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He let go of me, leaving future bruises in his wake, and nipped at my lips before leaving the room. He slammed the door behind him. I heard the key turning in the lock.
Though I was naked, I rushed to the door and pulled on it. It wouldn’t budge. Fuming, I ran to the balcony doors and tried to escape through them, but they too were locked. He’d taken my freedom all over again.
Trembling, I returned to the bed and lifted the dress, but then my knees gave out and I sank to the floor in a blanket of fabric, a wail of despair escaping my throat. I was helpless, and hopeless. I had no say, no control of my own future.
Curling into the fetal position, I held the rose-scented material like a plushy and sobbed until I felt like I had no more tears to cry. Sleep tugged at me, but I knew in my heart that if I didn’t dress, I would be going in a towel. That was the kind of man Alexie was.
Hiccupping, I forced myself to sit up. I slid the most perfect dress over my head and cursed myself for not running away from Alexie sooner. The fabric billowed around me like a cloud. Now, I would be stuck—like, stuck-stuck.Forced to wed after forcibly bred.
I always thought I would marry for love.
Now I would marry for survival.
Knowing I would only make things worse for myself if I wasn’t prepared for the guards when they came, I climbed to my feet and numbly finished getting ready.
???
There wasa knock at the locked door.
The irony of that was not lost on me. If I didn’t answer or told those fuckers in the hall to go away, would they do it?
No. It was all a façade.
Fuck these people.
“Come in,” I said in a regal tone.
Honestly, the dress was so amazing, it made me think of royalty…I felt like a queen wearing it.
Now the guards were here, unlocking my prison cell to take me away.
It felt like I was heading to the gallows, but if I protested too much, I might really head to my execution, so I smoothed the skirt of my gown and squared my shoulders.
The door opened. When I didn’t immediately approach, two men came in. Their aggressive movements and no-nonsense demeanor told me everything I needed to know. Alexie had obviously given them orders to drag me downstairs if I didn’t come along peacefully.
They maneuvered to manhandle me.
“Don’t touch me,” I hissed, taking a step back. I lifted my chin, daring them to lay a hand on me. Alexie’s room was like a goddamn armory. I would grab a sword if they fucking dared.
Roman said something to them in Russian from the doorway.
They immediately stopped.
“What did you say?” I asked.
“I warned I would shoot them both if they touched you.”
He wore a suit that matched Alexie’s, and I was reeling from how much older he looked. Not quite an adult, but he sure had grown from the young child I’d met.
“Sloane, I’d be honored to walk you down the aisle.” His voice cracked a bit on the last word.
I knew it was wrong of me to trauma dump on a kid, but I couldn’t seem to help it. “I don’t want to do this.”
He looked confused. “Why?”
I didn’t realize how much I actually cared until I felt my eyes mist. “You should marry for love. He doesn’t love me.”
“You don’t think Alexie loves you?”
