Chapter 4 FOUR

The priest began the session.She barely heard him,not when her heart pounded furiously against her chest,drowning everything else.Her lips parted to say her marriage vows and then—

A LOUD BANG!!!

A single gunshot erupted through the air causing a disarray in the church.

Screams broke out with some people looking for a place to hide and the others screaming and running.The window glasses shattered,with some pieces of it burrowing into the skin of a few people.

Men in black burst in through all the doors leading to the hall,weapons raised,they seemed to continue coming in—and coming in.

Domenico’s men had raised their weapons as well.

The shooting had begun.

“EVERYONE DOWN,” someone shouted.

Isabelle fell to the floor,the gunshots echoing in her ears.Looking left,she could see her uncle running.

Few of Domenico’s men had escorted him safely out,while the rest held their guns—shooting.

This was her opportunity.

Rising up admist the chaos,she held her gown.She ran towards the exit.And once she was outside,she yanked the veil off and her heels.

“LUCIANO,MARCO,DON'T YOU DARE LET THE BRIDE ESCAPE!” she heard a deep angry voice shout out,sending chills of fear through her body.

That alone was enough to increase her pace.Running as fast as she could,she decided she wasn't going to look back.

She found herself in the woods,yet she could hear them,hot on their chase.

“I SEE HER,” one shouted

“GET THE FUCKING BRIDE!”

Isabelle winced,the moment she stepped on something sharp.She looked down and yanked the root off,with a little blood spilling on her dress.It hadn't burrowed in too much.

But it was enough to make her limp.

She dare not look back.

‘Is either I die running or I die running,’her inner voice said.

Determined not to get caught and with her feet hurting,she hid behind a large rock.Still panting,she gripped the edge of her wedding dress and tore out a part with her teeth.

She was bleeding profusely.

Wrapping the cloth round her leg,she heard a voice,

“She went this way.She couldn't have gone far in that dress.”

Isabelle on hearing the voice so close to where she was,stood up.She tried to run but her injured foot wouldn't let her.

Instead,she continued limping yet still trying to run.

Not until she felt a shadow move in front of her.

It was too fast,because now she was looking at two bulky men that made her look so petite compared to them.

She turned swiftly,hoping to use the other path as an escape route.

But then there was another.

They surrounded her.

One of the men who she had seen first spoke up, “You are one fiesty little thing,aren't you?”

Isabelle ignored him.

She turned to the other side.She was going to do something crazy.

Run,even with the scary men in her way.

As if they had read her thoughts,

“Don't move.I have a gun pointed at your head.”

Regardless,she turned around which was when she felt a piece of cloth covering her head,removing her sight.

Still shocked by what was happening,the man took advantage of her delayed and confused reaction.He lifted her up and threw her over on his shoulders.

Isabelle began doing what she knew best.

Kicking.

Screaming.

Not until she felt something being stabbed into her arm.

She struggled to stay alert,but then she felt her body go lax and darkness came over her.