Chapter 5

• "You look beautiful, signora Evelyn."
• Evelyn's lips curved into a smile as she stepped back from the glass. “Thanks Lorenzo.” She looked so beautiful standing in the blue dress that complimented her curvy shape and her black hair in French curls.
• She never thought she'd ever experience this in the mansion foyer preparing to marry a man who'd saved her. She'd been blinded to happiness and that it'd been an illusion all along despite all she'd suffered. Now, she stood in the exquisite foyer of Matteo's mansion to be led off to the courthouse where he was waiting to make her his legal wife.
• She got emotional as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, but she controlled it.
• "Are you ready, signora?" Matteo's bodyguard, Lorenzo, retreated from the front door, securing the strap on his gun.
• Evelyn met his gaze straight on. "Never been more ready."
• Lorenzo smiled. "Well, we don't want to keep the boss waiting.”
• She was accompanied by three bodyguards to the waiting black sports car by the entrance. The driver opened the door, and Evelyn got in, her heart pounding in excitement.
• This is actually happening.
• As soon as the car pulled away from the house, she stared out the window and the city was a blur as the car sped off.
• She smiled to herself. ‘Matteo will be waiting.’
• That sensation had hardly had time to reach her heart, when she heard a gunshot reverberating crash on the other side of the car.
• Evelyn's eyes widened in fear as the wheels screeched on the pavement.
• "What the hell?" Lorenzo cussed out, his hand reaching for the gun as the car slid to a halt.
• Evelyn was instructed to stay in the car, but she got curious and wanted to peek at what was going on, when bullets started flying in every direction around them
• "Down!"
• Lorenzo screamed at her as bullets shattered windows.
• Evelyn's heart pounded, and she could hardly breathe, her hands clenched in fear hidden in the folds of her gown.
• "Signora, Stay down!" Lorenzo screamed, shooting back outside the shattered window.
• She heard Matteo's men firing back, but the shots were too many. There were too many men.
• "We’re outnumbered!" someone yelled.
• A sickening realization settled in her gut. This isn’t a random attack. They came for a purpose.
• Before she could fathom what was happening, the car door was yanked open wide and she was grasped by a grimy pair of hands.
• "No!" Evelyn screamed, struggling as she was dragged out.
• Lorenzo spun around, his face contorted with fury. "Evelyn—!"
• A gunshot cracked.
• Lorenzo staggered backward, a crimson streak on his stomach.
• "No!" Evelyn shrieked in horror, as he collapsed onto the sidewalk.
• Three shots burst.
• Her abductor bear-hugged her, dragging her toward the black SUV at the end of the driveway. Evelyn struggled, but soon it was futile, he was too strong.
• "Let me go!" she shrieked, her voice hoarse with fear.
• A hand swept across her mouth abruptly, chemical and acid burn taste searing down her lungs.
• No.
• She fought to hold the shadows back, but at last. Her head spun, her body gave in to the darkness.
• *************
• Evelyn's eyes fluttered open, and she was met by a splitting headache as she tried to lift her head. She took in the scent of the bedroom and soft beddings she laid on, it was one that she was very familiar with and her heartbeat increased rapidly with fear.
• She grabbed her head, enduring the pain in her head as she sat up to take in the surroundings, with the hope that it wasn’t what she thought.
• And there, she spotted him, sitting in the dark with his back relaxed on the bedroom couch and a cigar burning out in his hand.
• “Adrian?”