AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Mark marrying Pollyanna was the only way to avoid that, so I needed to smooth things over and get to the bottom of this. Selfishly, I hoped this was a case of cold feet or pre-wedding jitters because that meant everything could go back to the status quo, and Margot Aster’s wrath would never be unleashed.
“Hey,” I gripped the inside of Mark’s arm once we were out of the hotel and on some cobblestone path that led around the building. “Dude,” I said, out of breath and nearly forgetting about the grip I had on Mickie’s hand as I drug her ass out into the cold with my brother. “What the fuck is going on?”
Mark turned and eyed Mickie and me as if we were soldiers sent to hunt his ass down and bring him to an executioner.
“I’m sure your girlfriend can answer that for you,” Mark spat out.
“Leave her out of your bullshit,” I snapped defensively. She’d been a target from the moment she arrived, but this had nothing to do with her. “She’s here for me and me alone.”
“No shit,” Mark said, running a hand through his hair. “Because you’ve always been the selfish baby of the family, getting away with murder, dating whomever you please, and doing whatever the hell you want. But me?” he questioned in a high-pitched, pissed-off tone, “not a chance. My life is fucking over after I marry that bitch.”
“Whoa! Take it easy,” I said, shocked by his harshness. I looked at Mickie, who appeared to be freezing her ass off and probably didn’t want to have anything to do with this conversation, given where it seemed to be headed. She’d endured enough already; she didn’t need a full-blown mental breakdown to go along with it. I conjured the best smile I could muster, “Would you mind giving us a few minutes? You can go to your room if you’d like, and I’ll be there as soon as I’m done.”
“Yes, of course,” she said, then looked at Mark. “I’m sorry if I upset you by being here,” she said with a sad look, “and I’m so sorry you’re having a difficult time right now.”
Mark’s posture unexpectedly softened, like he’d let down his guard, and he smiled at her.
“Forgive me for being so rude,” he said. “I hate that you had to witness all of that, and this is how I meet the one woman my brother is brave enough to bring around our family.” He stood straight, taking a cleansing breath, “My mother’s brief introductions were one of the many things that set my outburst into motion tonight, so allow me to introduce myself properly. I’m Mark.”
He extended his hand to shake hers, and I grinned when she hugged him warmly instead. Her gesture was so kind and genuine that I thought Mark might collapse into her embrace.
As if she’d known him her entire life, she pulled back and planted a hand on each of his shoulders, prompting him to look into her caring eyes.
“Don’t worry about me,” she said. “Worry about yourself. I might not understand your feelings about the wedding or your family’s expectations of you, but I know something about not wanting to marry the person you’re supposed to.”
“Oh?” Mark said, seemingly waiting for her to give him the answers to his fucked-up life problems. I knew Mickie didn’t have them, but maybe she could help him cope, and he’d marry Pollyanna and keep my parents from exploding and looking to ruin both mine and Mark’s lives.
“I was engaged once,” she said. “The man seemed perfect, but over time, we just sort of fell out of love. It was nearly suffocating to think of being married to him. And just like you might feel now, I needed a break. So, we separated.”
“And that helped?” Mark asked.
She chuckled. “Helped him,” she rolled her eyes and glanced at me with a smirk as she referenced the night we first met. “He moved on with another woman and realized that I wasn’t the love of his life like he thought.”
“Fuck,” Mark ran an angry hand through his thick black hair, “I can’t marry her,” he said, looking from Mickie to me. “I can’t.”
“Listen,” I said, taking off my jacket and wrapping it around Mickie as I should have as soon as we walked outside, “this is shit that you should have worked out with our parents months ago, not the night before your wedding. There is no way on earth that you’re getting out of this now. This will embarrass them more than if you divorce, walking out like a little bitch.”
“Behold,” he mocked with a booming voice, waving his hands in front of Mickie and me as we stood there, watching the man barely hold himself together, “these are all the fucks I give about our family’s embarrassment in society.” He nodded with a smile as crazy as he sounded, “You can see there are none.”
I rolled my eyes, softly laughing while sliding my hands into my pockets. “Funny guy.”
“I’m going to leave you two to talk,” Mickie said through chattering teeth. “Mark, I know I don’t understand much, but this is your life, and life is short. So, maybe it helps to know that if you put yourself and your happiness first, you’ll be okay.”
Mark nodded. “Thank you, Mickie,” he smiled. “I appreciate the sentiment, but growing up with parents like mine, who’ve dictated every move I am allowed to make, makes it extremely difficult to follow your healthy advice. Being outside at this very moment will probably come at a higher price than even John and I realize.”
“I understand,” Mickie conceded, and then, with a quick peck on my cheek, Mickie turned and walked away.
“You’re going to lose that woman,” Mark warned. “I hope you know that.”
“Hell will have to freeze over first,” I said. “I don’t give a fuck about what our parents say. I will not lose the only woman I’ve ever loved.”
“Ha,” Mark said, his face turning up to the sky for help from God. “You say that now, baby brother,” he looked back at me, “but you were seated at the table with your future tonight, and you know it.”
“The table of ex-girlfriends?” I laughed off my mother’s petty game. “Fuck no. You’ll never catch me in an arranged marriage. Never going to happen.”
“You say that like you have control over it,” he answered.
“I sure as fuck do,” I countered.
