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I stare at the date on the application. It’s the same date that was on my release papers from the hospital. And the signature… it’s mine, but it’s off… a touch. Not enough that Nathaniel or Nicole would be able to tell. But the date of issue?
“The application is dated the day you were released,” Nathaniel says as he takes the flute out of my hand. “That will help expediate the process. It appears that he forced you to marry him while you were not mentally fit to make such a decision.”
Rogue lied to me about our marriage? I glance at my left hand even though the papers block my view of my rings. I have a freaking wedding dress in my closet. Is it all an elaborate lie?
I fold up the papers before I go to pieces in front of my Nicole. “I need time to think.”
“He played you for a fool,” Nicole tells me.
“I’m sure that’s not…” Only… we’ve spent weeks together. He told me about our wedding day. He made it sound perfect. And when I asked about photos from our wedding he told me that he didn’t know where they were. We’ve talked about all these things and he never told me that we weren’t actually married? No, he doubled down.
“Sign the papers, Ivy,” Nicole says. “The sooner you put Rogue Maddox behind you the sooner we can start planning your wedding to Nathaniel.”
“What?” I gape at him.
There was a time after my dad died when Nicole tried to push Nathaniel and I together, where I did consider the idea of an engagement. It was what Nicole wanted, and I was barely making it from one day to the next. “I thought I’d made it clear that would never happen by the time I ended up at Sunny.”
“Oh, silly.” Nicole laughs as one of the servers passes nearby. “You just don’t remember.”
“No. I do.” I stare up at man who is twice my age. I remember he was kind when my dad was around, and that at one point I used to think he was handsome. But Nathaniel wants me as part of some business arrangement he has with Nicole. That’s never going to be what I want. “I remember I said I could never marry you.”
“I promised your father I would look after you,” Nathaniel says, like he wants me to believe that’s why he’s going along with what Nicole wants.
I don’t believe him. “Then you know this wouldn’t be what he wanted.”
“Excuse me, Nathaniel. I need to walk my daughter out.” Nicole grips my elbow and hauls me toward the elevator.
Her grasp is so hard that I whimper. “Let go of me.”
“Listen, you brat.” Nicole pushes the button and as the metal doors close her expression turns cold. “You’re going to break up with Rogue Maddox and marry Nathaniel.”
“W-why would I do that?”
“Because it’s best for the family.” Her fingernails dig into my skin as the box descends. “Sign the papers for the annulment.”
“N-no, I don’t think I will.”
"If you don’t I’ll have your marriage investigated for coercion and have it invalidated that way.”
“You wouldn’t.” But of course she would. That’s the whole point. She doesn’t need me to be an obedient daughter. It’s a matter of reminding me that she will never let me be free.
“There is no happy ending for you and him. I promise you that,” she says as the elevator doors open into the lobby. She pushes me out and depresses the button that closes the doors as she says, “You have a week. Sign the papers, leave him publicly, or I will make sure that you wish you had.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Rogue
Ipacethelengthof the windows that overlook the city. The lights are muted tonight, distorted by the rain that seemed to come out of nowhere a little while ago. My fingers itch to hold a cigarette between them even though I haven’t had one since the day Ivy came home.
But tonight I’m in the perfect storm of anger and worry to crave that nicotine hit. It’s been an hour since Jackson lost Ivy outside the Mojito Bar. Not that I was aware of that until ten minutes ago when I arrived home after speaking to Rebel and our lawyer.
Nicole seems to be gunning for a war and I’m not above giving her one. But I’ve learned to be levelheaded these last few weeks. Patient. Starting from scratch with Ivy—working to help her fall in love with me all over again—taught me that.
If we’re going to take on the Hawthornes we’re going to do it the right way. Our ammunition—Nicole’s actions against me and Ivy along with the information Marty is gathering—will be clean. It will be backed up with facts. And it will end her control over Ivy once and for all.
I’ll finally be able to ask Ivy to marry me for real. After I explain about our fake nuptials of course. But first I need to find her. And it better be in one piece. “Where the hell is she?”
Neither of my companions answer.
