Chapter 7 A Gunshot

Candela's P.O.V.

My fingers hovered over the buttons of his shirt. This was insane.

With a quick breath, I began peeling his buttons off, one at a time, each pop a countdown to my insanity.

His skin was warm under my trembling hands. Toned. Ridiculously toned. And god...tattooed.

A large raven spread across the right side of his chest, its wings splayed in mid-flight, its sharp eyes almost as piercing as his. There were more tattoos trailing down one side of his torso, disappearing beneath his belt line. Lines of art inked into sin.

My stomach twisted and I swallowed hard, unsure if it was from nerves, shame, or... worse, attraction.

I tried not to look at him. Tried. But when I finally glanced up, I caught it.

A smirk.

That bastard was enjoying this.

"Wipe that fucking smirk off your face," I snapped, my voice lower than usual, almost breathless.

His chest rumbled under my palm not in laughter, but something darker. A sound that made my hand jerk back on instinct.

I looked up again.

His lips were twisted, but not in amusement. In hunger.

"How can I?" he murmured, his voice rough. "When I enjoy watching you get mesmerized by me?"

I scoffed, masking how my knees nearly gave out. "Not even in your dreams," I hissed.

And before I could get any more wrapped up in this cursed moment, I yanked the shirt fully off, tossed it to the side like it offended me, and spun toward the wardrobe.

I don't give shit about what he put on, and so I didn't give shit in my selection.

I grabbed a white tuxedo, which was the first thing that caught my eye, and flung it on the bed without even looking at him anymore.

Then I turned and stormed out, my heart beating fast against my ribs.

Not once did I look back. I did not need to. I could feel his eyes on me, sliding over every inch of my back like it belonged there.

The moment the door shut behind me, I stopped.

Leaning against the wall, I sucked in a deep breath.

My pulse was still racing.

He was a walking temptation, that man. A beautiful, cruel temptation wrapped in arrogance and danger. The image of his raven tattoo flashed in my mind again, too vivid, too haunting.

I hated that I noticed him. Hated that I felt anything in that room.

Sure of myself, I pushed off the wall and made my way down the hall toward the grand staircase.

No more thoughts. No more feelings.

Just get through tonight.

That's all I had to do.

"...Meet the newest Saverio," the officiant declared.

My spine stiffened at the name. Saverio. It didn't belong to me, yet now it clung like a branding iron, etched into my identity. I walked down slowly, heels clicking against the marble floor, my gaze catching on Salvatore's Nono and Rafael.

They looked proud. Genuinely proud.

Rafael gave me a small nod, the kind you'd offer someone who just won a prize. Fuck him and every Saverio alive.

Oops I just forgot I was one myself.

My stomach turned out of nervousness, but I maintained a bold face, swallowing bile rising at the back of my throat.

Then...

"Welcome the groom," the announcer's voice rang again.

I didn't want to look. I really didn't. But every pair of eyes shifted upward, and like a reflex, mine followed.

And damn it. Damn it to hell.

There he was.

Salvatore Saverio.

Dressed in that white tuxedo I had picked out like it was sewn into him. His dark hair brushed back, that arrogant mouth set in an firm line, and his steps confident like he owned the air.

The air shifted, like we had just been graced by a king. They was no trace of the smirk he had on earlier. Right before me was the real deadly Salvatore.

He did not look like a man who'd refused to come. He looked like a king and we his subjects.

I felt my mouth part slightly, and before I could pull myself, a sharp elbow jabbed my side.

"Girl, close your mouth," Carina whispered with a teasing grin. I blinked, startled, not even realizing she had joined me.

"Sorry El, but I would give anything to fuck your husband for just one day." Allegra chipped in.

"Shut up," Carina warned.

"You shut up,I've noticed you looking around being jittery,like you are avoiding someone. Are you hiding something?" Allegra asked and Carina scoffed, rubbing her hands together. What she does anytime she's nervous. She hissed and walked off, climbing the stairs

I ignored them.I nearly gagged. My insides twisted in violent disagreement, though I didn't quite know why.

"He's all yours," I muttered under my breath. "He ain't special."

But my eyes were traitors. They drank him in,his posture, the way his tattoo peeked slightly beneath the collar of the tux, the quiet storm in his expression.

He was close now. Too close.

"And now," the announcer called, "let the couple share their first dance."

My body went rigid. My eyes slid sideways toward him, just as he extended his hand toward me,like this was a real wedding, like we were a real couple.

I didn't move. My feet felt cemented to the floor. Then...

My gaze found Brian's, across the room.

His expression was cold. Calculated. And when I didn't move quickly enough, his jaw clenched and he snapped his head toward Salvatore's outstretched hand like a damn command.

I wanted to scream.

But instead, I did what I've done for years.

I obeyed.

I slipped my hand into Salvatore's.

His palm was warm, firm, and annoyingly steady. His lips twitched, not into a smile, but something dangerously close.

"You clean up nice," he murmured low enough for only me to hear.

I grit my teeth. "Try not to step on my foot, husband."

He chuckled softly.

As we moved onto the dance floor, I felt the heat of thousands of eyes on us, watching, judging.But worse than them all was the man holding me now, his hand sliding easily to my waist like he had every right to touch me.

And for the life of me, I couldn't decide what was more infuriating...

That I hated him.

Or that my heart was beating faster anyway.

His hand gripped my waist with the kind of ownership I hadn't agreed to, but my body stupid, weak body still reacted. His touch burned through the fabric of my dress.

We started to dance. Salvatore guided me effortlessly, his fingers steady, his movements practiced. I hated that he was good at this. I hated that my skin prickled underneath his touch. I hated the way he looked at me like I was a puzzle he already knew how to solve.

"Relax," he said roughly,his breath fanning across my ear. "You are stiff."

"I'm dancing with the devil. Forgive me if I don't melt in your arms."

He smirked, his eyes locked onto mine with a fire. I didn't know if it was meant to burn or torture me "You say devil like it isn't exactly what you wanted when you wore that dress."

My nails dug into his shoulder. "Careful, Salvatore. I don't need to look like a widow just yet."

He laughed,actually laughed at the deep and annoyingly attractive sound. "You think you can kill me, ôstinato? You'll have to do better than wearing me down with hate-fueled flirting."

"You're delusional."

"No. I'm patient."

His hand slid lower on my back, pressing our bodies closer as we turned. His thigh brushed between mine and something ignited hot, electric, dangerous.

My heart stuttered. I hated him. I hated him. But the scent of his cologne and the heat in his gaze were making it too difficult to remember why I was here in the first place.

Why didn't I get a ugly nerdy Saverio? Why? Considering my kink, I thought I would be safe.

His lips hovered near my ear. "Admit it," he whispered. "You ain't that untouchable afterall."

I could feel the attraction clawing at my throat.

But then I remembered.

Brian. The plan. The reason I was here.

The reason I was wearing this godforsaken dress and pretending to be his wife.

I stopped dancing.

Salvatore looked down at me, brows furrowed slightly. "What..."

I stepped back. Out of his hold. Out of his spell.

The music still played, people still watched, but I didn't care.

"I need air," I said, my voice tight.

His eyes searched mine, and for a moment, something flickered there confusion? Curiosity? Maybe even... disappointment?

But I didn't stay to figure it out.

I turned and walked away.

I walked out of the living room,I walked through the hallway, past the walls of the mansion I now lived in. I barely made it to the nearest empty corridor before I leaned against the wall and pressed a trembling hand to my chest.

What the fuck was that?

It was day two. Just day two of being in this house as his wife, and I was already messing up.Already letting him crawl under my skin.

I stared at the diamond band on my finger and wanted to rip it off, to scream, to cry. But I would not give this family the satisfaction. Not Salvatore. Not Rafael. Not even Nono Saverio. They would feel my wrath.

I came here with a mission to burn this dynasty to the ground. With Brian's help or not.

And I couldn't let a pair of sinful dark eyes distract me from that.

Not now.

Not ever.

Just then, a loud gunshot ran through the air.