I gasp at her beautiful words. “He’s done the same for me.”
Rita reaches across the counter and squeezes my hand. “You have no idea how happy you’ve made me. Take care of each other.”
“We will,” I promise before making my way out of the store.
Before I reach the front door, Rita calls out. “I’ll be doing the flowers for your wedding, right?”
“Of course!”
Rita’s laughter follows me out onto the sidewalk, and I can’t seem to stop smiling. Will we really get married? Is it crazy to want that after only knowing him for a few days? Does he want a lavish wedding or a quiet, private wedding? I don’t care as long as he’s the one I’m walking down the aisle to.
The air around me shifts, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. A shiver runs through me, and I feel like I’m being watched. I look over my shoulder, then across the street, but I don’t see anything out of place.
Still, I walk a little faster toward my next destination. After a morning discussing small business and floral shop ideas with Rita, I’m ready for a sugary coffee drink. Renzo said he’d meetme at a cafe down the block as soon as I finished up with my meeting.
I’m probably just being paranoid, but the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach grows stronger with each step. Looking over my shoulder again, I notice a sleek navy blue Lexus, the same car my father drives.
Surely, it isn’t him. There have to be dozens if not hundreds of similar cars in this city. Besides, I haven’t heard a word from either of my parents since I left for the auction house a few days ago. I just assumed they went on another vacation and I’d deal with their questions later, when I had my own place and didn’t need anything from them anymore.
“Jaylin Carlisle, get in this car right now,” my father’s voice booms. It’s dripping in venom and anger.
I freeze as panic sets in, overriding my fight or flight response. I can hardly breathe, let alone run away. Glancing at the car again, I see my father in the back seat with the window rolled down. He’s smoking a cigar, and when I lock eyes with him, he points the glowing orange tip at me to punctuate his words.
“Get. In. The. Car.”
“No,” I protest weakly.
A cruel laugh bellows from my dad, and he throws his door open in dramatic fashion. I flinch when he wraps his hand around my arm, gripping me tight enough to bruise. He drags me to the car, and I desperately look around for anyone to stop this. Even though the streets in Chicago are busy, no one looks up from their phones or even glances in my direction.
“Trust me, Jaylin. You don’t want to make a scene. Things would end very badly for Renzo, and you don’t want that, do you?”
I sigh in defeat and shake my head. While I don’t know the specifics of the deal my father made with the Salvatores, I knowit’s going to make everyone rich and happy. I can’t screw that up for Renzo just because I don’t want to face my dad.
I’m tossed into the back seat of the car, my shoulder slamming against the seatbelt buckle and causing me to hiss in pain.
“Oh, daughter. That’s the least of what you deserve after embarrassing me.” He joins me in the car and shuts the door before nodding at the driver. I knew Conner was a yes man who loves kissing my father’s ass, but being an accessory to kidnapping is on another level.
I scoot away from my father, needing as much distance between us as this car allows. He doesn’t let me get too far before grabbing my chin and wrenching my head so we’re face to face. I swallow back tears, not wanting to give him the satisfaction.
“Ungrateful little bitch,” he spits out. I’ve seen my dad angry before, but the unfiltered rage in his dark eyes sends a shiver down my spine. “How could you disrespect your mother and me like that? Putting your…virginityup for auction.” He chokes out the words in disgust.
“How did you…?”
“How did I find out? You don’t think I have connections everywhere, Jaylin? Did it even cross your mind that I have business partners there who would recognize you? Clearly, you got the attention of one of them, but there were several others who called to inform me of your poor decision.”
“Are you bragging about knowing multiple people who attended the auction? Why is it okay for you to do business with them and not me? I may not be the son you always wanted, but I ended up brokering an incredible deal.”
I’m panting by the time I finish my rant. I’ve never spoken to my father like that, never stood up for myself or dared to push back on anything he says. I know my newfound confidence is all thanks to Renzo.
My dad is stunned into silence, and I won’t lie, seeing his wide-eyed confusion is quite satisfying. He blinks away his shock, morphing it into fury.
Snarling, he bashes my head against the window, sending excruciating pain exploding across my head and neck. My father has been forceful at times–gripping me a bit too hard or shoving me occasionally if I annoy him–but he’s never unleashed this kind of abuse.
Tears form and fall in an endless stream as my head throbs, and I try to hang on to consciousness. I watch my father’s mouth open and close as he yells and curses at me, but I can’t seem to register any sound other than the ringing in my ears.
“Jaylin! Jaylin! Don’t fucking ignore me, you slut!” He sounds like he’s at the far end of a tunnel, his voice coming in and out and echoing around my brain. “Why aren’t you more ashamed? How could you not see how this reflects on the Carlisle name?”
“I…” I gasp for air and squeeze my eyes shut.What is he going to do to me? Will Renzo think I left him? Will my dad end the deal with the Salvatores even after he gets rid of me?
