The Secret Contract Marriage

t after midnight. H

e vineyard, shaking the

refoot. My fingers shake as I lo

ou trying

heart pounding, I press

wer is

o

anation is a

ine. He

yself I was doing the right

ld empire. I didn't want him to become a

Alex is askin

how much long

kn

s after 1:00 AM. The

, my heart beating

l

s white shirt are undone, like he left in a ru

I com

ep a

t speak. Doesn't sit. Just stands near the

arms aro

t be out in t

k at me. "I co

couldn'

light catching the t

something," h

ade. Not accusator

t t

couch, tired

rrect," I

le

and sits across from me, his

used to be. Intense. Like he's trying to figure

bout the

d sl

drops. "Wa

h hitche

cand

N

n wh

mouth-then

ou," I say quie

enches, an

n't tru

d

tell

s. "Please don't pu

I think he'll yell, demand answer

. he kneels i

. "What happened to

ok away, but his fingers find my

ch when I speak. You hardly sleep. You look like

m,"

towards me and cleaned a tear from m

o say the words. We had a child. He's

d he lives in. The cruelty.

I ca

st c

I l

per. "That's what ha

shifts.

ey. I disappeared becaus

, breath caugh

n't you

to let you hate me th

s between us

ong breath.

ally, h

tell me anything," he

kno

lowly. Walk

re he leaves,

a contract to me," he

he

loses behind him, and

e deep, silent kind that leaves y

ill doesn't k

se when h

look at me t