Page 16 of Uprising

Katie looks at me and smiles. Clearly hoping I’ll jump in.

“I was saying that I’m a little swamped with all the wedding planning at the moment to consider it.” I state.

A micro expression crosses Darius’s face. We both know that’s a lie. I’m not involved in any of the wedding planning. My mother is doing it all. Forcing it all. Neither Darius nor she trust me to do any of it thank god.

“But this feature would be after.” Katie says sounding every bit like a pushy journalist after a scoop. “We could include some shots from your day, and perhaps even ones from your honeymoon, if you were willing to share them?”

I wince. Honeymoon? God, I hadn’t even thought of that particular torture.

“That sounds like a good idea.” Darius says.

“Perfect.” Katie replies. “I’ll make a note to touch base when you’re back. We can pick out the photos you’d want published together, make sure you approve of them.”

“Perfect.” I repeat trying not to sound like a damned robot.

And then I stand there, with Darius’s arm around me watching her leave.

“What was that about?” Darius growls as soon as she’s out of earshot.

I turn to face him. “I…”

“You’re swamped with wedding planning?” He scoffs.

“I had to say something. She caught me unawares. She asked how it was all going. I didn’t realise she was a journalist and then…”

“And then what?” He tightens his grip as he speaks, making his displeasure more than abundantly clear.

I gulp. “I acted like a standard bride, that all I wanted was the perfect day. I started wittering on about favours, seating plans, whatever I could think of.”

He looks like he’s not buying it but there are enough people still around for him not to be able to make a scene.

“Let’s go back to the gardens.” I say putting my hands on his chest. We’re being watched. I can feel it, half the room beyond seems to staring through the glass at us as if this is some sort of movie playing out.

He grunts. “Fine, but you’re not leaving my side for the rest of the evening.”

I give him a placating smile. I can do that, I can act exactly as he wants if it spares me a beating later.

Rose

Ihate these nights the most.

More than when Darius is fucking me.

More than when he’s hurting me.

I hate being here, looking at them, hearing their voices, just breathing the same damn air as them.

Darius is sat beside me. He always likes to sit beside me when they’re here.

We’re not even in the main dining room, we’re in the smoking room, where it’s more intimate, and if anything that makes it worse.

We ate dinner while Darius and my father discussed his campaign, and now that I’ve been made aware of it they don’t hold back from discussing their other businesses too. The ones the press don’t report on. The ones I can barely stomach even thinking about.

It turns out Darius runs the gangs now, he controls all the drugs coming in and out of the city and he controls all the flesh trade too.

So much for law and order. He’s the biggest crime lord in Verona and yet he’s also the judge, jury and executioner.

I wince at that. At how much power he actually has. And what it would take to beat him.