Page 131 of Poison Vows

“Ivy,” my mother hisses, jarring me back to reality. She gestures for me to move, so I do.

I place one foot in front of the other until I’m right in front of Vaughn.

Vaughn offers me his hand to take, but I can’t breathe.

He clears his throat slightly and reaches for my hand, and we move along to where the priest stands.

He starts saying some words in Italian, but nothing enters my ears.

A question is asked of Vaughn, and he quickly says, “I do.”

The priest repeats something in Italian, then he looks at me and asks the same question in Italian.

“What?” I croak.

The priest smiles patiently and repeats the words in English, then he asks the question in English and stares at me.

I look up at Vaughn. He’s smiling, watching me with almost twinkling eyes.

I can’t breathe.

My chest is tight. The room is spinning. My heart is out of control.

I’m about to have a panic attack!

“Ivy, what’s the holdup?” Senator Hughes questions with a faux smile on his face. “Go ahead.”

I notice the evil glint in his cold glare.

A manipulative man who’s only fuel in life is his greed and ambition for even more greed.

I’m not his daughter and I think he knows it, but it doesn’t matter to him, so long as I’m a pawn he can use and discard.

I promised myself that I wouldn’t be like this anymore…

No one is coming to save me. I have to save myself.

I clear my throat and look directly at the big boss, Grandpa Armando, feigning confidence that I don’t feel.

“Is this the right time to get something off my chest?” I ask, my voice clear, loud enough, not at all revealing the chaotic mess of fear surging in me.

“Ivy, what’s wrong?” Vaughn questions with a tight smile, but I ignore him and keep my gaze on his grandfather.

Grandpa Armando looks at me with a smile and nods slightly. “You can say whatever you want.”

Senator Hughes stands up and chuckles, but it’s dry and cold. “I’m sure it’s nothing, sir,” he says, then looks at me. “Ivy knows this is not the time to be mischievous and say nonsensical things.”

The cold light in his eyes is a warning, a warning I choose to ignore.

“I believe Grandpa has allowed her to say whatever she wants, Theodore.” Scarlet suddenly speaks for the first time in a while, her tone colder, meaner, and so damn badass, I almost fangirl. She glares at Senator Hughes. “Who are you to defy him?”

Senator Hughes straightens up and glances at Grandpa Armando in fear.

“No, not at all, that’s not what I meant, sir,” Senator Hughes stutters, looking panicked at Grandpa Armando.

“Then shut up and let my new granddaughter speak,” Grandpa Armando says.

All eyes swing to me, including Senator Hughes’s threatening glare.

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