Owned by the enemy

fter. You never see them coming, never feel the groun

fe changed the second my father's

ffice.

ontext. No emoti

ad been fixed on the gray sky outside, letting my thoughts drift into somewhere else. Somewhere

it too well. It was the tone th

, I he

n't heard. But I didn't. Because no one i

tep echoing louder than the last. As I approached the double doors of h

e, then pushed

crystal glass. Across from him, seated like a silent shadow in one of the

met mine, everyth

te R

me. Everyone i

n form. Dangerous. Cold. Ruthless. Rumors swirled a

n my father's office

thudded

y father. "Wha

before speaking. "Yo

p, humorless sound

moved, hadn't blinked. He just watched me, like

m both, waiting

wasn'

ng anyone," I sa

hardened. "You'll

not a

gany desk. "You are my daughter. And this is bigger than you.

a drumbeat. Lo

The wedding is in two d

row me into the arms of a

poke. "I'm not a

was low. Sm

infur

t are you?

ened slightly.

ething. But I stood still, forcing

my life," I whisp

flinch. "I'

-

oud it drowned everything else. My hands shook as I

pac

cur

onto the floor, buryin

that believed I'd have a choice in my future. That love might com

he ruled with iron fists and colder eyes, that he'd b

he man I was su

live

sleep

N

ldn't

-

night, I h

ered without looki

longtime maid-pr

held a dress bag in her

said softly. "Your measurements, the

oice breaking, "tell me

d with tears. "

ag gently on the

-

ht, I did

, the echo of Dante's vo

r fu

ed him

looked while my

deep in my chest..

er of cu

fe

intr

him-I didn't know him-somet

try to co

harm or c

ust w

w he wouldn'

already