Page 1 of You Are My Every Reason

ChapterOne

FALLON

Istare at the white dress laid out on the bed. My life is about to change forever. I will be going from one prison to another. My hands shake as I pick up the silky material, knowing I don’t have much of a choice in the matter. My destiny has been set for me.

A girl's wedding day is supposed to be a dream. Mine is going to be a nightmare. One I wouldn’t dare to even try to run from. There’s never a way out. Believe me, I’ve tried. No matter how many times I search for one, I come up empty.

I’ve been sold off. I am nothing more than a piece of property to my family. I should have known, but I believed my own lies for so many years. Convincing myself that I was kept tucked away because my father has a dangerous job. That he didn’t want his enemies to get to me.

That it was better if the world didn’t know about me. Not that I know much about the world either. I’ve tricked myself into believing that my father did everything he did to keep me safe. He even convinced me that at times I needed a firm hand because I wasn’t the brightest, and it would help me learn better, to be better. Manipulation and lies have been such a normal part of my life. But I know better now.

I tense when I hear the lock of the cabin door click. It opens with one of the yacht's staff coming in. “I’m here to help you get into the dress,” the woman says. My stomach drops, my reality sinking in further.

Her face is emotionless. The same way they always are. I often try to be the same. When people know you like something, they can take it away from you. But right now, I am desperate, more so than I have ever been before.

“Please,” I start to plead with her.

“Don’t waste your breath,” she tells me, picking up the dress and waiting. I nod, letting my robe slip off so that she can help me into it. It slips on easily, and she zips it up. It's a bit loose. I stand there waiting for my next order. “Mr. Metzer said you are to ready yourself. He wants your hair down.”

I give another nod before the woman slips out of the room. I wait for the sound of the lock to click back into place, but it doesn't come. I stare at the door for a long minute before I go over and touch the handle. When it turns, all the air leaves my body. They didn’t lock it. A spark of hope tries to wiggle its way in, but I push it down. I need to remain levelheaded.

The door to my room is always locked, wherever I am put. That, for the most part, was at home. Today I was brought to a fancy boat where I am to be married to a man I’ve only met a few times.

One that scares me more than my own father, which is saying a lot. My soon-to-be husband has eyes that are colder and darker than I have ever seen before. There is nothing there when you stare into them. They are completely void of any emotion. A chill runs through me thinking of them.

Slowly, I open the door to peek out, not seeing anyone. What I do see out the window is an endless dark ocean. Then suddenly a light hits the boat, circling around to reveal an island in the distance. I have no clue where I am, but maybe that’s why they haven’t locked the door. There is nowhere for me to go. No escape.

Or is there?

So many thoughts race through my mind. Is this some sort of trick to test me? Maybe some sick joke by my new husband and father to make me feel a little bit of hope before they crush it. I creep from the room down the long corridor to see a set of stairs that lead up. I take them, never losing sight of the lighthouse in the distance. When I reach the deck, I realize we're not moving. They have anchored the boat.

I glance back the way I came and then to the island. How far is it? The water seems calm. The boat is barely rocking, if at all. And most of all, can I swim that far?

When I hear the sound of voices, fear creeps up my throat. I can’t marry that man. I know how this night would end. I’m not sure which is scarier, the ocean or the men on this boat. Knowing I am running out of time, I make my decision. If I stay here and go through with tonight, another part of me will die. There honestly is no other option but for me to try to get away. There is no amount of distance that is too far for freedom.

I yank at the dress, thankful that it is loose. My father's punishment of no food for the past few days is helping me at this moment. His plan was to make me weak and more docile so that I wouldn’t have the strength to resist.

I get the dress free, knowing it will only slow me down. The one thing that I got to do when stuck in my father's home was swim in the pool. I’d do it for hours on end.

My legs are strong, and doing all those laps gave me great endurance. I never imagined those things would come in handy. I climb over the side of the boat, my hands holding on to the railing behind me. When the light circles around and hits me, I let go.

I gasp when I hit the cold water, quickly holding my breath as I sink under. I push back up, breaking through the surface, finding that light once again. I swim at a steady pace. The light is my only focus. I don't let myself think of anything else but making it to shore. I can't. Not the burn of my muscles or the fear of them seeing that I'm gone from my room and then finding me. Freedom is my only thought as I push myself harder than I ever have before.

I have no idea how long I’ve been swimming, but eventually I see a dock come into sight along with a row of warehouses. There are cars in the parking lot, but I don't see any people. Do I want to see people? I haven't thought that far ahead. What if I make it to the shore? Then what?

It doesn’t matter. I have to get there first. I keep pushing, but I swear I hear my name being called. It only makes me move faster. A sharp pain shoots through my leg, making me slip under. I fight against it. I'm so close.

I break to the top of the water again. For a second, I think I see someone standing on the dock. The figure is tall and dark, and the light behind makes it difficult to distinguish him. However, it could be an illusion, and I might not be seeing anything at all.

Another cramp shoots through my side, making me cry out, but it's quickly silenced as I once again start to sink. The water is pulling me under. I close my eyes, knowing this is the closest to freedom I'll ever get.

ChapterTwo

RICH

Irub the side of my jaw; it throbs. I took a pretty good blow, but it was worth it. It left my opponent open for a kidney shot. It had been a rookie mistake on his part. Just because something looks good doesn’t mean it is. Especially, in the ring, it’s often bait, but some people are too greedy to pay attention to the details. That’s where I excel. I pay attention to all the small things.

Then again, I guess everyone is a rookie here. Anyone can be pulled into late-night warehouse fights, and they’ve been trying to find someone that could take me down. The bets on my head are growing each week. People think it’s only a matter of time before I fall. I have yet to be beaten, and I’m determined for it to remain that way.

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