Chapter 8

• The first thought Marcello had was how the situation changed so fast. Hours ago he had no thought of commitment but here he is about to get married.
• He told himself several times that it was just a formality and it was no big deal.
• Temptation was walking right towards him. He had never felt like this to any woman he had just met. But she was different. And he couldn't point out the reason why he felt the way he did. To her. Jesus, she got a body you'd see on a pornstar. It couldn't be real. She looked innocent only if she was just a fake but it doesn't seem like she is.
• It was regrettably real.
• He hadn't ever wished a girl could get out of his sight before, especially one with an ass like Mariana, his soon-to-be bride.
• Other men would be happy to have such a gorgeous woman as his wife but he wasn't. As far as he was concerned, love and commitment were two things he stayed well clear of and intended to keep doing so.
• Loving someone meant you could lose them. They could be there one minute and gone the next.
• Like his parents.
• Sometimes Marcello found it hard even to remember what his mother and father looked like. He couldn't even remember their voices. He just turned eight years old when they died, and as each year passed his memories of them faded even further.
• He had completely forgotten their touch.
• But there was one touch he knew he was not going to forget in a hurry.
• As soon as the priest asked them to join hands, he felt a lightning bolt shoot up from his hand, travel from the length of his arm and straight to his groin as if she had touched him there with her bare hands. Then he realized this was actually the first time he was touching her with his bare hands and not wearing a glove.
• Her hand was trembling with fear. He could feel her shaking, she knew. She didn't meet his gaze
• Her hand was so tiny and fragile that he felt if he squeezed them slightly they will break. His hand almost swallowed it whole. He felt a primal stirring in his loins when he thought or what might feel like to enter her. To posses her. To feel her sexy body grip him tightly.
• "Stai zitto," Shut up. He said to himself.
• The priest asked them to join their right hands, and declare their vows before God and his people. They faced each other and Mariana had no choice but to look up into his eyes.
• He spoke first. "I, Marcello Colombo, take you, Mariana Anderson, as my lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part." How sweet the words sounded from his mouth. There was no mention of the word 'love'.
• Mariana held back her tears as she recited the words expected of her and the priest blessed their rings.
• Marcello picked up a ring off the red cushion.
• Mariana hesitated before bringing her trembling fingers forward. He slipped the ring onto her finger. It was a simple white diamond ring.
• She slipped his ring onto his finger. He had tattoos on his fingers. It was a poet and a small cross on his middle finger. She didn't know why but it made her feel ridiculously hot all over.
• She is no more Mariana Anderson but Mariana Colombo. It was like she blinked and her life took an unexpected turn.
• "I now pronounce you man and wife." The priest gave Marcello a smile. "You may lift the vei
• l and kiss your bride."
• Mariana's eyes flicked with something that looked like panic. No, she can't have her first kiss with him. A man who kidnapped her. "No…"
• Marcello didn't give her time to finish her sentence. Besides, he'd kissed a few selected women before. All he had to do was plant a kiss on her lips and step back. No big deal.
• He lifted the veil from her face and planted his mouth on hers.
• Mariana's eyes widened. Her heart skipped a beat.
• They stared at one another.
• Her soft lips on his, her shallow breath in his ears, the taste of her, the feel of her so…so addictive, he couldn't stop himself from pushing his tongue into her mouth just as she opened them.
• Straight lust in all its itchy, burning glory rushed through his veins.
• His body stir against hers so he gripped her by the hips and pulled her flush against him.
• The priest cleared his throat. "Ahem…"
• Marcello dropped his hands. He looked slightly stunned for a moment, but then he gave himself a mental shake before giving the priest a stern gaze, "Had to make it look real."
• Everyone believed him. 'Marcello wasn't one to have a weakness.'
• Marcello turned to look at Mariana but only to find her watching him with the softest brown eyes he'd ever seen as pink tinted her cheeks. So cute and innocent. But they don't last. Now she was a part of his world.
• Mariana's heart was beating so fast that it felt like she could hear it. She hadn't expected him to kiss her like that in front of all this people and she'd like it.
• They walked down the aisle, past the standing and clapping guests, and went outside. Dozens of waiters were waiting with champagne in trays. It was now time for them to accept the blessings and congratulations of guests before they could move on to the tables and sit down for dinner.
• Marcello grabbed her left arm and it didn't appear as if he had any intention to let go any time soon. He held her as if she was going to escape as soon as she left his sight. He took a glass of champagne and handed it to her. "You are now a Colombo, remember that."
• She stiffened. She was now one of them. She could feel a lot of gazes on her.
• A petite brunette, with a beauty that could stop a man in his tracks, walked up to them. She smiled at Mariana. "It is so nice to meet you. I can't believe you are my cousin. Immediately I heard about you, I couldn't wait to see you."
• Mariana looked at her, confused.
• "I am sure you might not know me. I am Elena Miller. Your late mother was my aunt. I was three years old when she left." Elena stopped then continued. "I am so sorry for talking too much."
• "It's nothing. I talk a lot too, sometimes, especially when I'm excited." Mariana replied, smiling.
• "Congratulations on your wedding." She pulled Mariana into a friendly hug.
• "I hope you get through this marriage." She whispered into her ear before letting her go and walked away.
• Mariana smiled. Deep down she knew she already liked Elena.
• A few more guest came to congratulate them but most of them were not friendly enough to Mariana. She hoped she would meet more of her mother's relatives but there was no one except from Elena.
• 'Maybe they didn't want to meet her.' She thought, sad.
• So her mother's surname was 'Miller'.
• "Congrats, Marcello." A high female voice said. Marcello and Mariana turned toward the voice of who had spoken and something in Marcello's demeanor shifted slightly.
• "Gabriella," he said with a nod.
• Mariana's eyes froze on the woman, she was a blonde and had dark-green eyes. She wore an above-knee-length, strapless green gown that exposed her cleavage.
• "You must be Mariana, my brother's wife." She gave a fake smile.
• So she is Marcello's sister,' Mariana thought.
• She raised a brow.
• "Not actually my blood brother." She said, her words filled with meaning.
• "I hope you enjoy your marriage because I'm not sure you would."