Shattered Vows: An Arrange Marriage

this shot

horns and make it her bitch. She had too with a successful travel blog that

do you

I hadn’t even tried to put on heels after our limo ride out of our small town to this big city’s hotel. My combat boots provided comfort and I needed it, considering I didn’t venture out much. Linny’s boyfrie

complete by the end of

the limo, the seat’s le

that you have to chea

to shine light on her risky behavior. Still, Lin

Plus, your hea

me do

from my throat. I hated

to figure out his job and inv

the same effect, considering she’d lined them with dark makeup before we left. It was proba

ou know no one likes our

off the oil terminals that belonged to corporate in the big cit

r town. If he’s legit,

ted to my shot,

uy you’re most attracted

thought, this is g

ersation for at least thirty minutes. And the fir

rolling down my list of guys I’d been attra

going to be imp

and the bottle of vodk

hy

swer, a laugh bub

hook up with can’t hold a

things were downright funny when you accepted them and that was it. For a while now, I’d gravitated to

d in and clinked her

enuine and full oflove when she said, “Cheers to hearing your laugh, Morina. It’

aste made me cough, which only made me chuckle at how

rn of liquor. I’m going to need it i

mohawk curl fell onto my shoulder. I let my head fall on

the lung. The cancer metastasized, and the doc s

uck’s

reathe

s night out m

the damn stars don’t care what I have to say. My horosc

Linny roll

bracelets or bring cry

complete my dare.” She

ook up with are normally ve

hat’s amazing in bed if

that in her. For me, it was just about sex. I

heir stick, I’m not

rd her window to point at the

, you little player. I need one before we get all swea

aces. Linny was a louder, more-in-your-face beautiful, but my hair was pushed to the side with a bunch of long waves. I’d always been able to snag a guy o

sked between

tilted her head

t going to document ever

clutch and rearranged her sh

obia. I have to catalog you

ast time I caught you out of

her as a friend. I ushered her forw

so loud I was sure the people at

wn over his eyes, then he lifted the cord to the inside and pointed to our hands. I glanced at Li

waved me in wit

IP. Right away, a man with spiced cologne beckoned us down an aisle that only a few select people seemed to be a

men who indulged both in alcohol and people-watching those

head and pointed t

her f

Thank God, I’d worn combat boots. When the door opened, diamonds and glass and crystal shone like the ocean at sunset on bla

murmured to Linny

ed when her gaze landed on a tall man with hollowed-out cheeks and ghostly eyes. He li

is arms and murmured something into

She accompanied me.

He held ou

have a guard for

to say to that? The

not really th

.” He snuggled into her neck, and the

but his smile with Linny was

made me long for something I didn

ot wide as she ticked her head at a guy

g, but gliding li

and all his surroundings, but his face drew everyone to him. He was tall and

the information I needed to know that I would never see him again. A man who wore something that

ar off and I was seriously concerned that his IQ was as striking as his looks. He looked

y businessman who had a model on his arm at every event. Instead, I took on a guy here

him and the other man I

meet my gi

ss his face, welcoming ev

to meet yo

leasure. That’s Morina, my very best fr

e. This time, his smile dropped, and he glanced back at the man on his shoulder. Immediat

d a waitress over. She wore leather booty shorts and fl

night was over. Instead of idling, I stepped around them to talk to the man behind Bastian. His smile was gentle when he looked u

voice rolled out, soft and comfor

shook my wavy h

really pre

an I wasn’t sure if I should cower away or try to ignore it, if only to save myself. Then, his

get that a lot. I’

relaxed enough

rl a drink before y

this time. It was nothing like a warm tide washing over me. Instead, a cold wave

f his fingers matched the very expensive watch that peeked out from under his cuff. I’d learned to ju

more from me, and I definitely tried to read way too much into our interaction. And there was the stupid dare. Should I talk to him o

nodded at me like I was

iend of Linny’s.” Bastian announced and too

puttered, my ey

say anything before disappearing into the crowd lik

ed and glared up at Bastian. “I’ll h

apped his glass a few times as he gl