And I am.
What I hadn’t known until now, though, was just how deep his crazy ran.
He’s clearly gone off the rails, and I’m worried about how far he’ll go to get this alleged crown/throne status that he believes will make it so our family rules the world.
While I believe part of his story, some of it sounds insane. The Everfords were once hunted, that I’ve found out through research. But this whole belief in curses and the Everford family once ruling the entire world is a bit far-fetched. But the problem is my father believes it, and he’s taken this delusion and spun it into an extremist belief that Maddy and I are now going to have to spend a lifetime suffering from.
Here's the thing, though. I know he’ll kill Noah. I wish I could find some doubt in me that he’s bluffing, but I can see the truthin my father’s eyes. He believes his story, and that means he’ll do anything to make it happen.
My hand trembles as I sign the papers to the point where I have to open and flex my hands several times. Once I’m finished, a pool of dread forms in my stomach like I ate something rotten, and my body wants to get rid of it. It’s worse as I watch Maddy sign the papers.
She’s livid and glares at my father as she signs each paper. I’m slightly concerned she might punch him, and if we weren’t surrounded, I’d let it happen. But if she does with the society members in here, they’ll retaliate.
Thankfully, all she does is toss the pen at him. It pegs him in the chest, and he rolls his eyes as he deftly closes the folder with the papers we just signed that basically hand him over our lives.
I hate him.
I want to wrap my fingers around his throat and strangle the life from him.
All those years that I complied with what he wanted, and this is where I end up.
All those years of abuse.
All those years of keeping his secrets.
“Act on that look, Finn, and you’ll regret it,” my father warns without so much as a glance in my direction. He collects the papers, stands up, and steps away from the table. He leaves the book and the map on it and walks toward a door. “We’ll give you two some privacy, but there is a camera I’ll be keeping an eye on to make sure you actually follow through with this. And a doctor will be giving her an examination afterward to make certain you haven’t found a way around it.” He pauses near the doorway and grins at Maddy. “You are a virgin, so I will be able to find out if my son has fucked you.”
“You’re sick fucking piece of shit.” Maddy spits on the floor.
He just laughs and exits the room with a trail of society members following him. Eli takes a moment to smirk at us and make an obscene gesture at Maddy before he closes the door behind him.
And then it’s just the two of us in this room with a bed in the corner that reminds us of what we’re supposed to be doing.
“How the hell does he know I’m a virgin?” She looks at me with her brow arched.
“I didn’t tell him,” I stammer. “I swear, I didn’t. I hate him.”
She studies me intensely as if searching for a lie, but then ultimately sighs. “I know you wouldn’t. But I’m wondering who did. River knows, but I don’t believe he’d tell your father anything about me.”
“He wouldn’t,” I assure him as I nervously rake my fingers through my hair. “We did suspect there were cameras in your dorm room. Maybe that’s how.”
Her lips sink into a frown. “You’re probably right.”
We remain quiet, lost in our thoughts, but knowing we can’t stay this way very long.
I may not be a virgin, but I’m buzzing with nervousness. How am I supposed to go through with this? How are both of us supposed to move past this? How are we supposed to deal with the fact that we’re husband and wife?
“Did those papers really make it so we’re married?” She stares at me with her gorgeous, big eyes. “I thought you had to have a ceremony to make marriage official?”
I want to give her the answer she wants.
I want to give her everything.
I’ve wanted her since the first time I saw her, but not like this.
Never like this.
“In the Royal world, you don’t have to have a ceremony,” I explain. “They made a law so a contract just had to be signed. It makes it easier to force people into arranged marriages.”
