Page 6 of Captive Bride

I can’t even believe this day has come.

I can’t even believe my fucking parents put me in this position.

There’s nothing to look forward to now. If I ever held some sort of hope in the back of my mind that I could fall in love, well, tonight is going to totally ruin that.

“Baby, are you okay?” Thelma asks.

I give her a look that tells her no. She understands me, and she understands that this is the worst night of my life. I’ve been dreading this news for some time.

Just as soon as my parents had the Governor’s attention, I was being prepared for this day. They need him so they can operate their illegal businesses and crime out of the city.

He turns a blind eye, and he makes sure all the other politicians and the policeman do so as well. He’s the ringleader of the politicos and essential to their success.

He is so essential, in fact, that I have to marry him in order to have a sort of binding contract between him and my family.

I always knew he had his sights set on me. When he would come visit, he’d always leer at me in a disgusting way.

And now I’m going to have to sleep with the old rat bastard and share his bed and house.

“It’s okay, Baby. It’ll all work out in the end, you’ll see. I don’t know how, I don’t know when, but you’ll be okay,” Thelma says.

Her words always soothe me. I only wish that I could believe her.

I know this is my death sentence. I know my parents are signing away my life.

I’m exchanging the Capulet prison for the Governor’s mansion. It’ll be the same kind of thing, bodyguards everywhere, and no freedom, but I’ll have to sleep with the guy.

The thought makes my skin crawl.

Thelma takes my hand and leads me gently inside. Stylists are running around the place.

They think I should be happy. They’re showing me all kinds of gowns and dresses.

The makeup and hair people are waiting impatiently for me.

I slump down on the velvet stool in my opulent en-suite where there’s a glam station all for me. People primp and pluck at me. But my somber expression gives everything away.

I’m not happy, and after tonight, I probably never will be.

“Darling, what are you gonna wear tonight?” the stylist says, holding up several gowns.

“Um, how about the least sexy thing you have?” I say.

He looks at me like I’m ungrateful.

“Girl, you should be happy. It’s your engagement night after all.”

Yeah, happy...right.

I roll my eyes at him and look at him.

“Patrick,” I say, “Why don’t you pick out my outfit because I really couldn’t care less?”

He ignores my blasé attitude, used to it by now.

He goes about skimming through the racks of clothing that he’s brought in. The makeup people start highlighting my face, ensuring I look perfect for the evening. And the hair people simultaneously curl my long blonde locks.

My glam squad.

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