Page 52 of Tainted Sinners

My father leads me down the long, winding hallway. We arrive before a set of double doors that face the inside of the chapel. My heart is pounding harder with each step we take.

I should’ve taken Etta up on her offer. I should have run away with her and disappeared somewhere out of the city. Maybe we could even lay low enough to escape the country and move to Italy where we always wanted to go.

The thoughts swim in my head, making me dizzy.

My father leads us down to the arched entrance and into the church, his grip on me tightening the farther we walk, like he’s afraid I’ll bolt if he doesn’t hold me close. I don’t think he’s wrong on that front. I probably would run—if I knew I could get away successfully.

Ahead of us stands a near-empty church. Only my closest family are in attendance, with Ben’s small family and Etta, my maid of honor. My father had been paranoid about my wedding being crashed by other mobster families, leaving the event to be attended by the bare minimum amount of people.

I can’t say I’m surprised, but I wish at least a few more of my friends were here. Especially if this is going to be my one and only wedding.

I look over the room as we get to the front of the aisle, my eyes widening at the sight of my fiancé. He looks terrified. His skin is flushed bright red, and the rings around his eyes contrast with the blue of his irises. They are bloodshot and puffy, looking like he’s been…crying. That can’t be right.

It creeps me out when he twitches, tugging at his shirt collar.

Did he do a massive amount of coke in the bathroom before coming out here?

The sight makes my stomach churn.

I grip my bouquet of flowers when my father steps away from me, turning me towards the priest waiting for us with a smile.

I wish my life had turned out differently, that I had been able to choose my own path.

I guess that was never in the cards for me.

Next to me, Ben lets out a small grunt. I glance over at him, seeing him shake.

Is he as nervous as I am? It seems impossible. He’s getting the much better end of the stick.

The priest raises his arms, gathering everyone’s attention.

“Dearly beloved,” he begins.

Next to me, I hear a choking sound. I turn to see Ben grip his throat. His face is turning red and nearly purple, with a visible blood vessel straining at his temple. Out of fear, I blink and back away from him. He begins to choke on something neither of us can see.

His eyes turn towards me as he drops to his knees, practically popping out of his skull while he struggles to pull in a single breath.

He reaches a shaky hand towards me.

“Oh my god!” It’s Linda, Ben’s mother screaming from behind us.

The organ music cuts off.

Lesions begin to develop around Ben’s mouth and nose, like he’s dipped his face in a bucket of acid. Foam collects around the corners of his mouth, dripping down onto his suit jacket like a rabid dog.

I feel a strong hand rip me away and shove me back towards the pews, right as Ben clutches his stomach and throws up where I had just been standing in. Blood trickles out of his mouth and down to his chin as he continues to choke.

Edgar, Ben’s father, grabs him by the back of the collar and hauls him up.

“What the fuck!”

My own father shakes his head. All of us watch Ben’s body convulse in Edgar’s arms.

“Ben! Ben!” his mother wails.

My fiancé finally stops struggling, hanging limp in his father’s arm and letting out one last breath.

The entire church is silent, stunned by what we’ve just witnessed.

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