Page 15 of Corrupted Bride

“The pants are too tight. Have you been eating too much? Is your ass getting too fat, Marisol?”

“Mom, I’m fine.” I glare at her. “We can’t all have nicotine to keep us skinny.”

She snorts and lowers her phone. “Don’t you talk back to me, little girl.”

I wave her off and gather my lunch box from the fridge. If I keep indulging this nonsense, I won’t hear the end of it. My mother was a beauty queen back in the day. A big lady with huge blonde Texas hair, sparkling blue eyes, perfect teeth, and tits all the way out to next week. It’s no wonder my dad fell in love with her. And I have a feeling she fell in love with my dad’s money and his family connections.

Now Mom’s faded, bitter, and annoying.

I hustle past her, heading to the door, but someone calls my name. I glance back at the stairs to find my cousin Ruben walking down the steps with my older brother Javi in tow.

My blood runs cold. I shrink back without meaning to as Ruben stares into my eyes with a confident smirk. He’s tall, broad, and handsome, with light brown skin and a close-cropped beard. Ruben looks like a miniature version of his father, though everyone always whispers about how there’s nothing of his mother in him at all. Javi’s trying to grow out his facial hair to match but it doesn’t quite work on my more awkward brother.

“Where you going, Mari?”

“Work.” I inch to the door. “At the hotel.”

“Yeah, that’s right, you got the grave shift, because my pops buried you there.” Ruben shows his teeth in what passes for a smile. Javi stands behind him, arms crossed, looking bored. I can’t turn to him for help in this situation. No way in hell he’d ever cross Ruben Escalante. “What you got in that bag? You got something good? I’m fucking starving.”

“It’s my lunch.”

“You do overnights, idiot. You don’t need a fuckin’ lunch. Let me have it.”

I shake my head, backing away. “There’s more in the kitchen, my mom⁠—”

“The fuck did I say, bitch?” Ruben strides forward. “Give me your fucking food.”

I stare at him, heart racing. I want to scream. I want to fight. Hit him in the face, gouge out his eyes. Shriek and shriek until my throat goes bloody.

I hold out my lunchbox.

Ruben takes it.

Shame floods me. God, I’m so fucking weak. In my memory, I hear a wet smack, a grunt, laughter. Blood all over a rug. So fucking weak. I can’t protect the people I care about. I can’t do anything but disappear. That’d be better for everyone, right? If I weren’t here anymore?

Mom and Dad won’t care. Javi won’t notice. Cruz might be upset, but he’ll survive.

“That’s better.” Ruben pats my cheek lightly. I flinch and pull away. “Don’t worry, cuz, I’m not gonna hit you. Not this time.” He tosses the box to Javi who fumbles it and almost lets it drop. “Have a nice shift. That’s all you’re good for, remember.”

I get the hell out of there.

The whole drive to the hotel I’m shaking with frustration.

A dozen different scenarios play through my head. I should have said something, fought back, done anything but stand there like an idiot.

But in the end, I’m pathetic and can’t do anything.

At the hotel, Sara asks if I’m okay and I snap at her that I’m fine. I feel guilty and apologize a little later, but I can’t seem to shake the funk I’m in.

Whenever I see Ruben, it’s like he infects me.

The ugly feeling hovers over my head until Sara elbows me in the ribs. “It’s him,” she whispers.

A sharp pang shoots through my spine as I look up to see Mr. Bass striding toward the check-in desk.

My mouth runs dry. Holy hell, he’s even more handsome than my memory. Tonight, it’s black jeans, dress boots, and a button-down. His Rolex glitters gold on his wrist and his tattoos are menacing but beautiful. Sara laughs like she can’t help herself.

“Good evening, Mr. Bass,” I say, stepping up to the computer.