“Yeah, because maybe I thought you wanted to date me, not trap me in the woods and tear my shirt off and grind up on me. You scared me to death.”
Even remembering it made her heart pound. She’d fought back, though, even as his words had turned uglier, as his hands had ripped at her clothing, as he’d told her just how worthless she was while he expected her to spread her legs for him.
He’d touched her, exposed her breasts, groped them painfully, but she hadn’t let him inside her.
That was her only consolation looking at this pathetic man now. Had she really ever wanted him to love her?
When she’d been a teen, the love he’d offered had been like something from one of her fairy-tale novels. And then romance had turned to ugliness in the woods, and the more she’d fought him, the more apparent it had become that he’d never loved her at all. Didn’t even like her.
She’d been so lonely that he’d seemed like a prince, coming to see her after school, telling her he secretly liked her but couldn’t tell anyone.
It had escalated to soft kisses in the woods behind her family’s house. Always gentle.
And then he had said he loved her. She hadn’t even had time to process it before he’d pushed her to the ground. As if love were an excuse for what he was about to do to her. As if love were a password to let him in.
At first, she’d told him to wait, that she wasn’t ready, but he’d torn her shirt open, and she’d been surprised by his strength as she fought him.
Like many of the handsome boys in town, he was a shifter. Her father was; her mother wasn’t. The fact of mountain lion shifters was an open secret in the town of Heber. They didn’t tell visitors, but they kept it amongst themselves.
She’d thought that was a bit hot about him, but she’d never thought it would mean he would use it to hurt her.
She knew better now.
At least she’d managed to still get in a good groin hit. Shifters had genitals like anyone else and didn’t like when they were crushed by a well-placed knee.
Then she’d run as fast as she could back to her family’s house, but he’d cut her off midway in his cougar form.
There, he’d given her more of his ugly words. “No one wants you, bitch. I just thought it would be easy to get you flat on your back. But you’re disgusting anyway. Even worse naked. Who would want you?”
“I’m telling my father,” she’d said.
He’d replied that if she did, she’d better consider whether her father could take on his whole clan and whether she and her sisters would be okay without him.
Then he’d left, and she’d sunk to her knees, fighting not to internalize his ugly words but knowing there was nothing to go against them.
No boy had ever shown interest in her. So many of them had bullied her. Called her fat. Made her life hell. And if she believed one again, wasn’t it going to just turn out the same?
Ella pulled herself out of those memories and realized why Dante’s words of love had hurt her so much. Because love was something she’d told herself not to believe in again.
“I had a plan for us,” Cliff said.
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve wanted you for my mate since I saw you in grade school. You were one of the only curvy girls in town.” He clicked his tongue. “But I had to make sure no one else set their eyes on you. So I made sure my shifter friends bullied you. Made sure they spread it around that anyone who didn’t was going to get it. It was too easy.”
“You don’t even want me,” she said. “You called me ugly. You said you couldn’t stand to look at me. You—”
“I was just trying to make sure you never showed yourself to another man. Never tried to date again. But that didn’t work when you showed up with that male whore. That’s right. I know you hired him. I looked for dating services in your area and found his face on a website really quick.”
She gaped at him in shock.
“That’s right. I know where you live. I’ve been keeping tabs. And when my brother started dating your sister, I knew that’s when it was all going to be happening. Tomorrow, I’m gonna make it a double wedding.”
“You’re insane,” she said. “Tomorrow, my sister is getting married, and I’ll be there with my date, Dante.”
“No, you won’t,” he said. “Because if you show up at the wedding with that pretty boy, I don’t care how good he is at fighting with his fists. The boys and I are going to use claws.”
“My dad isn’t going to let you do this either.”
“Well, it’s him and your family against the rest of my clan. And you know my brother isn’t a shifter.”
She sighed. “This doesn’t make any sense.”
He stepped in closer, almost breathing down her neck. She thought of Dante, up in the bedroom, confused. “If you care at all about what happens to that pretty boy, you’ll get him gone.” He looked over at the car where his cronies sat waiting. “Because I’m going to go home tonight and get some rest. And then tomorrow, I’m gonna get ready for my wedding.”
“As if my sister is just going to go along with it,” she said.
“You’d be surprised what people will go along with when there are a dozen mountain lions prowling around.”
She glared. “You can’t do this. I don’t want you.”
“Yeah, but see, I want you,” he said. “Bad enough to kill that pretty boy. Take him in the woods and gut him where no one can find him.”
She swallowed, thinking about Dante. How he would fight for her. How he would die for her. He was so strong, so impervious. She’d never seen the shifters in town as abusive. Growing up, the adults had been polite and the youngsters no ruder than others. She loved her dad, how strong and protective he was.
But even he and Dante combined stood no chance.
She’d just have to send Dante home and hope to make an escape.
“And don’t even think about running,” he said. “If you do, I’ll come find you.”
“This is criminal,” she said. “You’re pure evil.”
“I don’t care,” he said. “You have the night to get rid of him. Then I’ll be the one to take care of it.”
The door behind her opened, and she saw Dante standing there, glaring out at them.
“Get away from her,” he said, launching himself forward as Cliff stumbled back. He turned to Ella. “You weren’t supposed to be around him. Get inside.”
“Tell him what’s going on between us, Ella. Tell him we’re in love.”
She glared at Cliff as he laughed drunkenly and then stumbled away.
Dante stood behind her, his anger palpable.
“It’s not what it looks like,” she said. But then she looked up into his beautiful golden eyes, thinking of everything they’d shared together, and felt her heart crack in half at the thought of anything happening to him.
When she’d brought him home, she’d never thought there would be danger here.
After all, she’d assumed Cliff hated her. That’s how it had seemed. She’d never thought in a million years he wanted her and would go this far to get her.
“What is it?” he asked. “Why were you talking to him, then?”
She sighed, steeling herself for the pain of what she was about to do to him. But unless she wanted to see her gorgeous love torn apart by a dozen cat shifters, she had to do this.
Because she realized deep down now that she loved him.
“I’m… getting back together with him,” she said dully, avoiding Dante’s eyes.
He gripped her shoulders, shaking her slightly. “Do you even hear what you’re saying? He terrifies you. I can see it.”
Yes, she thought. But I don’t have a choice.
“Why? Why are you doing this?” Dante asked, exasperated. “Is it because I said I loved you? I know that pushed you away, but we can—”
Her eyes welled up. Because you’re human, and I don’t want him to tear you apart. “Don’t make this harder on me, Dante. This is what I want.”
He stopped pacing and looked at the ground. “So what, you want me to leave you tonight? Right now?”
“I’m going to the wedding with him tomorrow.” To marry him, because I have to.
Dante stared at the ground, his hands clenched into fists, mouth pressed into an angry line. “I love you, Ella. I meant that.”
She gave him a look that was supposed to be defiant. “I know. And I still want you to go.”
Cliff and his friends had pulled out and driven away, so at least she would have a night without him.
But she couldn’t afford for him to come by in the morning and not have Dante gone.
She’d figure out something, but she had to make sure Dante was safe. She was the one who got him into this situation in the first place.
“Fine,” he said tersely, his expression going blank and cold. “I can see you’ve made your decision. I’m not going to make a fool of myself any longer. But I really do love you, Ella. I’ll leave because you told me to, but I’m not giving up.”
She just stared after him as he went back into the house and stormed up the stairs. She walked in and heard him rummaging around, presumably packing.
Moments later, he was headed past her with a suitcase. He stopped, looking like he wanted to kiss her. Then he leaned in, taking advantage of her shock to give her a quick kiss on the forehead.
“All I want is for you to be happy.”
“I know,” she said in a croak.
And then he was gone, climbing into a cab he must have called while upstairs packing. As he faded into the distance, she sank to her knees.
She could still feel his hands all over her.
Now she could never feel them again.
Fifteen
The next day, Ella woke up feeling empty. She couldn’t believe Dante was gone. A part of her had feared he wouldn’t leave her no matter what she said. But he had.
And immediately.
She shouldn’t have been surprised. He’d always done what she wanted, whether it was going at her speed, wooing her, standing up for her. He’d always listened to her wishes, treated her like a queen.
And saving his life had been all she could do for him.
She changed into her bridesmaid gown, because her sister had made a friend her maid-of-honor, and looked at herself in the mirror. It was a pretty dress in periwinkle. The color of bluebells. Made of chiffon in sheer, feminine layers with off-the-shoulder sleeves.
She’d been excited to show it to Dante. After she figured a way out of this and got back to town, maybe she could win him back over. Maybe she could run right after her sister was married and escape in the confusion.
She was a grown-ass woman, and she didn’t have to fall to the whims of an overgrown cat.
But she had to be careful not to let him know anything was up first.
She pinned on small, silver ball earrings and pulled her hair into a low, curly knot, leaving a few pieces out around her face. She went minimal on makeup, just a hint of blush, some mascara, and some lip-gloss.
She sighed in the mirror, trying to make her expression look less tragic. It would be best if Cliff thought she was fine with this. Not excited, but fine.
She heard her family talking downstairs, loudly, and realized they were probably only finding out now that Dante was gone.
She slipped her matching heels on and grabbed her clutch and walked out to look over the stairs.
Cliff was there, wearing a black suit similar to the groom’s, but with a blue tie instead of a black one. It was less fancy as well. His stupid dark hair was groomed carefully to the side, making him look even oilier.
Not that there was any way he could look that would make her not hate him right now.
“You look beautiful,” he said, moving to the stairs and ignoring the shock on her family’s faces as he reached out his hand.
She slowly came down and took it, ignoring their gasps.
“But where’s Dante?”
“Ella and I got back together last night,” Cliff said.
“But…” Ron narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
“But things were going so well with Dante,” Grace said, looking between Cliff and Ella. She bit her lip. “Did something happen?”
“Yes, something happened. Ella hired that stupid date, and then she found out she had a real man that loved her and decided to stop playing charades.”
“You mean Dante was hired?” Grace asked. “I thought we—”
“Oh my gosh, can we deal with this later?” Melanie cut in, annoyed. “It’s my day!”
Ella ground her teeth together. “Fine. We’re going anyway.” She went out with Cliff, knowing he would at least expect her to accompany him to the wedding site.
“We’ll follow after,” Grace said. “Melanie still has to get dressed. Can’t let the groom see the bride!”
Ron was still staring at them in open-mouthed shock. “Ella, are you sure about this?”
Her heart thudded in the direction of her toes. “Yes.”
“Then fine,” Ron said. “I’ll drive with the two of you.”
Secretly, her heart leapt with relief. As long as they weren’t alone, maybe she could put him off. The three of them got in Cliff’s car, and the drive to the venue was uneventful.
When they got there, Cliff waited for her dad to get out of the car to go talk to relatives and then pulled her aside. “Don’t even think about leaving me,” he said. “I know you’re probably planning to get sneaky, but I’m not going to give you even a second.”
“I could put up a fight right now,” she said. “Scream bloody murder. Would your ‘friends’ really want to create a fight right here in the middle of a gathering?”
“Not a big gathering,” he said. He had a point, there were only close friends and family there. Melanie had wanted something bigger and flashier, but as Ben was still trying to get his career off the ground, she’d had to settle for small.
“Either way, would you really hurt people just for me?”
“Not if you don’t make me,” he said. “All you have to do is behave and be calm. Soon you’ll be mine, and there won’t be anything to fight about. I promise I’ll make it worth your while.”
He grabbed her by the hand before she could protest and fairly dragged her to their seats in the front row. Before them was a wooden stage made for the ceremony. It was draped with white material to make it look like a podium, and behind it was a huge, wooden arch covered artfully with roses and other flowers.
It would have been a beautiful scene if Cliff wasn’t next to her.
How had life taken such a one-eighty in just a few days?
And would things have gone even worse if Dante hadn’t come home with her, or would she be better off not knowing she had a love out there that she couldn’t be with?
She zoned out until the music started and her sister came out in a veil and a beautiful dress, looking radiantly happy to have all eyes on her. Despite her own predicament, Ella tried to be happy for her sister.
But it wasn’t fair. Her sister got to choose and she didn’t. She’d thought she’d escaped the horror of her childhood, but it had come back to haunt her.
She’d been right to stay away from her hometown.
Tears bit the corners of her eyes as the minister stepped forward between the bride and groom to start vows.
It should be a beautiful moment, yet…
She gasped as she felt herself jerked forward out of her chair. She hadn’t even felt Cliff take her hand, and now she was being dragged toward the podium, even as she tried to fight him, pulling back.
“No,” she hissed. “Don’t do this.”
“Ella!” Grace said as Ron stood to stop them.
“What the hell are you doing?” Melanie spat, throwing her veil back to show her beautiful face was bright red with fury. “You’re ruining my moment.”
“Let me go!” she said, tugging back on Cliff.
“You release my daughter,” Ron said,
trying to come between her and Cliff.
Cliff swung and caught her dad on the jaw, to the shock of everyone present. Ron stumbled back, and Cliff looked at the crowd as he gestured to his friends to come forward. She counted at least ten, dressed in suits, as they came up to the front of the podium to stand by them.
“No,” Ron said. “You can’t get away with this.”
“It’s going to be a double wedding,” Cliff said ominously, getting on the podium and trying to drag her onto it.
“Ew!” Melanie screamed, batting him with her bouquet. “Get off. You’re ruining it.”
Cliff reached back to shove her to the side, and Ben caught her, pulling her out of the way and off the podium.
Like everyone else, he seemed to realize there was no reasoning with his clearly insane brother.
The minister had crept to the edge of the platform, and Cliff was now alone in the center, yelling like a crazy person and yanking on her arm.
She dug her feet into the wood in front of her and braced all her weight against him.
Dammit, maybe he would force her, but she wasn’t going to make this easy.
“You do this or I’m going to let my friends attack your family,” he hissed at her.
She jerked back extra hard, and he lost his grip, but then he just jumped off the platform to scoop her up in his arms, ignoring her flailing as his friends kept her father from reaching her.
This was all ridiculous.
I hate shifters. I hate them! she thought as she kicked hard, trying to escape Cliff’s hold. I’m going to hate them forever.
She was busy pounding on his chest when she became aware of a loud, high whistling sound, like something dropping from the sky.
She put a hand up, but whatever it was, it was coming down too quickly, right at them.
She flinched as Cliff jumped back from the podium, bracing himself as they heard a large crash and something landed hard in the middle of the platform, sending up a huge cloud of dust and wood and flowers and obliterating the beautiful arch.
As the dust slowly cleared, she saw a figure standing in the middle of the wreckage of the podium. He head was down, and he was stumbling to his feet.
But there was something odd about him, something moving behind him.
Gold (Date-A-Dragon Book 1) Page 13