UNMASKED

Sebastian's POV:

The night of the sunflower field dinner.

"Marry me, sweetheart. I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I am crazy about you, utterly in love with you. I don't know who I am without you so...marry me." The words fall out of my mouth.

If anyone would have told me, a year ago, that I would find the love of my life, I would have straight up shot them in the head but now that I've found her, the love of my life, I can no longer imagine my life without her in it. I know that I love her and that I want to spend the rest of my life with her.

I want her all to myself. I want nothing but to wake up next her, every single morning, knowing that she is mine. All mine. The love I have for her is something that can not be put into words. I will never abandon her. I will stay by her side. I will make the world worship the ground she walks on, like she deserves.

She is mine and I am hers. We were made for each other and nothing will every change that.

"What?" She asks, shock written all over her face.

"Marry me." I repeat.

There is a glint of hesitation in her eyes before she nods, a smile spreading on her lips. I take that as a yes and pull her into my arms, into a kiss that seems to last forever. I want her in my arms, just as we are right now, for as long as possible.

"I love you so much." I say, starring her right in the eyes.

"I love you too." She whispers, tears threatening to fall out her eyes.

We make our way back inside, to the dinner table, where we left everyone else. Armani seems to be excited to tell everyone else the news. I find her excitement so adorable, making me fall in love with her just a little bit more that I was a minute ago.

Before we could both say a word, my phone rings, delaying us from telling everyone the news. When I check the caller ID, I notice that it is my father calling.

"I'll be right back." I say, pulling her into yet another short but sweet kiss, before walking off to take the call somewhere less noisy.

"Father." I answer.

"Get here, right now." He says.

"Unless you are going to tell me what is going on then I can't make it."

"I won't tell you again." He says, before hanging up and I let out a frustrated sigh.

Walking back inside, I approach Armani to let her know that I have to leave. My father clearly called for a reason, I just hope my mother and sister are safe.

"Are you okay?" She asks, worry written all over her face.

"Yeah. I have to go though, something came up at home." I whisper in her ear and she turns to face me, a worried expression playing on her face.

"I'll come with you." She says.

"No, it's okay. Mike will drive you home. I'll be back soon, sweetheart." I say, pulling her into a long kiss before making my way to my car.

>>>>>>>>>

At Sebastian's home.

"You called for me, father." I say, walking into the lounge of the mansion, irritation clearly written on my face. He doesn't say a word to me, instead, he pours a glass of whisky, handing it to me. My mother is seated on the couch, starring down at her feet.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"Take a seat." My father says.

"I will not take a seat, father. What's going on? Where is Gabbie anyway?" I ask. My mother finally looks up at me, her eyes holding a sadness I have never seen before.

"Gabriella was taken." My father says.

"Taken?" I ask in confusion.

How can Gabriella be taken. I was with her this morning. She went to the mall and I'm sure she took her guards.

"Gartena and his men took her." He says and my blood boils.

"FUCK!" I yell in frustration, throwing the glass of whisky to the wall and it shatters into pieces.

"We have to get her back. Get every man we have to find Gartena! Torture all his family members if you must." I say, unable to stay calm at the thought of Gabriella being out there with that animal.

"Your father has tried finding Gartena. He has done everything he could but he's gone." My mother says.

"Clearly he didn't try hard enough!" I yell.

"Santino! We all want Gabriella back safe so please calm yourself!" My mother yells.

"Gartena contacted Kendon an hour ago. If we want Gabriella back then..."

"He will not be doing such, Antonio." My mother cuts my father off.

"What does he want?" I ask, ignoring my mother and facing my father.

"He wants our families to be joined together. Not just in business but also as a united family." My father says.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"To get Gabiella back, you will have to marry Gartena's daughter. Either that or Gabriella dies. He wants his answer before the night is over."

"I said he will not be doing such!" My mother yells.

"I have been quiet for way too long, watching you control our sons life and making him do things he would never want to do. That is enough now! Santino will not..."

"I'll do it." I say, cutting my mother off. She looks up at me, shock and sadness written on her face.

"Contact Gartena and tell him that I'll do it." I say then walk out of the room.

>>>>>>>>>

"I am glad you have come to your senses, Antonio." Gartena says.

After my father let Gartena know that I have agreed to the deal, he decided that it was about time we met up in person. We were at an abandoned location that Gartena chose, late at night, near a lake that shut down years ago. He had men with guns surrounding him. Bastard is too much of a coward to face us by himself!

"Where is my daughter, Gartena?" My father asks.

"I never said anything about giving her back to you right now, did I?" Gartena asks, an evil smirk playing on his lips.

Both my father and I pull out our guns, pointing them right at Gartena. His men raise their guns as well and seeing as we could not bring our men, we were outnumbered.

"Put your guns down." Gartena says, ordering his men and they do so, slowly.

"Now listen up my dear friend. You will get your daughter after the wedding, for now, I thought that maybe you would like to meet your daughter in-law." He says, and with that, a familiar looking woman shows up.

"Gentlemen, meet my daughter, Britney." He says and my eyes go wide open at realizing that it's Britney, the woman I met a few months ago in Dubai, at the getaway trip.

"Good evening gentlemen." She greets, a smirk spread wide on her lips.

"I guess there is no wife, right Sebastian? But don't worry, that's all going to change soon." She says, starring right at me.

It takes everything in me not to shoot down Gartena and his bastard, but I can't do that. At least not right now.

"You called us out here so we could meet your daughter?" My father speaks.

"Well...yes. Your son needs to know who he will soon be calling wife, right?"

My muscles stiffens up at the thought of being married to Britney. At that moment, I can't help but think about Armani. I have been avoiding her these past two days. How do I even tell her this? I propose to her and two days later I am to be married to someone else. Telling her this will break her.

"Gentlemen, get some rest. Tonight we go our separate ways, we shall meet again in a week, at Dubai, for the wedding. You own a fancy little villa right, Antonio? That's where the wedding will be taking place. Good evening to you, gentlemen." Gartena says, then walks away into his car with his bastard.

The only thing my father and I are able to do is watch as him and his men drive away, until they are no longer at view.

>>>>>>>>>

In Dubai at the Villa's Garden.

Waiting at the end of the isle for Britney to show up, everything in me wants to burn this place down with everyone else in it. There were not too many people, just Gartena and his family, along with my family, excluding Gabriella.

"If you want to make this believable to everyone else then you better smile." My father whispers, standing besides me.

I force a smile when music begins to play and Britney is in view, with Gartena by her side. He walks her down the isle until she is standing right in front of me and he gets seated. The music stops and everyone else gets seated.

"We are gathered her to join Britney and Sebastian..."

"Can we get this over with." I say, cutting the minister off. He clears his throat before turning to face me again.

"The couple has not written their own vows so we will jump straight to the point. The two just can't wait to be married already." The minister says, earning a few laughs from the crowd.

"Do you, Britney Greco, take Sebastian Santino Lopez to be your lawfully wedded husband?" The minister asks.

"I do." Britney says, a smile spread on her lips as she looks into my eyes.

'I'm doing this for Gabriella'. Those are the only words keeping me sane right now.

"Do you, Sebastian Santino Lopez, take Britney Greco to be your lawfully wedded wife?" The minister asks, facing me this time.

Maybe there's another way. We can still get Gabriella back. We can find another way to get her back. I won't allow myself to do this to Armani.

My father nudges me, snapping me back to reality. 'I'm doing this for Gabriella'. I tell myself once again.

"I do." The words roll down my tongue and out of my mouth.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss your bride." The minister says.

Trying to find a way to get out of this, my eyes land on the last person I expected to see here. She is starring right at me, tears falling down her cheeks. The sight of her in tears breaks my heart and before I could decide to walk over to her and explain everything, Britney's hand cups my cheek, pulling me into a short kiss that earns everyone's cheer.

I quickly pull away from the kiss, only to notice that Armani has left.

"Do not go after her!" My father warns, in a low yell.

"I have married Britney, I did what I had to do now I am going after Armani!" I whisper back to him.

"Do you want your sister to be killed? They will not only kill her after they find out that you have left your wedding and your wife to go after your lover, they will kill Armani too." He says, and that seems to be the only thing stopping me from going after her.

"Now let's celebrate!" Gartena yells and everyone cheers.

Britney takes my hand into hers as we walk down the isle, out the garden together. I don't even dare to face her right now. My thoughts are on Armani and how I plan to get out of this.

Where ever you are, sweetheart. I didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't want to hurt you. I wanted to tell you everything, to explain it all to you, but I couldn't.

I hope one day you will forgive me.

Hey sweets! In case of confusion in this chapter, for those who haven't read the first book of UNMASKED, please read the first book, titled MASKED, before reading this book to understand everything that will happen in this book. THANK YOU!