Avery’s breath hitched as her lover’s lips trailed down her neck, his hands roaming over her body with a sense of urgency that sent shivers down her spine. The dim light in his room made it hard for her to see his face, but she managed to make out the outline of it. His jaw tightened as he pressed into her.
She felt unsure for a moment, but he didn’t give her any time to change her mind. The night unfolded into a blur of passion as their bodies moved together. Avery lost herself in the moment, and the night wore on.
****
The morning light filtered through the blinds and bathed the room in a soft glow. The bed felt cold and as Avery reached out, her hands were met with empty sheets. Her eyes immediately snapped open, and she saw him sitting in a chair by the window, his gaze fixed on the waking city below them.
“Dennis?” she called softly, her voice still thick with the remnants of sleep. He didn’t look up, his focus remaining on the scene outside the room. “Morning.”
Avery’s heart sank a little as she registered his curt greeting. There was a shift in the atmosphere, and the connection they had last night seemed to have been lost. She opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the constant buzzing of her phone.
She glanced at the screen—missed calls, dozens of texts from home. She stood up, her body aching, a dull reminder of the passion they'd shared. Dennis remained unmoved, his face still turned away from her.
“I have to go,” Avery murmured, hurriedly pulling her clothes on.
“Good luck today,” Dennis said in the same monotonous and indifferent tone.
Avery froze. “Why are you suddenly so cold? Is it because of the wedding?”
A stretch of silence followed, his jaw tightened slightly. He didn’t answer, and her phone buzzed again.
“You should go,” he said flatly, still refusing to meet her eyes. Her heart sank deeper, a heavy ache pressing against her chest. She turned and left, rushing out of her boyfriend's apartment and toward home to prepare for her wedding.
The ride home was a blur, her mind racing with both the thoughts of what had just happened with Dennis and what was about to happen. Her impending marriage to a man she’d never even met.
As soon as she stepped through the door of her family’s home, her stepmother’s voice assaulted her ears with her usual arsenal of mean words and scolding.
“Where the hell have you been?” Victoria’s voice came sharp and sliced through the air as she marched towards Avery. As usual, Avery barely had any chance to defend herself before Victoria launched into full-on attack mode.
“Do you even know what time it is? Do you understand how important today is? You’re going to ruin everything for us!” Avery tried to step away from her direct view, but Victoria gripped her arms and tightened her grip with every word she said.
“You’re not special. You’re a lamb being led to the s*******r, and you should be grateful for it” Avery winced at both the accusation and the grip.
“I…” “Save it!” Victoria snapped, her face twisted into a sneer. “You waltz in here looking like that? Do you know what we’ve sacrificed for you? You can’t even show an ounce of respect!” Avery flinched at the words, her body tense, but she stayed silent. What could she say? It wouldn’t matter anyway.
“You’re selfish, ungrateful, and I swear, if you ruin this for us…”
“Victoria,” Avery’s father said as he appeared from the top of the stairs, his voice low and firm. “Enough.” Victoria huffed, releasing Avery with a final shove.
“Get upstairs and get ready. Now.” Avery nodded numbly, her heart heavy as she turned to head up the stairs. As she reached the top, she paused, looking at her father.
“Dad...” But he had already turned away, walking down the stairs without another word. As she stepped into her room, she saw an army of maids and makeup artists waiting and preparing to get her ready. She went into the shower, and the marks on her neck and shoulders reminded her of the amazing night she had.
Avery thought back on Dennis’s behavior earlier that morning and did not know what to make of it. He seemed different and cold, but she did not want to believe that he would neglect her after she trusted him. He was the first man she had ever been with, and he knew that.
The maids and stylists worked quickly, their hands poking and prodding as they transformed her into the bride she was supposed to be. Her dress was a simple, elegant white gown that hugged her frame, but as she stared at her reflection, she didn’t see a bride. She saw a prisoner.
The drive to the church was very awkward and tense. Victoria was still staring daggers at Avery, while her father was absorbed in his phone. The only person who seemed to be in a good mood was her stepbrother, Jake. He kept on looking at her with a knowing look on his face and a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his lips.
“You look nervous, sister,” Jake said, his voice dripping with mock concern. “Don’t be. You should be grateful. No one else would ever marry you by choice.” Victoria smirked in approval of her son’s remark, and Kane continued on his phone like he hadn’t heard a thing.
Once they arrived at the church, Avery wasted no time slipping away from her family and heading to the backstage area. Peeking out from behind the altar she could see the crowd that had gathered, wealthy guests, people who cared more about the spectacle than the ceremony itself. She wondered which one of them was her husband-to-be.
Press reporters were present as well, and she could see how this so-called wedding was more of a business press conference and publicity stunt than an intimate ceremony. She could hear someone yelling from one of the offices behind the stage, and she walked towards it.
“We are 2 hours behind schedule, and this is not even her real wedding!” a male voice said in a very angry tone. “Who does she think she is?”
“She’s more valuable than you realize,” a woman responded, her voice trying to calm him. “But yelling won’t solve anything.” Avery’s heart raced. Were they talking about her? What did they mean by “valuable”? Avery hesitated, but she opened the door slowly, stepping inside. Two pairs of eyes turned to meet hers, and a sudden chill washed over her.