I hate loving you (Gangster Series Book 1)

Piper    I walked down the aisle, ready to meet my future husband at the altar. It was the happiest day of my life. Family and friends were surrounding us to celebrate our union. Just when I was about to reach him, I looked down at my dress, just to see it covered in blood.     My husband-to-be was calling for me. Not paying attention to him, all I could see was a pair of brown eyes looking straight at my blue ones. Enchanting and mesmerizing. Looking at me as if he was a predator, and I was his prey. He held his hand out to me, urging me to take it and as soon as I was about to do it, my whole world went dark. ~~~~~~    I woke up sweaty and breathing heavily. As I looked around, I realized it was just a dream, and I was in my room. I was so deep in my thoughts, that I didn’t hear a knock on my door.     “Piper, wake up!” I heard Ava’s voice call from the other side of the door. She kept knocking until I got off the bed while I groaned, and opened it.    “I’m having a headache, and you knocking like crazy doesn’t help,” I said, holding my head while I walked back to my bed. I laid down, but I felt a pair of hands pulling me back up.     “Come on, Piper. It’s your wedding day. Get ready and be beautiful for your future husband.”    “Okay mom, I’ll get ready,” I said with a hint of sarcasm.    Since mom left dad for another man, Ava has been taking care of us. She’s my oldest sister and she is caring and overprotective towards me and my brother, Ethan.     “I can’t wait to get married to Kyle. I’ve been waiting for this since he proposed to me.”    “Well, your wait is over because today is the day where you will finally get to be Mrs. Kyle Brown.”     At the mention of his name, a smile crept up my face. All the bridesmaids arrived at my room to get ready. My hair and makeup were simple and beautiful, so was my dress. I looked at myself in the body length mirror and I couldn’t help but smile and tear up at the sight in front of me.     But my smile faded when I thought about that weird dream I had last night. It was scary, but also mysterious. It’s like it was telling me something. I had a feeling something was about to happen, but I couldn’t know what it was.   ~~~~~~ Ethan    “Are you sure that’s the deal you want to make with me?” I asked the man sitting across my desk.    “I am very sure, I signed the contract. All I need is for her to do the same,” the deep voice answered as he stood up and walked towards the window. He was looking down to where my sister’s wedding was taking place. Everyone sat down and waited for the bride to come out. I needed to take care of business before my plan went along.    “Okay, then. You've got a deal. My sister is all yours,” I said, letting a satisfied sigh. This man was going to help me get rid of my sister by marrying her, and in the process, our alliance will prevail. ~~~~~~ Piper    My dad was walking me down the aisle with tears of happiness in his eyes. We arrived at the altar, where Kyle was waiting for me.    “Take care of my princess, she’s a treasure. Don’t hurt her or you will have to deal with me, okay?” dad warned him playfully as he put my hands in Kyle’s    “I promise I will take care of her, sir,” Kyle said with a smile.     He held my hands, and the priest started the ceremony. I couldn’t keep my eyes off him. This was the man I would spend the rest of my life with and the man who would take care of me. He would be the father of my kids. It was a dream come true, a dream I had since I was a little girl. Marry the man I loved.    “If anyone objects to this man and this woman to be together, please speak now, or forever hold your peace,” we heard the priest say while hoping no one dared to speak. My wish was shattered when I heard my brother come in to interrupt my wedding. I wish he didn't.    “I object to this marriage.”    The guests gasped and started murmuring to each other. My eyes opened wide in shock. Why would my brother be against this union? My heart was beating hard while Kyle held my hands, squeezing them, trying to reassure me everything will be okay.     “What are you doing Ethan?” I whispered, nervously and angrily at the same time. He approached us and let out a big sigh.    “I’m sorry, Piper. You’ll get married today, but not to Kyle.”    “What are you talking about?” I asked, confused at his words. I looked at Kyle who stiffed next to me. Out of nowhere, my brother’s men took him and dragged him inside the house. I never questioned my brother’s line of work, but I was sure this wasn’t good.     “Where are you taking him? Ethan please, tell me what’s going on?” I grabbed his arms, pleading that he told me why would he ruin my wedding day? He pulled me by the arm, squeezing hard and making me wince.     “The party is over, people. You can all go home,” he said and the guests made a quick run for the exit. I was at the mercy of my brother.    We walked into his study, and he sat me down on the leather chair in front of his desk. I looked around when my eyes fell on the man standing by the window. The air was thick and tense, and my heart was pounding inside my chest.     He looked so mysterious and so dangerous at the same time.    “Please Ethan, tell me what’s going on. Where did you take Kyle?” I wanted to cry, but my shock wouldn’t let me. I didn't want to show how vulnerable I was feeling.    “Well Piper, this is what's going to happen. Meet my friend here, Luciano Antonetti. He and I have made a deal. We want to form an alliance, in exchange of you.”    “I don’t get it, you are exchanging me for an alliance?”     “Yes, you’ll marry him today in order for our alliance to be in effect.”      I stood up from my chair quickly, wanting to get out of there when the door slammed open, and the men that took Kyle were walking in with him in their arms.     What I saw next, made my heart ache. They beat him up. He had bruises and cuts all over his face, and I was sure he had them all over his body too. My tears streamed down my face as I rushed to him.    “Oh my God, what did you do to him?”    I touched his bloody face and I couldn’t stop crying. My hands were covered in his blood. I wiped them on my dress and looked at my brother, angrily.    “I’m not marrying anyone else, I’m supposed to marry Kyle today! This is supposed to be the happiest day of my life, why are you doing this?”      “I told you, my dear sister. It's just business, nothing personal,” he smirked and I wanted to kill him right here.    I refused to sign the contracy, when I heard the men punching Kyle once again. I flinched and couldn't stop looking at them as they used him as a punching bag. They took a knife out and were ready to cut his fingers off, but I couldn't let them do it.    “Wait! I’ll sign anything, please just stop hurting him!” I yelled and took the contract in my hands.     I hesitated a little, but signed it anyway. More tears fell from my eyes, and my makeup was ruined, but I didn't care. I had to save him. Looking down at my dress covered in blood, the memories of that dream resurfaced.    I was afraid to look up, because I had a bad feeling of what was coming next. Something was telling me to do it anyway, and when my eyes looked at the mysterious man by the window, he turned around to see me. Those brown eyes that showed up on my dream, were looking straight at me.     “This isn’t happening, it can’t be true,” I whispered as I closed my eyes, trying to wake up from this nightmare. When I opened them again, the man took me by the arm and dragged me out of the house to a black, sleek car waiting for us.    The driver opened the door and he gently pushed me inside before he got in and sat by my side. I was trembling, not sure if it was from fear or anger. What would be waiting for me while living with this man?    I don’t even know his name or his obsession to marry me.