“Because that can happen for virgins for their first time. But since you’re not a virgin…”
I swallow hard. Crap. I didn’t even think about that. At some point, Enzo and I will have to have sex. Everyone will be expecting kids. And it’s going to be obvious to him that I’m a virgin when the time comes.
But surely that will be a long time away.
“You’re not touching my body tonight,” I state.
“What’s the problem? If you’ve been with a lot of men, what’s one more?”
“I’m still a human and I have principles. I can say no to you and you have to respect it.”
He presses his body against mine and I find that I don’t hate it. In fact, it’s the first time I’ve felt a man press against me and I’ve welcomed it. All the other times were at clubs and I would get annoyed whenever a man tried to touch me when I just wanted to dance.
“You’re my wife now. Doesn’t that make you my property?”
“This isn’t the 1800s. I don’t belong to you.”
He brings his mouth right to my ear. “Keep telling yourself that, Kira.”
For just a moment, I lean in closer to him… before he pulls back. “I’ll see you inside.” He saunters back to the ballroom.
With a shaky sigh, I sink to the ground and try to collect myself. I need to keep my composure around Enzo. Everything inside of me still wants to run when I know I can’t. I have to keep the peace for the safety of my family.
I have to, I have to, I have to. I repeat it like a mantra.
But my eyes flick towards the hotel lobby. It’s not far from here. I could just run outside and never look back. Where would I go though? I have money from an allowance my father gave me and soon I’ll have the trust fund money he set aside for me in a few years.
But can I really get away from Enzo? And leave the pieces for my family to pick back up? My father would surely be disappointed in me then.
No. I stand back up. I can’t run. I can’t send my family into war.
So with a heavy sigh, I head back into the ballroom and take my seat at Enzo’s side. He doesn’t comment but I can feel his satisfaction. He knows he’s won.
For now.
Francesca gives me a disapproving frown but I ignore her. I am not going to let anyone from Enzo’s family bring me down.
I am Kira Petrov. I am strong and I will survive this.
But when the night comes to an end, my conviction starts to waver and it’s time for me and Enzo to have our wedding night. Being alone with Enzo in a room is something I am not ready for.
I turn to Maksim and the look on his face speaks to his worry. What will Enzo do to me? My brother tries to offer me a comforting grin but it doesn’t do anything for me.
Enzo takes my hand and we walk out of the ballroom together, leaving our guests behind.
We head up to the suite Enzo booked for us for the night.
The moment we’re alone in the room together, the urge to vomit hits me and I realize that I can’t stop it. I rush to the bathroom and throw everything up.
Enzo stands in the doorway, gazing down at me on my knees before the toilet, vomit on my chin. “Was it your plan to throw up to make you look undesirable so I wouldn’t touch you tonight?”
“You think I’d stoop that low?”
“Yes.”
“Not everything I do is about you.”
“So you just make it a habit of throwing up? That’s concerning,”