the ink on his skin.

"Back off! This is my wedding, not yours! If you wanted her, you should've made your move earlier!" Jackson shouted, dragging me closer and crushing my fingers in his grip.

The other man didn't flinch. If anything, he looked even more dangerous standing still.

"My name is Luca Black. I'm the eldest. The heir. The new head of the Amercana mafia. And this woman is marrying me, right here and right now. You crossed me, Jackson. Lied about everything. Now you'll learn what a leader really is."

His eyes flicked to where Jackson's hand tangled painfully in my hair. For a moment, I didn't see the cruelty Jackson carried- I saw fury on my behalf.

"Let her go, you animal." In one swift movement, Luca tore me out of Jackson's hold.

Everything happened in a blur. A gun went off, echoing through the chaos. Jackson howled in pain, his grip on me vanishing as he crashed to the ground, clutching a leg that was already stained red.

Terror twisted inside me. "No!" I cried out. Despite everything, he was still the only hope for my sister's survival.

Luca was suddenly at my side, his scent grounding me. I stumbled into his arms. Even as he pulled me close, he gently brushed my hair away, careful not to hurt me.

"You're breathtaking in that dress. I knew I made the right choice." Without warning, he scooped me up with surprising ease.

Armed men swept in behind him, surrounding the lawn with a cold, merciless presence. The remaining guests went quiet, frozen in shock. A handful darted away, desperate to escape the violence.

Panic roared through my head. These men-they were criminals.

Seizing a fleeting moment, I broke from Luca's hold and dashed in the opposite direction. All I wanted was to get away, to vanish before anyone could reach me. But my freedom barely lasted a breath before a massive security guard caught me mid-stride, hoisting me up as though I weighed nothing.

"Put me down! Let me go!" I shouted, kicking and clawing in vain.

Unmoved, he marched me straight back to the altar.

"Enjoying the thrill, sweetheart?" Luca's lips curled into a smirk as he drew me closer.

My whole body was trembling, heartbeat roaring in my ears. He watched me with eyes so dark and intense I couldn't look away.

"Take my brother to the back. I want him to witness every second." They didn't hesitate, hauling Jackson away.

"Let me go! You traitor! Ahhh!" Jackson thrashed as he shouted, fighting like he couldn't breathe.

One of the guards pressed the wedding rings into Luca's palm. My hands shook so badly I could barely keep them still, but Luca seized my hand and forced the ring onto my finger.

"Why are you doing this? You're a stranger to me. Why me? What did I ever do?" I managed, my voice unsteady.

He didn't answer, just raised his gun and pointed it directly at the judge.

"You're going to finish this ceremony, or do you want a personal tour of hell instead?" he asked, voice deadly calm.

"But..." The judge's voice faltered, staring at the stranger now forcing a ring onto my finger. Luca shifted, jaw set and eyes icy.

"No..." I whispered, reaching for his hand in a desperate attempt to stop him from doing something reckless.

He leaned down, his lips close to my ear, his words chilling enough to freeze my blood.

"Try that again and you're done, sweetheart. I can pick any woman out of this crowd to stand beside me instead. Is that what you want? Are you begging for a one-way trip to hell?"

My breath caught. I swallowed hard, fear clawing at my throat.

"Please, just let me go. Pick someone else. I can't marry you- I have to marry Jackson."

Luca responded by leveling the gun right between my eyes.

"So you'd rather die? Because that's exactly what you're signing up for if you refuse me or start running your mouth again."

I shook my head, feeling the world tilt beneath my feet.

"That's better. Looks like the bride lives for danger. Enough of this, let's get it over with. I have no patience for drama."

One of his men handed over a fresh set of documents. Luca snatched the new marriage license, tossed the previous one aside, and fired at it, then fired two warning shots at the ground. Panic spread as people shrieked and ducked for cover.

The judge, voice barely steady, continued with the ceremony.

My hand shook so violently I could barely hold the pen, but I managed to scrawl my name across the page. I knew that if I died now, my sister would have no hope at all.

As soon as the ceremony ended, Luca showed no hesitation. He raised his arm and shot the judge in the head.

"I don't tolerate questions. Anyone else want to test me?" He spun the gun slowly, eyes sweeping over the stunned crowd and the fallen body. Silence answered him.

"Good. Get Jackson to our mother. He's going to need her help."

I stood frozen, numb, as my world collapsed around me. It didn't matter who was the bigger monster- both men had ruined any hope I had left.

Without warning, Luca bent and hauled me over his shoulder, carrying me like a sack of flour.

"What are you doing? Put me down! I'm not going anywhere with you!" I slammed my fists against his back, but he didn't even flinch.

"You didn't seem to have any complaints last night at my place..." Luca's words cut through the chaos as he carried me away. My eyes went wide with shock. Was it really him-the man from last night?

"I never offered myself to you! You've got it all wrong! That's not what happened!" I yelled, voice trembling as he marched me toward a sleek black car.

Just before the door slammed shut, Jackson's furious voice rang out behind us.

"You're nothing to me now! I hope you're ready to watch your sister die!"

Every part of me went numb. Tears burned in my eyes as a fresh wave of dread washed over me.

Was he really cruel enough to end her life?