Page 103 of Necessary Cruelty

Vin introduces me as if we haven’t been living in the same town our entire lives. I’ve encountered his parents many times before, not that it means I know them at all. Duke Cortland barely looks up from the open laptop he has next to him on the table. While his stepmother doesn’t look up from her phone, lazily swiping with one manicured finger.

His little sister is the only one who actually looks at me when she returns my greeting.

My expression of silent entreaty doesn’t escape Vin’s notice, but he just shrugs. When I glare at him, all I get in response is a placid expression.

“Emma, this is Zaya.” He says it breezily, as if I’m just a friend that he brought home from school.

Not his wife.

I’m not sure what to think about that as I sit down next to Emma.

A silent maid serves the food, placing a plate of something vaguely green and unrecognizable in front of me before disappearing.

“We’re gluten and dairy free,” Emma pipes up helpfully as she catches my expression. “Want me to pass you the salt?”

I accept it, gratefully. But I doubt there is enough salt in the world to make whatever this is palatable. It’s a real shame for people to have this much money and still eat food that isn’t fit to feed livestock.

“Emma here is a little too interested in sweets,” Giselle says as she puts down her phone. Her own plate has a significantly smaller portion than everyone else’s, which can’t possibly be an accident. “You’ll have to share your secrets for keeping such a trim figure, Zaya.”

It’s amazing what a starvation diet can do for you.

I bite my tongue on a sarcastic remark. Emma is a perfectly healthy girl. With her blonde hair and round cheeks, she looks fresh off a photoshoot for Gap Kids.

Vin clearly agrees with me, if the death glare he levels at his stepmother is any indication. But he doesn’t bother to say anything to Giselle and instead addresses his sister. “I’ve got some ice cream in the pool house, if you want something that doesn’t taste like the devil’s ass crack.”

Emma smiles, just as her mother makes an annoyed sound, “Enough, Vin!”

“No dairy or gluten?” His voice is conspiring as he leans over Emma’s plate to peer at her serving. Judging from his sister’s smile, they’re used to being on the same side against Giselle. “C’mon, this might as well be Auschwitz.”

Despite all appearances to the contrary, I was actually raised with some manners.

“It tastes wonderful, Mrs. Cortland.” I bring a forkful of limp green sludge to my mouth and take a bite. About ten seconds later, I have to fight the urge not to spit it back out. If Giselle notices the expression on my voice, she doesn’t comment.

I have literally been so hungry that it felt like my stomach was wrapped around my spine. I still probably wouldn’t have eaten whatever the hell is on this plate.

Duke finally speaks without bothering to look away from his computer screen. “I hear congratulations are in order.”

I raise my eyebrows as I glance at Vin. I guess none of this is a secret from his parents.

“Signed, sealed, and delivered,” Vin comments nonchalantly.

“We’ll need to plan for an official ceremony. Soon, for the sake of appearances. I can book the chapel relatively soon, likely by the end of the month. But it will be more difficult to find a venue for the reception on such short notice, so perhaps we’ll do something on the beach. Let people think it’s a matter of taste, rather than haste.”

My wild-eyed expression flies to Vin, who has his fist clenched around a water glass. The last thing I want to do is stand up in front of the entire town and pledge my troth to the guy who tortured me for years. Judging from the look on his face, he doesn’t want that either.

“Marriage is already legal,” he says, using the same low voice that has had people all over Deception shaking in their boots since he was fourteen years old. “I’m filing the paperwork tomorrow.”

But Duke doesn’t seem to be listening. He taps out a few letters on the keyboard before speaking again, not so much as sparing his son a glance. “Cortlands do not elope. Appearances matter, you know that. I’m sure Giselle would be happy to take care of the planning details”

I shake my head so hard I feel a little lightheaded. Giselle’s smile is more than a little forced when she agrees.

“I would be happy to plan everything.” Her voice is saccharine, but there is a brittle note underneath the sweetness. “Do you have any preferences, Vin? The oleander is blooming and would look lovely in the centerpieces.”

Vin abruptly stands. “Thanks for dinner.”

He grabs my wrist. I briefly resist, but at the look on his face decide it’s probably better to just go along with him. I’m sure as hell not going to eat any more of the food.

“This was lovely,” I call over my shoulder as he hustles me out of the dining room.

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