To Marry A Monster

the door of the bedroom slams open so hard that it's as if the walls

fur

fur

raw anger. He strides into the room, his gaze falling on me and I'm suddenly aware of ho

enched, and his chest rising and falling in shallow, regul

he wraps his fingers around

with

e mess they made in the kitchen or something. My heart beats fast in the inside of my chest, but I do not beg or plead for him to release me. Instea

takes us to his study, where bookcases line the walls and a single desk light illumin

ow and controlled, but I

folder and th

I ask trying not

s debt." He r

r and open it. My eyes run page after page of legal terms, and so many words

,023

split second I wa

d did

with money, that he'd gamble and owed important

ssible. This is

page once more, forcing

that I have seven days from today to

a second

iage c

deeply at Dante, my hands curled around the

f he expected me to react like this and he had

this?" I bang the folder shu

ther felt he could take my money and just disappear

raw at the marketplace. My siblings were barely able to attend school becaus

ather," I snap, bu

ad slightly. "You're not. Which

e he no longer sees me as a person, but some business

ontact with him. "You can't seriou

ve me the money then i

e check my savings account real quick. Perhaps

dow of self-satisfaction curling on his lips. "Beca

e has to be something

isn't

up, several thoughts are running through my brain all at once.

en get from thi

rrying you, it's not just a payment of debt. It's giving me the e

ant everything. Even w

s coolly. "And you, Isla, are

ittle, and it isn't just his smug smirks, but

d for a woman her age, doe

e trying

The young ones can't even attend sch

nly softer, almost reasonable, "I might be p

makes my skin crawl. Like

us of you,"

. Your family would be under my protection. A generous monthly s

yes. "And wha

his wickedness. "The catch is they become mine too. My responsibility. My people." He pauses, letting the words sink in. "Your m

y spine. "You want

imply. "And soon, they'll be pa

mily would trade one prison for

f I re

s then turns it around to face me. Security footage appears on screen-my mot

me," he says casually. "We're not protectin

ately some ki

ldn't,"

y intervention, how long before your mother's health gives out? How long before your siblin

twists

atly typed beneath a blank line to sign. Th

shake as I

moment when my life is no longer mine. The moment I of

m. Of everything I wanted.

re clothes. The predatory men who eye our apart

t my

ey're filled with unshed t

ry penny they receive. Eve

his face. He reaches for another docume

dy pre

choose my family over myself. He

makes my stomach turn. "The Romano family shall be recognized as depend

now reduced

savouring the last moments of my freedom. Each

diamond. The girl who dreamed of Brown University is gone. In her place stand

force myself to hold back and not ta

you're s

s the signed contracts. "Satisfaction c

cup my cheek with his hand, his t

sla. I take excellent

erything I hold dear: one day