Page 116 of Sold to the Dark Vampire Prince

“You think that was easy? I was suffocated. You think I wanted to be dressed up like a doll, or be paraded out at parties? You think I wanted to be told I had to meet boy after boy, because one day, it wouldn’t just be dances I would be forced to consent to? That one day our father would choose one of them and I would be forced to marry him?”

Out of the corner of her eye, Dani saw Finneas wince. She knew from everything Alex had told her that he’d had no more choice in the marriage their parents had tried to arrange than Sera had, but still, this had to be painful to hear.

“I ran away for a reason,” Sera finished, swiping at her eyes. “You weren’t the only one who was miserable in that family.”

“Yes, you were always running away,” Isabella said tearfully. “You weren’t there for me after Mom died. None of you were. Alex threw himself into volunteering at the legal center so he never had to be home. Dante would be gone for days at a time. You were too busy with your studies and your rebellion to see that I was alone and hurting.”

Isabella scrubbed her face with the heels of her hands. “Daddy was the only one in this family who cared, the only one who saw that I still existed, the only one who came to find me when I was alone in my closet, curled up in the dark. So don’t you dare blame me for wanting to try to save him now, the same way he saved me.”

Dani watched Sera go pale, pressing her hand to her heart. “I’m sorry you think I was selfish for wanting to become a doctor, and for trying to keep our sector from destroying itself.”

“I had lost my mother. My life was falling apart. You were my older sister. I needed you.”

“I know.” Sera looked down. “I’m sorry.”

“And then you took Micah away from me, the only man I ever loved.”

“I’m so sorry he hurt you, but he wasn’t good for either of us.” When Isabella started to object, Sera held up a hand. “I had no idea what was really going on, or I would have gone to father myself. I never would have wanted someone on either of our protection details who we couldn’t absolutely trust, and a man who sleeps with two sisters, especially when one of them is underage—”

“I was eighteen.”

“Barely. I failed to protect you, and I will always bear that failure, but it’s been two years and you have to stop pining over Micah. He’s not worth it.”

Isabella’s eyes filled with tears. “I don’t know why I even try talking to you. It just makes me feel even more invisible every time I do.”

When Sera started to respond, she held up a hand.

“I’m leaving now. I just need you to promise me one thing. Swear to me that you won’t hurt our father whenever all this goes down. I know he’s made mistakes and you’re never going to give him a second chance. I’ve accepted that, but he’s all I have left.”

“We’re only going there to get Alex,” Sera said evenly, swiping at her damp cheeks. “That’s our only objective.”

“For once, just see that you keep your promises.”

And with that, Isabella swirled from the room in a gust of smoke.

“I don’t know what I’m even paying you for,” Lara screeched. “Can’t you see he looks washed out?”

Alexander flinched as a makeup sponge flew past his head.

“I’m sorry, milady. I’ll fix it.” The poor makeup artist’s hand shook as she reached over to dab on bronzer.

“Your Majesty,” Lara said sharply, shaking the bottom of her dress, which was made of so much lace and tulle that for a moment, Alex was briefly hopeful he might get out of having to kiss her during the ceremony. “And hurry it up. We’re running behind. The guests are already starting to arrive.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I apologize.”

Alex held his tongue. Lara wasn’t even queen yet. There were still hours left to go until the wedding of his nightmares. She’d been enlisting every caterer, decorator and musician in the sector, rushing to coordinate the event at the last minute.

The flowers had been a problem. Normally, those were brought in from the fae kingdom, but apparently, the faerie didn’t take too kindly to having their people held prisoner. Lara had instead enlisted a fleet of designers who’d come up with some sort of winter motif involving dead branches draped with beads and tulle. He thought the entire effect was gaudy, but no one dared cross Lara, so the ballroom was festooned in it.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. Just a little bit left to do.”

Alex felt sorry for this girl, who probably desperately needed the commission with food prices being what they were. She kept her eyes downcast as she finished dotting powder at his forehead.

“Thank you, Katarina.”

She blinked, as if surprised he’d bothered to remember her name. The expression quickly turned to sympathy as her gaze fell to his cuffed hands. The staff was under no illusions about what was going on. None of them liked Lara. And yet, they were as powerless to do anything about the catastrophe that was currently unfolding as he was.

Katarina removed his smock. The guard assigned to him pulled him up and together, they walked down the hall to his father’s study.