Chapter 4 Number 3

Katrina

Present Day

They say that truth will always set you free.

Well, that's a fucking lie, because my family's truth put me in a prison instead of setting me free.

Turned out that my father killed someone from the 'Ditio' family long before Sasha and I were born and according to Daemon's words, he didn't want for any blood to be spilt so he suggested-- meaning he put my father in a corner and forced him to agree-- to a marriage that would tie our families so there could be peace.

Yeah, because I look like a fucking knot to the Russo family.

I sighed heavily as I removed my veil and threw it at the dressing table then leaned down in it, trying so hard to contain my anger and sadness at the same time.

It's like eating something sweet that's immediately followed by something salty. One minute you feel the taste of sweetness then suddenly you get struck by the saltiness in your mouth and once you get tired of the changing in your taste buds you decide to feel the flavours mixed but I can't do that.

I want to be angry and sad at the same time but you can't exactly mix these two feelings at the same time and maybe some people do but not me.

That day, I felt that one year was long, that I'd be able to enjoy what I had left but it passed in a blink of an eye and now I'm moving from one prison to another.

I lifted my head to look at myself in the mirror, my eyes were bloodshot from the unshed tears. Don't cry.

You are stronger than this.

You are Katrina Fucking Russo.

You'll survive this just like you did everything else.

A movement caught my attention in the mirror where I saw father, standing in his glory and despite the grey strands that were in his hair, he still looked as handsome as ever. He always did.

I turned my body so I was facing him and only now did I notice that his eyes were puffy as well. Was he crying?

I didn't have time to talk when he went to the veil I had just thrown away and came in front of me, carefully placing it on my head then clasping it.

He smoothed it down before his hands went to my face where he placed them on my cheeks, only then did I notice the tear on his face but why was he crying? this wasn't entirely his fault.

"Forgive me, Kat." Kat. He only used my nickname when he was sincere about whatever he was going to say but I never expected something like that. He was asking me to forgive him, but for what? This marriage was what's best for the family and I always knew that I was going to have my duty but I didn't expect it to be this soon.

But still, he doesn't need to ask for my forgiveness. "Father, there is no nothing that you need to be forgiven for, you always did right by me and Sasha even after the accident." But he only shook his head as more tears rolled down his face, my heart was aching for him because no matter what I still loved my father, no matter how flawed he was or how harsh he could be when he was forced to.

Because my father will always be my father. No matter what.

"But this isn't right and we both know it." His voice sounded so broken and I hated this, my father was always strong and I didn't want to be the reason for his downfall.

"Maybe, but we both know that this man outside would've killed everyone we love and care about, so I'm fine with this and I'll get through it." My hands went on their own accord to his face and I wiped away his tears while not one had fallen from my eyes yet.

"You know why? Because I'm my father's daughter." That was the last straw for him, he crushed my body to him in a tight hug as he cried in my arms and I only held him, helping him let it all out.

Because like everyone else, father was still human and he still felt and cried like anyone else. He still needed a shoulder to lean on and I'll be this shoulder for him like I was for Sasha, mother and I'll be one for Nikolay as well.

"Katrina come on, people are waiting." Natalya's annoying voice came from the other side of the door, forcing both I and father to pull back and we only stared at each other for a few seconds, silent promises passing between us.

Be strong.

I will.

Father offered me his arm and I intertwined my elbow with his, then took my flower bouquet. I took a deep breath, my insides were in a frenzy from everything that's happening. I'm getting married.

With every step we took towards the ball, my heart hammered even more against my ribcage, every breath I took was too short but I couldn't do anything to help myself now. No one can.

The huge doors of the ball opened and everyone fell silent the moment they saw us standing there while my father's eyes took in people's looks at us, mine settled on one person standing at the other side of the room.

Daemon was standing there like a king, like someone who owned the world and he actually does now, now he owns my world and I couldn't do anything about it.

A lot of girls would cry at a moment like this or happiness would be bursting in their chests but I was honestly feeling like taking a knife and stab him right in the fucking middle of his chest.

I didn't even realise we kept on walking until he extended his hand for my father to place mine in it and for one last time, Father and I shared a look then he placed my warm and small hand in Daemon's colder and bigger one but not before Natalya came to my side and took the flowers from my other hand.

And this time I looked at Daemon, like... I really looked at him.

He definitely looked older but I thought it was one year that passed so why does it look as if they were five or six years that passed for him.

It all happened too quickly. The priest thanked everyone and we didn't have any vows which Daemon explained that we love each other to the point where we cannot express in words.

So vows were skipped and I didn't wake up from the haze I was in until I noticed that it was my turn to say it.

I swallowed the lump that felt like a rock in my throat then said with my head held high "I do."

I do.

That was it. The word that just sealed my fate forever.

The word that will burn my last eighteen years into ashes and all of that because of one vengeful man.

Daemon Ditio.

And in his defence, what is a better way to get revenge against a man who feels? Take one of his daughter's away. Easy peasy right?

I held back the tears threatening to fall because I have never cried before, not in front of anyone or even myself. I'm assuming that why I've always been called 'The Frigid Princess'

I never showed emotions in front of anyone, no matter how I felt even now, especially now.

Because if I wanted to follow my emotions then I would've already pulled my father's gun from behind his back and shot the man standing in front of me. My husband.

"You May kiss the bride." I was so lost in my rage that I even forgot about this part, how? How am I supposed to kiss the man who took any that was left of my freedom away from me?

My eyes drifted to Sasha, my twin sister.

My other half, who was one of many reasons for this sacrifice that I'm making by marrying this man.

Her eyes were glowing with unshed tears because unlike me, Sasha still felt something even after her accident she still did and for that I envied her.

I envied her because I wished that I was able to feel and show whatever emotion I want in front of everyone, without being scared of what Natalya would do but I can't, not anymore.

All of a sudden, I felt a heavy weight on my wrist before I was pulled into a solid hard chest yet my expression never showed my surprise which appeared to piss him off.

Daemon has already made it plainly clear to me that he disliked my cold personality and attitude.

My mind became a complete blank the moment I felt the presence of his lips getting closer to mine. My heart was ramming against my ribcage, my legs felt like jelly and I would have already been on the ground if it wasn't for his strong arm around my waist.

I've never been this close to someone before because surprisingly enough, Daemon has kept his distance from me the whole engagement time out of respect to the brotherhood or maybe he just couldn't handle seeing the daughter of the man who killed his beloved ones.

Before his lips could connect with mine, he placed them beside my ear as he whispered huskily, forcing shivers to go through my whole body.

"Till death do us apart, dear wife." He pulled back as slow as a snail would, his lips brushed my cheekbones before his pitch-black eyes were piercing through my blue ones.

"So pray to God that my death is soon because it will be the only thing that will set you free from me," He paused and my borrows furrowed when he did but that shouldn't have surprised me since I knew that he liked playing mindfuck games.

Out of the blue, he was crushing me against his chest, his lips brushing over mine as he continued "because you are mine. Mine to kill. Mine to play with. Mine to destroy."

He slammed his lips on mine, not giving me any time to recover as he pushed his tongue in my mouth without permission.

Because Daemon Ditio never needed permission. He always took what he wanted and I... was something he wanted too.

And now he had me.

He was right, I should pray that he dies soon, being a widow might be ten times better than this marriage.

I still didn't kiss him back, I couldn't kiss him back.

But all of a sudden... BANG!

The sound of bullets filled the place, making Daemon pull back and we both looked beside us to find people who looked close to something like a mercenary.

Will you look at that? Maybe Daemon's words will come true after all.

I might become a widow on the same day I became a wife.