Page 136 of Marks of Rebellion

I gape at him.

"I'm working on avenging the guerrillas."

More silence, except for the pounding of blood between my ears.

Carlos trails his finger down my cheek. It takes all my will not to shudder or cringe. "I need you back, Vanessa."

"I'll be good tonight. I promise," I blurt out as new fear takes hold.

"Shhh. I didn't mean that. I know you will not disappoint me in public."

"You do?"

"Yes. But I need you back in this house."

Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

Oh God.

Breathe. I can't wilt right now.

"I need time," I tell him again.

His eyes turn to slits and his cheeks redden.

"It's not you. It's me. Please. They...they did a lot to me. But I'm trying. I am."

His jaw clenches. "I won't have it look like we aren't together, as we were in the past. You're mine, Vanessa. If I want to touch you or kiss you, I will, and you will not react in any way, except with enthusiasm. Do I make myself clear?"

I blink hard, willing my tears not to fall and destroy my eye makeup, which will only enrage Carlos. "Yes."

His lips twitch. "Good. Kiss me and show me how much you've missed me all these months."

My insides quiver. I'm trapped. I knew this moment was coming, but I kept pushing it out of my mind. There is no way to get out of it.

After I don't move, he cups my face in his hands and dips down. The moment his lips touch mine, he pries my mouth open with his tongue and shoves it in my mouth.

I force myself to go along with the motions, feeling nothing that I used to feel when I kissed him and only more hatred stirring in my gut.

When he finally releases me, he reaches into the jewelry box and pulls out the engagement ring he forced me to accept. Taking my hand, he slides it on my finger. I'm once again shackled to him. "I've set our wedding date. In twenty days, you will be my wife. I will not allow you to deny me what is owed to me as your husband. Whatever you need to figure out, do. I'm tired of waiting, and my patience only goes so far, Vanessa."

A tear falls against my wishes, and he swipes it. "Don't ruin your makeup." He steps toward the door and then spins back. "You have an appointment tomorrow with the seamstresses to design your dress. Work with them to create whatever you think will make me proud and happy. Money is no factor." He leaves.

Shaking, I step outside, trying to stop my tears and searching for comfort in the red petals, but it doesn't come.

Guilt now takes over. My heart belongs to Hunter and I've kissed another man. And it doesn't matter how much I hate kissing Carlos. I've betrayed Hunter.

My nightmare is true. It's happening. As much as I want Hunter to save me, he can't. My fate is set in motion, and there is no way to stop it.

In twenty days, I will be Mrs. Carlos Garcia. He will own me in every way, even if only for a short time before he kills me.

26

Vanessa

"What arethe details I need to know for tonight?" I ask Carlos in the car on the way to the Mexican embassy. My hand is shaking, and I'm gripping it, trying to get it to stop.

"The press thinks it's to celebrate the new Mexican ambassador. But it's really for Jorge Cano's birthday. He's been there for several days."