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I couldn’t take this pain in my feet any longer. I sat on the edge of the bed and leaned over and loosened my shoes. My feet were freaking killing me. I wasn’t used to walking in heels this high. I’d wanted to look grown up for my high school grad and they definitely helped with that, adding to my 5’4” height. I let them dangle and one fell to the floor. I flexed my toes in relief. I looked up and he was staring at my legs.

I wanted to ask ‘what, exactly?’ again but suspected I wouldn’t get a straight answer, so I said, “I’m, uh, I’m expected tonight at a graduation party. And tomorrow I’m supposed to move into my own apartment, and…”

He cut me off, “Obviously, things have changed.”

I opened my mouth but nothing came out.

“If there’s anything important from your old life, it can be picked up. Or we don’t look back and I replace everything.” He was still looking at my legs.

“So, that means…” I wasn’t getting it. Did this mean he wanted to marry me? He didn’t even know me!

“Let’s see how this goes, call it a trial engagement,” he said, answering my unspoken question, “There are some ground rules. I’ll fill you in on those shortly. Right now I have something to do. It’s best that you stay here until I go over the rules with you.”

“Wait, trial engagement? What if I refuse?”

He snickered and then raised a brow at me challengingly, “You don’t want me to answer that.”

I believed that. A chill crawled up my spine. “So, I’m your fiancé now? Just like that?” I said in disbelief.

Then he gave me a grin, “Just like that.” He got up, and left. He just left me there, sitting on the bed. What on earth?

I heard a text alert on my phone. I pulled it out of my purse. It was Nick.

* Can’t wait to c u tonite ;) U looked hot today. So who the fuck was that asshole in the beamer?

The door swung back open and Tommy snatched my phone from my hand, “You can have a phone after we go over the rules.” His eyes were a bit crazed as he looked at the screen and then put my phone into his pocket, “You won’t be seeing Nick again.” I frowned. The door shut.

Trial engagement? Based on what, on an order from a mafia godfather? No romantic candlelit dinner with a guy who loved me down on one knee in candle light telling me he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. Nope. Instead I got a forced engagement with underlying threats. Lovely. What now, though? How could I get out of this without getting hurt or killed or without Dad getting hurt or killed?

Tommy

Her phone rang a little while later with the name, “Mia” on it. I ignored it. Then a text came through from the name “Bethany” with “Where the bleep r u and who was THAT who you left with?” I shut it off. My own phone rang immediately afterwards. I glanced at the screen and debated rejecting the call but shook my head and answered, “Yeah, Pop?”

“Well?”

“Well, what?”

“Who do you think will win the playoffs? Shit, what do you think I mean? What about the girl?”

“I haven’t decided yet,” I answered.

“Of course you have, Tommy. Please. Like I don’t know you. You tell me you really haven’t decided and I’ll be a…”

I cut him off, “Pop, give me five minutes, will ya?”

“I’ll give you a few days. Dinner Sunday at my house. If you’re keeping her, bring her with you. Then we’ll celebrate. If you come alone…well…”

I had things to do. The sooner they were done, the sooner I’d be back in my bedroom with her.

“Gotta go, Pop.”

“Okay, my boy.” He said and I could almost see his cocky smile through the phone. I ended the call.

Tia

I was pacing. What else could I do? I was in this bedroom, waiting for him to come and tell me what his rules were. Rules. Pff. I couldn’t believe this.

A million thoughts flitted through my brain and I couldn’t think straight. All I could do right now was pace back and forth and back and fort

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