Page 14 of Stolen Vows
I can’t wait to see how she responds to my gift.
And if it comes with seeing her curves covered in lace, well, that’s just an added bonus I’ll happily savor.
Chapter 5
Valentina Denaro
I resist the urge to wipemy clammy hands on my thighs by sheer force of will as I wait for my father to offer me his arm.
He was so angry earlier.I’ve never seen him so furious sober, at least not directed at me.
Broaching the topic of Mario’s appearance during the ceremony isn’t an option.He’ll never believe me.I doubt he’d accept the truth even if he saw his ex-best friend with his own eyes.
I swallow the lump in my throat and ignore how frayed I feel as I take my father’s elbow and let him lead me to our car.As the valet hands the keys to the hired driver, my father ushers me into the car as though I’m made of glass.
I fasten my seatbelt and wait as the driver gets behind the wheel and my father settles beside me.The man’s eyes in the rearview mirror linger on me a little too long, but I give him a polite smile as my father tells him our destination.
I try not to shrink back when my father takes my hand, but he notices my flinch and scowls.I push my fear and frustration aside and aim a bright smile at him.
“You must be tired from the party,” he says.
“Oh no, I’m fine.The dresses were so pretty and the ceremony was amazing,” I lie.
“Is your stomach still hurting you?”
I glance at the driver, hoping my father reads my expression as embarrassment and not distrust.
“I’ll visit you after I finish drinks with the club this evening,” he says.
I nod.He pats my hand.We finish the drive in silence.
I don’t speak a word on the way to my room.No one expects more than a smile from me anyway.I could be a puppet and no one would care, so long as I’m pretty and obedient.
The moment my room door closes behind me, panic sets in.I stand in the receiving area as my mind replays the horror of the day.
My nipples and clit throb from Mario’s abuse.I shift my weight from one foot to the other as the adrenaline I suppressed all day floods my system.My senses sharpen, highlighting the ache in my left nipple and the soreness between my legs.
No one has ever taken such liberties with my body before.He hurt me.Mocked me.Threatened me.
He woke an insatiable beast.The warm slickness coating my panties shames me.
Sandpaper scratches the back of my eyes and cotton fills my throat, but I refuse to cry.
He’s watching me.I’m not alone.
Too many emotions barrel through me.I ignore them all and walk on wobbly legs to the bathroom sink.My reflection is too much to handle, so I turn on the faucet, brace my palms on the counter, and hang my head.
With my hair curtained around my face and the rushing water drowning out my sniffling, I cry for the first time since my mother left but only allow myself a few minutes of weakness.If I wallow for too long, I’ll never be able to pull myself back together.
I splash cold water on my face and prop my elbows on the edge of the sink, letting the droplets drip off my chin and nose as I study my features in the mirror.
Romeo was supposed to be my escape, but Mario’s arrival changes everything.He’ll never let me marry Romeo.
Unless I convince my father to let me elope.
Maybe an impromptu signing of legal papers can save me.We can still hold the big, fancy wedding next month.Hell, I’ll even vote for consummating the marriage as soon as we sign papers if it means thwarting Mario’s plan.
I’d prefer a contract marriage with no emotional ties than the life of pain and humiliation my uncle promised me.
