by M. C. Cerny
I slow blinked licking my dry lips, “It shall be the happiest of days then, my almost husband.” Craning my neck back, all I could see was the darkness lingering in his eyes.
“You know, if I find out you’ve been with anyone, and I mean anyone, you will regret the day you played with me on a rooftop.” The cold words could have frosted the windows, but they left me exposed and raw.
I was about to deny his accusation but he placed a gentle finger over my lips smearing my nude lipstick.
“You know there are four things you can never get back.” He said, his green eyes blazing. He said this before, years ago, only telling me one thing then.
I swallowed back the unease and answered. “The stone. The stone you thrown cannot be returned.”
He nodded agreeing and I waited.
“The second are words. You can’t take back words once they are spoken.” He said.
Regrets were a funny thing. I regretted every morning I woke up realizing this was no dream. There never was, and never would be a happily ever after for me.
I hissed standing from my seat. “You’re a psychopath.” My heart fluttered and a tear leaked smearing my perfect makeup. I guess I still needed to work on the work-life-survival-balance.
He turned stalking me until my back hit the wall. His hand circled my neck slowly stroking the column of my throat peppered with pearls pressing in against my pale skin. He shook me stopping my visual examination of his character. The musty scent of the church made me ill and I blinked my eyes to clear the tears.
“Elizabeth,” he said in that disappointed tone, brow furrowed, and I let out a breath I’d been holding onto for far too long. “I prefer creative. After all, I made you.”
My chest nearly caved with the release of air trapped inside. This was the reason I put a cage around my heart.
“In your own arrogant image, I’m sure.” I muttered, heart galloping a million miles an hour.
Ignoring my sass, he released me and paced the room again.
He turned pointing a finger at me. His manicured nail more lethal than a bullet.
“You play me baby, and I’ll make sure you fly with broken wings.”
His threats were real. I witnessed enough of them on the rare holiday home to not question him.
Ever.
“Never, Adam. I’m yours.” I backed away to the chair sinking down. Anxiety kept me subdued as I forced my body to bend to his will accepting him. Part of my soul died, but it was a sacrifice for the greater good I hoped to achieve.
His hands fisted and he shook them a moment before releasing his grip shaking them out. A grin spread over his insanely beautiful face. “God help anyone who fills your cunt with his seed because I’ll rip out the fetus and make you watch. You belong to me.”
The image left me weak and disgusted. I had no doubts what he was capable of, but even that was the most heinous thing he’d said to date. I couldn’t image bringing an innocent baby into this. I wouldn’t do it, I end it before it got far enough along, and that was the kindest thing I could do knowing what I did of this man.
“A-Adam.” Bile touched the edge of my lips. He was deadly serious, but he had nothing to worry about, letting a man or anyone touch me terrified me more than anything.
“Your brother is here.” He changed the topic with lightning speed.
I steeled my expression to remain neutral. Of course Eddie was here. He probably brought Fiona with him. I’d begged Nelson to send them an invitation to this farce, but I had no idea if they’d gotten it. Now I had my answer.
Cautiously, I stated the obvious. “He’s on leave this month.”
“Did you invite him?”
My lips pursed pressing the long lasting matte finish lipstick against the top and bottom of my lips. I would endure any punishment he dished out to see my brother and Fi. If all I had were minutes, I’d steal every single one.
“Adam, he’s my only family, of course I invited him.” He stalked behind me placing his hands on my shoulders squeezing them painfully until tears pricked my eyes. Again. The mirror reflected red finger prints under the silk, satin, and lace. The promise of punishment for my defiance of him.
“I’m your family now.”
He was mad, insane, and easily injured by the suggestion he wasn’t anything to me.
“Yes, yes you are.” His hands circled my neck pressing against my pulse points leaving me light headed. My heart felt like it would explode right then from the stress of holding back a response.
I shut my eyes hoping my vision would clear. All this time was nothing more than a horrible dream, some awful thing created by eating a heavy sandwich from the bodega too late before bed. If only it could have been something so simple.
Adam leaned down, his face cheek to cheek with mine, baby fine coarse hairs missed by his electric razor, and our eyes now locked on one another, mine blue, and a grey-green storm of turbulent waters were his. My nostrils flared in the mirror, the only part of my body capable of involuntary movement at the moment.
“I want you to remember Elizabeth, this is the church your life began in, and it will be the one it ends in, if you so much as disappoint me today.” I wasn’t religious, but I knew a zealot when I saw one.
“I understand, Adam.” My mouth dried up looking at the thin platinum band resting permanently on my left ring finger. The metal stayed cold, never fully warming to my body temperature. It suffocated me from within even years later. He threatened to cut my finger off the day I put it on. I’m surprised it hadn’t rotted on its own, wearing this ring, his brand. The tiny cuts had scarred over, but it didn’t matter. Nothing protected me from him.
“See that you do.” I watched his eyes dip down the lace covered décolletage of my dress. I looked like an obscene American socialite trying to be something I wasn’t honed from generations of tradition. I was nothing more than the spawn of poor broken half-Brazilian, Irish potato farmers, illegal immigrants, and drug addicts from the ditches of the Ironbound. I was as close to being royal as a rat from the gutter. Adam reminded me of that sitting high on his throne of his corrupt kingdom.
Four years and I still wasn’t any closer to finding out what he wanted from me.
“The wedding will start soon. You should go wait with Father Morely.” I took a breath to steady myself, but it was pointless as his eyes feasted over me.
“And then we’ll get to the honeymoon.” Adam’s hands slowly caressed my arms covered in sheer lace while his lips kissed below my ear with a strange tenderness that only fueled my anxiety further. His evil should have turned my pale skin black, with the oily ooze I felt from his tainted touch.
“I’m looking f-forward to it.” I said with as much enthusiasm as a hopeless terrified shelter animal on their way toward a lethal injection.
“Perhaps we should start early.” He goaded arching his eyebrow suggestively.
Panic flared through me and my eyes bugged, there was no hiding that reaction from him, and to my surprise he laughed. Adam Huntley the biggest asshole I knew on the planet laughed a deep belly chuckle throwing his head back in a maniacal gesture.
He had a shit sense of humor and sadistic need to keep me off-kilter.
“With a kiss, Elizabeth. There will be plenty of time later to drive my point home how much you belong to me.” Grabbing me, he hugged me tight stealing my breath and crushing my lace.
Tonight was the part I feared most.
Adam fixed the tousled curls of my hair, his hands cupping my face as he touched his lips to mine. The kiss was chaste all things considered, and his hands roamed freely molding me to him. It felt different, as if he’d reigned himself in for the moment and simply wanted a kiss. His madness restrained. Though, his kisses were anything but simple. He demanded. He ruled. He conquered. I reached for his suit lapels pulling him closer. The mix of moods was like a sweet and sour cocktail. Nice one moment, but the bite was coming. He pulled away first and rubbed the pad of his thumb over my lips fixing the sm
udge of lipstick. Adam was uncanny at leaving my axis of reality off kilter and my body responding in ways I didn’t expect.
“Be good.” He laced his words with those demands, rules, and conquering smirks.
I listened for the door to close and my heart to resume beating. Being good was the only thing I knew. I trained for it like an Olympic athlete even if I felt like I was failing at that.
Preorder Hunter now.
Books by M.C. Cerny
THE REVENGE & LEGACY SERIES
Rival
Hunter
Prey
Conqueror
Oath
Angel
* * *
DESIGNED BY LOVES SERIES
First Love - FREE Prequel
Love Under Construction
Unlovely Things
Heartburn
Tailwind
Love Actually
Mission For Love
Mine To Keep
Love On Tap
Overdue
* * *
MAPLE TREE LANE SERIES
Monkey Wrench (Freebie)
Say Yes
* * *
GOLD BEACH DUET
Summer Ever After
Remains of Winter
* * *
THE MATCHMAKER SERIES
Under The Mistletoe
The Naughty List
Own The Night
My Dearest Captain
The Matchmakers - Boxset #1
* * *
THE CLUB
An Eye For An Eye
Branded
Blinded Love - Boxset
* * *
RESCUED BY LOVE
Rescue Me
* * *
THE VAULT (Dockside Devils)
Declan’s Demand
Sydney’s Submission
LeHavre’s Lover
* * *
STANDALONE NOVELS
Deviation
Night Owl
Dream Catcher
The Warden
Hollywood Lover
Royal Disaster
Never Been Kissed
Wedding In Waiting
FOR A COMPLETE LISTING OF M.C. CERNY BOOKS, VISIT:
www.authormccerny.com
About the Author
M.C. Cerny is a USA Today Bestselling author of fresh sexy books. She experienced her first real ugly cry reading, Where The Red Fern Grows, and never looked back. She lives with a menagerie of human and feline fur-babies in rural NJ. When M.C. is not writing, you’ll find her lurking in Starbucks, running stupid marathons, and eating all the tacos.
www.authormccerny.com
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locals is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. Except for use in a review, the reproduction or use of this work in any part is forbidden without the express written permission of the author.
Rival : Prequel © 2020 by M.C. Cerny
Edited by Silla Web - Masque Of The Red Pen
Proofread by My Brother’s Editor
Cover Design by Amy Queau
Formatting by M.C. Cerny
* * *
ISBN: Coming soon.
Thanks!
Special thanks to DL, Michele, Michelle, and everyone who helped me with this project, even when I was kicking and screaming along the way.
Books by M.C. Cerny
DESIGNED BY LOVES SERIES
First Love - FREE Prequel
Love Under Construction
Unlovely Things
Heartburn
Tailwind
Love Actually
Mission For Love
Mine To Keep
Love On Tap
Overdue
MAPLE TREE LANE SERIES
Monkey Wrench (Freebie)
Say Yes
* * *
THE REVENGE & LEGACY SERIES
Rival
Hunter
Prey
Conqueror
Oath
* * *
GOLD BEACH DUET
Summer Ever After
Remains of Winter
* * *
THE MATCHMAKER SERIES
Under The Mistletoe
The Naughty List
Own The Night
My Dearest Captain
The Matchmakers - Boxset #1
* * *
THE CLUB
An Eye For An Eye
Branded
Blinded Love - Boxset
* * *
RESCUED BY LOVE
Rescue Me
* * *
THE VAULT (Dockside Devils)
Declan’s Demand
Sydney’s Submission
LeHavre’s Lover
* * *
STANDALONE NOVELS
Deviation
Night Owl
Dream Catcher
The Warden
Angel
Hollywood Lover
Royal Disaster
Never Been Kissed
Wedding In Waiting
FOR A COMPLETE LISTING OF M.C. CERNY BOOKS, VISIT:
www.authormccerny.com
About the Author
M.C. Cerny is a USA Today Bestselling author of fresh sexy books. She experienced her first real ugly cry reading, Where The Red Fern Grows, and never looked back. She lives with a menagerie of human and feline fur-babies in rural NJ. When M.C. is not writing, you’ll find her lurking in Starbucks, running stupid marathons, and eating all the tacos.
www.authormccerny.com
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locals is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. Except for use in a review, the reproduction or use of this work in any part is forbidden without the express written permission of the author.
Sexy Ebook Title © 2020 by M.C. Cerny
Cover Design by Awesome Designer
Editing by Awesome Editor
Proofreading by Awesome Proofer
Formatting by M.C. Cerny in Vellum
