Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 89772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
“I understand. My mother paid with hers as well.”
I swayed back, shocked he shared that with me.
“We all have demons. Cruz can protect you, but he can’t chase yours away. It’s on you to bury them.”
“Did you bury yours?”
“Here’s the thing about demons, Sienna. You can bury them, but like me…they re-emerge.” He twirled me as the song was coming to an end. “Thank you for the dance.”
The reception went on without a hitch. Everyone celebrated what was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. The liquor flowed, the music blared, and all in attendance carried on getting louder and louder as the hours ticked by. Handing us cards filled with nothing but blood money I wanted no part in.
The men cracked jokes about my father having to apologize for my behavior after I ran out of the ceremony. He said something along the lines of his daughter looked like an angel, like her mother, before he signaled the sign of the cross on his body. Finishing his joke by adding, “But her fire was one hundred and ten percent Sicilian. A blessing and a curse. Cruz has his hands full with her.”
Everyone laughed, and all was forgotten.
In a couple of sentences, he dismissed every single feeling I had.
I drank…a lot.
I had to. It was the only way I was going to survive this night. Glass after glass of champagne poured down my throat. If I heard one more person say, “Honeymoon baby,” I was going to scream until I broke all the glass bottles with my vocal cords, which flowed loosely at the party. We cut the cake, he fed me, and I did the same. Merely going through the motions of what was expected of me.
I threw my bouquet, Aurora caught it. Counting my small blessings that my father didn’t authorize the removal of my garter. When it came time for Cruz to throw it, he was given one to toss at the men. It felt more like I was preparing for death row than my very own wedding night.
My family and friends said their goodbyes along with my father. I swear, it seemed as though I blinked, and hours sped by. Before I knew it, we were on a private elevator on our way up to the honeymoon suite. Where everything in my life suddenly turned pitch dark black.
The iron doors slid open, revealing the biggest most lavish room I’d ever seen in my entire existence. The space was enormous, covered in roses. There wasn’t an area that wasn’t coated in red petals and vases upon vases of flowers. I walked in, knowing Cruz was stepping into the suite behind me. Every time I heard him take a step, it mimicked my pounding heart and ringing in my ears.
I was numb.
Broken.
Finding refuge in the chilled champagne bottle, I popped it open.
Cruz’s commanding presence instantly echoed off the walls. “You’ve had enough.”
“Have I?” I closed one eye, zeroing in on him. “Nope. I can still see you.” Setting the bottle on my lips, I gulped it down.
Three.
Five.
Seven swigs.
Until Cruz ripped it out of my hands. “I said you’ve had enough.”
“Oh, sir…you’re acting more like my daddy than you are my husband.”
“I could take you over my knee and spank your ass if you’d like.”
“I think you’re the one who would like that way too much.”
“Not as much as I’m going to like hearing you beg for it.”
“The only thing you’ll ever hear me beg for is my freedom which you stole from me.”
“I find it amusing you think I’ve taken anything from you. Considering this was an arranged marriage for me too.”
I winced, I couldn’t help it. This was the first time I’d heard him call our wedding an arranged marriage. Maybe it was the booze coursing through my bloodstream, but it hurt my self-esteem for him to reduce our nuptials to two meaningless words that meant nothing to him. Even if I’d said them myself countless times.
Okay, Sienna, you definitely need to stop drinking.
Like nails on a chalkboard, my fingers slid along the walls as I made my way into the bedroom. Halting over the threshold, I abruptly noticed the white silk nightie my aunts must have left on top of the bed.
“And here I thought you decorated this room for me. Do you want to know what happens next, Cruz?” I spun to face him.
Somewhere in the last few minutes he must have taken off his tuxedo jacket, it was hanging over the back of the couch. His tie also hung loosely around his neck while the top buttons of his shirt were undone as well. He was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest.
Radiating so much power and authority, I found myself sucking in a breath.
Fuck…how much did I drink?
My thighs clenched, swallowing the sudden lump in my throat.