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“Is he treating you good?” Dylan finally asks. “Is the entire family treating you like you deserve to be treated?”
“Yes,” I lie.
I don’t want to tell him that I haven’t seen anyone but Sarah and Sasha since arriving at the mansion. And I only have seen my father at the dinner and not since. It’s been almost a week, and I’ve done nothing but hang out in my room alone. When I come down to eat, I eat alone. I’ve seen Sarah in passing, but she doesn’t bother herself to say hello. Even the staff seem to ignore me. I might as well be invisible.
“And you really want to marry this man? This Sidorov person?” he asks, and I get the feeling that he’s trying to wrap his head around the idea.
“It’s not really a marriage. More like a business deal,” I say, not sure I even know what it is to be honest. It’s not like any of us have sat down to discuss the details.
Strike that… Sidorov and Bryant have had a meeting to discuss the details, but I was not included in the planning.
“And what do you get out of it?”
“Security.” I finally get to tell the truth.
Security for not only myself, but for Dylan. No more owing. No more on the run.
“Safety,” I add.
Safety for every single person in my life. Safety from making my problems others’. Safety from destroying everyone I love and value in my life.
“The two things you’ve always wanted.” He lets out a sigh. “There’s nothing I can do to change your mind, is there?” Dylan asks.
I notice Sasha walk into my bedroom, dressed and ready for Wonderland tonight. Her eyes take in the fact that I’m dressed in the outfit she picked out for me for the event, and she silently claps her hands in approval.
“I promise you that it’s all going to work out,” I say, signaling with one finger to Sasha that I’ll be off the phone in a minute. “I need to go right now, but I promise I’ll call you soon. You just keep focusing on school and don’t worry about me. I’m fine. I swear.”
I hear Dylan grumble as we both give our love and hang up. He’s right. There is nothing he can say or do that will have me change my mind. I have to do what I have to do to keep everyone safe.
When I hang up the phone, I turn my attention to Sasha. “You look amazing.”
“As do you,” she praises. “Are you ready for the best birthday party we’ve ever been to?”
“Birthday party?”
“That’s the theme for the night,” she adds. “And this Wonderland is going to be extra extra spicy. I hear that orgies are going to happen. Rooms with sex acts. Everyone watching everyone else. It’s going to be a kinky paradise.” She gives a devilish grin. “Maybe you can have some pre-wedding fun. Get your dirty on before you wife up.”
I chuckle and shake my head. “I think I’ll stick to dancing.”
“Even if Nick is in one of the sex rooms waiting?” she taunts.
I haven’t told my cousin about our night together in this room, and I don’t plan to. It was one night. Just one night.
One night only.
“We have to go to Central Park and look for golden mushrooms to get the address to the party,” Sasha says. “So we better get going. I don’t know how long this will take.” She looks over her shoulder at the door. “Does Bryant know you’re leaving? Did you tell him where you’re going?”
I shake my head. “I haven’t seen him for days. I don’t think he gives a fuck where I go or when. So no worries there.”
“Maybe you should leave a note. Say you’re staying at my place,” she offers.
“I’m not a teenager sneaking out of the house,” I say, even though a part of me feels that way.
“I’m just thinking that if any other Morellis are at Wonderland, and it gets back to Bryant—”
“I told you he won’t care,” I interrupt. “I’m not the precious daughter that he’s trying to protect. I truly believe he won’t care if I walk out that door and never return, aside from the fact that he needs to make good on his business deal with the Sidorovs.But what I do from now until the day I say ‘I do’ is none of his concern.”
“I’m sorry,” she says softly. “I know you hoped for more. I know there has to be a part of you that thought you’d have an insta-family.” She shakes her head. “That’s just not how this family is. I often wish it was too. I’ve been part of this tree all my life and even I feel like the redheaded stepchild sometimes. I don’t ever truly feel like I belong.”
