Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 83994 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83994 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“That’s why he married me. Not because he needs a wife. Not to protect me from that crazy Senesi guy. But because he thinks he owns me. Because I was promised to him like… like some piece of property.”
“I don’t know what he thinks…” She takes a long drink of wine and stares at me, her face bleak and haggard. “But maybe it’s something like that.”
I can’t hear anymore. I’m overloaded. This is way too much.
Declan knew me from the start.
The second he hired me two years back, he knew exactly what he was doing. He did it on purpose.
All this time, all the hours we spent together, he knew.
He treated me like crap. He was demanding, difficult, and exacting.
And he did it on purpose.
I retreat from the kitchen and hide in my bedroom. It’s mostly empty now. I cleaned it out during the move. At least Sheila replaced the sheets and blanket. I sit in the corner, knees pulled to my chest, and stare blankly at the wall, trying to make sense of this nightmare.
My parents promised me to Declan. They arranged my marriage with him twenty years ago, when I was only a little kid.
Now he got what he wanted.
I’m his wife.
And I have no clue who the hell I married.
Chapter 20
Casey
It’s like I’m sinking into a hole.
I keep thinking I should get up and go somewhere. I can’t just hide out in my old bedroom for the rest of my life.
But every time I try to move, it’s like my body’s trapped.
I don’t even know who I am anymore.
My life used to make sense. Sure, things have worked out for me. I’ve gotten opportunities, scholarships, internships, fellowships. But I’ve also missed out on chances and spent my young adulthood chasing after one failed relationship after the next.
But now it’s like all of that is tainted.
Everything I’ve done, all the choices I’ve made, it’s all somehow twisted.
From the start, I was promised to him.
And they all knew.
I keep thinking that, over and over, letting it really sink in. They all knew. Sheila, Declan, probably the entire Whelan family. My parents set it up, back in the day.
Now he’s claiming me like I’m some blank check with his name written at the top.
I hear voices downstairs. I hear footsteps on the stairs. I can’t really make sense of anything until the door opens and he comes into the room.
Declan stares at me, standing a few feet away. Sheila’s not around.
My husband’s eyes are sunken and his shoulders are slumped.
I should be angry. Rage should fill me like a storm.
Instead, I just feel empty.
“That’s why you hired me, isn’t it?” I stare at him, aware I should probably start somewhere else. But I keep coming back to that.
Tension radiates from his body. He only nods. “I wanted to keep you close.”
“Right. Sure. Since you claimed me.”
“I never claimed you, Casey.” His voice is rough and raw. Like he’s been shouting for the past hour. I notice his eyes are bloodshot and his clothes are rumpled. I’ve never seen him looking so broken before. “You were never mine.”
“But my parents promised me to you, right? They made some deal with your family.”
His face twists at that word family. “It was a long time ago.”
“You took it seriously.”
“Nobody else did.” He comes to me. I shrink back, afraid he’ll touch me, but he only slumps down onto the edge of the bed.
His back is tense and rounded as he leans his elbows on his knees.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It wasn’t relevant. It wouldn’t have changed anything.”
“You could’ve given me the choice.”
“I already did. Senesi forced my hand. I planned on doing this differently, but…”
“But a box of dildos and lingerie ended up on your desk and you just had to fuck me that night.”
He lets out a long breath. “Yes, Casey. I had to fuck you.” The pain mixed with pure desire in his voice is like a hammer to my chest.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
He leans forward, his face in his hands. “Everything happened.”
“Declan?” I move toward him. He’s breathing deeply and slowly. “What’s wrong?”
“My father.” He sighs, lifting his face up, and looks at me. His stare is bleak and shattered. “He’s dead.”
Silence fills the space. I open my mouth in shock. I knew it was coming—we all knew it was happening soon—but there’s a difference between before and after. We were living in the maybe and the probably, but now we’re firmly in the definite.
“I’m so sorry.” I hesitate. I’m still angry with him. There’s still so much I want to know.
But this is bigger than me and him. Now that his father’s dead, a whole new level of responsibility was just dumped onto his shoulders.
There’s still the way he looks at me, with pure devotion and desire. Yes, Casey. I had to fuck you. Like he tried so hard to control himself, but finally broke down despite everything.