Bride by Initiation: Secret Society Mafia Marriage Pact (The Underworld Book 1)
Bride by Initiation: Chapter 15

Zara’s fear is palpable. She swallows hard.

My mouth brushes her ear when I shout over the crowd, ‘It’s the only way we’re leaving this place alive.’ I move my face in front of hers.

Her eyes meet mine. The fear subsides, and determination replaces it.

I put my hand on her cheek, praising, ‘That’s my girl.’

The crowd goes silent, and a new chill runs down my spine.

I turn, keeping Zara close, adamant to do whatever it takes for us to walk out of here alive.

Valentina steps in front of us and points at me. ‘The alliances your father worked tirelessly to put in place are now in jeopardy. The balance is off. Now, we must start again. His vision will not work without balance.’

Zara’s body stiffens.

I rub my thumb over her waist, tightening the rest of my grip. Valentina’s words don’t make sense to me, but I keep my gaze pinned to hers. I declare, ‘I don’t know the full details of what my father wanted. But if the balance is off, we will start again, and I will ensure it comes to fruition.’

Her lips form a taut line. Her glare intensifies.

My blood electrifies, racing through my veins. I don’t understand what my father was trying to build or why I thought it was necessary to take part in it, but now, there’s no way out. I enter The Underworld, or I’m not leaving this arena.

Neither is Zara.

What was she doing here?

I shake off the questions for another time. This isn’t the time or place.

Valentina slowly puts her arm in the air. She asserts, ‘Then you’ve declared your fate, Sean O’Malley Jr.’

Zara’s hand grips the front of my thigh.

My bones turn to ice.

Valentina swirls her fingers in the air in circles.

Ten skull-masked men come on stage. They line up in front of the other couples.

Terror erupts on the men’s and women’s faces. A few men protectively tug their chosen bride to them.

The crowd stomps, lifting their wooden torches into the air, and the moon shines brighter.

Valentina throws her arms out and roars, ‘Cleanse The Underworld!’

The masked men on stage pull out their guns and point them at the couples.

A few women cry out.

A man yells, ‘This is our destiny too!‘

There are two rounds of shots, and all ten couples fall to the floor. Bullet holes pierce each of their foreheads, and blood pools around them.

Zara’s knees buckle.

I wrap my arms around her and bury her head into my chest, attempting to shield her from the red oozing around us.

Valentina’s fiery stare burns toward me. She points at us, ordering, ‘Take your place on the altar.’

I glance behind me, and another stage rises, along with a small staircase. A tall, muscular man in a black robe and the same skull mask waits in the middle of the stage. He holds a lit torch, but unlike the ones in the crowd, it’s gold.

On the right side of him are twenty masked men. Their tuxedos are accented with pink. Rose boutonnieres are attached to their jackets, and they have matching bow ties and cummerbunds.

On the left side of the man stand twenty women. They’re all dressed in the same eye mask and dresses as the women in the crowd, but they hold pink rose bouquets. The one closest to the man holds two, one bigger than the rest.

‘Oh my God,’ Zara gasps, then glances up at me, eyes wide.

My stomach clenches. I attempt one last effort to get out of this, addressing Valentina. ‘You expect my bride to say her vows surrounded by death?’

The man in the robe speaks. His Russian accent thick as he booms, ‘You will address me now.’

I spin toward him, clutching Zara as close as possible, hating that our backs are to the crowd and Valentina. I ask, ‘Who are you?’

He answers, ‘I am Kirill, King of the Omnipotence. Until you sit at the table, you don’t make demands. Your blood caused their blood. So you have a choice to make now.’

‘What’s that?’ I question.

He points to Zara. ‘You vow your life to The Underworld and your bride. Or…’

My breath shallows. I don’t need to ask about the alternate option. It’s clear Zara and I end up on the floor next to the other couples if we don’t proceed.

He assesses Zara, asking, ‘Are you ready to step into the truth?’

She stays quiet, her eyebrows pinned together, unable to speak or tear her gaze off him.

He warns, ‘When the Omni asks you a question, you answer, or there are consequences, Ms. Marino. Now, I won’t ask again. Are you ready to step into the truth?’

‘Answer him,’ I hiss.

She glances at me quickly, then nods at him. Her voice cracks. ‘Y-yes.’

He continues, ‘You’re ready to vow your life to The Underworld and your husband?’

Her chest rises and falls faster. She licks her lips.

I squeeze her waist.

‘Yes. I’m ready.’

Approval lights Kirill’s eyes. He orders, ‘Then come forward.’

The crowd stomps and lifts their torches, humming until the entire arena buzzes.

My heart races, but I grab Zara’s hand and lead us forward until we’re standing in front of Kirill, with the others surrounding us.

He holds his hand in the air, and the stomping ceases. The humming lessens in volume. He informs us, ‘Your actions have entitled you to a Ceremony of Exposure. There will be three phases. Pledge. Performance. Personalization.’

Zara asks, ‘What do they entail?’

Kirill asserts, ‘You will replace out as you go through the phases.’

Valentina’s voice interjects, ‘Get the room ready.’

The humming stops. A cleanup crew, similar to the one at the underground fight, appears. They grab arms and legs and move the corpses off the stage. Others mop up the blood, sloshing it around and spreading it so the entire floor is stained maroon.

A buzzing sound begins, growing louder and louder until the atmosphere is electric.

Kirill booms, ‘The Underworld accepts your bids for initiation. Step forward and commit to your lives to each other and your new brothers and sisters.’

Zara turns her nervous expression to me, and I lean into her ear, murmuring, ‘We made a pact years ago, so it must have been meant to be, right?’

Her gaze drifts to my lips, and my dick hardens. She pins her blues on me, and even through the white lace veil, the flush crawling up her cheeks is noticeable.

‘Tell him you choose him,’ Kirill orders.

She snaps her head toward him.

He insists, ‘Tell him.’

She refocuses on me and lifts her chin, squaring her shoulders. In a confident tone, she declares, ‘I choose Sean.‘

My adrenaline spikes and my pulse speeds up. The air around us turns thicker, and I once again debate about not going through with this.

It was what my father wanted, I remind myself, trying to shut down my nerves. Marriage is forever in my family. Zara’s too.

Shit. Her father’s going to kill me when he replaces out.

My mother’s going to be equally upset I did this without her.

What does she know about all this?

Why is Zara here?

‘Let’s begin,’ Kirill states, forcing me to put aside my worries and questions.

The buzzing changes to oms, but it’s quieter and more intimate. The darkness of the night is at its peak, and the glow around the arena flickers, competing with the moon.

‘Take each other’s hands,’ Kirill directs.

We obey.

Zara takes a shaky breath.

I glance down at her chest. Her cleavage bounces as it rises and falls faster, making the ache inside me grow. I rub my thumbs over Zara’s knuckles, and she gives me a small, soft smile.

Kirill asserts, ‘The vows you take tonight are never-ending.’

Except I don’t do forever.

O’Malleys don’t get divorced.

How long until Zara and I are both bored?

He continues, ‘They supersede any previous loyalties and survive all future obstacles. They don’t die through death. And the only thing more potent than your covenant with each other is your one with The Underworld.‘

I jerk my head backward, unable to stop, before I realize what I’m doing.

That’s fucked-up.

Zara’s forehead creases.

‘Ah. You thought your vows to each other would be the deepest?’ Kirill taunts.

My mouth turns dry.

Zara’s expression shows her growing anxiety.

I squeeze her hands tighter.

Kirill asserts, ‘The Underworld is first. Always. Your partnership is second. Understood?’

No way in hell.

Kirill barks, ‘Answer me!’

‘Understood. Zara does too, right?’ I lie.

She licks her lips and nods. ‘Yes.’

He peers harder at us, as if he doesn’t accept our answer, but finally turns his head to the man next to me and orders, ‘Rings.’

The man reaches inside his jacket pocket and hands one ring to Zara and two to me.

She glances at the black metal band and smiles, nervously blurting out, ‘It looks nice. Hope you like it.’

A fluttering sensation hits my stomach. I open my palm and stare at the ring I selected and its matching band.

Please like what I picked out.

I didn’t care about what any woman would think when I selected the diamond, but that was before I knew Zara would wear it forever.

She tries to peek, but I make a fist, teasing, ‘No peeking.’

She claims, ‘I wasn’t.’

‘Don’t be a brat. You were,’ I mutter, then think about how many times I’ve wanted to put her over my knee and smack her juicy ass.

She smirks.

I’m marrying Zara Marino.

Jesus, help me.

Kirill instructs, ‘Zara, repeat after me. I, Zara Marino, take you, Sean O’Malley Jr., to be my husband for eternity, in The Underworld and all societies.’

She clears her throat. ‘I, Zara Marino, take you, Sean O’Malley Jr., to be my husband for eternity in The Underworld and all societies.’

Kirill continues, ‘I’ll obey my husband and devote my life to The Underworld.’

She repeats it.

He orders, ‘You may give him your ring.’

She beams, holding the ring, teasing, ‘It’s better than Kinsley and Kian’s pipe cleaners, isn’t it?’

I grunt, asking, ‘What made you think of that?’

She shrugs and slides the metal over my finger.

My pulse pounds harder between my ears. I stare at the metal band, wondering if this is some delusion in my mind.

Am I really standing here marrying Zara?

Kirill asks, ‘Sean, do you need me to repeat the vows?’

I stand taller and shake my head. ‘No.’

Zara bites her lip, and her long lashes flutter a few times.

The ache in my veins grows stronger and hotter. I glance down at the barely-there lace at the bottom of her dress. I inhale deeply, refocus on her blues, and state, ‘I, Sean O’Malley Jr., take you, Zara Marino, to be my wife for eternity in The Underworld and all societies.’

I look at Kirill, waiting for the next part.

‘You have to obey me, Sean,’ Zara whispers.

I arch my eyebrows at her. ‘No way. O’Malleys don’t obey. My father wouldn’t have written that into a man’s vows.’

She scoffs. ‘Don’t be sexist.’

I ask, ‘What’s my next line, Kirill?’

He answers, ‘I’ll persuade, provide, and protect my wife while devoting my life to The Underworld.’

‘Persuade?’ Zara questions.

Kirill nods at me.

I repeat, ‘I’ll persuade, provide, and protect my wife while devoting my life to The Underworld.’

Anger flares in her eyes. She turns to Kirill. ‘Seriously?’

‘Do not question your vows. Not now or ever. Understood?’ he warns.

‘Don’t take that tone with my wife,’ I snap.

He glares at me, threatening, ‘Then keep your wife in line. Now and in the future.’

‘It’s not the Middle Ages.’ Zara huffs, but I put my hand over her veil-covered her mouth.

She glares at me.

‘Quiet,’ I beg.

She closes her eyes.

‘Thank you,’ I offer, and remove my hand, but when she opens her eyes, she’s still pissed.

Kirill points at me, cautioning, ‘Your vows are not just words. They are to guide you for eternity. When in doubt, there are only three solutions. Persuade. Provide. Protect. There is nothing else.’

Persuade. Provide. Protect.

He doesn’t take his stare off me.

I nod. ‘Understood.’

He motions to my hand. ‘You may give her the rings.’

My chest tightens. I slowly slide the band on, then the diamond ring.

She stares at it, and I can’t tell what she’s thinking.

Shit. Did I fuck it up?

‘I hope it’s your taste,’ I say quietly.

Kirill interjects. ‘By the authority granted to me from the high and mighty Omnipotence, I now declare you, in The Underworld and all societies, eternal for life, Mr. and Mrs. Sean O’Malley Jr.’

The oms stop. The crowd pounds their feet, raising and lowering their torches.

Kirill roars, ‘You may kiss your bride!’

A tornado of anxiety rips through my gut. I take a deep breath and lift Zara’s veil.

The blush reappears on her cheeks, making my cock harder. I circle my arm around her waist and tug her against me. Then I slide my hand through her hair, tilt her head back, and move my mouth to her ear.

She gasps.

I murmur, ‘It’s you and me forever, my little brat.’

She trembles against me.

I kiss her lobe and then her neck.

Her hot breath hits my cheek, and adrenaline soars within me.

The stomping of the crowd turns louder and faster, keeping in tune with my beating heart.

I tighten my fist in her hair and kiss her jaw until I can’t resist anymore.

All the years of stopping myself from having her have come to an end. The world spins, and my body rings with the energy of the arena.

My lips touch hers briefly, and I pull back, studying her.

She’s looked at me with lust in her eyes too many times. Tonight, it’s magnified into a thousand flecks of what’s now mine and what’s still to come.

I tease her with my tongue, continuing to watch her, unable to tear my gaze from hers.

She flicks back, staring at me just as closely, and diving deeper into my mouth.

The dam breaks. Our lips connect in an explosion of fire and ice, taunting us to go to the place we’ve always flirted with but never dared crossing into.

Everything disappears. It’s Zara, me, and the devil giving us the green light.

It finally hits me that the stomping has stopped. The crowd chants, ‘Performance! Performance! Performance!’

I pull away, catching my breath as much as she is, needing more.

When can we get out of here and be alone?

The darkness begins to fade as dawn tries to break through. The crowd quiets.

Valentina shouts, ‘Phase two starts now!’

I spin with Zara and freeze.

All twenty-three corpses of the failed initiates hang from flag poles lining the arena. A bed with a white silk sheet is positioned in the middle of the original stage, directly over the fresh bloodstains. Candles have been arranged in the shape of a heart around the bed, and pink rose petals lie scattered around them, contrasting with the deep maroon of the blood-soaked boards.

Zara inhales sharply.

I pin her to my body, turning to Kirill, demanding, ‘What is this?’

He replies in a smug, dark tone, ‘The performance phase. It’s time to consummate your marriage.’

My throat turns dry.

‘Sean,’ Zara whispers, her voice shaking.

I stand taller. ‘That’s not happening here.’

‘It is, or your bid for initiation is over. And no one goes through partial initiation and leaves,’ he warns.

Zara glances around the arena, gripping my hand.

I open my mouth.

He interjects, ‘Any more resistance to fulfill your initiation will be considered a forfeit.’

Zara closes her eyes.

The crowd stomps again.

Kirill steps closer and adds, ‘You always have two choices. That’s it. There’s never a third.‘

My gut falls further.

Zara turns to me. ‘Sean?’

I put my hand on her cheek. ‘I’m sorry. This is the only choice.’

She closes her eyes and nods.

I demand, ‘Take down the corpses.’

Valentina steps forward, declaring, ‘Their blood is on your hands. They stay. Now, take your bride to the bed or concede to The Underworld.’

Against all odds, the room grows louder, the energy turning more frenetic.

Zara trembles harder against me, and I grip her tighter.

Valentina challenges, ‘Are you tapping out, Sean?’

The air in my lungs thickens. My fist clenches at my side. The last thing I want is for Zara, who is now my wife, to be subjected to this. My role is to protect her, not throw her into the depths of this sadistic society. Yet I know the consequences of not doing what they want. I’m about to answer when Zara speaks up.

She lifts her chin, squares her shoulders, and declares, ‘Sean O’Malley doesn’t tap out.’ She turns to me, swallows hard, and orders, ‘Let’s go.’