Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 59004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
“And you’re sure you’re okay?” Beth asks, eyeing me again with suspicion.
“Yes,” I turn to tell her, my phone chiming. I glance down at the message from my dad, letting me know he’s here to pick me up. “My ride is here. Will you lock up for me?”
“Yeah, sure. Have fun,” Beth says. “Love you.”
“Love you,” I smile, leaving her sitting on my bed. I’m off to meet the fiancé I don’t want to marry.
“I think you’ll like him more than you think,” Dad says as we enter the mansion of a house.
It’s ornate, and the scrolling on the walls and massive pillars remind me of something you’d only see in the movies. It’s just so extravagant. My stomach swirls with nausea, and I tell myself it’s just the nerves, though the pregnancy test in my purse is still in the back of my mind. I’m pretty sure it’s stress, but I got one just in case. I push the thought away and scan the crowd, searching for familiar faces, but I see none. “Is… is Troy coming?” I ask, trying to keep my voice as nonchalant as possible.
“Yes.” His answer is short, and I look up at him, following his gaze to the man heading toward us, who is bald.
My heart stutters in my chest from the nerves, and my head feels light. “Is this…” I begin in a low voice.
“Liz, this is Mr. Frank Vitali,” he announces as soon as the man is within a few feet of us. “Frank, this is my daughter, Elizabeth.”
I inwardly cringe at the use of my mother’s name.
“Nice to meet you,” he says, his eyes darkening as they hold mine. “I’ve been wondering when we’d get acquainted, my love.”
My love.
The nickname echoes around in my head, feeling all kinds of wrong, but somehow, I still nod and smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Well, since we’re to be married, I’ll take her off your hands, Henry. I want to introduce her to a few of my men—show her off, if you will. She’s more stunning than I thought she’d be.”
My dad gives us both a tense smile and then backs away. “Of course.”
“Don’t worry, you can keep a close eye on us,” Frank laughs, patting my dad on the shoulder. He then offers his arm to me, and very reluctantly, I let go of my dad’s and take Frank’s.
I don’t know how I feel about it as I let him guide me along the grand ballroom, introducing me to men and women, all of whom seem to look at me with judgmental stares. I try not to get creeped out as he pats my hand or let the fact that we’re the same height bother me.
You have to give him a chance, Liz.
I keep telling myself that as we make our rounds. Frank doesn’t really talk to me, keeping his attention on the guests. As much as it should bother me, it doesn’t. I don’t care if the man ever talks to me. The feeling grows as my gaze lands on a tall, built, half-Italian man with steely gray eyes.
My mouth grows dry as our gazes lock, a shiver running down my spine. Troy’s expression is unmoving and unforgiving, with coldness in every inch of his face. I tell myself to look away, but for some reason, I can’t; I’m stuck in the moment.
“Come on,” Frank tugs at me, suddenly aware I’m frozen in place. “Are you all right, Elizabeth?”
The name forces my attention back to him. “Please call me Liz,” I say, forcing a smile. “Elizabeth was my mother, and I prefer my nickname.”
He gives me an apologetic look. “Oh, I’m sorry. Of course, I can call you Liz. I don’t mind at all.”
I nod, my stomach lurching again. “Where’s the restroom?”
He raises his brows and then gestures to the hallway off to the left. “Second door on the right.”
I walk quickly, thankful to be away from Frank. I can’t pinpoint what it is about him I don’t like other than he’s not Troy. My hand turns the knob, and the motion light kicks on, illuminating the grayscale luxury half bath. I swallow hard as the pregnancy test comes back to mind.
I can take it when I get home.
However, something internally tells me to take it anyway, even though I know my period can be irregular from stress. When I was studying for the bar exam, I skipped a month.
I also hadn’t had sex then, either.
I unwrap the test and follow the instructions, snapping the cap off and laying it flat on the counter when I finish. I wash my hands and lean against the bathroom door, squeezing my eyes shut.
Everything is going to be fine.
I’ll get used to Frank. No one says that I have to be intimate with him, right? Of course, what if I am pregnant? What will I do? Do I tell my dad? Do I tell Troy?