Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 30055 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 150(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30055 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 150(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
I huff, but open the door and follow him inside. The décor is classic, 1970’s old steak house, and I half imagine I’ll see Jimmy Hoffa in a booth, smoking a cigar.
The maître d’ takes my father’s name and has us follow him through the dining room. The walls are red and gold velvet wallpaper, with newspaper articles and signed pictures of celebrities and politicians from years gone by hanging like old trophies on the walls.
The table comes into view and that punching feeling comes back, only this time, my target is clear.
William is sitting there like he’s holding court, an obnoxiously large bouquet of red roses in the center of the table. My head is spinning as we sit down and William and my father shake hands like I’m not even there.
Throughout dinner, I see how nervous my father is. I’ve never seen him like this, almost as though William is the senior pastor and he’s a groveling student trying to gain his favor.
William orders for me and when I open my mouth to protest, my father’s foot presses down on top of mine under the table and his eyes are pleading with me, so I bite my lip and stay silent.
While they eat steaks, baked potatoes, asparagus with hollandaise, I chomp on my romaine lettuce and dry piece of salmon which William ordered broiled, no butter and only balsamic vinegar on my salad. No cheese. No croutons. Cucumbers and tomatoes are acceptable.
I nearly bit my tongue in half listening to him order, and imagined taking a bite and letting the blood from where I bit down trickle from the corner of my mouth onto the stupid lettuce.
“Well.” William starts once the dishes are cleared and he and my father are swirling cognac. “By now, your father has let you in on some of what’s going on I hope.”
“Yep.” I answer, looking at the doorway and not at him, but my father clears his throat and gives me the look. “Yes.” I answer, then give William my best good pastor’s wife on Prozac smile.
“Good.” He reaches over and puts his clammy hand on mine. “I don’t think we need a lot of pomp and circumstance. But, we will be planning a wedding.”
“Will we?” I counter, and William squeezes my fingers.
“I’ll forgive you for what you’ve done.”
“What I’ve done? You’re in the forgiveness business now?”
“Kristina.” My father snaps, but William holds up his hand like he’s the fucking Pope pardoning someone.
“It’s okay. This is sudden, I know, but it’s been in the works for some time. It’s what is best for your family. Which will also be my family. It’s best for your father and in time, you’ll see it is best for you as well.”
There’s no way I’m marrying this jack weed, but I play along for now until I can wrap my head around what’s really going on. Something smells like shit and in my experience that means there’s a pile nearby.
William and my father talk while I sit there and ponder what sort of weapons I may need to deal with whatever this is, and soon enough this Twilight Zone moment is wrapped up. William does his best to give me a kiss, but he gets all cheek before I stomp out to the car, ready to have my head spin off my neck. I stay silent as my father drives us home, he and William planning to meet in the church office to settle some business after they drop me at the house.
So nice to have everything all planned out for you.
I march into my bedroom after a few choice words to my father, and slam the door before dropping onto my bed. Then I go to my laptop and check my email. Then I pace.
I think of texting Jillian, but what good will that do?
Fuck it. This is bullshit. I don’t know what sort of drugs these two think I’m on, but it’s time to let them know, I’ve cleaned up and there’s no fucking way I’m riding this ride with them.
I turn to swing open the door to my room and see Wrath’s vest, the note and his pages of criminal records in a heap on my dresser.
I know a million times, there’s no way I want to marry William. But, I don’t see how I can be with someone like Wrath either. What kind of life does he live really?
I want to get my masters in AI and Bio-Engineering. Would someone like Wrath be okay with that? He said he admired my intelligence when we talked about my college and how I was just back to help out my dad until I decided what was next, but was that just part of a yes game to get me to sleep with him?
As the conflict pulls at my insides, there’s something else.