Page 74 of Remi's War (Four Dark Horsemen 2)

“We need to be at the church in an hour,” Aly announces and grabs Erica by her elbow. “We’ll wait for you in the hallway. The car should be here in twenty minutes.” They both nod at us, and Jimena gives them a wave.

The minute the door shuts behind them, Briseis sighs and throws her coat on the chair. “The judgment on your face speaks volumes.”

“Just to clarify. She judges you,” Jimena says, flipping open the box and running her fingers over the veil. “You’re the one who married my loco brother.”

Briseis blinks and then narrows her eyes, placing her hands on her hips. “While you stood there as a witness.” A beat passes. “You also sang his praises.”

Jimena takes out the veil and looks at Briseis as if she has lost her mind. “Well, of course. My brother is perfect. Which doesn’t change the fact that he’s crazy.” She winks at me and then comes close, raising the thing above my head, and I sway back, avoiding it.

“Don’t,” I warn, despising the idea of putting it on. Some traditions are sacred, and I won’t smear them with all these hideous lies. “I won’t wear it.”

She must read determination on my face and warning in my voice, because she sighs in resignation and places the veil back in the box. “You’ll have to wear it in church, though. Remi insisted. He’s very traditional.”

I bite my lower lip to not scream at her that I don’t really give a damn what Remi insists on; besides, what man has so many freaking rules for his wedding anyway?

Briseis speaks up, her tone inviting me to share things I shouldn’t. “You don’t have to control yourself. We aren’t on anyone’s side.”

A chuckle slips past my lips, although it lacks any humor, and I welcome the anger filling every bone in my body. “And yet I don’t hear you offering me any help.”

“Have you met the Four Dark Horsemen? If they set their sights on something, it’s impossible to escape it,” she replies, and I just blink at her. “Wherever you run… they will find you.” She brushes her thumb over the sapphire ring on her finger, glistening under the light. “But if you really want to run away, then we’ll help you.”

Jimena frowns, reaching out for a chocolate on the table, and asks, “We will?”

“Yes.”

“May I remind you that Remi is my brother’s best friend and practically family to us.”

“So?”

“So where is your loyalty, woman?” Jimena pops the chocolate in her mouth. “As a bride, you can’t go against the brotherhood.”

Briseis scratches her head while my gaze darts between them, listening to their dialogue, even though I don’t understand anything. “I can’t?”

“Nope. Your loyalty is always to the dark four.”

“Says who?”

Jimena picks up another chocolate, munching on it before replying, “The rules they wrote at eighteen.”

“They have rules?”

“Si.”

Briseis ponders this information for several moments and then exhales. “I can’t help her, then.”

“Nope.”

“This sucks, Jimena!”

“Hey! You’re the one who married one of them.” Jimena shifts her attention to the strawberries. “I’m just passing along the message.”

“He blackmailed me into marriage!”

Do these men have no idea what consent means? Why do they feel the need to force women into marrying them? To my knowledge, they’ve topped the most-wanted charts for bachelors.

I groan inwardly at the fury brewing in me at the idea of anyone snagging Remi and order myself to get it together.

My contradicting emotions will give me whiplash someday.

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