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Growing up an only child and with a father as overbearing as mine meant I was lonely a lot of the time.
But when I went away to college and met Zara when we were rooming together freshman year, it was like I had found the sister I had always wanted.
So, to have gotten married without her even knowing…
I swallow the lump in my throat as I open up the front door and plaster a smile on my face as Zara climbs out of the ridiculously obnoxious blacked-out Hummer and stalks toward me.
Her green eyes are narrowed on me as she climbs the few steps up to the front door, her arms folded across her chest as she looks over me.
“I think somebody has some explaining to do.” She raises her eyebrows.
Where I am petite and dark-haired and tan-skinned, Zara’s the opposite. With pale skin, blonde hair, and legs to die for, she’s like a walking Victoria’s Secret model.
I huff a nervous laugh and open the door wider.
“Coffee?”
Zara follows behind me, deathly quiet, as I take us through to the kitchen and get to work making a fresh pot of coffee.
She perches at the counter, in the very seat Alexei was in only a few hours ago, and I briefly fill her in on my news, keeping the details as minimal as possible.
“Married?”
I cringe at the tone in her voice, but nod.
“Yes.”
“You got married.”
“It was a last-minute thing?—”
“You got married?”
“Zara, you need to understand?—”
“I didn’t even know you were dating anyone.”
My chest feels like it’s being cracked open at the hurt in her eyes.
“Well, I wasn’t, really…”
“But you got married.”
“You keep repeating it.”
“Because it doesn’t make any sense!” Zara huffs. “You weren’t dating, but you married a guy? A guy who, by the looks of it, is fucking loaded and requires me to travel with a bodyguard just to see you for coffee! You haven’t answered any of my texts or calls for weeks. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the fact that your dad told me you lost your phone, I would’ve called the police. Seriously, B, what the hell is going on? Because this is starting to freak me out.”
I open my mouth to reply, but I don’t have the words to explain. Not in a way that would make Zara not feel so betrayed.
“Why didn’t you at least invite me?” Her voice wobbles. “Did you not want me there?”
“Zara.” I sigh, crossing over to the island and sliding into the stool beside her.
Reaching for her hand, I clutch it tightly, hoping that she can hear the sincerity in my voice. “I wish you were there. But in truth, it wasn’t even really a wedding. We signed the documentation and that was it. It was all so rushed, I barely had a moment to get my head around it.”
“Did he force you into this?” She glances over her shoulder as if worried we might be overheard.
Knowing Alexei, there’s cameras in every room in this house, so it would make no difference. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was up in his office watching over this entire interaction right now.
