Page 4 of Reaper Flame

I gingerly prodded the white fabric folded in the box. So far, no movement. A lump formed in my throat as I pulled the heavy garment out, and my mouth fell open.

It couldn’t be... could it?

My heart plummeted to the pit of my stomach.

“You seemed so keen to get married a few months ago,” Hiram said, confirming my worst suspicions. Months ago, Hiram visited me in Port Valentine and confronted me in the Smoker. I’d introduced him to West as my fiancé. The bastard wasn’t about to let it go. “I wanted to arrange it myself.”

“Wh-what?” I stammered. My stomach churned in dread as the dress slipped from my fingers onto the concrete floor.

Hiram tutted, bending down quickly to pick it up. “We don’t want it getting covered in blood now, do we?”

He held it up to display the dress in all its glory with a smug smirk. A severed head would have been a more welcome sight thanthis.

“Do you like it?” he asked. “It’s not like you to be speechless.”

It’s a miracle I was still standing! He’d been waiting for the opportune moment to drop this bombshell and took great pleasure in watching my soul implode.

“I thought you’d be happy.” Hiram frowned. “This is a treat for all of your good behavior.”

“Playing dress-up?” I asked, finding my voice again and praying this was a twisted joke.

“Oh no, better than that.” Hiram’s eyes twinkled with glee, languishing in pulling the strings like the world was his fucking puppet show. “The real thing. Think of it as an arranged marriage.”

“Who?” I croaked.

“I picked him out myself,” Hiram said. He neatly folded the wedding dress and put it back in the box. “It’ll be the perfect match.”

This was the worst idea he’d ever had. I knew the type of people Hiram rubbed shoulders with. Any potential suitors were not likely to resemble a hot guy fromThe Bachelor. He would want someone compliant. Someone who wouldn’t dare to question his authority. A person who could follow orders and have their tongue so far up his ass that they’d be licking his intestines.

“There must be another way,” I said, desperately trying to appeal to any humanity he had. “Give me a new target to kill, a bank to rob... anything else!”

“Don’t be ungrateful, Kitten,” he snarled as his face contorted in pure fury. His pulsing temple was a sure sign I tested his patience. “You didn’t think things could go back to how they were before, did you?”

“But I came home. I agreed to!”

His hand struck me hard across the face, sending me staggering backwards.

“You left,” Hiram hissed. “Things change.”

“Please,” I whispered, clutching my stinging cheek. “Can’t we go back to how things were before?”

Hiram advanced, drawing himself up to full height. I winced, expecting him to strike me again. Instead, he grabbed my chin and forced me to stare into his black, soulless pupils.

“Never beg me for anything again,” Hiram warned, making my skin prickle. “You’re going to do as I say. You’re going to put your new white dress on or I’ll order the guards to do it for you.”

Was all of this another way for him to psychologically torture me? My engagement to West may not have been real, but Hiram wanted to ruin all my happy memories.

“Fine,” I relented, shaking slightly.

Hiram turned his back for me to change.

I unzipped my green dress and let it fall to the floor.

I would not say ‘yes’ to this fucking dress.

The gown was made from a thick fabric which made it hard to move. The bodice was adorned with sparkling sequins and my cleavage spilled over the top. To some, it would look like a fairytale gown, but to me? I felt fucking ridiculous! How would anyone take me seriously in a puffy skirt that could house a small army underneath? It was also heavy! Dragging it down the aisle would be like pulling a tractor tire. Maybe that was the point? It’d make it harder to be a runaway bride…

“Well?” Hiram clicked his tongue impatiently, his back still turned. “Is it on?”

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