“I don’t care what he looks like.” Though I was surprised my father had taken the time to make sure the man he chose for me was ‘good looking.’ I hadn’t expected that. “And I don’t care what the laws are. I don’t want to marry a stranger. The only way for me to stay single is to join the Corporate Army. You know that.”
This time, he stayed silent.
I jumped on his hesitancy. “Father, you’ve trained me well. You know I’ll make the cut. I’ll pass, and I’ll have my freedom.”
He instantly shook his head. “Working for the Corporations is not freedom.”
My temperature started to rise, staining my cheeks pink. “And neither is an arranged marriage.”
“I know that, Poppy!” He jerked to stand and grabbed his water with a hard hand. “But I would rather have you marry someone I know is a good man than to have you be a slave to the Corporations. Don’t you understand that? They killed your mother. Or have you forgotten that little detail?”
“No. I haven’t forgotten.” I ducked my face and leaned my elbows on the table. I stared at my clasped hands. Ever so slowly, I shook my head, my voice quiet. “I don’t want to marry a stranger. I can’t. I won’t. And I only have a day and a half left before I’m too old to join the Corporate Army.”
“And there’s only a few weeks left before you must say ‘I do.’ By law. I’ve waited as long as I could. But you’re almost twenty-five now. You didn’t pick anyone to marry, so I made the hard choice for you.”
No, I was making the hard choice.
I continued to gaze at my clasped hands. “I wish you would reconsider.”
“I can’t. Iwon’t, as you said.” He turned and walked back into the kitchen. “I have a meeting I’m getting ready for, so don’t disturb me. I’ll be working until later tonight.”
“Father?” I glanced up, pleading with my eyes. “Please…”
He shook his head one last time. “No.” His eyes scanned my face, softening a minor degree. “Your fiancé will be here tomorrow. You’ll be able to meet him then. I promise you that I’ve picked the best I can. I do believe you’ll like him.”
My eyes widened to the extreme. “Tomorrow?”
He nodded. “Yes, I thought it would be best for you two to have a few days together before…” He trailed off and sighed. “Well, you’ll get to meet him soon enough.”
I could only gawk at my father.
“He truly is handsome.” He winked as he exited into his office.
Fuck. Me.
CHAPTERTWO
I punched a code into the door, my fingers shaking with anger. The light turned green. I jerked the long handle sideways and exhaled in appreciation as the large food locker’s freezing air hit my face. I stepped from the loading dock into the refrigeration unit and took my time winding through the maze of product. When my skin was properly chilled and no longer flushed with frustration, I walked through the far door and into a dimly lit hallway.
The walls were painted ivory, and the floor was made of dark silver concrete. It was a hallway I’d stumbled through—in a drunken stupor—many times. I walked with forced patience, more than ready to sit down where there were plenty of bottles of alcohol. The burn of hard liquor running down my throat would be a welcome sweet agony.
A right turn took me to the back entrance of my favorite bar on base. Typically, it was filled with military personnel I knew well. But tonight, I stopped just past the door and glanced around. The walls of this place were paper thin, so I tried not to listen as a man peed inside the bathroom on my left. There were many individuals—every single one a male—sitting at the bar and at the free standing tables, all chatting amicably.
But they weren’t wearing the red uniforms of the Liberated Army.
The soldiers wore black military attire, a golden crown stitched on the material.
It was the Corporate Army.
I pulled my ball cap down a little further on my head as a few peered in my direction.
I had apparently walked in on their private party.
It wasn’t the first time I had done such. There were always different groups coming onto the base to meet with officials here. I just hadn’t expected it tonight.
My favorite bartender waved in my direction. “What’ll it be tonight, Poppy?”
Guilt for crashing their party made me hesitate.
