“How fucking long are you gonna use that line on us? Get over it!” heshouted as he opened the door and shoved Jules outside. “Or I’ll give you another head injury!”
The door slammed behind him and I finally relaxed, going back to retrieve my towel. I didn’t normally walk around the house in a towel, but dammit, it was my house, and if I wanted to, I would.
It briefly crossed my mind that I should check on Parker, but since there were a ton of guys around, it was likely someone had found him by now. Instead, I went digging through the fridge, looking for something to eat. Nothing really seemed appetizing, so I settled on grapes. Hopefully, the juiciness would be more refreshing than anything else.
Snatching them, I closed the door and nearly screamed when I saw Lizzy and Krista—my soon-to-be sisters-in-law— sitting at the counter, watching me carefully.
“Jesus, doesn’t anyone knock around here?”
“Did you want us to?” Krista asked.
“Well, yeah. That’s normally the custom.”
I sat down across from them and sighed, plopping a grape in my mouth. I was not having a good morning.
“You know, you look a little sad on your wedding day.”
I shrugged, not really wanting to talk about it.
“Are you having second thoughts?” Lizzy asked as she worried her lower lip.
“No, not really,” I sighed. “It’s not the wedding. It’s…the baby thing. I mean, don’t get me wrong. It’s great, but things are changing.”
“Well, yeah, that usually happens,” Krista snorted.
“No, I mean…with your brother. I don’t want him to stop looking at me like I’m capable.”
“Do you really think that would happen?” Lizzy asked.
I shrugged again. “This morning, he didn’t want to fight me.”
“No!” Krista gasped. “You mean, he didn’t want to fight a pregnant woman? The horror!”
“See? That’s just what I’m talking about! I’m now the pregnant woman. A month ago, if I wanted to pick a fight with him, we’d end up in the gym sparring. He wouldn’t have cared if I was bruised and bloody. He would have given as good as he got. But now?”
“Well, you know, that little fact that fighting could actually hurt the baby might have something to do with his reluctance to take you on,” Krista smirked.
“I know,” I sighed, thunking my head on the table. “It’s so horrible of me! Ihave this life inside me and everything’s great, but I’m that woman! I never thought I would be…this,” I said, waving at my body.
“You didn’t think you would have kids?” Lizzy asked curiously.
“I don’t know. I guess I didn’t even think about getting married. Not until—” I cut myself off as my thoughts started drifting to a much darker time.
“Where’s the journal?”
I didn’t say anything and he nodded to the two men who had just held me up. I was yanked to my feet, but only seconds later, I was on my back hanging over the tub. I felt my feet being lifted, and then some kind of board was shoved under my body, tilting me back toward the tub of water.
“What are you?—”
A sopping wet towel was placed over my face, suffocating me and causing me to choke on the water being poured over my face. It was too late to take a breath. I was choking and gasping for air, but none would come. I thrashed and writhed, but they were holding me down too tightly. I could feel the water filling me. I would die if they didn’t stop soon.
Shaking my head, I tried to forget the facility where Parker and I were held, but it was nearly impossible to get the horror out of my mind.
“I need Parker,” I said, shoving to my feet.
“What? You can’t see him!” Lizzy gasped. “It’s bad luck to see the groom.”
“I already shoved him out a window! I hardly think my luck is going to change from seeing him.”
