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“I believe we shocked her by talking so early about the wedding. Perhaps my bride and I should discuss this between ourselves. Get to know each other.”
My head shot up to stare at the suggestion. Mr. Jenkins was staring right at me with a cruel smirk, making my skin itch and my heart rattle its cage.
“An excellent idea. Come, Margaret, let’s leave these two.”
Fear gripped me as I watched my parents leave the room. I’d never feared them leaving me before. But I recognized a predator. He was the worse evil. I could feel it.
When we were alone, I chanced a glance at him. It shocked me when I saw smoke curling around his body like a snake. I blinked.
My heart raced and cried out for me to escape this man. I froze as he stood, pushing back his chair and coming around the table to stand over me. He offered me a hand, clearly desiring I stand too, but I didn’t want to touch him. His touch was draining. But I couldn’t see a way to not touch him.
Reluctantly, I placed my hand in his, and the same horrible sensations washed over me. His hand was like touching ice. So cold it burned. It seeped into my palm, into my veins, sending streaks of fire along them where it reached something inside me and pulled.
I gasped and tried to let go, but he held me tight, his fingers squeezing mine. And when his eyes, black soulless eyes, met mine, they flashed yellow.
A scream caught in my throat, and he grinned. He let my hand go and breath I hadn’t known I was holding escaped my trembling lips. I stepped back.
“Such power,” he muttered as I collected myself. With his eyes back to normal, he tilted his head as he studied me. “But are you worth the money?”
“Pardon?” I squeaked, genuinely confused about the question. He acted as though nothing had happened. As though I hadn’t just seen his eyes change color.
I am hallucinating. Perhaps Father has damaged my mind.Perhaps I really am broken. I couldn’t have seen—
He interrupted my shell-shocked thoughts with a mocking grin. “I’m sorry, I thought you knew.”
“Your father has been borrowing money from me. Hard to drink that much without spending a farthing or two. But see, he doesn’t have the money to pay me back. So, generous gent that I am, I compromised, and for my money, I’ve got a new bride.”
I must have been in shock, because I felt nothing at his announcement. I felt nothing at the thought of being sold off like cattle. Nothing.
He circled me. “I think you’ll be perfect for what I have planned. Might even last longer than the others.” He smacked my backside, making me jump. He chuckled.
Frozen in place, I didn’t move as he stepped even closer to me and leaned down to rest his lips on the shell of my ear. “I will have so much fun breaking you in,” he whispered darkly.
I knew he would. My mind went dark, and my body turned to stone—it was too much. I knew little about intercourse except what I’d heard from my married friends. I knew some of them liked it. Some of them did not. Some of them tolerated it. But I knew this man wouldn’t be kind. Whatever could be pleasurable, he would make painful. He would make me suffer, and then I would die.
The door opened, letting light into the room, and I sought it out like a moth to flames.
Mother swanned in with a gleeful smile. “Well, I hope you’ve both had time to discuss the matter of your marriage. If we left you alone any longer, it wouldn’t be decent.”
“Thank you for thinking of my bride’s reputation, Margaret.”
“I hope you’re pleased,” Father exclaimed cheerfully.
“I think she’ll do nicely.” Darren smacked my bottom again. My heart stuttered.
“Well, I’m glad we’ve got that sorted. Margaret will arrange everything and let you know.”
“Right. Well, I’ll see you at the courthouse, bride.” He squeezed my bum hard. I whimpered but remained frozen in place.
As our guest left the house, I didn't partake in pleasantries. I remained stuck to the spot. I shut my eyes as though I could disappear inside my head. By the time the front door had shut, I hadn’t got a hold of my panic.
Father interrupted my thoughts when he returned to me, still motionless in the dining room, smirking. “You look frightened, dear. Pray tell, why?”
“I—I can’t m-marry him, Father.” My tongue was like lead in my mouth as I stuttered my pathetic protest.
He raised one dark brow and smiled almost sympathetically. My stomach turned. “You will, and there’s nothing you can do to prevent it,” he whispered.
Sudden brazen bravery flooded me, and I announced, “I’ll run away.”
