Page 61 of Remi's War (Four Dark Horsemen 2)

“As a little girl, I was fascinated by my full name.

Penelope after Odysseus’s wife and Psyche after Cupid’s.

In both cases, the women loved their husbands so much they didn’t mind waiting or searching for them, because they couldn’t imagine living without them or with someone else.

A love so strong it endured through all challenges, separations, and even other evil people’s interference.

Their stories amazed me.

I thought by default fate had something as beautiful and legendary in store for me as my namesakes.

Instead, fate has given me to the villain enamored with my twin.”

Penelope

Penelope

Pulling at the dress, I bite my lower lip as the vehicle drives through the narrow pathway.

Pouring rain cascades from above us, the droplets slapping on the car’s roof the only sound in the deafening silence grating on my ears in the spacious car as Amalia drives straight ahead.

How she sees anything in this darkness is beyond me.

I adjust the glasses on my nose and pull at the dress again, still hoping the damn thing will cover my thighs instead of flashing them to everyone around me.

“Stop it,” my twin hisses, making me jump, and I glance at her as she takes a harsh turn to the right that forces me to lean on the door. “He’ll never believe it’s me if you keep looking so uncomfortable in my dress!”

I wince, my soul crushing, thinking about the plan to face my future husband, Remi, who thinks he finally got the woman of his dreams.

When Amalia proposed her solution to the problem, I didn’t think. I just reacted and wanted to save these men from dying because of my stupid mistake.

Marrying one of them seemed a lesser evil, and besides, Amalia convinced me it would last only for about a month before they disclose the truth to the dark four.

“Once I marry Lionel, Remi will lose interest. He loves to win, so right now, getting me means victory to him. He won’t want me after I have a ring on my finger. They never go for the married ones.”

This information hardly made me feel better, because if a man loves to win… what will he do once he discovers he lost?

Amalia ignored my question though and just demanded for me to agree, and—the sucker for punishment I am—I did.

Maybe on some subconscious level, I feel like I owe her one for living with our aunt while our uncle loved me, so her lashing out is justified in her eyes.

And yet the closer and closer we come to the place Remi ordered to bring me to discuss something before the marriage, the more afraid I become as realization hits me from every corner.

I agreed to marry a stranger who covets my twin.

What have I done?

Not to mention I’m still not sure what they do that they have such an issue with Lachlan.

“Amalia.” I lick my lips and clasp my hands together, resisting the urge to adjust the dress once again. She told me to wear it so Remi wouldn’t be suspicious, although I think I should have kept my clothes instead. At least I’d have had something familiar to calm me down in this new and uncertain world designed to drive me insane and hurt me in the most unexpected ways.

The dress is too tight and short for me, making me look like a bigger idiot than I am already, and my discomfort must be seen from miles away.

“What?” she snaps, clicking on the button and adding more heat to blast on us—not that it helps my chilled skin. Coldness sank so deep in me I don’t think I’ll ever get warm again.

Can you be any more dramatic, Penelope?

Disgusted with myself, I clear my throat and try to fight for reason in this madness. “My marriage to him is a mistake.” Her hands tighten on the steering wheel as anger flashes on her face, yet she stays silent, and it gives me enough hope to continue. “He will expect me to be… his wife.” Nausea hits me just imagining Remi touching me while whispering Amalia’s name. I won’t survive such humiliation. It might be crazy, but I felt something toward him. Being her substitute for him will hurt me beyond belief. “How can I pretend for so long?” The initial shock from the situation has worn off, and that’s why I see reason right now, ready to bolt at any moment from this sinking ship that’s my life.

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