Page 9 of These Deadly Vows

I roll my eyes at his cheesy line and go into the bathroom to wash off my makeup and change into my pajamas, hoping that he takes the hint and leaves.

I jump at the loud booms of the fireworks popping off in rapid succession over Lake Michigan, signifying the grand finale. I’ve never been a fan of loud noises. The night my mother died, there was a thunderstorm. As though Heaven was angry and weeping so strongly for her loss that our house shook as she took her final breaths.

Since that night I’ve always hated rain, but especially thunder.

Back in my room, Roberto is fingering the undies in my drawer like a pervert.

“What are you doing?”

His callous gaze meets mine. “Deciding what color I want you in on our wedding night. I’m thinking white.”

“Black would be more suitable. Considering it’s my funeral.”

“Keep behaving like this and I can arrange it. I don’t need you nearly as much as you do me, sweetheart. Your old man isn’t for this world much longer.”

“He’d cut out your tongue if he heard you speaking so ill of him.”

Roberto wraps my hair around his finger and tugs as he gets in my face. “We both know he’s not physically capable. You can either rule by my side or be buried next to him,” he grits the words against my lips as though he’s kissing me without making contact.

“I hate you.”

He lets go of my hair and grabs me by the shoulders, giving me a shake so violent that my teeth rattle. “You can hate me, but that doesn’t change the circumstances we’ve found ourselves in. I’ve wanted you since you turned eighteen. I knew you’d be mine, Adeline. Might as well accept that you’re my woman now.”

I gather spit in my mouth and hock it right between his eyes.

Anger flashes in his features as he throws me down on the bed, holding me in place with his weight as he goes for his belt.

“Get off me,” I scream in his face.

“Shut that mouth or I’ll shut it for you by ramming my dick down your throat. Seems you need taught a lesson about how a wife is supposed to behave.”

“We aren’t married yet.” I spit at him again.

The back of his hand whips across my face with a sickening thwack that sets my skin ablaze as though I’ve been struck by the hot side of an iron.

I wiggle against him, clawing and scratching at his arms as he yanks my pajama shorts down my thighs. I roll to my belly in the struggle, forgetting that he can just as easily rape me from behind. Hot tears roll down my cheeks as I struggle to break away from this sadistic monster.

“The more you fight, the harder I get.” He rubs his erection against my ass as proof that my thrashing beneath him gets him off.

I kick and scream, but no one will hear me over the sounds of the party.

I wrestle my way to the floor. I’m no match for Roberto or his strength. He pins my arms over my head with one hand while I continue to buck my hips. The coppery taste of blood seeps into my mouth from my split lip.

“Hold still, you fucking stupid cunt.” He grunts as I get one hand free and poke him in the eye.

His weight presses down on me with such force he may as well weigh a ton.

The lights go out, bathing us in darkness.

“What the fuck?” the bastard curses. Something wet splatters across my face. His body drops against mine and I stare into his surprised, dead eyes.

I open my mouth to scream as more blood leaks from the corners of his mouth and into mine.

I seal my lips closed and shove against his shoulders when his body is rolled off me.

I expect to see one of my father’s men, but instead I find a man I’ve never laid eyes on before.

“You’re welcome,” a deep, gravelly voice cuts through the tension and my shock. I look over at a very dead Roberto and back to the bloody hand that’s outstretched for mine.

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