Page 137 of Ruined Vows

He leans forward and smashes his lips against mine in an awful imitation of a kiss, his horrible tongue forcing its way into my mouth. I freeze but try to allow him access without biting his tongue off.

This is just a negotiation, I tell myself.You can survive this because you have to.

I make sure to smile when he pulls back. I can’t tell if he’s satisfied by the awful kiss.

“Alright, get off of me,” he says, his attention back on his laptop screen. “I’ve got work to do.”

Aha. I know when I’ve been dismissed.

“Of course.”

I climb off his lap and dare to linger and ask nonchalantly, “So can I go by the jail tomorrow to pay his bail and get rid of him for good?”

Drew doesn’t look up from his computer as he waves a hand. “Whatever. Just don’t be late to your hair appointment for the rehearsal dinner.”

“Of course not.” I make my voice casual and loving as I call out, “Goodnight, soon-to-be husband!”

He grunts, and I’m about to step into the hallway when his next words stop me cold.

“You understand, if I ever find out you’ve even spoken to that man beyond tomorrow’s goodbye, I’ll gut him like a fish while he’s still alive to watch his own entrails spill out. That will bemywedding present.”

He doesn’t even glance my way but I can’t manage words, just a nod as I step into the hallway, forcing myself to keep my steps even.

I want to slump against the wall, but I can’t be sure he doesn’t have cameras on every inch of this place. He could be watching me walk away from him right now through a camera feed on his laptop.

With that in mind, I go straight to the bathroom, get in the shower, and turn the loud spray up to the max. Only then do I scream quietly with my fist in my mouth.

FIFTY-FOUR

ISAAK

I spenta night in medical before they tossed me in solitary. Then I’m back in gen pop, watching my goddamn back every other second and asking for my phone call, which they deny and tell me I’ve already used up.

Fucking liars. I’ve got some military buddies who are deep into conspiracy theories. Usually I’m not. But this shit’s got me rethinking things. Somebody in power doesn’t want me to get out of here.

When they finally tell me I’ve got a visitor, I limp as fast as I can to the room the guard shows me. I have no idea what to expect on the other side, but anything’s better than this fucking waiting and not being able to talk to anyone.

And to my fucking shock and joy, it’s Kira.

“Kira!” I all but run up to the fucking glass and yank the phone off the hook.

She holds a hand up to stop talking when I start spitting questions out one after the other.

“I’m sorry, Isaak. I’m back with Drew.”

What the?—

“What the fuck, Kira? You don’t mean that!”

I look around and then lean in. “Is he putting you up to this shit? ’Cause baby, as soon as I get outta here, I’ll?—”

“Oh my god, would you stop? Look, I’m sorry that you ended up here. Really, really sorry. I’ve paid bail to get you out. Everything just got so out of control! But when Drew showed up in Denver, I went down to talk to him and?—”

She shakes her head.

“And fuckingwhat?”

I watch her bottom lip to see if the next thing out of her mouth is some bullshit lie he’s put her up to, but her teeth get nowhere near her bottom lip as her devastating eyes meet mine. “And I came to my senses. You can’t really think I would pick you in the end.”

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