Page 48 of Forbidden Bride (Forbidden 1)
“I was selfish, I know that, but I couldn’t help myself! I had to say goodbye!”
I break down into another round of fresh sobs, throwing in a few wails about beautiful eyes and strong arms just to really play up the lovesick teenager role my uncle expects of me.
“Your purity?”
“Still intact,” I tell him in between sniffles. “Have the nurse come back, I don’t care. Have three nurses come. It doesn’t matter. They will all find the same thing. I was a good girl. I would never compromise the famiglia.”
I might die if he takes me up on my offer, but I’m willing to suffer through it again in order to cover for Marco.
“You’ve been very unwise in your actions, Karina. I will not be silent about this to your fiancé again,” my uncle says gravely. “I will leave your punishment up to him. The wedding is tomorrow, and you will belong to him afterward.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
I can’t believe it. It worked! My dumb story worked!
“Whatever he chooses to do to you,” he goes on, “you will accept with grace and humility. You will also apologize, and offer to make it up to him however he sees fit. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Uncle.”
The words come out of me by rote. I’m so used to saying what he wants to hear. It doesn’t seem like he’s as angry at catching me this time. Probably because tomorrow is the big day, and he gets to finally be rid of me. From then on, I’ll be Pietro’s problem.
The door opens and one of the guards comes in to collect me. I’m brought back up to my room on shaky legs, following behind my uncle, who waves a hand to show me my reattached bedroom door as we cross the threshold.
But my excitement over having some privacy returned to me is short-lived.
“You’ll be locked in your room until tomorrow morning, when your mother and her staff will come to prepare you for the wedding ceremony,” my uncle says. “I’ve had cameras placed in all four corners of your room, as well as in the closet, and the feeds will be monitored until your mother arrives. Your bedroom and bathroom windows are both also fully alarmed, and I’ve assigned a rotating security detail to the area just below your windows as well.”
He leads me over to the window and waves down at the four—four!—black-clad guards standing on the lawn looking up at us.
“Don’t even think about jumping,” he whispers menacingly in my ear. “Or disabling the cameras. Or attempting to harm yourself. There’s no getting out of this. I’ll be watching you.”
With that, he leaves, and I’m left to sit and sulk alone in my locked room. There’s a tray of food sitting on my desk, but I don’t eat. I curl up in bed and stare at the wall. I try not to cry.
Marco can’t save me from this.
No one can.
It’s just after nightfall when my door opens and Mercutio comes in with a pitcher of water and my dinner tray. He has a large bruise under his left eye, a split lower lip, and he’s moving stiffly.
I stand in alarm. “Merc, what happened?”
“Our uncle believes that you would not have met your secret lover at all if only I had provided adequate supervision at the racetrack. So I was given a lesson in following orders.”
My legs give out and I sink back onto the bed. “I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.”
“It is. But I agreed to it.” He sighs and sets down the water and the food next to the untouched tray from earlier. Then he glances up at all the cameras and shakes his head. “You know what, though? I’d do it all over again, just to see you happy for five minutes. I know this marriage isn’t what you want. I wish things were different.”
He looks away, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, as if he’s embarrassed.
“Anyway. I won’t be at the wedding tomorrow. I’ve been officially uninvited,” he says.
“What?” I blurt.
“Don’t worry about it. Really. I always hate getting dressed up,” he tries to joke. “And thanks for keeping my secrets, kid. I swear I didn’t say anything about…you know.”
I nod sadly. “Thank you. You have no idea what this has meant to me. Being with him was more than I could have dreamed of.”
Mercutio’s gaze goes hard and he moves away from the desk, coming close. “There’s no way out of this, Karina. You know that, right? The best thing you can do is just keep your head down and learn to deal with it. And don’t try to fight Pietro, or you’ll only make things harder on yourself. He’s got a mean streak, and a nasty temper. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
I don’t say anything. My cousin’s advice is coming from his heart, and I know he’s trying to help me, but there’s no way in hell I’m going to agree to any of that.
He turns to go, and I stand to snag his sleeve, dropping my voice to the softest whisper I can manage. “Can you send a text for me? To tell him what’s happening?”
“You’re getting married, Karina. That’s what’s happening.” His tone is sharp with frustration. “Your guy isn’t gonna come riding in on a white horse to carry you away from this life. Let him go.”
“Please.” I drop my eyes to the floor and whisper the phone number I’ve memorized, barely moving my lips so the security cameras won’t pick up on what I’m saying.
Whipping out his phone, Mercutio types a fast, angry text and then flashes the screen at me before hitting send.
Karina will be married tomorrow. Stay away from her. It’s done.
Mercutio gives my shoulder a squeeze and then he’s gone, leaving me to count down each leaden moment until I become someone else’s property.
I don’t even let myself hope that Marco might rescue me.
