Page 38 of Corrupted Bride

MARI

This place is beautiful.

Dad drives me to the Serafino Ranch early on the day of my wedding. Mom and the boys are coming later, but I’m expected at the crack of dawn. And a part of me is glad I’m here this early.

Sunrise over hill country is incredible.

I can almost forget that this is going to be my prison for the foreseeable future.

“This won’t be easy for you at first, Marisol, but you’re doing the right thing.” Dad parks the truck and kills the engine.

“Easy for you to say.”

“This is what we do.” He sounds tired. He looks tired and older too. “I never told you this, but when I was young, my brother gave me a choice. He said to me, Tomas, you can either be a man for your family or a man for yourself. And I don’t think I fully understood what he meant at the time, but over the years I’ve figured it out. We sacrifice for the people we care about.”

I turn to him. My heart patters but there’s no hope left in me. “If you care about me, you’ll start that engine and drive me as far from here as you can.”

He smiles sadly. “Sorry, but that won’t happen.”

“Then let’s skip the advice and get this over with.”

I’m greeted by Bass’s mother, an older Italian woman named Ottavia with big hair and a comforting smile. His younger sister, Lia, is with her too, a pretty blonde who hugs me immediately.

“It’s great to meet you, Mari,” she says, squeezing tight. “You’re so freaking pretty. Bass is a lucky guy.”

“Uh, thank you.”

Ottavia and Lia take me into the house. Ottavia talks about the history of the ranch—how long it has been in their family, how many people have been born inside these walls—and I look around at the art, at the beautiful flooring, at the original details, somewhat stunned by how pretty and massive it is.

“You grew up here?” I ask Lia, trying to wrap my head around it.

“We all did. You get used to it.” She takes my arm. “Momma, that’s enough for now, you’re going to overwhelm her. Can I show her to her room?”

“Of course. I’ll bring up some coffee, okay? And are you hungry? I can make breakfast.”

“Just coffee would be amazing, thank you so much.”

“You’re family now.” She hugs me and hurries off.

I feel overwhelmed as Lia tugs me along the corridors and we end up in an enormous guest suite. There’s champagne in a bucket, roses on the dresser and nightstand, and a white wedding dress hanging on the back of the closet. I stand staring at everything, mouth going dry.

This is really happening.

A couple weeks ago, I thought I’d be on the road by now sleeping in the back of my Element and trying to start a nice life.

Instead, I’m going to be a mafia bride.

Another disposable cartel girl sold off as the cost of doing business.

“Oh shit, did I say something wrong?” Lia looks panicked. “Is this too much? Bass told me to tone it down, but it’s your wedding and I thought⁠—”

“No, no, this is amazing.” I try to smile for her. Lia seems like a nice girl. We’re close to the same age too, which is a little odd. Her brother’s a lot older. “I appreciate you going to all this trouble.”

“You only get married once. Well, if you’re unlucky.”

I laugh at the dumb joke despite myself. Lia beams and leads me over to the balcony. She takes me outside and parks me down in a chair overlooking the ranch’s rolling grass. Cattle graze in the distance and it smells like fresh dew.

“This is gorgeous. Seriously, how big is this place?”