I'm going to vomit.
"I can't—" My voice breaks. "I thought it would just be us. Quick. Quiet. I thought?—"
"You thought you could survive it if it was small." Gemma's voice is gentle. "I understand. Trust me, but Mother doesn't do small. She does statements."
I sink onto the bed, my legs giving out. “Shit,” I mutter. “What the hell have I done?”
Gemma sits beside me. Not touching. Just close. "I'm sorry.”
"Your brother is holding me prisoner?—"
"My brother is protecting you from the Morozov family. Whether you asked for it or not." She pauses. "And he's doing it because you're carrying his child."
I look at her sharply. "He told you?"
"Mother told me. You’ll learn soon enough that there are no secrets from her." Gemma's expression is hard to read, and I can’t tell if she admires her mother or hates her. "That baby makes you valuable. It also makes you vulnerable. And with the Morozov’s sniffing around…”
I shiver. “And if I don’t want this?”
"Too late." She stands and shrugs. "I’m not going to bullshit you, your child will inherit enemies along with millions. You can run as far as possible, but Adrian will find you, and that’s the best-case scenario.”
She unzips the bag slowly.
Inside is the most beautiful dress I've ever seen.
White tulle covered in tiny pearls. Strapless, with a beaded bodice that looks like it was crafted by hand. The skirt flows like water with layers upon layers of fabric.
It's stunning, and I would have chosen it, and somehow, it makes me feel ill.
"I can't wear that," I say.
"Why not?"
"Because it's too formal. Too beautiful. Too—" I stop. "It makes it real."
"It is real, Sera.” She lifts the dress out of the bag. "You're marrying Adrian today. You can do it in jeans, or you can do it in this dress. But we both know you don’t have much of a choice.” She glances at my stomach, her lips tight. “Your child ties you to this family.”
I want to cry. Want to scream. Want to tear that beautiful dress to pieces.
Instead, I just sit there, staring at it.
"There's a veil too," Gemma says quietly. She pulls it out. Layers of tulle with pearls scattered throughout like stars. "Mother insisted."
"Of course." I don’t even know her mother, but a dress like this would one hundred percent have a veil.
"Sera." Gemma crouches in front of me, forcing me to meet her eyes. "I know this isn't what you wanted. I know you're scared. But I need you to understand something."
"What?"
"My brother is not going to let you go.” She says it calmly. Matter-of-factly. "You’re carrying the future of this family, and even if you weren’t, you’ve caught his eye. He’s not the type to not get what he wants.”
My blood runs cold. Adrian has been full of fire and passion. He'd handled me just the way I wanted the night we were together. And yet, I couldn't ignore how he'd just killed a man, wiped his knife, and went on like nothing happened, or how he told me that I would be marrying him, or else, my brother would be killed.
"I know that it’s scary,” Gemma continues. "But I've never seen him want anything the way he wants you. And that makes you dangerous. To him. To Mother. To this entire family."
"I'm not dangerous. I'm just?—"
"You're the first thing Adrian has ever cared about that mother can't control." Gemma's smile is sharp. "That's very dangerous."
