Monster A Dark Arranged Marriage Romance - Vanessa Waltz Page 0,15
patchover party was tonight, which meant the members would get shitfaced and fuck club girls. They lounged on plastic chairs, sipping beer, sitting far from the women I considered my own, the old ladies, wives, and mothers. Dad swung his leg over his Harley and headed to the drinks. He was a stern man, big, black-bearded, and fearless. A worn leather cut wrapped his barrel chest. Outlaw tattoos snarled over his arms and splashed on his neck.
A knot formed in my throat.
Was he drunk?
Hard to tell with the rosacea tinting his cheeks like a sunburn. His heavy arm draped my shoulder. “Hey, baby girl. How’ve you been?”
“Well enough.”
“Costa treating you all right?”
I shrugged. “He’s not bad.”
He patted my back and turned toward the grilled hot dogs.
“Dad, it’s been weeks. I need the jewelry and the title to the property. I have to start with renovations. I’m way behind.”
“Your stuff is in safety deposit boxes.”
“I want them in my bank account, not yours.”
Dad’s icy glare stabbed my heart. He wasn’t eager to give up his leverage. I forced down a frustrated scream begging for release.
“Something has come up. I need you to get close to Costa,” he murmured, lowering his voice. “Gain his trust. Evie, this is really important. I have to know if I can depend on you.”
“Why?”
His arm weighed on my shoulders. He offered me a thin smile that filled me with dread.
“Club business.”
“If I had a nickel for every time you used that as an excuse.”
“You don’t need the details, Evie. Just focus on your marriage with Costa. The more distracted he is with you, the better.”
“Dad, what are you planning? If you’re going against them the second you make an alliance, why did I marry him?”
“Relax, honey. I want him busy, not dead.”
Heat flushed my face as he poured a shot down his throat. “I married the man, and now you want me to narc on him?”
“Didn’t say that.”
“Dad, he’s my husband.”
Dad deflected that with a warm hand cupping my cheek. “You always want to do the right thing. How did I raise such a good girl?”
My insides squirmed as he balled me into his chest. “Well, that was probably more of Mom’s doing.”
He soured, pulling away from me.
Mom was a jeweler, and so had been her mother. She’d taught me how to use everything in a jeweler’s studio. I’d spent my childhood smithing while other kids played outside. I’d been adding to her collection when she’d disappeared, forcing me to sell most of it to pay the mortgage.
Two years gone.
She’d packed up and vanished without an explanation. One minute she was mixing alloys with gold. The next she’d took off in the middle of the night. I had no idea where she’d went. She’d fled like she’d always wanted, and I was stupid for thinking she’d bring me along. There had been nothing but the punch to the gut from empty coat hangers swaying in her closet.
She’d been my best friend.
She’d abandoned me.
It was why I couldn’t sever ties with the club. Maybe she’d return, and we’d be a family again. I’d show her my latest work. Once our jewelry was a nationwide brand, she’d find me and apologize for disappearing.
“Dad, he doesn’t want me coming here anymore. He says you’re a danger to me.” My words cracked with desperation. “What if Mom shows up, and I’m not here? She has no idea I’m married.”
“Evie, she had every opportunity to pick up the goddamn phone. She didn’t. You’re out of your mind if you think she’ll waltz back into your life. What do I keep telling you? Life’s not all rainbows and sunshine.” He cupped my cheeks as pain welled in my throat. “She fucked us over, baby. All we have is each other.”
I used to be grateful he’d stuck around.
Now I wasn’t so sure.
My attention swiveled to Ghost, who strolled in the courtyard like a peacock eager to show off his new feathers. His chestnut mane brushed his tanned shoulders. The leather cut stretched over his bare chest. Two girls attached to him as though summoned by magic. Grinning, he felt up a redhead with big, fake boobs. He crushed his mouth into hers. Another girl wrestled the beer from his hand and grabbed his cock through his jeans.
My composure must’ve been as fragile as my thoughts because Dad dragged me into his arms. “Evie, go home.”
“Why the hell should I?”
“A patchover party isn’t the place for a married woman.” His grip returned, the bite