by Sam Crescent
She hoped he didn’t call it off. She wouldn’t get in his way at all.
What would life be like for her after their wedding?
She’d only known women within their circle marry made men and soldiers. Rarely were they allowed to marry associates. For them, it was against all protocol.
From the few snippets of information she’d accidentally heard, she knew the MC had been vital to a recent conflict.
There were times she hated being a woman more than anything. In her world, men had the power. Women were commodities to be sold on or passed around for their use.
She knew her father had mistresses, and her own mother didn’t seem to mind either, apart from when he brought them home.
Abriana had seen them, and she hated it.
“Abriana,” her fiancé said.
She forced a smile to her lips.
He held out his hand, and she stepped toward him. He took her hand, placing a kiss to her knuckles before letting her go.
There was a round of applause at his actions.
She chanced a look around the room and saw a mixture of disdain, disgust, terror, and humor.
Some of them thought it was funny.
Soon, the MC took over, and the music was changed, and there was dancing.
Abriana found her corner again, and when no one looked in her direction, she made her escape to the garden.
It was a warm night, and she took a deep breath. She knew guards were posted all around the grounds, and she always tried her hardest to ignore them.
She didn’t have to think about them while she was staring out into space.
Staring up at the night sky, she saw it was a crescent moon. The noise from the party filtered out into the night, and she closed her eyes.
It’s going to be okay.
Women and children died in their line of work. She had been to so many funerals. The first one had terrified her, as the casket was open, death so clear to see. So cold. So alone.
“You shouldn’t be out here by yourself.”
She turned to see her fiancé watching her. Usually, she was so aware of her surroundings, no one was able to sneak up on her.
Gritting her teeth, she nodded her head. “I’m sorry.”
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes, of course, I’m fine. I just needed some air.”
He tilted his head to the side, watching her.
“We don’t have an audience now. Tell me the truth, do you want this?” he asked.
“There’s always someone watching here,” she said. “Yes.” She made sure to look past his shoulder so she wasn’t staring him in the eye.
The truth was, she didn’t want to marry anyone. She didn’t want to be Vigo’s daughter. Whenever she went out shopping, which was the only activity she was allowed to do, with armed guards, she found herself envying women, outsiders, for their freedom. They could come and go; they were not forced into a life they didn’t want.
Whereas she had no future. Her life was purely at the mercy of her father.
Tucking some hair behind her ears, she forced a smile to her lips. “Do you want this marriage?”
“No.”
She tensed up but didn’t say a word.
“Oh. Are you going to cancel?”
“You’re afraid,” he said.
“I … I would hate for you to have to do something you didn’t want to do.” Irony!
“This wedding will go ahead at all costs, Abriana. You won’t be harmed by the club. You’ll be my old lady.”
“I won’t be staying here?” she asked, pointing at her home.
“No. You’ll be living with me. I have a place. I’m not sure it’s what you’re used to—”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Whatever happened, she had to get out of this house. She wondered if he was the kind of husband that demanded his rights.
Unlike some of the women she knew, she knew what was required of her in the bedroom.
One of her father’s many mistresses had taken the time to sit down with her and have the female talk. She later learned the mistress had stolen drugs and money and was raped, beaten, and killed, her body dumped in a lake.
She’d never asked about the woman, only heard men talking about her.
Still, the woman had been surprisingly nice, and had told her it was only rare for some men to be complete assholes. That sex, with the right guy, was wonderful.
Staring at this man, her fiancé, whose name she didn’t know, she wasn’t sure if she ever wanted to commit to allowing a man inside her body, giving him even a smidgen of herself.
“What’s your name?” she asked.
He smirked, and it made the scars on his face stand out more. Her heart raced as he took a step closer to her. She didn’t know what to do or say. It was against the rules to even be out here with him, but seeing as he was supposed to be her husband in a matter of days, she didn’t know why it would be a problem.
“My club name is Ugly Beast,” he said.
“Ugly Beast?”
“It’s what I’m known as.”
“I don’t want to call you that.”
“It’s all you’re going to be able to call me. Now, let’s go inside. I don’t like how these sons of bitches are looking at us.”
He placed a hand at her back and moved her back into the house. The kitchen was bare, and as they made their way back toward the party, she stopped, placing a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.
“Just a moment. I don’t want to go in just yet.”
With each step they took into her old family home, the feeling of being trapped flooded her.
“It’s fine.”
He moved them out of sight, into a dark corner where there was no light. She enjoyed the dark so much.
The door to their right opened, and she saw three women leaving the bathroom.
“Did you see his face?” the woman asked.
Abriana didn’t recognize them.
“I know. He’s a monster, but then, she’s so plain as well. They’re going to make really ugly babies.”
They started to laugh, and Abriana glanced up at Ugly Beast.
She was used to having people say bad stuff about her looks. She was plain and had known that for a long time. Even her mother refused to sugarcoat it for her and had told her at a young age to accept any guy that found her desirable.
What kind of person did that?
When she had children, she’d tell them every single day how much she loved them. How much she cared. It would be a complete contrast to her own childhood.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“What for?”
“For what they said.”
“Do you want me to slit their throats?”
“You’re offering to kill them?” she asked.
“They disrespected you in your home. When you’re mine, any bitch that tries that will get killed. Simple as.”
“You can’t kill them. They’re wives and daughters. They’re protected.”
He leaned down. His lips brushing against her ear. “In case you haven’t noticed, sweet cheeks, your men don’t give a fuck about women. One pussy is just as good as another.”
“Isn’t that the same with all men?” she asked.
“Yeah, it is, but we’ve got standards. You’re loyal to the club, we’re loyal to you. Fuck us over, you’re gone.”
He was so close, and she saw how blue his eyes really were. Most of the time he was glaring, like he was now, but there was something different. Ugly Beast was a strange man, one she wasn’t entirely sure she liked, but even still, he gave her a semblance of hope, which was more than anyone had ever given her.
“It’s time for us to join the party.”
Whatever spell had fallen over them, was gone. He grabbed her arm, and before she could protest, they were heading back to the main throng of the party.
She recognized the women from the bathroom, who gathered around.
“It’s time
for the ring,” Smokey said, coming toward them.
She saw the disapproval in her father’s eyes, and tried to ignore it.
“You guys good for me reaching into my pocket?” Ugly Beast asked.
There was a round of snickers as he opened up his jacket, and she waited as he pulled out a small velvet box.
This was it.
The moment that would engage her to this man. Her mother and father were doing everything to organize the wedding, and soon she’d belong to this man. All of her life, she’d been told her life would be forever bound to a man. This would be her future.
Her hand shook as she held it out, hoping no one saw.
Weakness wasn’t something they liked to see in their world.
She was surprised by the ring, a single silver band with a tiny diamond. It was, in fact, incredibly beautiful.
Staring up at him, she realized he was watching her reaction.
“It’s beautiful.”
He gave her a nod, and that was it. His men took him away, and she watched as they drank with revelry, without a care in the world. All the social gatherings she’d been part of had always been reserved, filled with tension.
She’d seen people die in front of her.
Blood.
Death.
She’d even been forced to step over brain matter.
All of this and still, she found the courage to keep on going.
She watched Ugly Beast and his MC. They were … amazing. The other women felt sorry for her, for the life she was about to have as an old lady. Nineteen years old, bound to a man whom she knew nothing about, and yet, in that moment, she felt a little wave of excitement about what it could all mean for her. This was a new chapter in her life, one she couldn’t wait for, and yet she was equally scared.
End of sample chapter
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