The skin on my cheeks is cold and clammy. My breath whistles in and out of my chest.
Can it really be this easy? Will he let me just say no? I can’t get a read from his filtered expression.
“Crimson,” my father says with a distinct edge to his voice. “Why don’t you sit back down and enjoy the party? I went to a lot of trouble and expense to throw this for you.”
“It’s a lovely party, Mr Petrovic,” Marigold gushes, sending me a concerned glance as she twists a napkin in her nervous fingers. “Really nice,” she adds, lamely.
Micah and I continue to stare at each other. My chin tips higher in defiance the longer our exchange lasts.
“Well, that was the shortest engagement in the world,” Brianna says, reaching for her glass of water. She gives a soft snort of amusement.
“The engagement stands,” Micah says, reaching out to brush his knuckles along my cheek. His tone is wistful. “But we can find a different ring if this one isn’t to your liking. I’ll take you shopping tomorrow.”
“Sit down, Crimson,” my father instructs. “You’re embarrassing yourself.” Micah raises his eyebrow in a mocking salute and Dad seethes as I refuse to obey his instruction. “You’re embarrassingme.”
Tears sting at my eyes at his callous words. Can he not see how much pain I’m in? How much distress he’s causing me?
At least Micah’s next words are spoken softly, not for the entire room to hear. “Fall into line, little one. This won’t end the way you want.”
My jaw sets. My eyes blaze. My hands clench as I tear them away from his grasp. “I will never marry you.”
The world flips upside down as Micah slings me across his shoulder like I’m a gym bag and he’s running late for the bus. As he shoves his way from the room, I hear guests catcall and laugh.
I hate them. I hate every one of them.
“Put me down,” I shriek, pummelling his back with my fists as he rushes me down the stairs. “You can’t just—”
Suddenly, we’re outside and the world tips the right way up again. A door opens, shuts, and I’m in the back of a sedan. A moment later, Micah hops in the other side, slamming his door.
“No.” I claw at the handle, trying to scramble out before it can drive away. “Let me out.”
Then I’m pulled backwards, my arms clamped to my sides. “Stay still. You’re not going anywhere.”
As the lights accelerate past the windows, I understand it’s too late.
CHAPTERFOUR
MICAH
Crimson doesn’t last twenty minutes before dozing off, so strung out by the events of the evening and the effects of the drug, that she can’t keep her eyes open. It’s nicer this way, I can curl her body close to mine and not have to worry about claws appearing.
I don’t know why I kept teasing her. The jibes about our supposed marriage were particularly cruel, considering how tonight is actually going to end.
All I can offer for explanation is that watching her emotions play out across her face as we sparked off each other was a heady intoxicant. Once I started, I couldn’t stop.
The ring was a delightful touch of theatre. Gabe mightn’t have been in the room at the time, but I’m sure he’ll hear about it in detail from a dozen different sources.
Even her sliding it off her finger, something I should have felt as rejection, was deeply rewarding. I hadn’t expected such fight from someone who’s presumably schooled in all the old ways.
The poor girl will find out soon enough she doesn’t have to worry about our impromptu marriage. She might even be pleased at the turnaround, though I can’t convince myself she won’t be shocked by what I do have planned.
And what a change of plans.
I’d come out tonight, determined to get my father’s signature on documents to hold every penny he earned in a trust controlled by my stepmother. Azalea mightn’t hold a patch on my mother, but she’s still got more smarts in her little finger than my father possesses in his entire head.
The documents are still tucked inside my breast pocket. Unsigned.
My eyes flicker back to her resting face. She was so precious in the sick room. With her eyes closed against the pain, telling me all about the engagement while her lower lip wobbled. Spilling her secrets to the last person she should have trusted.
