I collide with a wall, my face making impact with the stone.Ow.I try not to cry. But I’m seeing spots and my head hurts.
Using my non-injured arm, I shove away from the wall.
Dad snaps his fingers. “We’re going to go see your husband right fucking now. Since he seems to think that you’re worth having, then he can pay the bride price I got for you ten times over.”
I don’t argue but walk, or maybe it’s more like stumble, as fast as I can to the coat closet. I fish out my spring jacket and pull my phone from my pocket. My arm protests with every movement.
Pressing the emergency button on the side of my phone pulls up the option to send a text message to my emergency contact. I hit the button, and it pulls up my chat with Antonella.
Leticia:
Royal and I are apparently married. We’re on our way to Cavanagh territory. I’m scared. Dad is really, really mad. I don’t know what to do. I told Royal not to do this. Now he’s messed up Dad’s plan and deal. I don’t know what to expect.
Antonella is in school today,and I don’t expect a reply.
“Who the fuck are you texting?” Dad rips the phone out of my hand. “Let me guess. Your secret husband?”
Dad throws my phone down the hallway. It clatters, bounces, skids, and finally comes to a stop underneath the hallway table.
I don’t defend myself. I keep my head down and draw my shoulders together. Keeping quiet, I make myself small while cradling my arm to my chest. He’ll still be angry, but at least I won’t give him any more reason to escalate.
Hopefully, she gets that text.
Hopefully, Royal isn’t home.
49
ROYAL
BUSTED
“Royal.”Dad’s voice drops off with a frustrated edge.
But I already know what it’s about. I’d been double-checking my work.
I hadn’t been watching the screens full-time, nonstop, but I had them up in the background. I heard muffled shouting through my speakers and pulled up the feed in time to see Leticia being forced into the penthouse elevator. The ride to the garage was silent, but before that, in the foyer, when Gregorio shouted, ‘We’re going to see your husband right fucking now,’ I knew it was me and not Steffano he was talking about.
Tears were in her eyes, one arm clasped to her chest, and her hair was much messier than her normal gently tousled look.
I tried to text Leticia, but her phone was completely offline. That was an hour and two minutes ago. With traffic, it’s not surprising it took a little longer to get here.
I climb the stairs two at a time and confront my parents. Dad is pinching the bridge of his nose, pacing, and Mom is looking out the window. She’s dressed up like they were planning on going somewhere this afternoon.
“Why is Don D’Medici coming up the driveway? Why did he yell at me that you’re in a secret marriage with his daughter? Why is he making demands for fifteen million dollars?”
“Well, that number is an insult to Leticia.” I scoff and thinkabout how it barely makes a dent in one of the many offshore accounts I hold.
“Royal.” Mom sighs and looks at me with that mom look, the ‘You disappointed me, but I love you anyway’ one.
“They were marrying her off to someone terrible. I figured the roadblock would be in our best interest. You’ve been talking to Valor about what wars we’re choosing to back now that we have damn near close to a monopoly on weapons building and shipping.” I start with my pre-prepared and well-practiced defense.
“Does she even know you did this? Are you actually in a relationship?” Dad lets go of his nose and purses his lips, likely holding back a litany of other questions.
“She probably knows by now. We’re friends. And on paper, we’ve had an ironclad secret marriage.” I shove my hands in my pockets. “It’s enough that even if they wanted to claim that she and Steffano are in a relationship to get a naturalized marriage, they’d be hard pressed to make that case for at least three years.”
“Jesus Christ, son.” Dad goes back to trying to wear a hole in the floor. “And I thought Valor was reckless.”
“It’s fifteen million. I’ve got that sitting —”
