The Price of Freedom

Chapter 2: Jacob f*****g Bennett

DINAH

“Who is Liam Evans?” I asked not really understanding what she was going on about. Yeah, he was attractive, but that didn’t mean he had to be well known because of it. Well, unless he was like a male model.

Wait, was he a male model?

“He’s like one of the best soccer players in the world!! He’s supposed to be in town for a charity soccer match on Sunday, he’s handsome and charitable. And he was checking you out, you should go get his number.” She started squealing clapping her hands like a seal. I just wanted to sink down in my chair and ignore all the frowning faces around us.

“Why would I do that, I’m sure women throw themselves at him, he doesn’t need another ego boost. Besides, I’ll be engaged by tomorrow, men are the last thing I’m concerned about right now.” I whispered to her. At the moment, I didn’t think I had it in my to pursue men until I could avoid the one being forced onto me.

“You’re so boring, I would have totally hit that,” she yelled before realizing what she said. “I mean obviously if I were sexually active, which I’m not... and if I were closer to his age.”

I just rolled my eyes at her. “You’re ridiculous.

“Liam could be like your side piece, or are you planning on being intimate with Jacob?”

“Not a f*****g chance, I’ll just be celibate for the rest. Of. My. Life…” I trailed off.

******

I had woken up in a fit of rage kicking at my blankets like a child throwing a tantrum. I was dreading what was to come. I was supposed to announce my engagement to douchey Jacob f*****g Bennett in T-minus 8 hours.

So for the rest of day I worked on a project I had to bring home from work in an attempt to avoid everyone until I had to leave.

I ended up losing track of time and I had about 2 hours before the engagement party. Deciding to take a shower so I could start getting ready. I came out refreshed and chirpy only to find an engagement ring sitting on my vanity alongside a gift box with a note.

When I got engaged, I always thought it would be to the man I loved. He’d put together a proposal, nothing too extravagant, just us two. I would know that he was the one just by looking at him. But here I was about to put on a ring that meant absolutely nothing to me.

Wear this for tonight, I can’t wait to rip it off you.

—Love your future Lover Jacob

If this asshole thought I was going to sleep with him, he had another thing coming. I realized I was holding the dress in a death grip. I just wanted to tear it to shreds, but knowing my mom she’d just blow a gasket.

I put the ring and dress down, moving on to get ready.

Blow drying my hair didn’t usually take long since my hair was shorter but today it was not cooperating. Everything was going wrong; my eyeliner wouldn’t come out matching and I dropped my foundation on the floor.

If this was the universes way of saying I shouldn’t get married it was throwing out sign after sign. And like an i***t I was going to ignore every single one all for the sake of keeping my family together.

I had to run to Serena’s room to see if her foundation would match. Luckily, I just had to add a few drops of contour to darken the foundation enough for it to match me. When I finally finished my hair and makeup, I had 15 minutes to finish getting ready and get to the party.

I quickly put on the dress and the ring that Jacob bought along with a pair of black strappy heels to match. One quick look in the mirror only to realize I looked like a high-class escort. The gown was low cut showing my breasts and had a low-cut back, the only thing holding the dress up was a halter like rhinestone strap that looked like it was going to snap any minute.

I didn’t have time to look for another dress, so this one would have to do.

******

The party was being hosted by Jacob’s parents, I had met them once and they seemed like nice people. I didn’t know why they would be ok with their son having an arranged marriage.

My mom and Serena had left early to help with the preparations and when I finally arrived, I went straight to the valet. As I was struggling to get out of the car with the dress, I stepped on the front of it and almost flashed a titty to the valet kid, who at least had the decency to blush and look away.

Fucking Jacob Bennett

I nervously laughed before pulling the dress up so I wouldn’t step on it and got out of the car. I made my way to the front door, but before I could open it, someone called out to me.

“You’re late.” Jacob said in a cold tone causing me to flinch involuntarily.

“Yeah, I was having trouble with the dress you so graciously provided,” I responded letting him know how annoyed I was.

“Don’t ever embarrass me like that do you understand,” he scowled as he forcefully grabbed my arm. “You’re going to be my wife now and you will do as I say.”

I wasn’t sure what year this dumbass thought he was in, but I was definitely going to let him know. “Let go of me, you’re hurting me,” I gritted as I yanked my arm out of his grip. “I can now see why you had to buy a wife; your charming demeanor couldn’t get you one on its own.”

“Don’t test me Dinah, now put on a smile and get ready to impress.” He snarled. “Now, let’s go say hello to my parents.”

As soon as he opened the door his entire demeanor changed. He was so fake, throwing smiles at everyone. A few waves here and there followed by curses about hating that person. He grabbed me by the waist and refused to let me go throughout the rest of the night.

We walked over to his parents who were talking to my mom. His mother’s face lit up when she saw me and his dad smiled at me approvingly. Jacob walked over to his mother and gave her a peck on the cheek. “Mommy I’m sure you remember Dinah; I believe you met at the charity gala last year.” What kind of grown ass man called his mother mommy?

“Hello Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, it’s nice to see you again,” I greeted them. I may hate Jacob now, but I could at least be kind to his parents.

“Oh please, call me Caroline, you are about to marry my son after all,” she said as she pulled me in for a hug. “Lily here tells me you two have been secretly planning your wedding.”

I smiled awkwardly not knowing how to respond, it was painfully obvious they didn’t know this was an arranged marriage. My mom must have made the deal with Jacob alone. I knew people couldn’t be this antiquated anymore, simply depraved. Jacob quickly chimed in, “you know how it is mom, I just can’t wait for her to be my wife,” he smiled as he squeezed me into his body.

Our mothers nodded in agreement and continued discussing wedding plans, allowing us to slip away unnoticed.

After countless introductions and congratulations, I felt tired and overwhelmed. I always thought that my engagement would be one of the happiest memories of my life, but here I was hating my fiancé. He was worse than I thought, when he thought no one was looking he would squeeze my arm if he didn’t like what I was doing, or pinch me when he wanted me to compliment him in front of other people.

“I’m going to the restroom,” I told him so he could let me go.

“For what?”

“I don’t know maybe to take a piss, there’s not much else I can do in there,” I retorted annoyed. I never spoke like that, but he brought out the worst in me.

He eyed me up and down trying to figure out if I actually had to pee, or if I was lying. “Be quick or I’ll come looking for you,” he warned before releasing me from his metaphorical shackles.

I quickly made my way to the restroom and took care of business. I found myself looking in the mirror not knowing who the hell I was staring at. I could feel tears starting to well up in my eyes, so I looked up in an attempt to dry them out.

A woman I hadn’t met walked in and gave me a confused once over. “Sorry, this is just a really emotional moment for me,” I mocked in Valley girl accent.

I found my way out into the party once again only this time I caught a waiter and took the tray with glasses of wine before heading out to the balcony.

As I was chugging glass after glass, the sadness of my situation was getting numbed down. I couldn’t believe I was actually here. The doors to the balcony opened and I figured it was Jacob f*****g Bennett coming out to berate me so I didn’t bother turning around.

“I’m surprised to see you here,” the most alluring voice I had ever heard started speaking, and he had an accent British maybe, but definitely European. “And engaged to Jacob Bennett no less.”

Turning around to see who the stranger was, I was once again met with those piercing blues that caught me staring yesterday. He was looking utterly delicious, wearing a navy-blue tux that accentuated his eyes. It was perfectly sculpted to his body to where you could see every muscle movement.

“What are you doing out here, shouldn’t you be enjoying your engagement party inside?” He asked tilting his head trying to get a good read on me.

“This is Jacob’s engagement party, I’m just along for the ride,” I replied with a smirk lifting my wine glass in toast.

He came closer, leaning on the edge of the railing, his head tilted over looking at me. I couldn’t look at him. I had lied to enough people tonight, and for some reason—that I couldn’t explain to myself— lying to him felt absolutely devastating. “I didn’t see a ring on your finger yesterday.”

“There have been recent developments,” I chuckled. God, just yesterday I was single, and now I was engaged to a t**t. If that wasn’t top tier comedy, I didn’t know what was.

I could tell that I was a little bit tipsy, after all I had like 6 glasses of wine in less than 10 minutes. Mistakes would be made tonight; I could count on that.

“So how do you know the future groom?” I questioned taking another gulp of wine.

“I met the t**t at Uni, he did a semester abroad in London.” So, he thought Jacob was a t**t too. We could have been great friends.

London. I thought I recognized the accent.

“You don’t seem to like my future husband very much,” I looked up at him with furrowed brows. The wine was finally hitting me and I was getting all the liquid courage I needed to face this beautiful man.

He chuckled, and Christ did it sound wonderful. “He’s the absolute worst, and you’re going to be marrying him,” he replied in disbelief.

“Not if I can help it,” I mumbled under my breathe.

“What was that love?”

“Oh nothing, well I must be going I’m sure my fiancé is searching for me,” I handed him the rest of the tray with the wine glasses, he probably needed some too since he was out her avoiding everyone in side.

“I didn’t get your name.”

“I didn’t give it.” I said turning to walk back inside.

Before I could walk off completely, his voice stopped me. “Well my name is Liam Evans, it was a pleasure to meet you,” he told me with a half-smile.

My legs began to feel like jelly and there was a burning feeling running through me, I couldn’t tell if it was because of the wine or because of him.

I turned around to look at him one last time before I walked through those doors. This would probably be the only time I could see this gorgeous man, and I wanted to commit him to memory. “The name is Dinah Marie Muñoz,” I replied with a small smile.