I swallowed as I turned and faced a man who was slightly older than Andre. His face was handsome but hard…and oh yes…he was definitely dangerous. Everything about him told me that.
He crossed his arms over his chest, causing his muscles to flex beneath his black t-shirt. He smiled then, flashing perfectly white teeth and I trembled as I moved as far away from him as I could. He smiled again as his eyes raked over me in a way that frightened me. It made me wonder if my mother’s fate was about to be my own.
Fear engulfed me. I opened my mouth to scream but he shook his head causing his long black hair to swing around his treacherous but handsome face,
“I wouldn’t,” he said darkly, “Unless you want the other ladies to be hurt,” he raised one thick brow, “You don’t want that, do you?”
I raised my chin defiantly, “Who are you?”
“My name is Garridan,” he said, stepping forward, “I am the one your father chose for you.”
I flinched as his words sank into my mind. Anger and fear shot down my spine both hot and cold in intensity.
“And you’re here to force me to be with you,” I said, finally looking into his eyes. I jumped when I seen they were the same silver as mine.
I shook my head back and forth quickly. I refused to let him take me. I refused to go willingly.
“I will force you, if I have to, Aurora,” he said with his handsome face suffused in anger.
My eyes darted to the door, “I won’t go with you,” I said and then, yelped as I side-stepped his lunge. I ran for the door, opening it just as he grabbed my arm, turning me toward him.
My knee rose hitting him in the groin. A second later he was bending over, groaning in pain. I ran out of the dressing room and nearly ran over Sophia in my haste to get away from Garridan.
“Aurora, what’s wrong?” She asked grasping both of my shoulders as she looked into my terrified face.
My chest seized as I struggled to tell her what had happened, “Garridan…the man my father chose for me…tried to take me,” I gasped out, “H-He’s in the dressing room.”
Sophia’s eyes widened as she pulled me to the front of the store. She quickly told my mother and Mirella that we had to leave and thanked the clerk before pulling us out onto the street where her car waited.
We got in and Sophia quickly started the car, pulling away. I looked back as we drove down the road, Garridan exited the store. He stood on the sidewalk staring at our car with red hot fury marking his face but something else was there too. I trembled uncontrollably as I realized what it was. He was determined to take me. Worse, I didn’t know if anyone could stop him.
Chapter Six
Freedom
When we arrived at the motor home park, I was forced to stay outside of my home while Sophia, my mother and Gavriel went inside. They had locked me out to discuss what had happened to me…and what they would do. Mirella went to fetch Andre and I was left to pace back in forth in front of my home alone, wondering what was the point of bringing Andre here if he would not be allowed in either. Tears burned my eyes. Why were they keeping us out? This was my life…and Andre’s…not theirs.
“Are you okay?” Andre asked breaking through my angry thoughts and halting me in my frenzied pacing.
I turned losing my anger instantly. Instead, my mouth dropped open in shock as I seen him. He was walking toward me with a dark look on his face. His white shirt was unbuttoned showing his muscled chest and rippling abs. He wore jeans that hung low on his hips and dark work boots covered his feet.
I blinked, closing my mouth thinking that he seemed more dangerous…especially to me. My heart began to beat quickly as he stepped closer and closer. Heat swam in my face and I had to force myself to breathe.
He stopped in front of me, narrowing his beautiful eyes as he stared into my face, “Aurora, are you okay?” His eyes were dark fire as he asked the question again and I could not ignore it this time.
“Yes,” I whispered, feeling as if my throat were coated in something thick.
His face darkened as he peered into my eyes. He stepped even closer to me. His woodsy male scent surrounded me…swamping me. My heart began to beat quickly…pounding so hard that I could hear it in my ears as I looked up at him.
“You aren’t to be alone anymore,” he said abruptly as he grabbed my cheeks and then, examined my face before stepping back to look over the rest of my body.
“What?” I asked as the heat cooled. My eyes widened, truly angered that he was treating me in the same way our parents were. How dare he order me around. How dare he treat me that way.
“Aurora, you were almost kidnapped,” he said sensing my anger and matching it. His eyes flashed as his face darkened another degree.
“And I got away without your help,” I said, narrowing my eyes and thrusting out my chin, “What does it matter to you anyway?”
Andre’s inhaled sharply as if insulted, “I’m your fiance.”
“By force!” I yelled, baring my teeth. I could feel the heat of my anger rise in my face as I stared at him.
“It doesn’t matter!” He yelled back, “You’re still my responsibility.”
Responsibility? My mouth pressed into a thin line. For some reason, it angered me more that he thought of me as something no more important than an obligation. My eyes widened as frustration slammed through me. I didn’t understand my feelings and I didn’t understand him. I opened my mouth but I didn’t know what to say so I threw my arms out, giving up trying to explain to him how I felt and turned around and began to walk in the direction of the bonfire pit.
“Aurora!” He yelled after me, sounding panicked.
Good. Let him be worried, I thought as I quickened my steps, Maybe he would quit being such a jerk.
He caught up to me, walking right behind me, “Where are you going?”
I didn’t answer. Instead, I just let my anger smolder. He grabbed me by the wrist and turned me to face him. He stared at me with his eyes furrowed. Anger darkened his face. In that moment, I had the insane need to slap him. Instead, I flexed my free hand and curled it into a fist.
“What’s wrong with you?” He asked as he glared at me. His chest rose and his nostils flared as his eyes met mine.
“Everyone is always bossing me around,” I said almost in a growl and jerked my arm making him release my wrist, “Now you’re doing it too. You‘re no better than them.”
“I’m trying to keep you safe,” he said blinking as his anger began to cool.
“Well, I don’t understand why,” I said, staring at him. Tears blurred my vision and I began to sob, “If my father took me you’d be free. You wouldn’t have to marry me.”
He paled as he took in my face. He shook his head vigorously, “I don’t care. I don’t want you hurt.”
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, when I opened them he was staring at me warily. My heart felt as if it were bleeding as I studied him, knowing that he had to want more than me…better than me. A tear fell down my cheek as I whispered, “You had to want something before I came back…Someone.”
His eyes darkened and I felt my heart drop as I realized why, “You had a girlfriend?”
“It doesn’t matter,” he said, as his eyes darkened. He sounded bitter as he whispered, “I don’t anymore.”
I screamed in frustration and then, turned to him, “It does matter,” I said, turning from him again, “I can’t do this…I won‘t.”
I shook my head and began to walk away from him again. I didn‘t know where I was going. I just knew that I was leaving and I wasn‘t coming back. I would live on the streets if I had to. Anything would be better than ruining someone’s life.
“Wait!” he said, sounding desperate, “Don’t do this. You don’t understand everything that’s going on…Please, Aurora…Please.”
I felt a warning prickle down my neck and turned to face him. It would have to be something important enough to make him beg. I looked at him, seeing such torture in his eyes that
my heart clenched, “Then, tell me.”
“I-I,” he stuttered and I raised my brows.
“I am not doing this, Andre,” I said, realizing that he was just trying to keep me there. I pressed my lips together and shook my head as I backed up a couple of steps.
“What are you going to do?” He asked, narrowing his eyes. His face darkened as he took a step toward me, “Go to Garridan?”
I frowned. For a moment, he seemed…jealous. I pushed that thought away. It was too ridiculous.
“I’m just leaving,” I said, feeling the need to tell him the truth, “I’m not going to Garridan and I‘m not going to my father…I‘m just leaving.”
“You’ll cause me to be outcast if you do that,” he said, sadly. My heart clenched as I realized his reasons for wanting me to stay. His next words only confirmed it, “My family will not claim me.”
I grasped the sides of my head feeling the need to scream again but Andre stepped in front of me and pulled my hands down so that I had to look at him. Tears rolled down my cheeks.
“Don’t cry,” he said, looking heartbroken, “Please.”
“Name one thing that will be good if I do this,” I said, feeling the absolute despair of the situation.
“We’ll be free,” he said with a small shrug, “After this, they will not be able to tell us what to do anymore. We‘ll be able to live without their influence over all of our decisions.”
“But we’ll be married,” I said, frowning, “And you will have lost the girl that you love.”
He shook his head from side to side, “No, not loved,” he said, giving me a sad, crooked grin, “I liked her though. It could have become something.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, seeing that our marriage cost him the same things that it had cost me. He had lost his right to have a marriage based on love too.
“Just do this,” he said, pleading, “Give me my freedom.”
I sighed, knowing that I really didn’t have anywhere to go but to my father and I didn‘t want to go there. Slowly, I nodded my head, “Okay.”
“You say that like it will be horrible to be married to me,” he said with a sad smile.
“Well, I guess it won’t be so bad as long as you don’t act like you did when I first met you,” I whispered, hoping to lighten the mood.
“Now that I can’t promise,” he said with a grin.
**********
That night I had fallen asleep after tossing and turning in my bed for hours. My mind would not let go of everything that had happened or how our parents still controlled everything. They had finally come out of the motor home and had obviously decided to continue with everything as it was but the stress from my father, Garridan’s attack and my arranged marriage weighed me down. Besides that, sleep could mean sleep walking and I fought to keep from doing that again.
When I could no longer resist it, sleep came, restless and full of nightmares which caused me to rise from my bed with a start. A scream was stuck in my throat as I looked around seeing monsters in the shadows and feeling my heart nearly stop in my chest. Sadly, I could not recall what the nightmares had been about…only that it had been terrifying and full of blood….and the moon…the nightmares had definitely had the moon in them.
I swallowed needing light to chase away the monsters. I stood frightened of what I could not see within the thick shadows blanketing the floor. I shook uncontrollably as I reached blindly for the light switch, knocking over the bottles of parfume and make-up on the dresser as I searched.
Finally, I found the little switch and flipped it upward illuminating the room with soft light. I blinked away the black dots that danced in front of my eyes, pressing my hand to my chest as I found no threat within my room.
A moment later, the door burst open shattering my sense of relief. I jumped as Andre burst into the room. My eyes widened as I grabbed my robe and quickly put it over the lone t-shirt I was wearing. I took a deep, steady breath, trying to calm my heart as I looked back at Andre.
“Are you okay?” He asked as his eyes landed on me worried, “I seen the light come on.”
“I just had a nightmare,” I whispered, “It was nothing to worry about.”
Andre looked around the room and then, back at me stopping when he seen me tying my robe. His lips parted and his eyes raked over me in such a way that made my heart continue to jump and my skin flush.
“It was just a dream?” He asked, looking toward my dresser. He trembled for a moment as if cold. His voice was low in concern and something else.
“It was,” I said, frowning, “I promise.”
He sighed, looking at me again. His tongue darted out of his mouth moistening his lips and I couldn‘t help but to watch the action in fascination. His voice came to me again, rough and sultry and carrying a warning that I did not understand, “You need to get back to bed.”
I frowned when he didn’t move toward the door. My heart trembled and I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling self-conscious, “Aren’t you going to leave?”
The corner of his lips lifted and something sparked in his eyes, “Aurora, you are going to have to get used to being in the same room with me,” he said, smiling, “In two nights, we will be sharing the same bed.”
My hands began to sweat as I stammered for an answer, “W-Well, that’s not right now.”
His grin widened and I realized that he was teasing me. I narrowed my eyes with a grin and grabbed a pillow from my bed and threw it at him. He caught it easily, laughing.
“Get out!” I said in mock anger. I couldn’t help but to laugh.
He grinned as he walked out of the door, “Thanks for the pillow,” he said, poking his head back through the entrance to my room and then, he was gone, closing the door firmly behind him.
I shook my head still laughing until I began to wonder what was expected of me the first night of our marriage. My heart froze in my chest as my mind conjured images that made me blush. My stomach flipped and turned as I realized that I may be expected to do everything those images had conjured up. I trembled as I pushed away those thoughts quickly from my mind, convincing myself Andre would not expect those things from me with a forced marriage but my mind whispered to me again…What if he did?
Chapter Seven
Marriage
A day and a half passed almost peacefully which only put me more on edge. I knew that the calm would end and something would happen, even if everyone else seemed at ease. The truth was simply that I really did not believe my father had given up nor did I believe that Garridan had forgotten me simply because I had kneed him in the groin. Still, everyone else seemed to go on with the wedding festivities as if there were no threats.
My dress had arrived and by some miracle it fit perfectly. I was relieved to see that it was the one that Sophia and my mother had agreed upon. Secretly, I had liked it too.
The church had been chosen as had the venue where the reception would take place. Everything seemed to be working out perfectly. So perfectly that it felt like the calm before the storm.
It was the day before the wedding when dread seemed to seep further into my bones. If anything was going to happen, it would happen within the next two days. Even Mirella visiting did nothing to calm my fears.
She grinned when she realized my mood, “What is wrong with you?”
I shrugged, “I’m kind of expecting something bad too happen,” I said, truthfully.
She grinned, “I understand why you feel that way,” she laughed, raising her brows, “You’re bridal shower is today. You have to meet all of the women that live here. So, you’ll be living my worst nightmare.”
My heart sank but I smiled. I had hoped to see Andre. I had not seen him since the night that he burst into my room and I was beginning to wonder what had happened to him. I quickly found out from Mirella that the men had their own party planned so I would not be seeing him that night either. I sighed sadly knowing that I would have to wait until our wedding to see him again.
&nbs
p; Mirella stayed with me announcing when the time came for the bridal shower. She walked beside me as we made our way to the bonfire pit. I sat at one of the benches and Sophia sat near me as all of the women came and introduced themselves. Most were pleasant…actually all were…except one. Her name was Katie Ward.
“Who is she?” I asked, Mirella when Sophia moved away from me for a moment to show everyone where the food was. I pointed my chin toward the woman in question.
Mirella blanched and looked at me with her mouth open in shock, “You really don’t know?”
“No,” I said, feeling my scalp prickle in warning.
“She’s Andre’s ex-girlfriend,” Mirella said, frowning, “She’s the one he broke up with to marry you.”
My heart dropped as I studied her, wondering why she was here. It had to be torture for her to see the girl who would marry the man she loved. I bit my lip understanding her coldness.
I tried to look away but found that I couldn’t. After all, she had been the girl that Andre had chosen and I was the girl that was being forced on him.
I stared at her pursing my lips as I did. I found that she was very pretty in a worldly sort of way. Her hair was dark brown and cut and curled to perfection. Her make up was also done perfectly. She was dressed in a dress that showed every curve, including a deep valley of cleavage. The dress was also short enough to show most of her shapely legs. I shifted, feeling suddenly inadequate to be Andre’s bride. Katie would have certainly been a better match. She was most certainly prettier than me.
As if sensing my stare she looked up at me coldly. Her eyes narrowed and I could see the hate there. I bit my lip, shifting in my seat once again but unable to look away from her. The stare seemed to stretch forever and I found that I needed out of Katie’s presence…quickly.
“Mirella, I’m going to go to the restroom,” I said, smiling gently, pointing to my house. Mirella frowned but nodded her head.
“Okay,” she said, looking at me as if worried, “I’ll wait for you here.”
Beckoned (The Brazil Werewolf Series) Page 6