2brown-eyes gives me all the comments!
The minimal mistakes are mine ;)
"There she is," Eleazar Denali says as he hobbles into my room. I've only just slipped my dress over my head, so I rush to pull up the side zipper. "Still a vision, even with that nasty bruise."
"Thank you," I reply because it's my duty to be gracious to my fiancé. "I still need to add makeup."
He walks over, a slight limp marking each step, and stands before me. His shaky hand reaches for my chin, tilting so he can have a better look at the purplish yellow that mars my face. His dark eyes are piercing, and his jaw is tight. I can see the rage boiling underneath his passive gaze, but I pretend everything is normal.
I offer him a small smile. "It looks worse than it feels."
"I'm sure makeup will help cover it for the wedding." He pulls his hand back, tucking them both behind his back, and my heart starts to race. "Charles and I have decided to move it up a considerable bit. With this threat looming out there, our families would both be better served by this union."
"How much sooner?" My voice shakes, even though I try my damnedest to hold it steady.
He smiles, and it's not a true smile. It's downright chilling. "This coming Saturday, right here on the grounds of Swan Manor."
Panic bubbles inside, but on the outside, I remain poised. "How lovely." I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly before lifting a jar of base from my vanity. My hand trembles slightly, and his eyes are drawn to the motion. "Has someone made arrangements for a dress fitting since the timeline is drastically shorter?"
"No need." He's watching me carefully, and I want to scream at the unfairness of it all. "Carmen has chosen you a lovely off-the-rack Vera Wang that I'm sure will look simply marvelous on you." My stomach stirs at the mention of his former wife and mother of his children, Tanya and Irina. They divorced a few years back, but she remains a close Denali ally. "I have a seamstress coming in on Wednesday in case there are any alterations needed."
"Thank you," I say, smiling up at him in the mirror. "I'm sure it's a beautiful gown."
He closes the space between us, placing his hand on my shoulder as he meets my eyes. "I have requested, and your father has agreed, that we shall occupy the guest house for the rest of the week."
"What!" Terror moves through me so swiftly that I'm unable to school my response. "I-I m-mean, I didn't expect this. I apologize if I offended you in any way."
His fingernails dig into my skin, and I wince. For a feeble old man, his grip is surprisingly strong. "No worries, my bride. Any offense I feel will be handled at the proper moment, and that is not now." He leans down, his lips grazing my jaw. "It is a time to mourn, so I shall see you downstairs in ten minutes."
I take his words for exactly what they are.
A command.
As he leaves my room, I continue with my makeup routine, but as soon as the door closes behind him, my hands cover my face, and I sob into them. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine Emmett's demise would alter my future so drastically. If anything, I thought it would make my life just a little easier.
Knowing I have only minutes, I temper the tears and shove the ache deep inside myself for when I'm alone again—if that ever happens. I join Eleazar downstairs with only seconds to spare after touching up my makeup and adding eye drops to my reddened eyes.
"There she is," he announces, chuckling as I descend the staircase. "Charles was beginning to think you'd skipped out."
I flash my eyes to my father, and he only glares. "I'm sorry, Daddy. I had problems pinning the hat into place."
"It's fine." His jaw is tense. "The limo is waiting."
The funeral is an unusual affair. An ode to a favorite son taken too soon at the hand of an enemy, and it feels more like a vow for vengeance than anything honoring Emmett. People make grand proclamations on how his death won't be in vain, and Charles Swan stews at my side.
It's hard to stir up tears for a man who treated you like crap, but I have Eleazar's announcement to bring them cascading down. The veil allows me the anonymity to keep anyone from studying me too closely, and I ignore all the meaningless platitudes around me and focus on my own living hell.
Emmett's body is barely in the grave before my father is back to business. "Gather everyone for a family meeting at five." He's on the phone as we ride back to the manor. "The Denalis will be in attendance"—he shifts his gaze to me and I maintain my composure—"since we've reached the agreement to join forces beginning today."
My chest tightens, and I stifle a sob. I doubt I can get away with any more tears right now. Emmett is in the ground, and my family has moved from mourning to revenge. I look out at the passing landscape, and the scenery flies by, similar to my life as of late. A wedding that was once six months away is now only six days, and my heart thuds at the thought.
My father ends his conversation and snaps his phone closed, his dark eyes on me, brow lifted. "Eleazar informed me that he's broken the news, and I expect you were gracious to him?"
"Of course, Daddy." Speaking the words kills me inside, but on the outside, I'm as calm as ever. "I would never disrespect my fiancé."
"You'd better not." The cavernous space inside the limo suddenly feels very small. "Your marriage is the only thing that will give us the strength to do what is necessary to avenge your brother."
"Then I shall make my family proud."
He picks at his manicured nails, unappreciative of my declaration. "We know who it was," he says casually, and my slight smile morphs into a look of concern. "There are cameras all over the property."
My mind considers and dismisses several responses before settling on the most reasonable. "That's good news, isn't it?"
He lifts his eyes, and they simmer with barely contained rage. "Would the name Cullen mean anything to you?"
My brows draw down in the center of my forehead. "Should it?" My voice is steady, and it takes great effort.
"I guess that would depend on whether you've been sticking your nose where it doesn't belong," he growls, and his fists clench in his lap. "Rosalie seems to think I'm being naive when it comes to you."
That bitch.
"I'm not sure why," I reply, adjusting my hat to have something to do besides hold his glare. "I realize there are things at play here that I don't understand, but I'm okay with that. Family first, right?" I smile as I lift my eyes to his. "It's the most important thing."
His expression softens, and I'm thankful to have appeased him. It's always been my best play in the past, and I live and learn easily. Any time my father and brother have been on my back, they tended to soften when I brought up family and my duty to them. Of course, I don't get that same respect from them, but why would I? I'm only a meaningless possession.
The limo turns into our long drive, and my father sighs. "You should pack your things and move to the guest house sooner rather than later. It will give you some time to adjust before Eleazar joins you later this evening."
"Yes, sir." Tears burn my eyes, and I blink them away.
"I know this isn't what you'd hoped for your life," my father says, surprising me. "And I'm sorry about that, but I needed Eleazar on board and this was the cost."
"I understand, Daddy." I don't say more for fear I'll break.
"You always have, pumpkin."
Hearing the pet name he called me when I was a little girl, the only time he ever showed me affection, is enough to send tears rolling down my cheeks. He doesn't acknowledge them, and I don't try to quell them, taking them for what they are. A deep yearning for the days when I mattered.
And I fear I never will again.
Poor Bella :(
I know some of you thought E had taken her in ch 1, but they were there to kill Emmett. She walked into the situation, and he hit her to "give her something to show" so to speak. Plausible deniability.
Prepare yourselves.
I wrote another chapter, so here ya go. Def won't be one Monday, since that's when I'll start the next one, but one day next week, before Thanksgiving!
Looks like the yet-to-be-named Christmas drabble will start posting around December 1st!
See you next time :)