Chapter 48: Pack your things.

He yanks me forward so hard my veil slips from my head as his other hand fists in the back of my hair, dragging my head back until my neck arches and my mouth is forced open under his.

The kiss is dirty and filthy.

His tongue shoves past my lips without warning, thick and wet and demanding, tasting of some champagne he probably drank before the ceremony and pure, undiluted spite.

He doesn’t ask, he just takes.

Teeth scrape my lower lip hard enough to sting, then he sucks it between his own, biting down just shy of drawing blood.

A low, rough sound rumbles in his chest.....half growl, half laugh...like he can feel how much I hate him and it only makes him hungrier.

I shove at his chest. My nails digging into the fine black fabric of his jacket. He doesn’t move. If anything he pulls me closer, crushing my breasts against the hard wall of his body, the hard length of him pressing shamelessly against my thigh through layers of silk and lace.

His tongue fucks into my mouth in deep, slow strokes, claiming every corner, curling against mine, forcing me to taste him. To breathe him, to swallow the low, filthy noise he makes when I try to bite back.

My knees weaken as heat floods low in my belly, unwanted and vicious.

I hate him and hate the way he tastes and I hate the way my body softens against his even as my hands still push.

I hate that the kiss is so wet, so deep, so completely without tenderness that it feels like a brand.

He breaks it only long enough to drag his mouth along my jaw, voice a dark rasp against my ear.

"Smile for them, wife."

Then his mouth crashes back onto mine, harder this time, tongue plunging deep again while his hand slides down to grip my ass through the dress, hauling me against the thick, obvious ridge of his cock.

The guests are still watching but Lysander doesn’t care, he kisses me like he’s already fucking me in front of every single one of them.....slow, dirty, and full of every ounce of loathing we both carry.

I kiss him back just as nastily because if I don’t, I might scream.

When the kiss stops, I’m light-headed and my panties are soaked wet.

Which I really hate.

I curse Lysander down to hell in my head.

I hate him, I fucking hate him.

He can’t be generating such emotions from me.

I clear my throat, trying to clear whatever haze he just dropped on me.

When I look towards Cassian and see that he’s so angry Uncle has to lay a hand on him to stop him from doing whatever he plans on doing.

Uh uh...Looks like I’m not the only one that didn’t like the kissing.

With Lysanders hands still in mine, I drag him towards me a bit and whisper in his ear.

"Do that one more time and you’re dead. I promise you."

When I release him and step back, he wears a smirk on his face.

That bastard.

The priest clears his throat, looking taken aback too.

"Let’s exchange the rings, shall we?"

I’m handed a ring.

I take Lysander’s hand and slide it onto his finger, he looks down at it for a second before reaching for mine.

His fingers close around my hand, and he slides the other ring onto my finger.

I immediately look down at it.

Its Ugly.

That is the first word that comes to mind.

My ring looks ugly, It’s not even my type of jewelry. I have no idea who picked this thing, but apparently nobody thought to ask me what I actually like.

Then again, why would they?

I stare at the ring for another second before looking away.

Whatever.

It’s just a ring anyway.

The priest raises his hands and blesses us.

I stand beside Lysander, listening to the final words of the ceremony while trying not to think too hard about what just happened.

Marriage.

I’m someone’s Wife.

Those words shouldn’t belong to us but now they do.

The priest finishes his blessing.

"Amen."

The guests erupt into applause and I force a smile.

Lysander does the same.

From the outside, we probably look like the happiest newlyweds in the room.

If only they knew.

I glance towards Uncle he looks satisfied.

Relieved, even.

The truce is intact with both families watching.

Nobody is asking questions and most importantly, nobody seems to have noticed Olivia is missing.

Good.

That means she and Nathaniel have more time.

I lower my gaze to the ring on my finger.

This was the whole point, I did what I had to do.

Olivia and her baby is safe.....That is all that matters.

I take a slow breath.

My wedding is over.

I am officially married to Lysander Sanchez.

————

The moment the wedding is over, I barely have a few seconds to breathe.

Lysander grabs my hand.

"Come."

I blink at him.

"Come where?"

"Pack your things."

I stare at him.

"What?"

"You heard me."

He is already walking, dragging me along with him.

I dig my heels into the floor.

"Lysander, slow down."

He doesn’t.

The bastard doesn’t even look back.

"Why are you rushing me?"

"We’re leaving."

"Leaving where?"

"My house."

When I stop walking, he finally turns around.

"My house?" I repeat.

"Our house."

I almost choke.

"Our?"

His eyes narrow slightly.

"You’re my wife now, Nerissa. Did you forget already?"

I roll my eyes.

"Unfortunately, no."

"Good. Then pack."

He releases my hand and walks toward the stairs. I stand there for a moment, watching him disappear.

What the hell is wrong with this man?

I follow him upstairs, muttering under my breath. By the time I get to my room, he’s already standing near the doorway.

"Ten minutes."

I stare at him.

"Excuse me?"

"You have ten minutes to pack."

"Ten minutes?"

"We have somewhere to be."

I fold my arms.

"Where exactly?"

"An event."

I laugh once.

"You dragged me out of my own wedding reception because of an event?"

"We can’t miss it."

I stare at him.

"You couldn’t have mentioned this before the wedding?"

"You would’ve complained."

"I am complaining now."

"I noticed."

I glare at him but he looks completely unaffected.

I turn away from him and start pulling open drawers. I don’t know why I didn’t pack until now.

"Fine."

I grab a few clothes and toss them onto the bed.

I still can’t believe this.

I glance at my phone.

Nothing.

No message from Olivia yet.

My stomach twists.

Please be okay, please be gone already.

I shove another dress into my suitcase.

Lysander watches me from the doorway.

"You’re taking too much."

I slowly turn around.

"Would you like to pack for me?"

His mouth twitches.

"No."

"Then shut up."

I turn back to my suitcase and after a few more minutes, I zip it shut.

"Done."

"Good."

He picks up my suitcase before I can.

I reach for it.

"I can carry my own things."

"I know."

"Then give it to me."

"No."

I stare at the back of his head.

"You’re seriously annoying."

"So I’ve been told."

He starts walking and I follow him downstairs.

The moment we step outside, I see a black car waiting.

One of his men opens the door and Lysander gestures for me to get in.

I pause beside the car and look back at the house.

Everything suddenly feels different.

This was my home, my family and now I’m leaving it behind as someone’s wife.

I swallow and get into the car.

I think of going to say goodbye to Cassian but that will make things harder than it already is for me. I’ll just call him and apologize when I get there.

Lysander climbs in beside me and rhe car pulls away.

I glance at him.

"So what exactly is this event?"

He looks ahead.

"You’ll find out when we get there."

I scoff.

"Of course I will.