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MEL
"Did the ring have to be red too, father?"
A blood red dress, red roses, and a ruby red ring worth millions. It sounds more like the beginning of a bad joke than a marriage, but at this point, I feel more like I'm being bought rather than married.
Father's face creases and he sighs for the second time in two minutes.
"Baby, I don't know. That's what he sent."
Yeah. Being bought sounds about right.
I sigh and look at the ring again.
On top of everything, red is not my color.
And, I hate rubies.
Xander knows this too, which makes all of this even worse.
I stare mindlessly into the mirror, admiring the drape of the dress around my body. The dress hadn't been my idea either. Nothing on my skin had been my idea.
I chuckle, the sound catching in my throat as I press my eyes closed and let my head tilt forward so he can drape the accompanying diamonds on my throat.
I'd known this day would come. There's no need to pretend otherwise or even feel sorry for myself.
Six years was more than enough respite.
"Where's Lucian?" I turn to Father and let him press an almost tender kiss on my forehead.
"Sleeping. He's not coming tonight, Mel. You know why."
He sounds sorry, and my breath catches in my throat.
"How bad is this going to be?" I ask in a whisper.
He takes my hand in his and squeezes softly. "Only as bad as you want it to be. I support you, baby, but you knew this day was coming. I've protected you as long as I can."
And he has, too.
I inhale a deep swell of air and smile as widely as I can, hoping it doesn't look as much of a grimace as I think it does.
"You smile at Xander that way, and he's sure to run screaming for the hills." My brother Daniel is at the door, his navy-blue Brooks Brothers suit unbuttoned.
He holds his arms out, and I walk over to him, hugging him tight. I pull away and tuck my arm into his when he offers. He smells of mint and Lucian's powder.
"Is he sleeping yet?" I lean into him and tone my voice low so Father can't hear me.
"No, but Hailey will make sure he does. And no, do not go in there, Mel. You'll never leave." He tightens his arms around me and leads me to the door away from the stairs.
I nod and follow Father's brisk strides to the door, shaking my hair away from my face and straightening my shoulders out.
Outside, a cool breeze blows through the palm trees planted on the property, the moon just sneaking out of the clouds. The air smells of cherry blossoms, light and airy, nothing at all like my mood.
Daniel opens the car door and holds it for me, lifting the train of my dress carefully and sliding it into the car after me.
I smirk at him. "If I didn't understand better, I'd think I wasn't your sister.
