Page 56 of Corrupted By You

The expression on my face hardened and Ben brushed past me with those parting words, lost in thoughts.

I didn’t like the foreboding ring to his statement.

It didn’t sit well with my soul.

CHAPTER 13

Fallen God

Darla

The Maison Sereno box resting on my bed mocked me.

I came home from work and Alberto said I received a special delivery. The minute I saw the package, I knew it wasn’t a gift from Anna, my friend and designer at Maison Sereno.

The card attached to the gift bore an unfamiliar scrawl with my name…that I knew with every fibre of my being belonged to my future husband.

I glared at the offensive box when Dacia knocked on my door and entered without permission.

“Hey, Dar,” Dacia said, twisting her blond locks into a loose bun on top of her head. She was in her nude heels, white bodycon dress, and Birkin bag, meaning she’d just arrived from work. “Do you want to go out for dinner, seeing as Mother isn’t home—whoa, what’s in there?”

“A gift from Zeno.” I folded my arms over my chest. “And, yes, I’d love to go out for dinner. I’m in the mood for fast, fried food. Maybe Danny’s Grill?”

“Aren’t you going to open it?” Dacia focused on the former part of the conversation, her eyes widening. “Is it an engagement gift?”

“He’s already given me that,” I replied dryly and showed her my left hand. Even my mother hadn’t seen my ring.

“Holy shit.” Dacia’s mouth parted at the impressive red diamond. “He really gave you that?”

How he acquired my dream ring in two days was beyond me.

“Got on his knees and everything. Truly, it was romantic. Epic. The kind of proposal worth writing novels about.”

Dacia’s face pinched. “I’m so sorry, Darla. This isn’t how things should be. You’re a dreamer. You’re meant to fall in love, get married, and have two point five babies. I’m so mad Mother is forcing you to marry that fucking bastard—”

“There’s no other way, Dacia.” I shook my head. “He’ll ruin us. I’ll play by his rules for a year and then we’ll go our separate ways. I’m also betting my money on karma biting his ass afterwards.”

“I’m thinking we hire a hitman and have him killed.”

I laughed. “Coming from a lawyer, that’s rich.”

Plus, I had every intention of gathering harming evidence on Zeno and the De la Croixes once we married. In those twelve months, I’d do my best to dig up dirt on his family so we could retaliate when the time came.

Threaten me and I’ll threatenyou back.

Dacia trudged over to my bed and sat with a sad look on her face. “You know what doesn’t make sense? With all the ammo he has on us, he could have gotten Mother and the MPD to shut down the case and leave it at that. And if he needed a wife so badly, shouldn’t there be other women at his disposal? Why…why go as far as requesting you?”

I couldn’t hold Dacia’s penetrative stare.

I asked myself that question many times. If Zeno needed a wife, the De la Croixes must have enough influence to find him a willing partner. Hell, I knew many women wouldn’t turn down a man like him.

“I think he likes you.”

My back stiffened. “I doubt it.”

I dove for the box with an irrational need to throw it out my balcony. Instead, my fingers gingerly removed the lid.

A floor-length, figure-hugging, silver sequin gown welcomed me. It was a halter neck with thin straps crisscrossing at the back and absolutely breathtaking. Never in my life had I ever worn anything so brazen, so daring, and sobold.