My head pounds with vigor. The lights streaming through the open window curtains irritate my headache further. The pills aren't enough. Is it safe to take another two? Who told me it was a good idea to get drunk the night before my wedding? If anything, I should be drunk right now—anything to forget this god-awful day.

An instant pain emerges on my hips. "Stay still! I'm almost done with your hair." Emilia complains, sticking a dozen bobby pins to hold on to the veil. Maybe that's what's giving me a headache. "Do you understand the words— stay still?"

I roll my eyes. "Actually, I don't, Emilia. Would you care to explain the phrase to me?"

"What a bitch," she mumbles under her breath, audible enough for me to hear.

My eyes narrow. "What did you call me?" Emilia shrugs her shoulders, continuing her work on my hair. Spitefulness plagues my veins. "I said, what did you call me?"

Emilia jerks her hip out. "A bitch. Are you happy?"

Her eyes widen as I spin around, stepping forward until her back hits the wall. Heavy breathing expels from her lips. Fury conquers my sanity, grabbing her veiny, fragile wrist and digging my nails into them. If I'm being forced to become a Moltsanti, I might as well use the perks that come with the name.

"Listen here," I say, gritting my teeth. "You have gotten away with a lot of things, but that ends today. I'm not just some girl anymore-- I'm going to be Isabela Moltisanti, and I don't think I need to remind you that I'm your boss." Emilia weakly nods. "So, start fucking treating me like one."

Emilia gulps. "O-Okay."

My jaw clenches. "Leave."

Like a cartoon, she bumps into the table, stool, and chair before sprinting out the door. I sigh in relief-- finally, some privacy. My eyes fall onto the collections of full-length mirrors hung in a circle in front of me. Anxiety flickers through me like a light bulb. I look beautiful, and I hate that I do. Damien doesn't deserve it. My curtain bangs are sectioned off by diamond clips, and the rest of my hair is curled, adorn with flowers. The dress looks exactly like it did the day I bought it.

I look beautiful, but I don't feel like myself at all.

I'm changing, conforming to my new lifestyle.

Any outsider would view me as the happiest girl in the world.

But I couldn't be anymore miserable.

My freedom officially ends today. I will belong to Damien on paper. Heat prickles my skin under the uncomfortable, rough fabric, spreading across my neckline like a rash. It should be him at the end of the aisle, him who saved me from the pile of endless doom and gloom. I swallow the emotion rising up my throat.

That's too much to ask of him. I should be satisfied with what he's willing to give me after all the restrictions he had. 

"Miss Arias." Thrilling chills roll down my spine at the sound of his hypnotic, seductive, husky voice. My heart rate picks up. Something about Julian leaning on the doorframe with one arm above his head on the top frame and the other rubbing his lip does something to me. Butterflies swarm my stomach.

No one rocks a black Amari suit better than Julian. I want to tear every fabric off his body and finally feel his bare skin on mine. I eye him closely. Pain flickers across his face as his irises drifts down my dress. Calmness washes over me, obliterating all the anxiety when he holds the side of my cheek in his palms.

"Is it too late to run away?" I joke, sporting a half-smile.

Julian's thumb strokes my cheeks, his cobalt blue irises forming a tidal wave I could easily and gladly drown in. "It's not the end until Jimmy-Steve flies."

"It's okay," I affirm, resting my smaller hand over his. "I wouldn't subject you to a life of constantly running away. It was tiring knowing I couldn't stay in one place for longer than a few months. I don't want you to live like that. You deserve a peaceful life."

A heavy sigh departs from him. "You do too. You will get it."

I roll my eyes. "In fifty years, when Damien decides to finally fudging die! Until then, I'll learn to cope with it."

A hopeful gleam glimmers in Julian's eyes. "We can always cut his time short."

My heart thuds in anticipation. "Killing him wouldn't be enough. He deserves to go through what I have gone through."

Julian's hand burns through the thick fabric of my dress, radiating his heat onto my skin. "You get the first say in everything that happens to Damien. I wouldn't take the opportunity from you to annihilate him."

My finger grazes his clothed chest as they tip-toe up his vest. "I guess it starts with me infiltrating him. Burn his whole family down."

Hot hands scorch my shoulders, strong and warm, as he rubs them up and down. Fireworks spark in the pit of my stomach as he travels to the nape of my neck, tilting my face to meet his in a kiss. One end of my lip tips to a smile, giggling into the kiss, with Julian following suit. My heart hums in my chest. It's complete with him beside me. He takes this opportunity to sneak his velvety tongue into my mouth, filling my senses with his minty taste. A deep, satisfied groan comes from Julian's throat.

Julian's stray hand wanders down my back before resting on my ass. The amount of material between us is infuriating! He scoops me up and softly drops me on the wobbly table. I tug his bottom lip between my teeth, gently gnawing at it. Julian releases a groan of frustration as he scours through layers of fabric to reach my skin.

My pulse beats like a drum. His hand finds my thigh, raking up to reach my pussy. A muffled moan slips out as his finger dances over the seam of my underwear. He plays with my clothed clit by stroking circles on my delicate part.

"What the fuck!" Damien's venomous scream instantly makes us pull apart. "I'm going to fucking kill this stupid pig!" 

Panic surges through my veins. "Jimmy-Steve!"

"Wait." Julian holds onto my hand with a mischievous look on his face. He pulls out a small pink oval-shaped device, almost like an egg, but a bit bigger. "Put this inside your pussy."

Confusion flickers across my face. "Wait, why?"

He winks. "Just trust me. You're going to be thanking me later."

I stare questionably at the object. "How is it supposed to fit?"

"Oh, baby," Julian crouches, skimming my ear with his warm breath. "If that doesn't fit, then we're going to have a bigger problem when I fuck you. Shit. Get out there before you give me a hard-on, and I'll have to stay here until it goes down."

Before opening the door, I slip the device into the hole between my legs, my eyes widening from the unusual sensation between my legs. How am I supposed to walk like a human with this inside me? It's cold and big. Gosh, what does Julian have in store for me?

"Grab that piece of shit! Grab it!" Damien shouts, pointing at Jimmy-Steve weaving between the hefty, tall men trying to grab him. "You guys got butterfingers or something?"

Jimmy-Steve leaps into my arms, shaking like a leaf. "What's wrong, Jimmy-Steve?"

Damien breathes hastily through his nostrils, bashing his feet on the ground with every step. "Give that motherfucker to me! He's dead. I should've killed him the night you brought him here!"

I curve my body to the side to block Jimmy-Steve from Damien's wrath. "No! No, don't touch him."

Damien pulls at his blonde locks, tarnishing the gelled comb look. "He fucking shitted all over the floor!" His voice cracks from his loud screech, pointing at the brown splotches on the ground.

I scratch the back of Jimmy-Steve's ear. "You're scarying him! He's just a baby. He doesn't know any better."

"Does it look like I give a fuck?" Damien points at Jimmy-Steve with his hardened stare. "Rocco, kill that piece of shit!"

"No!" I cry out, clutching tightly onto Jimmy-Steve's body and walking until my back thumps against a solid surface. "Rocco, you stay put! Damien has no say in what happens to my pig!"

Damien narrows his eyes, clenching his hands into fists as he saunters closer, shaking with the urge to punch anything in his way. "Says who? You ungrateful, useless fucking bitch!"

Darkness falls as I close my eyelids, waiting for the impact of Damien's fist. To my surprise, I'm left unscathed. Drawing in a deep breath, I slowly open my eyes to Julian's palm wrapped over Damien's, halting him in his attempt to punch me. I can't fight back the grin that pulls at my mouth.

That's my man.

Lorenzo clears his throat as he emerges from the other side of the hall. "Brother, the wedding is starting. Time to get to your post."

Damien sneers. "This isn't fucking over."

"Just freaking go!" I yell, raising my eyebrows.

He darkly chuckles. "Just wait until tonight... I'll get my payback when I have you begging for me to stretch your pussy out."

"In your dreams," I mutter to myself as he strolls to the end of the hallway with his brother waiting for him, giving him a rub on the shoulder as they disappear from my gaze.

Julian turns around, surveying all my features to make sure I don't have a single mark on me. It's heartwarming. I shudder as he pulls me into a quick, reassuring hug, gripping the back of my head as my face collides with his chest. Jimmy-Steve oinks, probably feeling uncomfortable being in the dark-- something I relate to a little too much.

Tears fight to fall out. "I-Is he seriously capable of killing him? I don't want to lose Jimmy-Steve. Maybe I should give him to a shelter. It's probably safer there than with me."

His thumb strokes my cheek, swirling the butterflies in the pit of my stomach. "Jimmy-Steve is supposed to be your buddy. Moral support when I'm incapable of giving it."

"So, you have intentions of leaving," I blurt out, my eyes widening, shock from my own response.

The butterflies fly away. Dread sinks in. He's talking about when he leaves me, isn't he? I wonder if that day is soon. Does he already have the day picked out? Is he counting out the days to escape and leave me behind, like Jack sinking to the bottom of the ocean? Would he warn me beforehand? It's wrong to think so ill of him, but he's so difficult to read sometimes. I'm sure Julian will mention if he has to go for personal reasons or if Damien fires him.

Julian crouches until he reaches my eye level, his cobalt irises flashing a heartfelt, honest look. It's so intense. I try to turn away, but Julian holds my chin in place. "Over my dead body. They're going to have to drag me by the chains to get me to leave you. I know I haven't given you faith in me, but believe me, I won't ever willingly leave you here with Damien. Do you trust me?"

I sigh, looking to the side of the vacant hallway. "I don't know, Julian." My voice is barely audible. "I'm afraid to. Every single time, you hurt me. How is this time supposed to be any different? It's going to break me if you lie to me again."

Julian's face flickers with pain. "I'm asking for one last chance. If I fuck it up again, then you can write me off. You fail to see that you could survive without me... I can't say the same."

"That's where you're wrong..." I admit, "I'll never be able to forget you. You're my dream come true."

Julian half smiles, pressing a quick kiss on my forehead, and grabs my hand. "One thing is for sure, you won't be able to forget about me after tonight."

My eyes narrow in a playful manner. "Why's that?"

His arms wrap around my collarbones, pulling my backside into his chest as his breath lingers on my ear. "Because I have been known to leave girls wanting more, and I intend to make your pussy mine tonight."

A warm flare races up my cheeks. "As long as it means that your cock is mine as well."

In a low, dangerous, husky voice, he says, "Who am I to say no? I'm a mere employee. You're my superior. Anything you want, and I'll gladly deliver."

"Oh, my gosh!" I burst into laughter, covering my grin with my palm. "Don't imply I'm using my status to get you to do me. That's so dirty."

My skin lights up with fire as he forms a trail of kisses from my shoulder to the back of my ear. Every nerve goes haywire. The desire overwhelming as I can feel a pool of wetness between my thighs.

He murmurs into my ear, making it difficult to breathe like a normal human being. "Even if you were... I would let you."

My heart skips a beat. "Jesus... how am I supposed to walk down the aisle when all I can think about is how good this feels? How cruel-- leaving me horny and unsatisfied. You need to learn some manners."

A slow smile spreads across Julian's face. "I would love for you to teach me."

His left hand sinks into his trousers pocket, rummaging for something. Is he looking for a piece of gum or something? My eyes widen in alert to the raging footsteps of an individual reaching us. Rocco's blonde hawk catches my attention before the rest of his body enters the frame.

He's heaving, his puffed cheeks splotchy red as he holds onto the wall. "You missed your cue. They're starting over again, and I don't think Damien will be happy if he has to go through this a third time."

I roll my eyes.

And he calls me the brat.

Before I could follow Rocco's lead, the egg device inside my folds buzzed alive, vibrating against my inner walls. I draw in a sharp breath, clutching my thighs together as if I was about to pee my pants. A suspicious-looking smirk graces Julian's face until he wipes it away with his palm.

He intertwines our arms together. "She'll be right out. She's just a bit nervous."

Rocco shrugs. "Whatever, man."

Squeezing my eyes shut, I whine. "J-Julian."

"Shhh," Julian says in hushed tones, fixing the curls on my shoulders. "I could tell you were nervous. This is my way of helping you... relax."

Julian's hand scorches my backside as he leads me to our backyard. Trust me, just because it's a backyard wedding doesn't make it any less extravagant. First of all, Damien's yard runs a few miles long. A white carpet leads me to the altar with Damien, Lorenzo, and my bridesmaids waiting with smiles. White poinsettias decorate the outline of the rows of attendees, influenced by the Christmas theme.

The egg pulses against my inner walls, activating the excitement in my lower belly. Pleasure floods my sense. Fudge. I want to moan so fudging bad! Why is Julian torturing me? The traditional sonnet of the wedding song fills my ear, but I can't bear to move a step. The eggs purr away, lighting my core. I craved more.

All the attendees' eyes stare into my soul, waiting for my next move. I mean, it only made sense since I am the bride, so is that the anxiety talking? Can they see that I'm shaking? Julian steps first, yanking me along with him. My skin burns with need. I wanted to roll my eyes back and release a moan, but I chewed at my lip. Hard.

My breathing fastens.

"You might be marrying him, but I'm the only man who can make your pussy wet," Julian taunts, the egg buzzing with a vigor that I swear could be felt throughout my body. 

Everything tingles. The familiar tremors course through my body, and I'm so out of it that I don't even notice I'm in front of Damien. His stupid face tarnishes a bit of my arousal, but the rapid succession overwhelms me. 

Shoot.

Shoot.

Shoot.

I'm going to come.

I really hate Julian right now.

Muffling my voice, I whimper into my palm, feeling the explosive between my thighs reach its peak. Wave after wave swirls through me, and I feel so weak. Coming takes so much energy out of you-- damn.

Julian proudly smiles on the sidelines, sending a wink to me.

He's going to be the death of me.

"By the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife," the priest announces, dragging Damien's and my hand to meet in the middle. "You may now kiss the bride."

My heart plummets with dread.

Without a warning, Damien tilts my body to the side, gripping my backside and head, leaning forward. The sight is horrifying. My hand swats out to push his chest, but he forces himself on me anyway-- kissing me. Every fiber of my being protested against it. His small lips feel grimy against mine.

Mix and match.

Like mixing ketchup with cereal.

Struggling to keep the vomit in my throat, Damien releases me from the kiss and throws his hands in the air as if he just won the trophy of the century. I can't believe I go by Isabela Moltisanti now.

My eyes fall on Julian.

His jaw ticks.

There's only one thing I'll ever thank Damien for--, and that's for introducing me to Julian.

Sorry for keeping all of y'all lovely, dedicated readers waiting... also sorry for this shitty chapter 😂lol... idk how I feel about it. It seems kinda weaker than the rest but I hope you guys enjoyed it and let me know if you did or didn't 😂

How do you feel about Isabela being officially married? How long do you think the marriage will last?

Who's ready for some nasty, steamy smut? I better see some hands...

Random question: what's the first word that pops in your head when you think of Julian and Isabela (together and separately)

Hope you guys are ready for Saturday's chapter ;)

Love ya 💜❤️💜❤️