Cruel Vows

PAISLEY

Istare at the dress that I’m supposed to be wearing today. And yet I can’t bring myself to put it on, as once I do it means I accept that this is happening.

A cruel, dangerous man I barely know is forcing me to walk down the aisle today, knowing full well I want nothing to do with him.

Mia opens the door and her mouth drops open when she sees I’m not dressed. “Paisley, you need to get dressed now.”

I shake my head. “I can’t do this.”

Mia sighs and walks toward me, setting her hands on my shoulders. “I wish I could tell you that you don’t have to, but unfortunately, it’s not up to me.” She tilts her head. “No one listens to women in this world.”

I raise a brow. “I’m coming to believe that more than you can know.”

“If you fight it, it will just be worse.”

I grind my teeth, wondering how a girl so nice can be so complicit in all of this. “Can’t you help me escape?”

Mia’s eyes widen. “They would literally kill me.”

“I highly doubt that, as you’re part of the family.”

She shakes her head. “I’m sorry, Paisley. As much as I like you, there’s nothing I can do.” She nods toward the dress. “Do you want me to help you put it on?”

I return my attention to the dress, which may as well be a pair of fucking handcuffs. “No, I think I’d rather be alone.”

Mia looks disappointed by my refusal, but nods. “Sure, I’ll leave you to get ready. We’ve got twenty minutes until the service starts.” She winces slightly. “If you don’t have it on, I wouldn’t put it past my brother to march you down the aisle in your underwear.” And then she leaves, shutting the door behind her.

I wouldn’t put it past him either. He’s a cruel and sadistic asshole. He may be the single most beautiful man I’ve ever met before, but that’s just a facade. A pretty disguise for how truly despicable he is.

I sigh heavily and slump into a chair nearby, struggling to believe this is now my reality.

My mind returns to when Massimo told Axel I had to be part of the negotiations. Rick’s attempt to stand up for me was pretty fucking futile, and since then he hasn’t tried to contact me or see me.

I always thought we had each other’s backs, but clearly it’s me that had his all these years.

Our upbringing was shit, as my mom overdosed when I was only six and Rick was eight. We never knew our father and all my mom’s family had disowned her before we were born. It meant it forced us into the system, bouncing around from foster home to foster home.

I’d always been so thankful that we’d stayed together over the years. It’s the reason I stuck by him when he started getting involved with the motorcycle club.

The idea of abandoning the one person who’d been there my entire life never crossed my mind, and yet he let Massimo take me so fucking easily.

I sigh, standing and walking toward the dress. There’s no use wallowing in self-pity, as it’s something I rarely do.

Instead, I drop my robe to the floor and grab the dress off the hanger. It’s beautiful, but I feel like a traitor for even putting it on, a traitor to myself.

Stepping into it, I pull it up and fasten the zip on the side. It fits perfectly even though I never went to a fitting for it.

Marriage isn’t something I’ve ever given any thought to and yet here I am, being forced into one by a self-important crime boss.

Someone knocks on the door and then enters, not waiting for me to respond.

I’m surprised to find it’s Remy Morrone, of all people. “You look beautiful,” he says, almost out of duty.

I nod in response, not wishing to thank him for the compliment.

“Are you ready?”

I clench my jaw and glare at the head of the powerful crime family. “Not exactly.”

“I will walk you down the aisle, and I’m instructed to get you down it no matter the means.” He opens his jacket to flash his gun at me, which is so cliche.

“So now the don of a powerful crime family takes instructions from his son?” I ask, knowing it will piss him off.

He growls. “Don’t make me do something I regret.”

“I see where he gets his charms from.” I tilt my head. “Why are you going ahead with this when it doesn’t even benefit the famiglia, as you call it?”

His eyes flash and then his shoulders slump slightly. “Because my son isn’t ever going to marry one of the suitable women that I picked for him. You are better than nothing.”

“Wow, thanks a lot.”