Chapter Ten
1110 Words
Anna’s POV
It was fairly possible that she had a death wish, but at the point Anna was in, she didn't care. Not for the first time since she'd been battered off by her Dad, she'd wondered why. Why was she the one chosen? Why was she so unlucky? And why, for the life of it did she have to get herself shackled to a man like Kane.
It wasn't like she dreamt of marrying a knight and being rescued and taken up to his castle, but she hadn’t quite imagined the present scenario either. Even in the mafia world she had grown up in, arranged marriage was a notion that people laughed at. It was so old it was like rejecting cell phones for letters. That old. And yet...
She leaned her back against the wall as she surveyed the corner from the safety of the almost closed door. Getting out of the room and into this one had been surprisingly easy. After her Mom had called her aside, thereby rescuing her from Kane, she'd been warned about making the wrong impression with some wisely placed pinches to her waist, apparently, she hadn't been staring at her husband with the right amount of submission.
'Her husband,' that was what she had referred to him as. Even though the agreement was banking on the fact that their conversation was successful later on, to her Mom, it was already a finished deal. She didn't even know what she wanted. On one hand, she would prefer that the marriage not happen at all, but she knew that would mean a war, and as discontent as she was, she absolutely didn't want to be kidnapped a third time. So that meant the marriage happening, which would mean being shackled to another family, this time until death did them part.
She sighed. Why was she thinking about it? At least she'd left the suffocating room. 'For now,' her subconscious told her. She shoved the thought deep within her. Hiding it until it joined the rest of her pain and self doubt, shoving it where it couldn't hurt her.
A movement flashed through her periphery and she quickly took a step back. Just in time, Luca whirled back a short way from her, getting into Leila's face.
"What?" he shouted, dragging the word as if it was three. He was still drunk then, she was quite impressed he was standing.
Her sister wrung her palm, her gaze darting behind her. "Won't you at least hear me out?"
He scrubbed his face with his palm, irritation flaring up on his features, but at least he seemed calmer as he stared at the watch on his wrist. "Hurry, then. I'm busy."
"Luca..." her sister started before she paused. At least Anna thought it was a pause, but then the look on Luca's face made her also look in the direction he was staring. She couldn't see from her position , but she could hear the footsteps. More than one.
She took another step back just as the sound of a familiar laughter reached her. She forced herself not to shudder.
"Luca, Leila, not enjoying the party?" Her father asked.
She was careful not to breathe too loudly.
"Father..." Leila started, but he ignored her.
She could imagine his blank eyes trailing down his son as he said, "And what ridiculous style of fashion are you trying to show now, Luca? Why don't you go back and dress in something more appropriate? Leila, show your brother the way, won't you"
Neither of those were questions. Curiosity grabbed her, wanting to know who he was with but she limited her unconscious movement to just a step closer. A gasp made her think she had been discovered but the muted pain in Luca's voice convinced her otherwise.
As she thought, they both mumbled something that sounded like acquiescence before she heard two pairs of footsteps trailing away. She froze again, her heart pounding as no other steps came, but then they moved again.
Her hands shook as she breathed a sigh of relief. She remained where she was though, not about to risk it. When she could no longer hear anything from outside, she peeked through the door and nearly jumped out of her skin.
Kane stared at her blankly as she held her hand to her chest.
"What... What are you doing?" she whisper-shouted.
He didn't say a word. Just stared at her for a while before he too turned and walked away.
Resisting the urge to curse or kick him, she turned back in the direction of the party. She'd had enough of the downtime, enough to remove about two years from her short life.
In the time she'd been gone, the careful violin had been abandoned for more raucous music, or at least that's what it sounded like. She took a deep breath to steel herself and entered the room.
It was like there were even more people. She carefully sidled to her table, grabbing a glass of champagne from a waiter. Her Mom was at her side immediately, removing the glass from her hand. She stared at Clara as she sipped from the glass and forced her face to remain blank.
"And where were you?" Clara asked softly, dropping the glass and taking her hand, leading the way back to their seats.
She refused to wince as sharp nails pierced her wrist. "I had to check on something quickly." she whispered.
Her Mom didn't say anything else until they were both seated, and even then she kept her grip steady and just stared at her.
"I'm sorry." Anna added when she could no longer restrain the small wince.
Her Mom smiled. "That's better."
She released her grip and poured herself a glass of wine. When she didn't do anything else other than sip her drink, Anna poured herself one too.
The pale gold color confirmed it was also champagne. She didn't make it a habit to drink. Years watching Luca and Clara give in to that desire was a good deterrent, but she knew she was going to need the distraction.
She sipped the drink fairly quickly and was pouring another glass when her hands slipped. The entire bottle came pouring out.
She wanted to right the bottle, but she couldn't. The table swam before her eyes as she clumsily hit another bottle.
"What..." she tried to say and it came out as a mumble.
Something was wrong. Horribly wrong. That was her thought as the spinning table disappeared and darkness appeared in its place. She didn't hear the sound of her head hitting the table.
- Writer
