Page 101 of Bride By Initiation

"It's fine," she insists.

"Zara—"

She puts her fingers over my lips.

My insides quiver. I release a breath through my nose.

She smiles, and when she's confident I won't speak, she removes her hand and faces Valentina. She lifts her chin and squares her shoulders, declaring, "I'm ready."

My stomach flips so fast, I swallow bile.

Valentina beams, praising, "Good decision."

I bite my tongue, reminding myself there's no way out of this. It's still a live-or-die situation.

Zara can't handle this pain.

"I'll go first," she says.

"No. You're last," Kirill interjects.

I snarl, "So she can see how painful it is and freak out before you do it?"

A dark arrogance overtakes Kirill's expression.

Valentina asserts, "Women are stronger than men. We birth your children. We stand by you when you're weak, and rise through the terror, bringing you with us to get to the other side."

I grind my molars.

Zara smirks at me, amusement flashing in her eyes.

I leer at her and make a note to add another session where I spank the shit out of my brat's pale ass.

"Step forward now or step away, Sean O'Malley Jr.," Kirill warns.

I glance at Zara one more time.

She points to Kirill, ordering, "Go on."

I begrudgingly step in front of him, still unhappy. Very soon, these people are going to burn my wife's perfect skin, and I can't stop it unless I want us to die.

Why would my father let women do this?I question as I stand in front of Kirill.

Low hisses fill the air, and the stomping of feet erupts once more.

My heart beats harder.

The man picks up the skull censer and circles us in more smoke.

Kirill booms, "Do you, Sean O'Malley Jr., pledge your heart and soul, loyalty and honor, to The Underworld?"

I don't hesitate in my answer. "I do."

"And do you promise to put The Underworld first?" Kirill asks.

No. My wife is first, dickhead.

I answer, "I do."

---