THIN ICE |BOOK I |BWWM|

•ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 5•

•PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY•

Adrian POV

"Okay can I have just the bride and groom please?" The photographer who wore a charcoal Burberry suit asked. He was just one of the dozens of men dripping in Armani, Valentino, Hermès, Cartier, and Givenchy.

I smiled big as a small warm hand slid under my suit jacket across my back, pulling me into a warm embrace. My smokey eyes panned down to meet Julia's softened russet ones as a smile plucked at the corners of her plump lips. Her other glossy polished fingernails glided over my jaw and her thumb teased my lower lip.

"You look amazing." Her euphoric voice tickled my ears.

"I pale in comparison to you."

A smirk curved my mouth and I leaned down, pinning my grin against hers as the shutter of a camera sounded off in the distance. Her palm swept through my slicked hair, cradling my head.

I pulled her curves closer to me, grabbing her thigh as I slipped my tongue passed her semi-parted lips. She felt warm and soft in my arms. I wanted her so badly right here. I wanted to show everyone how much she belonged to me.

The buzzing, festively decorated room full of people grew dim, transforming into our family's restaurant. The pressure on my mouth fell fainter and fainter until I felt no touch on my body at all.  My eyelids fluttered as I now stood in the middle of our family diner.

The room appeared normal- candles on every table,  loud shouting from the kitchen, even my grandfather's picture on the wall. Besides the voices from the back, the place was deserted.

"Pasta e Fagioli!" A strong voice shouted from behind the counter .

That's Julia's favorite dish.

A dumbfounded expression settled into my face as I waited for someone to exit the kitchen or even appear in the dining hall. I pivoted on my heel, as my mouth opened to call my wife's name.

My voice caught in my throat as a stiff breeze flushed through the restaurant, forcing my gaze to the table where a pale brown-skinned woman lay, her body riddled with bullet holes. Her belly hung low in her lap, spilling crimson fluid from deep pink gaping wounds in her sides.

I stumbled backwards as her body rose and her sunken black eyes penetrated every inch of my skin.

"Why?" Her flat voice asked.

My ankles twisted and locked, flinging me to the unforgiving linoleum floor.

"J-Julia?"

"Whhhhyyy?" Blood poured from her split lips as she belted out a piercing shriek and charged at me.

"Julia! Baby, no, please!"

I held my hand up, keeping her at distance until I felt an empty air fall over my hands.

My eyes popped open only to be shrouded by a darkened room. My heart beat so fiercely against my chest, I was sure there was a visible bruise.

I swung my legs from under the boiling sheets while holding my arms around my aching stomach as I flipped my phone over, checking the time.

8:54

"This has gotta stop." I pulled my nude body to my feet and trudged to the bathroom.

I kept the lights off, preferring complete darkness, but slivers of light passed through the slits in the blinds and danced over my scarred skin. My demons mistook me for dead in the dark- I liked it that way.