Page 37 of Midnight Wedding

“How long do I have to decide?”

“Tigran’s on his way now. I’d say about twenty minutes.”

“Who’s Tigran?”

He laughs softly. “My brother. You have a lot to learn.”

“No kidding. What do you do for a living?”

“I import computer chips.”

I look up and almost recoil. “Are you serious?”

His smile is almost sad. “It’s more complicated than that, but yes.”

I flop backwards. The ceiling’s cracked in two places. I hadn’t noticed that before. I feel dizzy and sick and like the world’s closing down around me.

It’s impossible. If I want to keep the baby, I have to marry a stranger. If I want my freedom, I have to get rid of the baby. On one hand, I can help my family, but I’ll be trapped with this admittedly gorgeous but clearly psychotic man. On the other, I’ll always hate myself for letting this opportunity pass, but at least I won’t be trapped for the rest of my life.

It’s lose-lose for me no matter what I do.

So someone might as well walk away a winner.

“Get out,” I say without looking at him.

“Did you make up your mind?”

“Yes.” I push myself onto an elbow. “Leave me alone. I need to get changed.”

The pure obsessed excitement in his expression makes me positive this is the biggest mistake of my life.

Chapter 13

Lena

Everything feels wrong.

The dress isn’t right. The ring feels too heavy. Even the room is messed up. I was never really the kind of girl that obsessed over my wedding day, but this isn’t remotely how I saw it going down.

I look tired and scared. No amount of messing around with my hair is going to tame it now. I wish I could rip the stupid stud from my nose. I look goofy and weird, like a little girl playing dress-up in her mom’s clothes.

There’s a soft knock at the bedroom door. “Come in.”

It takes a second to recognize the man that enters. He looks a lot like Arsen: muscular, attractive, dark hair and dark eyes. I’ve seen him before though, and the memory hits me like a knife wound.

He was there when Saro got killed.

“They’re almost ready for you,” he says, looking at me like I’m an unpleasant stain on the carpet. “You should come out.”

“Uh, are there other people here?”

“Just me and the priest.” He looks away, back over his shoulder. “I’m Tigran. Arsen’s brother.”

“Oh. His brother.” It isn’t lost on me that I had no clue what my future husband’s brother looks like. That’s probably not the best way to start a marriage. “My name’s Lena. I know this is weird?—”

“Just come out when you’re ready.” He walks away. I’m left stunned. It was like he hates me, but I don’t even know the guy. Except there’s clearly more going on here than I realized, and now I’m starting to shake with nerves.

I don’t want to do this.

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