Page 14 of Wicked Throne

"Don't have much of a choice, father," I picked the glass up and turned to survey the room. There was a woman in a green dress; she was large and she was plucking shrimp from a passing waiter like she would never have another piece ever again.

"We all have a choice son...but you...you have chosen duty to your family."

I watched as my father smiled at some of the pretty girls that came by. That had been his weakness if we were being completely honest. Pretty girls. I cringed inwardly thinking of how young some of these girls might have been.

"Reminds me of the day I married your mother," he said.

He didn't speak of my mother much and I tried at all cost to avoid thinking of her. She had had sad eyes...

"Really, Pop," I gave him a look. "To be honest, I don't want to think about your wedding day. I just want to get through this."

I stalked off to find Enzo. There was probably another forty-five minutes before this wedding started and there was a chance that all hell could break loose at any moment. After all, Diamond still needed to say, "I do."

Chapter 8

Diamond

A wedding dress was on my body. This shit fit me to the tee, and it was gorgeous. It was Vera Wang, with lace gliding down the shoulders and stopping at the wrist. The beaded silk went over my hips and down to the floor before fanning out.

I couldn't believe I was in a wedding dress. The makeup artist that had been hired by my father was in the corner texting on her cellphone and the hairstylist was packing up after telling me how beautiful I looked. Behind me, my group of friends looked around in silence.

"I have the bubble guts," I turned away from the floor-length mirror that had been in my old bedroom since high school and looked at them.

They all had solemn looks on their faces. I gave two shits about their solemn ass faces. How long had these bitches known to come here?

"We didn't know," Naomi looked at the other girls and then back to me.

They all agreed.

"What?"

"Your dad got in touch with us all at different times and asked us to show up...said it was a surprise," Treyanna shrugged. "...surprise, bitch!'

If I could've moved faster in this mermaid dress, I would have knocked the champagne flute out of her damn hand. Instead, I sucked it up and turned back to the mirror to check my reflection again.

"You know when I was a kid...I always thought my mom would be here to help me on my wedding day." I fiddled with the curls the stylist had placed delicately around my shoulders. I caught Naomi's eyes and she gave a tight smile.

"We know," Carmen replied.

"But," I turned back to them. "She's not here and the baddest bitch in the land is about to get married to some man she doesn't even know."

I threw up my hands.

Their sympathetic looks continued until the wedding planner that I had never met knocked on the door. She poked her head in, a chipper-ass smile on her face, and announced in less than five minutes I was going to be marching down the aisle and marrying and I quote, "the man of my dreams."

I had never wanted to kill someone more in my entire life. The girls continuing with their looks of sadness as if I were marching to my death, gave me reassuring hugs and kisses on the cheeks. When I was finally alone, I took in my reflection once more.

"Well Diamond, I guess you've finally found a situation that you can't talk yourself out of..."

Taking a deep breath, I stepped away from the mirror and moved towards the door. As I opened it, I found Nathan leaning against the doorway. He had a small frown on his face; it marred his otherwise perfect features. Nathan was one of those fine-ass black men that had perfect skin, perfect teeth. He was athletic; he was tall.

He was also a doubly forbidden thing: my cousin and married.

He came in closer smelling of beer and oranges.

Fuck,I thought as he snatched me up by my waist and brought me in closer.

"Give me a reason to not rip the dress from your body and fuck you senseless," he licked his lips.