Chapter 3 #3
“We work in a wedding dress shop. There had to be a million segues to the arranged marriage conversation by now. I’m sure we’ve made dresses for a few in the past couple of years.”
“That Jennings girl for sure.” I nodded.
I recognized her from one of the balls. Her family wasn’t in The Force, but they were connected.
“See.”
“This shit is embarrassing, Em. Even if it would have come up, I didn’t want you feeling sorry for me, for getting dumped by a man I was being forced to marry in the first place.
Now my dad has auctioned me off to a psychopath to save the family name.
My sister Zara was up next to get married since I got skipped, but her ass ran away.
Now they’re pushing me back to the front of the line. ”
“What’s gonna happen to you if you leave?”
“I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.”
“I don’t like that plan, Zenny. I need to know that you’re going to be OK.”
“We can’t guarantee that I’m going to be OK if I stay. Roderick casually told me how he had one of his cousins killed because she was no longer a virgin when they checked her before her wedding and that I could expect to meet the same fate if I failed.”
“Damn, is that what this is about?”
“No. My hymen is still intact, as proven by the examination they made me have.” I rolled my eyes.
“So, you just want out.”
“All the way out! The man that I was supposed to marry found a loophole. Nobody will tell me anything. So, I’m going to find him.”
“Jessiah can get you a clean ID. I can figure out a ride. You can leave your car here when you’re ready to go.”
“How soon can he get it?”
“A couple days, I guess. I have to talk to him.”
“I guess I can wait that long.”
“Be patient. You don’t want to give yourself away. A few days will give you time to decide what you really want to do.”
“I’ve been thinking about it for years. The timeline is just pushed up now.”
“OK then, I’ll get him on it.”
“Please tell him not to say anything. I know he did some work for my dad in the past.”
“He knows how to be discreet. I just want you to make sure you know what you’re doing, Zenia.”
“I got it, Em.”
“OK, baby. If you’re sure.”
“Thank you, Emerson. Let me know how much it is.”
“Don’t insult me like that. You know your money is no good around here.”
My hands clutched around the ID card that said my name was Iris Bonner.
Emerson’s husband came through much quicker than expected and had my fake ID couriered over before the end of my shift.
Now it was two in the morning, and I was thinking about making a break for it.
My father believed in routines which meant his security detail had just changed shifts at midnight.
They had already made their first sweep of the property and settled back in on their posts. By two, everyone was relaxed and content in the fact that nothing ever went wrong around here. I could have easily slipped out under the cover of night and got the hell out of there.
I knew Emerson wouldn’t have hesitated to pick me up somewhere on the road. It would be just my luck that one of the guards would be curious enough to notice me leaving. Even if I did sneak out undetected, I didn’t want to do it that way.
Leaving as if I was going to work would buy me the most time. I would have an entire eight to ten hours that no one was looking for me. It would only take five to get to Cashville. Instead of making a break for it, I lay back in my bed and stared up at the ceiling, hoping sleep would find me.
I knew better than to think I could sleep under such circumstances, so I pulled my phone from under my pillow and went back to the book I had been reading. Claimed in Vegas by Soleil was such a sweet read and just what I needed in my chaotic life.
After five hours, I had wallowed in bed long enough for my leaving not to warrant an investigation.
I got up and got dressed before leaving my phone under my pillow and heading out.
The Diamond Needle opened at eight, so leaving home a little early wasn’t exactly a red flag.
Since I couldn’t take anything with me, I had about a thousand dollars in cash plus the prepaid card that Emerson loaded with another fifteen hundred dollars for me.
I found the car Emerson and her husband left for me to swap into parked at the back of her shop. It was a little silver sedan. I liked that the ride was conspicuous enough that it shouldn’t raise any red flags. My cherry-red ride of choice was a rolling red flag.
I switched my car off before sliding out and leaving the keys in the ignition. Wiping my sweaty palms on the front of my slacks, I opened the door of the car and got in. Once I was inside, I let down the sun visor, and a single key fell into my lap.
Since I left my phone at home, I used the car’s built-in GPS to plug in my destination.
My hotel accommodation had been arranged online, so all I needed to do was show up at Cashville Resort and Casino and check into my room as Iris Bonner.
I wouldn’t even need it for long. I wasn’t looking for a resting place.
The only thing I needed was to see Reed.
He started this shit, but I would be the one to finish it all.