Page 81 of Remi's War (Four Dark Horsemen 2)

“I see,” she whispers, swallowing hard and then shaking her head.

She straightens up and sends daggers my way. Pride fills my chest at her covering her weakness and facing all her troubles with her chin held high. “I hate you, Remi,” she hisses at me as she gathers her skirt and rushes to the church, not sparing me another glance.

A grin stretches my mouth as I follow her, welcoming the joy gliding through me because my victory is close.

There is such a thin line between love, obsession, and hate…

And Penelope will cross them all.

I’m doomed. This lustful fire she inspires in me is driving me insane; I’ll drag her right along with me so we can both burn together.

Although once she discovers my true identity and whose blood runs through my veins, she might truly hate me.

But it will be too late by then.

Because she will be chained to me forever.

Chapter Ten

“With this ring, I thee…”

Penelope

Penelope

A raspy breath escapes me as the organ music fills the church, vibrating the walls around me. I jerk a little, goose bumps breaking on my skin.

Thunder echoes in the night; lightning flashes are visible through the window. The clouds gather, ready to pour rain and soak the people hastily running inside.

Even nature itself weeps with me, it seems, sharing my grief on the day that should be the happiest of my life, where love and hope should fill my heart.

Instead, it is a nightmare that no amount of pinching myself can wake me from or change the horrendous reality eating at my soul, bite by agonizing bite, leaving painful, festering wounds behind.

Again, thunder shakes the sky, mixing with the music, adding to the fear slowly spreading through my veins, creating gory pictures in my head—one more terrifying than the next—about the outcomes my decision may bring to the future.

My trembling fingers wrap around the short veil laying on the vanity, and I roll my lips to trap the scream ready to emerge from my throat at the sight.

The delicate thing is made of the thinnest material and designed especially for me. The expensive tulle can easily rip if I’m not careful.

Nothing but the best for the monsters roaming the streets of Chicago.

Men who are destined to bring apocalypses to this earth if they so choose. God knows they have all the necessary resources and weapons.

My hands tighten on the veil, my fingers pressing into the material, and for a second, I contemplate throwing it down and stomping on it till it turns black, showing my true colors. It might as well be cuffs imprisoning me in a rusty cell with all the routes of escape closed to me.

Just imagining the act brings satisfaction to my bruised soul. I’m ready to drop it and crush it under my blue shoes so the groom can choke at the sight.

However, at the last minute, I stop, because every action has consequences in my world from now on.

Which is why, even though I swore to everyone I wouldn’t, I lift the veil, place it on my head, and attach the clips into my hair. I try to ignore the bite-like nips from the metal pins pulling so harshly at my dark locks, and I wonder if I’ll have any hair left at the end of this nightmare.

Although it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, does it?

Because once Remi learns the truth about this decision, he might kill me. Or, if I’m lucky, just leave me.

Everything inside me rebels against this idea, because the dark four don’t strike me as those who would kill an innocent.

But then I’m a naïve idiot, so my judgment can’t be trusted anymore.

---