Chapter 24 The Kiss That Sealed My Fate
Isabella’s POV
The courthouse was eerily quiet. The judge stood before us, flipping through the paperwork with practiced ease, his voice steady as he recited the legalities of marriage. The room was intimate, far too small for how suffocated I felt.
Evelyn sat in the first row, her hands clasped together in delight, oblivious to the nightmare unfolding before her. Beside her, Sarah, trying not to look like she wanted to kill someone.
James, standing off to the side, looking more amused than anything, watched the whole thing like it was some kind of show.
And then there was her.
Alexander’s sister Ava.
She stood near James, her arms crossed over her chest, her face unreadable. But her gaze flicked to me every few seconds, and I knew. She felt guilty.
Guilty for whatever secret she and Alexander were keeping.
Guilty because she knew this was wrong.
But she wouldn’t stop it.
And Alexander standing beside me like he owned every piece of my existence.
A man in control.
My soon-to-be husband.
The words felt foreign.
“We are gathered here today to witness the union of Alexander Kingsley and Isabella Monroe in holy matrimony.”
Holy.
What a joke.
Alexander reached for my hands, taking them in his own, his grip firm, unyielding.
I didn’t squeeze back.
I barely heard the words being spoken.
Everything was a blur, a distant hum of formality, of legalities that sealed my fate.
Until it wasn’t.
“Do you, Alexander Kingsley, take Isabella Monroe to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
There was no hesitation.
“I do,” Alexander said smoothly, his voice steady, confident, final.
The officiant turned to me, and my breath caught in my throat.
“And do you, Isabella Monroe, take Alexander Kingsley to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
My lips parted.
The room felt silent.
A second passed. Then another.
I could feel Alexander’s gaze on me, the weight of his demand pressing against my skin like a brand. Say it.
Sarah’s fingers twitched at her sides.
Alexander’s sister shifted slightly, as if debating whether to step in.
Evelyn smiled, completely unaware of the war happening inside me.
And Alexander…
His grip on my hands tightened just enough.
I knew what would happen if I refused.
Knew what he was capable of.
So, I did the only thing I could.
I swallowed down the bile rising in my throat.
And I whispered, “I do.”
The words barely made it past my lips, but they were loud enough.
The officiant smiled. “By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
My stomach dropped.
I exhaled shakily, my chest heaving as I stared down at my trembling hands.
But it wasn’t over.
Not yet.
The judge smiled, closing his book. “You may now kiss the bride.”
My entire body locked up. My heart shot into my throat, panic flaring fast and sharp. No. No, no, no ,
I barely had time to process before Alexander moved.
One second, I was standing there, numb and frozen. The next, his hands were on me, one firm against my lower back, the other wrapping around the base of my neck, fingers splayed wide, warm against my skin.
My breath caught as he yanked me against him, the hard lines of his body pressing into mine.
He didn’t hesitate.
Didn’t give me time to think.
His lips crashed onto mine, hard, demanding, hungry.
I gasped against him, hands flying to his chest, ready to shove him away ,
But he didn’t give me the chance.
His grip tightened, anchoring me in place, claiming my mouth with a dominance that stole the air from my lungs.
His lips were hot, demanding, relentless.
He didn’t just kiss me, he consumed me.
I squirmed, hands pressing against the hard planes of his chest, fighting, but his fingers slid deeper into my hair, his lips moving over mine, firm yet controlled, coaxing something dangerous out of me. His tongue traced the seam of my lips, and before I even realized it, I opened for him.
The second I did, he took.
His tongue slid against mine, teasing, commanding, pulling me into the kiss so completely that I forgot to breathe.
I kissed him back.
I didn’t mean to.
I didn’t want to.
But I did.
And I felt everything.
The way his lips softened slightly when I responded. The way his grip on me tightened, like he needed this as much as he needed to breathe. The way his breath mingled with mine, hot and too much.
A heat coiled in my stomach, twisting, tightening, shaming me.
I should have pushed him away. I should have fought.
But my traitorous body reacted.
My fingers curled in his jacket, not pushing, but holding on.
A quiet, shuddering noise escaped my throat , a sound I hated myself for making.
His smirk pressed against my lips.
He felt it. He knew.
The second I realized what was happening , that I was kissing him back , I ripped away, gasping for air, my heart hammering so hard it felt like it might burst from my chest.
My lips tingle, swollen from his assault. My body was hot, restless, betraying me in ways I didn’t understand.
I stared at him, breathless, my cheeks burning with a mix of shame and fury.
Alexander’s storm-gray eyes glinted with satisfaction, his smirk deep and knowing, carved with the confidence of a man who had just won a battle I didn’t even realize I was fighting.
“See?” he murmured, his voice a slow, dangerous caress against my skin. “Not so bad, was it?”
I hated him.
I hated him.
But for a split second, I had forgotten to.
“I hate you,” I hissed under my breath, my voice shaking with anger. I didn’t know where to place it.
His smirk widened, dark amusement flickering in his eyes.
“No, you don’t,” he chuckled, his tone rich and knowing, like he was indulging in some private joke. “Is that why you were holding onto me like you didn’t want me to stop?”
My breath hitched.
Because I had.
I had held onto him.
My stomach twisted violently. A betrayal I couldn’t ignore. A reaction I couldn’t explain.
Alexander leaned in, his lips grazing the shell of my ear, his voice slow and deliberate, each word dripping with cruel promise.
“You’ll be screaming my name very soon, Isabella.”
A shiver ran down my spine.
I clenched my fists at my sides, forcing my body to stay still, to ignore the heat curling in my stomach, the way my pulse betrayed me.
His fingers traced a slow, possessive path down my arm, light but firm, a silent reminder that he was in control.
Then, just as easily as he had unraveled me, he stepped away, straightening his suit like he hadn’t just ruined me in front of everyone.
Before I could gather my scattered thoughts, a low voice from behind caught my attention , a whispered remark meant for Alexander alone. “Damn, mate, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you actually like her.” His voice was low enough that Alexander’s mother couldn’t hear, but I did.
Alexander’s eyes snapped toward the speaker, a sharp glare that silenced any further comment.
Across the room, Sarah stared at me in shock, her expression one of disbelief. Evelyn clapped her hands together, beaming as though we had just performed a flawless wedding ritual.
“Oh” ,Evelyn sighed, ’I’ve waited so long to see him happy, that was beautiful!” she gushed. “Absolutely perfect!”
Perfect.
If only she knew.
Alexander slid his hand down my arm, his fingers finding mine, intertwining them with slow, deliberate ease.
“Let’s go,” he murmured.
His grip tightened.
And just like that, my fate was sealed.