Blood Or Love (COMPLETED)

Chapter 2

Anastasia's POV

As I walked down, I saw everyone busy with their own work. I walked towards mom and said, "Mom, why don't you tag along? I don't know what to buy and all." I asked if she could help me out. "No child. You both go, and you just have to find yourself a wedding dress the way you like. And you're fashionable enough to buy matching jewelry." She knows me too much.
 
"Oh, and child, don't worry about the price. Lorenzo will pay it. I wanted to ask for a small favor. Don't show your dress to Lorenzo. Just surprise him on the wedding day." Lorenzo's mom spoke from behind, winking at me. I smiled cheekily. Everyone and everything is just the same, except for Lorenzo.
 
Where is he even now? So much effort, ugh. I am fashionable and all, but I hate shopping because, as I said, it's so much effort. I walked around, looking for him. I stopped in my tracks when I saw him standing at the spot where we had our first kiss. Lord, it was so awkward. When our lips met, our teeth also met. It was so funny how we both didn't know how to kiss.
 
How I miss his lips on me. Oh, and his taste. His tongue—shut up, Tasia!!
 
After that, when we looked at each other, our faces were as red as tomatoes. He immediately pulled me in a hug, so we couldn't see each other's faces. When pulled apart, I don't know how I gathered the guts, wrapped my palm around his neck, pulled him towards me, and pasted my lips on his, and that was our second and best kiss we shared. An actual kiss, ha!
 
Coming back to the present, I cleared my throat to grab his attention, and he immediately turned around as his eyes widened. "I-I was just looking around." He said that and walked past me without even looking at me. What's wrong with him? Can't he act around being normal? I feel like kicking in his guts and destroying his future, but sadly, it's no longer his future; it's our future. I sighed as I walked in toward the dining table.
 
Everyone was settled down, but Tats was nowhere to be seen. She's the first person I'm going to kill. Well, honestly speaking, she was the best person I've ever met. She's good at both studies and sports. She always has solutions to my problems. She has also been teaching me fighting skills. I could use a gun very well, but I'm better with daggers. She finished teaching me defense. I doubt these guys know about it.
 
"Child, let's have breakfast quickly. Later on, you have to go shopping too." His mom said it from behind me. I smiled and nodded as we walked towards the room. She was very sweet. Since the very start, she has considered me nothing less than Lori. I was like a child to her, just as she says.
 
Everyone was seated at the dining table. "Lorenzo, Anastasia, there's a tradition in our family that the bride and groom can't meet each other before three days of their wedding. But now, since the wedding is in three days, you guys go quickly and be back as soon as possible. We have to follow the 72-hour rule. So instead of going after lunch, you just leave after breakfast." My mom announced. Wow, so all the preparation for our own wedding will be done by everyone else but us. I looked him in the eyes, and he had the same emotions as me. We nodded and quickly had our breakfast.
 
Soon I was in the mall with Lori beside me. I was looking at the wedding when I saw a group of men looking at me and whispering something. One of them started walking towards me. I was rooted to the ground since I didn't know what to do. What could a mere boy just do to me now? Immediately, I saw Lorenzo's hand curl around my waist as he practically dragged me out. "What was that?" I asked, looking at him sharply.
 
"Nothing. That ... That place was stinking." He can't even lie properly. Luckily, the boy was nowhere to be seen, and we carried on with our shopping. As we entered a shop of wedding dresses, his eyes darkened as he looked behind me. I turned around and saw the whole group standing there. "Is this place stinking too, Lori?" I asked. He got back to his normal state as he faced me, but his eyes were still a bit dark.
 
He really looks hot when he's angry. "Lori, can we just ignore them? We're already running out of time." I asked when suddenly his grip tightened. I turned around again and saw them approaching us. In a split second, Lori's lips were on me. It was so sudden, and I won't lie, it was like a shock to me. Our eyes closed, and time stopped. The same feeling came back that I used to feel six years ago. The melting kiss lasted longer than it ought to have. The men were now walking away from us.
 
"Yeah. Let's just buy and go." He said and was about to turn around when I grabbed his arm, stopping him, "You're not as emotionless as you portray yourself to be." I whispered. He muttered whatever and walked away.
 
As I was told, I didn't show the dress I chose to him but just asked the lady to pack it up. There was no way I was letting him pay for me. I took out my wallet, but soon it was snatched from my hand. "I'll pay." His gruff voice sent shivers down my spine. Luckily, I already had matching jewelry for this dress, so now all we have to do is nothing, ahahaha.
 
"Where will you buy your jewelry from?" He asked, "I have matching jewelry." I curtly replied. "Why didn't you show me your dress?" He turned toward me. "Because I didn't want to?" Let's have some fun, babe. "I want to see. Show it to me right now." Dominant, hun!
 
"No." I pouted. "We're getting late, come on." I pushed him, but this huge creature didn't even move an inch. "Dress." "Late." "Ana, this is the last time -" "Or what will you do if I don't show you the dress? Mr. Mafia King?" "Don't question me, Anastasia Ivanov. Do as I say. I'm going to be your husband, and you have to listen to me whether you like it or not." He ordered. Why does he get so angry at the mention of the Mafia?
 
"As I said before, I'm going to be your wife, not a slave. Now you're coming, or should I go alone?" I asked, turning my back towards him. He grabbed my arm and pulled me toward himself.
 
Oh, his smell! Shut up, Ana.
 
There were just two inches between us. For one and all, he's just too tall. I have to look up to talk to him. My neck hurts. He lowered himself to my level and brought his face utterly close to mine. "Leave the dress. There's something I want to talk to you about." Wow, he can portray his different sides so well. "We don't have time. Later maybe." I replied. "This can't wait, Ana." He pleaded with his eyes. It really seems important.
 
"That is the reason. Why do you have to marry me? In this manner and in such circumstances, Do you not want to know?" He said with so much sincerity that I just gave in. I had to. His phone rang, and he took it out of his pocket. "We're on our way,"  he said and hung up. "Hell, we don't have time. It is twelve already, and if we get late, then we'll marry late." He cursed. "You seem too eager to marry me, Lori." I teased as he chuckled.
 
"Of Course. In the end, our dream came true, though in not very great circumstances." He whispered, pecking my nose. I like this side of his. It's still the same. Completely same. We sat in the car, and he drove off.
 
"Lori, you might have changed in some manner, but your soft side is still the same, you know... The way you're around me is just as you used to be. I just like it. A lot. Don't change anymore, Lori. And if possible, then bring my old Lori back to me, who doesn't get heated up at the mention of the Mafia." His head whipped in my direction as he pressed the brakes on his super-rich, amazing car as the tires screeched.
 
His eyes turned darker. "You thought I wouldn't notice?" He was about to speak when I placed my index finger on his lips. "Lori, don't say anything. Just be calm. I can see the raging anger in you, but relax. I won't ask you anything about it, okay? We're going to get married in three days. And I promise, I won't talk about it. But you also have to promise me that you will behave like the same Lori you used to be." I smiled as he nodded.
 
"You've grown up so maturely, Ana. I'll do just as my lady says. But honestly, I can't promise." He replied and pecked the back of my hand. I chuckled a bit, and he sped off again. I'm just glad he agreed without arguing or being mad at me. We're getting married... Wow! Had I known the reason! But whatever, I'm just happy and a bit sad too... Ugh, why is it so confusing to even decide if I'm happy or sad!
 
"Ana, are you okay?" He asked, placing his hand on mine. I nodded absentmindedly, but he seemed to feel my inner doubts. "You know you can tell me anything. You were right, Ana. I might've changed, but I'm not as emotionless as I show, and I still am the same old Lori except for a few things added to him. You can trust me, Ana. I really care for you. And what you said earlier about me getting angry over the mafia topic is also true. You know me too much. And I also want to get to know you. Even a little bit, if possible. Allow me to. Please?" He pleaded just as he parked his car in my garage.
 
"It's just that I'm confused, Lori. Should I be sad that my marriage is happening in this manner where I don't know the reason or happy that I'm finally getting married. It's like I am walking blindly on an unknown road. I don't understand. What could it have been? You come here out of the blue on my birthday, and suddenly I'm asked to marry you. A totally new yet the same old person. I don't know Lori." I spoke out all I had in mind. He took my hand in his huge hands.
 
"Look Ana. I know this is all very new and unknown to you. And if I'd be in your place, then even I'd be having the same questions. But now what matters most is our wedding, right? It was our dream to marry each other. We are achieving our dream. There are some things that even I don't know. And I'm in the same dilemma as you are. But all I'm thinking about is marrying you. Let's focus on achieving our dream. So what is our marriage doing? It's happening the way we wanted, right? On the beach? And we have decided many other things too, haven't we?" He asked as I nodded.
 
"So, my pretty little Ana, focus on our marriage ahead and how I will spoil my wife." He winked at me as we chuckled. He's just too good at consoling me. Why does he know me so well?
 
We walked inside with my dress in my hand. "Good, you both came on time. From now on, you both can't meet each other for exactly 72 hours, and then you'll get married after that. Your new lives are going to start. You have many new things coming your way." Lori's mom walked towards us. "But first you go to your room to pack your bags, and Lorenzo, you go to your place to get it clean. You haven't been there for long. And also, you both can't even talk on video calls, normal calls, or even normal texts." My mom ordered us. Strictly. We looked with horrified faces at each other, and then our parents were sitting there.
 
"Weddings can be so difficult." We said it in unison as everyone started laughing. "It'd have been better if we'd just eloped." He whispered in my ears as I elbowed him in the stomach. "You really are too eager to marry me, aren't you?" I asked, laughing at his dumb thought. "Oh, I'm dying to marry you, Ana!" He got on one knee and opened his arm dramatically. Everyone looked at him, and Lord knows when, but Aria was also present here, and she clicked a picture of this. He was on one knee, and I was standing there laughing.
 
"Say yes to me fast. My knee is in pain." He chuckled as I nodded my head. He got up and took me into a tight embrace. "Now that we've had enough drama, if you want to marry soon, then go away from each other soon. Remember 72 hours?" Lori's mom slapped his arm, lightly laughing at us. "Mom, you ruined the video," Aria complains, laughing. She recorded a video?! "Mom, you ruined our moment." Lori spoke at the same time as Aria. We all laughed at the drama.
 
Lori bid goodbye to everyone and walked out of the house. He called me to the porch. I walked there, and he cupped my cheeks in his huge hands as I looked up. "The next time we'll meet will be when you'll be Mrs. Anastasia Giovanni instead of Anastasia Ivanov. Hope time passes soon." He was being serious when he said that damn!
 
"Yeah... I'm just happy. Our dream!" My eyes are wet now. I know for sure. "Hey hey. You can't be emotional at this point, or I'll cry too. Come on, Ana. Don't do this. I won't be able to leave then." He wiped the tear off and kissed my cheek. "See you soon, Ana." He whispered as he placed his forehead on mine. I nodded at him. "Ana, I still lo-" "Lovebirds, to meet again, you have to leave first." Aria interrupted us.
 
I looked down, blushing. He was about to say something. Shit. "Aria, give us a last minute." he said, and she nodded. "Lori, you were saying you still?" I asked, but he immediately cut me off. "Yaa Ana. I want my wife soon. Take care and be safe, Ana. I'll miss you." He didn't complete his earlier sentence.
 
He was about to leave when I grabbed his arm and pulled him in for a kiss. I was on my tiptoe because he's just too tall for a normal person. The kiss was so slow and amazing. The six year gap was never felt. He was just like this six years ago, as he is now. He acted the very same way. Dramatic. But he was the total opposite when he came in the morning. "I'll get going, Ana." He kissed my forehead one last time, and I bid him goodbye. This bipolar changed so much!
 
72 hours are going to be long.