The thought terrifies me more than any threat my father has ever made.
“I should go to bed,” I say abruptly, setting down my glass.“We leave for Vegas in the morning.”
Isabella studies me for a long moment, then nods.She gathers her purse, but pauses at the door.“Serena?”
“Yes?”
“For what it’s worth, I think you’re making the right choice.Not the easy choice.Not the safe choice.But the right one.”She smiles sadly.“Sometimes those are the same thing.”
After she leaves, I lock the door, suddenly exhausted.I slowly stroll through the apartment, turning off lights, checking locks, and performing my nightly security ritual.The place feels too large and too empty tonight.
In my bedroom, I lie in the dark, staring at the ceiling, my mind churning.
Tomorrow I’ll marry Shelby Boyle in a Vegas chapel.I’ll bind myself to a man who makes me feel things I’ve spent years learning not to trust.I’ll step into a situation that could either free me from my father’s control or give Shelby Boyle leverage over every aspect of my life.
The smart move would be to protect myself.To keep him at a distance.To remember that this arrangement has an expiration date.
The smart move would be to rebuild my walls higher and stronger than ever before.
I close my eyes and make a decision.
Tomorrow, when I see Shelby Boyle, I’ll be polished and professional.Controlled.I’ll wear my best armor, the one that exudes confidence and hides steel underneath.I’ll be charming.
I’ll show him exactly what he’s getting: a DiLorenzo who knows how to play the game.An asset, not a liability.A partner, not an emotional wreck.
I’ll protect myself the way I’ve learned to protect myself from everyone else who’s tried to get too close.
Even if that small, quiet, and dangerous part of me wishes I could be brave enough to do the opposite.
I can’t afford to let Shelby Boyle close to me.Not really.
The thought loops through my mind as I finally drift toward sleep.Tomorrow I’ll marry him.But I won’t let him matter.
That’s the lie I tell myself in the dark.
And like all the best lies, it almost rings true.
7
Serena
The chapel is exactly what I expected it to be.It’s glittering, dripping with fake velvet and plastic flowers that smell faintly of mildew and desperation.A shotgun wedding venue for people making impulsive decisions they might regret by morning.Except I won’t regret this.I can’t afford to.
Shelby stands beside me in a dark Italian suit that fits his muscular frame to perfection.His demeanor is that of a man about to sign a business contract instead of a marriage certificate.His jaw is tight, his shoulders rigid beneath the expensive fabric.He pushes his glasses up his nose, one of his tells.He’s probably as anxious as I am.But those blue eyes, sharp as cut glass, stare straight ahead at the officiant.
The officiant is a man in his sixties wearing a cheap tuxedo and a smile that’s seen too many drunk brides to judge anyone.He’s already read the abbreviated version of the vows.That gives us the twenty seconds of legal minimum required to make this binding.
This is real.After the escape from Father’s trap, and the desperation that drove me to Shelby’s penthouse with my heart hammering against my ribs, this is actually happening.
I should feel terrified.Instead, I feel oddly calm.The decision has already been made.But it feels like I’m simply watching the ceremony unfold like a scene in a movie.Except, I’m starring in this one.
“Do you, Shelby James Boyle, take Serena Marie DiLorenzo to be your wife?”the man recites in a flat tone.
Shelby’s throat works as he swallows.
My chest tightens.
For a heartbeat, I wonder if he’s going to say no.If he’s going to turn to me and tell me he’s made a terrible mistake.That he can’t do this.
