Page 39 of The Empress

“Mom,” I whisper. “Just come with me.”

“This way,” Massimo says, and I take hold of Mom’s hand.

When we step into the room, Massimo says, “You have twenty minutes to change into the dress. I hope it fits.” He pulls the door shut, and we hear a lock engage.

Still struggling to process the shock of the bomb Leo dropped on me, I look at Mom and burst out in tears.

She quickly wraps me up in a tight hug, her body trembling as much as mine.

We hold each other for a while before she pulls back to look at my face. “You’re not marrying Leo Toscano.”

“I have no choice. He’ll kill you.”

Frustration tightens Mom’s features, then she says, “When they open the door, I’m going to distract them so you can run away.”

“No!” I cry. Grabbing hold of Mom’s arm, I shake my head wildly. “I’m not letting you get hurt.” My mind races to come up with another plan, but then my eyes fall on the white dress hanging on the outside of a closet, and my heart plummets. I grow cold as the realization sinks in. “I have no choice but to marry Leo.”

To keep Mom out of harm's way, I pull away from her and walk to the dress. When I tug my T-shirt over my head, she begins to cry, the sound heartbreaking.

“I’ll be okay,” I say for both our sakes. “I’ll marry him, and when everyone eventually lets their guards down, we can escape.”

“Oh God, Haven,” Mom weeps inconsolably as I step out of my sneakers and jeans.

My parents raised me in a loving home in Whitefish. I used to dream about leaving the small town and living in a city, but now I’d do anything to go home.

My hand trembles badly when I reach for the lace dress that has a corset bodice and A-line skirt. Floral accents cover a layer of chiffon.

It’s pretty.

The thought is fleeting as I put on the wedding gown, and when I glance at Mom, she cries harder.

My voice is hoarse as I say, “Can you help me?”

Even though she shakes her head, she comes closer and pulls the zipper up. It’s a tight fit, and I worry the lace will tear.

Luckily, the high heels are the right size, and when I’m dressed, I pull my fingers through my hair.

Mom’s tone is raw and broken when she says, “I can’t let you do this, Haven.”

I meet her fearful gaze and shake my head. “We have no choice. I’m not going to let you risk your life.”

There’s a knock at the door, which has me closing the distance between me and Mom. I wrap my arms tightly around her and press a kiss to her cheek. “I love you, Mom. More than anything.”

“I love you, too,” she whimpers.

Letting go of her, I rush to the door and meet Massimo’s eyes. “Lock my mother in the room. If she gets hurt, the wedding is off.”

“No, Haven!” Mom screams.

My heart breaks into a million pieces as I hurry down the hallway, and when I hear her letting out a harrowing cry, tears roll over my cheeks, and I clench my jaw to keep a sob from bursting free.

I have to do this for Mom.

“My baby,” she wails. “No!”

When I walk into the central part of the church, I lift my chin and lock eyes with Leo, where he’s standing by a priest.

I stop in front of him and don’t bother to wipe the tears from my cheeks while I suck in a shuddering breath.