We drive off for God knows how long to God knows where. But if I know anything about Lucio, he’ll make a proper scene out of this marriage that neither of us wants. He’s not actually interested in making me his wife … he just wants what my family has, the infinite wealth hidden by my stubborn father.
There was nothing else I could give him as a promise ofpayment for the money I borrowed from him … except my hand in marriage.
The car ride seems to last forever. Or maybe that’s just because adrenaline continuously pounds through my veins, tensing me up beneath this corset. God, I can hardly breathe. He dressed me up like a doll, and my boobs nearly spill out of the dress. He keeps looking at me, taking peeks as if he can’t wait to rip it all off my body, and the thought makes me physically ill.
I look out the window instead, but he immediately grabs my chin and reminds me of my place. “After today, you become my wife. You will do everything I tell you to.”
I jerk free from his grip. “I don’t care.”
“You say that now, but wait until your mother sees you.”
My eyes widen, and I hiss, “Don’t you bring my mother into this.”
“Don’t you know?” He tilts his head. “She’s going to be there to watch you walk down the aisle with me.”
Oh God.
I nearly puke right then and there.
Why did he invite her? Why does he force her to sit through this?
“You and I both know there’s only one thing I really want,” he says. “And that means you and I have to put on the greatest show of a lifetime.” He grabs my knee and squeezes. “So you’d best put on a good performance and pretend you actually like me.”
His fingers draw up my knee, closer to my thigh, and I wince at the thought of what he’s going to do to me afterwe’re married. I’ve managed to keep him from claiming me until now, but I doubt he’ll respect my denial after he’s put his grimy ring on my finger.
“We’re here,” he says, as the car comes to a stop.
How did we even get here so quickly? Did I lose track of time?
Lucio steps out of the car, leaving the driver and me all by ourselves. I stare out the window as a girl walks up to the car and opens my door.
“Are you ready for your big day? Let’s go inside,” she says with a nauseatingly cheery smile on her face.
She might be one of Lucio’s assistants, but I haven’t seen her before. Must be a new one, after the other one bailed … Or he killed her.
Chills run up and down my spine.
“Take her to her room,” Lucio tells the girl without even throwing me a single glance. “Prepare her. I want this thing ready to go in ten minutes, tops.”
Ten minutes.
His words reverberate over and over in my mind.
Ten minutes. That’s all the time I still have left of freedom before my heart and body are chained to the devil himself. Lucio doesn’t even look at me as he walks off somewhere, while the girl drags me with her, up the steps and into the venue.
We move through some hallways and into a room, and she shuts the door behind her with a key, as if he told her I’ll run if I get the chance. It’s true, I would, and Lucio probably knows damn well that is true too. He probably ordered herto keep me in check, just in case I tried anything.
I swallow away the lump in my throat as I spot the girl in the mirror. Me. The girl in this beautiful gown that she didn’t pick, at a wedding she doesn’t want to have, to get married to a man she would never even kiss if it was up to her.
“You look gorgeous, ma’am,” the girl says.
I ignore her. “Why are we here? I’m already dolled up.”
“Lucio just wants to make sure all the guests have arrived.”
He must be waiting for my mother. He wants her to see my demise.
The girl rakes her fingers through my hair. “Just to make sure it’s perfect. How do you feel?”
