Black Keys (The Colorblind Trilogy #1) - Rose B. Mashal Page 0,14
pressed to my temple, then a click so close to my ear that my sudden fear of it made the sound almost painful.
A gun.
My brother had a gun pressed into my head, and he was ready to pull the trigger. To kill me. His sister.
“Joseph!” I gasped.
“I’ve been begging the fuck out of you to sign the fucking papers for the last fifteen minutes, but no way, you’re so fucking full of yourself that you won’t even consider saving the life of an innocent girl whose only mistake was falling in love with me.”
My eyes widened even more at the tone and the curses my brother was using, a tone I’d never heard in his voice before in my whole life, let alone directed at me–me, of all people. My heart was pounding so hard against my chest that I was so sure it was going to burst out soon. My throat tightened as the tears choked me before falling out of my eyes. I was drowning in disbelief.
“And better yet, you’re refusing a fucking prince, someone who will be the next king for this fucking kingdom. He has the money and the power as well as noble blood, but no, you think you’re way better than this. You’re so fucking selfish, Marie. I can’t even find a word for your selfishness!”
“I’m selfish?” I whispered the question through my tears. “And what do you call the one who’s pointing a gun at his sibling here? Who’s the selfish one here? Me or you? Who promised his sister to someone who’s everything she’s loathed her whole life just so he can marry the one he loves?”
“It’s not about love, Marie, don’t you get it? I could live with a broken heart, but not with her blood on my hands!”
I replied with more tears as I kept my eyes tightly closed. I couldn’t look at his face, the thing he had in his eyes was something I wished I would never see again. I wasn’t even able to stand being close to him when he looked down at me like that.
“Sign the papers, Marie.”
“Joseph, please.”
“Sign the fucking papers, you selfish bitch!” he yelled at me.
I think in that moment, a part of my soul died at hearing his words. Joseph had never, ever called me a name, never. And hearing him saying that...it broke me.
I couldn’t believe my own ears, couldn’t believe I was actually awake; this was a horrible dream, a nightmare.
With a shaking hand, I picked up the folder and the pen off of the floor, searching for the blank spot where the man had motioned for me to sign it, and did just that.
I signed my name on five copies of the same contract, each holding my picture and the prince’s.
I signed the papers that sold my soul to the devil.
I then was instructed by him to press my ink-smudged thumb to the edge of my picture and the start of the paper.
My brother came behind me with the gun still pressed to the back of my head and called for the elderly man to come in, the man said it was not acceptable that I signed before he got to ask me if I agreed. Like that would matter. He then asked me if I approved on marrying Prince Mazen, and Joseph pressed the gun hidden in my hair and between us closer to my head.
I nodded.
“Please, speak loud, Benty,”
“I—do,” the broken plea was out of my mouth as I spoke the words.
When I was done, and the man left, Joseph moved the gun away from my head and let go of my hair. I could see from the corner of my eye as he put it back in his pocket. He then knelt in front of me again and took my shaking hands in his.
“Thank you, Marie. I’ll always owe you, for the rest of my life.”
His words brought back Janna’s almost-same words into my mind. Did she know about this? Of course she did. But the real question was: did she know I was being forced right now to give up my life for hers?
I didn’t know …
By the time Joseph left the room and closed the door behind him, I was crying hysterically. I fell on my side on the couch and cried my eyes out, holding my cross next to my heart for dear life, begging God for mercy, to give me the strength to withstand my brother’s betrayal.