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That is the problem with perfection, it’s never real.
Anger surges in my gut at the lies she keeps hidden in those perfect almond-shaped eyes. They dance like flames, taunting me closer like a moth, wanting to singe itself. I should be afraid to go near her, because I know her type. The girl who needs and craves the attention.
I can’t deny she’s beautiful. Breathtakingly so. However, I’m no longer in need of someone who can’t be real. I’ve spent my life hiding in the shadows, and if my father thinks I’m going to marry her, he has another thing coming.
“Finn.” My father’s voice drags my attention back to him. “This is Zaria and her mother, Amira. I’m sure you know them.” He doesn’t need to tell me why I’m here, meant to smile at the two women because I already know. He informed me last year what he wants from me, and now it’s coming to fruition. I’ll fight him every step of the way. And I hope before the month is up, he changes his mind. I don’t care what I have to do, but I will not take this lying down.
“Hello, lovely to meet you,” I greet the older woman first, offering her my hand, which she accepts. Being a gentleman was ingrained in me at a young age. And as I grew older, it runs through my veins. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you, Finn,” Amira says, while offering me a teary smile. She truly is heartbroken. Most times we attend funerals, especially those of men who my father works with, their widows fake the tears. Amira is different. There truly was love between her and her husband.
“Unfortunate that we had to meet in such terrible circumstances,” I tell her, trying to make an impression. I don’t give a shit about my father, or the young girl beside me. When I find a person who is real, I will offer them the truth in return.
“I appreciate that,” she says softly. I press a kiss to her knuckles before releasing her hand. With the soft rosy hue on her tear-stained cheeks, I know I’ve made my impression. The moment I do, panic sets in because I don’t want to look at her daughter. But I can’t refuse to, it would only bring on questions I don’t want to answer.
My father’s glare burns into the side of my face. If I don’t move quickly, he’ll lose his shit when we get back to the house. So, instead of starting a war at home, I turn toward her. When my stare lands on Zaria, I can’t bring myself to touch her. Fury burns through my veins at the sight of her. This is the woman I’m meant to marry. We will be engaged by Halloween, if my father has his way. But there is no love between us. She’s nothing more than a vapid stranger. I would never choose someone like her as my wife.
Not because she isn’t beautiful.
But because she can never love the monster inside me.
2
ZARIA
I didn’t expect the funeral to pass by so quickly. But it did and now that I’m home, in my bedroom, safe from Finn Thorne, I can replay our meeting. He’s handsome. More than I could have imagined. I’ve seen photos of him on social media, in the press, and from my mother after Dad’s passing. She explained that soon, I’ll have to go to Thorne Haven, to live with the Thornes in their home and to get to know my future husband.
The idea is ridiculous.
But there was something about Finn that had me intrigued. Closing my eyes, I lie back on the bed, and picture him once more. His brown eyes that are so dark, they’re almost black. His tousled inky hair that looks like he just ran his fingers through it countless times, along with those perfectly-shaped lips that couldn’t say more than one word to me.
In photos, he’s handsome, but in real life, that sharp, angular jaw with his tanned skin makes for a breathtaking man. And I want to know more about him. There’s not much in the papers about his personal life. He does like to party, but for the past year, he’s gone almost radio silent. And that makes me wonder just what happened to have him change so drastically.
When I open my eyes, I stare up at the ceiling, taking in the perfectly chiseled roof. The way the corners are carved into tiny cherubs has always offered me a sense of solace, but tonight, it causes my stomach to churn. The patterns make it seem as if they’re threatening, looming over me. A sense of foreboding twists in my stomach, and I have to shut my eyes tight to calm my erratic heartbeat.
I wonder what my bedroom will be like when I get to Thorne Haven. There is no chance I’m sharing a bed with Finn. Even though we’re meant to be getting married, sleeping beside a stranger is not what I agreed to.
