Marriage For Convenience

- CEL

the monsters in Las Vegas for a promise of peace. I was never given the chanc

my chest as my husband led me

others. Salvatore released me, and I quickly cr

emories still woke me at night.

especially this

of the bed, my eyes swept ov

e see stained with my

t wouldn'

e had been blood the first time

There had been no presentation of the sheets back then

. It hadn't stopped my

't stop m

ies. I had seen

I doubted he could break me m

year

- CE

mion. Her eyes caught mine briefly, and she smiled. She had already moved out when I had to move in with Aunt Josephine and Uncle Altair six years ago, but she and I had become close fr

ted the urge to rub my arms; it seemed like I was always cold. Even the music failed to set m

s wife, Caroline, probably took pity on me and told

to attend social events. Even Aunt Josephine and Uncle Altair couldn't find excuses to keep me away anymore.

ed it into submission and followed Phoenix toward the dance floor. He was my cousin and I'd known him a

my entire body seized. Phoenix regarded me but didn't pull back. He was probably used to that kind of reaction from people. His reputation and size

traitor, Celestina.

the reason I couldn't stand his touch. I wished it were that. God, how I wished it were only that, wished it wa

. He wasn't a good father. I miss my mother,

'd been working on over the last few we

Josephine and Altair. They are con

ter of a traitor?" I muttered. Deep down I was relieved. Marriage would reveal a sec

g. Your father's acti

at, looking around at our audience. I cringed at my tone

to promise you to a soldier. You are a Romano and sh

hame. I didn't really have time. I was getting older and being un

o best-had learned to do best-I pretended I wasn't there. My aunt choosing modest dresses in subdued colors from last year's collection defi

IME - SEVEN

th us being in New York. Tomorrow, we'd finally return to Atlanta, and then his mood would be better. Soon, everything would be better. Soon, Father would have solved all of

corridor drew me toward the door, and I carefully opened it, peering out the crack. A tall man lunged at me. Something over my head gleamed in the light, and then

I froze and took a closer look at the man. It was my c

m. He released me and handed me over to Warren, my other cousin. I wasn'

out of the bedroom. Her terrified eyes landed on m

ren shoved me away and darted forward, but another man gripped me in an unre

n the bedroom with her

at. One tiny bulle

arms around my chest, wincing as my fingers touched the bruises on my upper arms caused by my father's outburst this morning. I began rocking back and

s up to my chest. Phoenix poked his head in. There was blood on h

are you?"

t say a

elv

er, Warren. They assured me I was safe. Safe? I had never felt safe. M

couldn't stay with her. As honor dictated, I had to stay with family, so I was sent to Baltimore to live with my

other. Phoenix took me to them a couple of days after my mother's funeral. I was s

of a large villa in Baltimore. Over the years, I'd learne

wned at me.

e the most important things in our world, and F

ou should apologize for," he said, and fo

e me, and yet not a day passed when I wasn't acutely aware that I was seen as a traitor's daughter. I didn't blame them. From a young age, I'd learned that there was no greater crime than betrayal. Father had tainted our f

O

h over what he had taken. He stood beside my aunt-his wife-beside his children-my cousins-and was regarded with respect. His eyes on me made my skin crawl. He didn't approach me, but his leering was enough. His gaze was just like his touch; it was humiliati

proof mascara and a hint of concealer to cover the shadows under my eyes, so I didn't d

t brown hair. She carried herself with confidence and had for as long as I could remember. That wa

houlder, her brows drawing together

You know I'm not good

what was coming. "Phoenix would kill

ten regretted that I'd confided in Alejandra shortly after it had happened, but I had been broke

"I did, and I won't tell anyone. It's your decision, b

ndra. This world isn't kind, least of all to a woman like me. I can't go through this. I will be worse off than I am now. Your

parents never treated you the w

me in. They never hit me, never punishe

n would be a good match for you. The

dn't qualify as decent for other people, but I had no right to be choosy or judge others. "No.

no hurry to marry," I said. Ma