Chapter 3

A vase fell to the ground with a crash but Tallulah did not turn but instead, stood there sobbing quietly. She soon felt the gun aimed at her head and before she knew it, she was harshly turned.

"An attempt to escape I see". Mateo said towering over her. She looked up into his eyes to see fury.

"Jett had promised you would be on your best behaviour but you, my dear wife, prove otherwise".

He used the gun holster to remove the red strands of hair from Tallulah's face.

"You leave me no choice princess….".

Tallulah squinted her eyes as Mateo kept talking. She kept blinking until she looked around and everything became double.

She walked past him but he pulled her back by the injury free wrist. Before he could say something else, she zoned out.

Mateo scooped her up bridal style before she could fall and noticed the red stains of blood on her bandaged feet.

He carried her up to her room and attended to her injury by cleaning the wound and replacing the bandage.

Camille walked into the room the next day with a tray of food.

"Good morning ma'lady".

"Good morning Camille". Tallulah greeted back with a smile. "And please you can call me Tallulah".

"Ma'lady seems fine by me. It's alright my dear". Camille said and placed the tray on the bed Infront of Tallulah.

"Here's a bowl of porridge and medications for you".

Tallulah pulled the tray closer to herself.

"I heard what happened yesterday. Are you okay?"

"Yes I am". Tallulah nodded. "I just got overwhelmed by everything, I'll be fine once I eat".

Camille pushed the tray gently to Tallulah and she picked it up and placed it on her thighs.

"The porridge will help you feel better". Camille said as she watched Tallulah pick the spoon up.

"Thank you Camille".

"Blow on it, it's quite hot". Camille said as she watched Tallulah fetch a spoon full and blow on it before putting it into her mouth.

"It's really good". Tallulah said after a few spoons.

"Slow down dear, it's quite hot".

A knock came at the door and Camille went to open it. She stood there a while conversing with whoever it was before finally shutting the door close.

She walked to the bed and placed the package on the bed.

Tallulah looked at it then at Camille.

"What's that?"

She asked placing the medicine on her tongue then drowning the entire glass of water.

"A dress".

"But..I do not need a dress. I am quite content with the clothes I have, thank you".

"Wedding dress, if that makes you feel better". Camille said sitting on the bed.

"No way!". Tallulah denied stretching her hand to pick the package up.

She opened it revealing a long triple layered dress.

"This is a wedding dress?".

"I'm supposing it is?". Camille replied with a question as she herself seemed skeptical.

"Such bad taste for a mafia lord. Ptt".

"This came with the dress". Camille informed handing a box and a hand written card to Tallulah.

She placed the box on the quilt as she opened the note:

~wear this for tomorrow tonight~

                  -Mateo.

"Who does this man think he is?". Tallulah asked dropping the note on the lamp stand as she picked the box up.

"And such bad hand writing too".

She said and opened the box. Her lips parted a little at what she saw, she looked at Camille.

Camille shrugged as she also had no idea what the deal was. Tallulah shook her head and removed the wedding band from the box.

She had wanted to ask what all these were about but now, she understood everything.

"A wedding?". She asked in disbelief shaking her head. "Unbelievable". 

Then she tossed the ring aside, it rolled across the room to the door and only fell when it touched the shoes of Mateo who had just walked in.

Mateo bent down and picked the ring up as Camille hurriedly carried the tray and walked out the room leaving them both together.

Tallulah swallowed and looked everywhere but at Mateo. She heard him close the door and put the lock in place.

Her heart raced.

"Isn't this disrespectful?". He asked and walked to the bed where she was seated.

"Refusing a gift from your soon-to-be husband".

"I cannot marry you Mateo". She said still not looking at him.

She only looked at him when she felt him sit on the bed.

"Oh no!". He said shaking his head. "That's not something you decide princess".

He picked the box from the quilt and replaced the ring back.

"We're already married you see but it lacks the formalities associated with the Mafia culture".

He placed the open box on the bed and turned it so it faced Tallulah. She looked at it.

"Don't you like it?".

Tallulah's head jolted up to look at him. His gaze was so intense.

She didn't even realise that he'd held her hand and slid the ring onto her ring finger.

He caressed her knuckles with his thumb.

 "Bellisíma".

He acknowledged in Spanish then took her hand up for a kiss.

She quickly withdrew her hand from him and immediately tried to remove the ring.

She looked up at him in shook as he gave a sided smile.

"You can't do that princess".

The ring was stuck to her finger and would not come out.

"Just show up tomorrow in everything I sent and you'll be my good girl. I keep good girls alive too".

He muttered getting up and it sounded more of a threat to Tallulah who was already tensed up even as he left the room.

The next evening came sooner than Tallulah had wanted or even expected and Camille was standing behind her as she sat in front of the mirror.

"The dress will look lovely on you". Camille complimented distracting Tallulah from her thoughts.

"Thank you". Tallulah said and looked at herself in the mirror.

Camille had made her hair in a bun with two strands falling beside her face.

"Do you need any help putting it on?"

Tallulah looked at the wall clock and it was almost 9pm.

"It's alright Camille, I can do that myself. It's late, you should probably get home".

"You sure?".

"Positive". Tallulah said turning to look at Camille. "Thank you".

Camille touched her cheek and walked out of the room. Tallulah sighed as the door was shut and then she stood up.

"I am nobody's good girl, and definitely not Mateo's good girl". Tallulah smiled and untied the robe she was wearing.

She removed it and tossed it on the floor leaving her with the dress she was wearing which was not the one Mateo sent but another.

She smiled looking at herself in the mirror before she turned and went to the door opening it a little and peeping out of it.

When she saw that the coast was clear, she walked out and descended down the stairs.

"Alas ma'am". A guard walked to her and she almost got startled.

"I'm sorry ma'am but the boss asked to relay to you that….."

Tallulah didn't want hear about it. She knew it was time for the wedding party and just wanted a way out.

"Where are the other men?".

"In the basement ma'am, making preparations".

Of course for the wedding, Tallulah thought. But that was if there was going to be any wedding.

It's not a wedding party if there's no bride right?.

"Can I have a glass of water?"

"Sure ma'am, just give me a minute". The bodyguard said and walked to the Kitchen.

He came back seconds later with a glass of water on a little tray.

He walked over to Tallulah who whispered a "Thank you".

And then drowned the entire glass placing the glass back on the tray as he walked back to the kitchen to keep it.

Tallulah surveyed the area one last time and made for the back door. She opened the door and walked out stepping into the garden.

"There should be an exit here somewhere". She muttered walking further along the path in the garden.

"A princess in distress indeed". She said struggling to hold up her flowing dress.

She knew she shouldn't have worn a long dress.

Just then, she mistakingly stepped on the dress making the fragile material rip.

"Argh!". She exclaimed angrily and stopped, bending down to hold the torn area, then she ripped it all the more until it reached her knee level.

"Better!". She acknowledged with a smile and threw the piece she ripped away.

She dusted her hands and smoothened the dress with her hand.

She walked a little bit further scanning for an exit with her eyes and then her eyes lit when she finally found one.

"Uh lala!". She said and turned walking backwards as she gave some last respects.

"Oh mansion, you're so huge and beautiful but I must leave in order to be happy".

"And to my dearest husband…..".

She was cut short when her back ran into someone muscular and the lights went off.