Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 142764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
I flick my gaze to Richard and back, not quite sure of him yet. “Is that legal?”
Richard smiles, and it makes him look younger than I thought. “I assure you, Mr. Marshall, the contract is perfectly legal, and I’m a state-certified officiant.”
I gulp, hoping neither of them see it. None of it matters. We won’t actually get that far anyway.
Bel stirs on my lap, and her whole body stiffens, telling me she’s awake but pretending she’s not. “So what’s the plan?” I ask, knowing she’s listening intently.
My father stalks over, hands in his slacks pockets, scowling down at me. “The plan is for you to marry this brat, gain access to all that Arturo money, and that’s really it.”
I don’t bother keeping the doubt off my face. “That’s it?”
He chuckles and shrugs. “I mean yes. That’s all I’m going to say with a lawyer present, that is.”
The lawyer in question heard every word. I glance his way. “Richard is it...what’s your last name?”
He smirks. “Bellago.”
Well, that explains it. One of the “community” so he wouldn’t care if my father pulled out his gun and shot me in the head right now. I skim my hand down Bel’s forearm. Her skin is colder than usual, and I place my arm over hers to try to warm her up. She shivers, and my dad’s eyes drop to Bel’s sleeping form.
“Ah, perfect timing. Our bride is ready to join us. Wonderful. We should get started.”
Everything in me revolts at this plan. Yes, I agreed to it. All of it seemed like the easiest way to put my father at ease and let him drop his guard, but fuck, if Bel and I marry one day, when we marry one day, she will be fully awake, alert, and present. Not to mention, I’ll spend every cent I have to give her the wedding she’s always dreamed of.
Not this rushed bullshit affair in my father’s fucking study.
I rub her arm again and then cup her chin gently. “Wake up for me, Flower. We’ll get this over with, and you can get some rest.” My voice is low and gentle, and I don’t miss the sneer on my father’s face or the muttered, “Fucking soft,” as he heads over to his friend to whisper and confer.
It’s not a moment alone like I wish I had, but it’s all I know he’ll give me right now.
Her eyes fly wide, and immediately, her gaze chase across my features. Tears welling. “Drew?” I don’t miss the waver in her voice or the way her fingers clench on my tuxedo jacket.
“It’s okay. You’re safe.”
Her voice cracks as she whispers, “Safe?”
“Bel, look at me.” I hold her chin tight in my hand and resist the urge to spread her hair across my lap and soothe her. “Do you remember what you said to me in the car the other day? You told me that you trust me. You trust me, right?”
I keep my voice low, and the fear and pain in her eyes are like an ice pick to my heart. “I…. I do. I just… I don’t know. What’s going on?”
I gently ease her into a sitting position and wait while she clutches her head in her hands, no doubt dizzy from the drugs. Dropping her hands from her face, she slides her eyes down over her body before meeting my own.
She’s looking at me with a mixture of confusion and fear, and there isn’t a damn thing I can do to ease her worries. “Drew. Please. Tell me what’s happening. What are you doing? Why am I in this dress?”
Here goes nothing. Giving her knee a squeeze, I raise my voice and smirk at her, hoping she sees through it, like she always does. “It’s your lucky day, Maybel. Today, you become a Marshall. You get to marry me.”
32
BEL
My head feels like a fish bowl, and I’m greatly confused but there is no way that I just heard him say what I think he did. Marry me? I give the room we’re in a glance over. I’ve never been in his room before, but the style reminds me of Drew’s family home, and if Drew’s father standing there scowling is anything to go by, at least I know where I am.
I run my hands down to my neck, further stopping when my fingers meet the edge of lace. Lace?
“Did you undress me?”
He gives me another smirk that I want to smack off his face. “Nothing I haven’t seen before. If it makes you feel better, I changed too. We want to look good for a couple of pictures, right?”
There’s something in his tone that I don’t understand. Something telling me to play along. Except even if I were playing along, then I wouldn’t just sit here and stand by while his psychotic father marries us.