Page 36 of Corrupted Bride

I still can’t get her out of my head.

She turns away again, but I approach her, hand slipping into my jacket pocket. The chatter behind me teeters and fades as I reach Mari’s side.

“I wanted to do this right,” I say quietly, flipping open the ring box. “You never took it the other night.”

She glances down and registers nothing. “I don’t want it.”

“I don’t want to give it to you, but we don’t have a choice.” I take her wrist and she doesn’t fight as I slip the engagement ring down her finger. She looks at it, the first glimmer of emotion on her face. Anger, sadness, confusion. And for a moment, when our eyes meet, the hint of that girl. Desire buzzing between us, hot and hard to ignore. Tingling where my skin touches hers, at the pads of my fingers. Her lips parting as if to speak⁠—

“Congratulations, you two!”

Her mother flutters over, wedging herself between us, and gives Mari the opportunity to escape.

I sit through an excruciating dinner. Mari doesn’t speak the whole time. Her younger brother, Cruz, makes pointed comments. Javi tries to be friendly but it’s clear he’s bored. Barbara tries too hard. Tomas seems like the smile is painted on his face and pinned in place with knives. I want to get the hell out of there, but these people will be family soon.

It’s hard to imagine. They’re strangers. I’ve spent all my life bleeding for my people, killing, breaking, burning myself for those closest to me, and now I’m marrying a woman who hates me.

More responsibility piled on my shoulders.

After dinner, the sons drift off. Javi makes an excuse first and Cruz isn’t far behind. Barbara says something about cleaning up and she essentially drags her husband along with her, and I’m left alone with Mari.

My future bride stares at me flatly. The silence is painful.

“Are you going to excuse me or am I trapped here too?” she says.

I push back and get to my feet. “Come with me. I have something for you.”

She grimaces and looks at her finger. “Is it worse than this?”

“You’ll like it. Come on, I don’t want your family to see.”

I like the curious tilt of her head. There’s that girl again. The fierce, beautiful one. But she quickly smothers it. “Not like I have much of a choice.”

I grit my teeth and decide not to take the bait. I walk away from the table and she falls in beside me. We wander along the path that skirts near their pool. I stop at the far end of the lawn and reach into the other side of my jacket.

“What is that?” she asks as I hold out an envelope.

“This is for you. Take it.”

“I’m not interested.”

I push it closer. “It’s yours, Mari. Every dime is yours.”

That gets her attention. With a frown, she flips the envelope open and runs her thumb over the bills. I watch her face carefully, trying to judge her reaction. I want her to know that this isn’t a death sentence, that I don’t plan on keeping her locked in a cage, that we can be in our marriage together⁠—

“Is this some kind of joke?” She shakes her head, nose wrinkled. “Are you bribing me?”

“What? No, that’s not⁠—”

“It’s bad enough my mother put me in this insane dress like I’m some bridal doll. Then you give me this ring—” She holds up her hand. “And now you’re bribing me? Jesus Christ.”

“You don’t like the ring?”

“No, I mean, it’s beautiful, but—” She stops herself, glaring. “Don’t make me say nice things.”

“I’m glad you like it. I’d get you something different.”

“Stop being nice to me.”