CROXXED

Wed to Death † 8

    I look up at my mansion looming up above me, grey and foreboding in the dark sky, threatening rain and I can't bring myself to go in. I don't want to be berated with accusations I'm sure to come by. The front door opens and Sharay steps out with a suit bag, obviously assisting my mom with something and she stops upon seeing me. She closes the door softly behind her and walks up to me, alarm and concern covering her face.

  "Felise. Everybody has been worried about you. Are you okay?!" she asks.

  I don't look at her, except continue to stare up at the mansion that may soon become my prison. "You should go. You don't want to be here for this."

  "What?" she asks, concerned.

  I finally look at her. "You don't want to be here for what's about to happen."

  "For what's about to happen? Felise, what are you saying? Let me take you inside," she says worriedly moving to grab for me, when I back up away from her, putting my hands up for her to fall back. She does just that, frowning at me scared and wondering what's going on.

  "Trust me, Sharay," I tell her. "I'm about to tell my parents something and you don't want to be here for it. Go on. You have something to do for my mom. You should go do it."

  She puts her hands back around the bag, hesitantly.

  "I'll be fine. I'll see you later." I move to the door, grabbing the handle and turn to her staring at me. I smile at her and go inside.

~

  I walk in to the kitchen and my dad turns from the table spotting me, his eyes switching from worry to relief and he rushes toward me, taking me in to a hug. I pull away from him, pulling Caleb's sword from my shoulder and place it down on the table gently. My eyes slide over to my mom eyeing me crossly from across the kitchen island and she steps up to me, angrily.

  "What are you wearing?" she snaps. "Where is Emmeline?!"

  "Yeah, I'm fine too mom. I'm wearing Mrs. Giuliani's clothes," I say, evenly, looking between her and my dad. "My mother in-laws clothes. I got married."

   It takes a minute for them to get it and I receive a backhand across my face for my efforts. I take the abuse and look at my mom her hand raised again and my dad stops her before she can do it again.

  "Yes, I married Caleb Giuliani," I snap at her, pronouncing every syllable of his name, as if to curse her. 

  She bristles at my words and pounces for me, breaking away from my dad and grabs me around my shoulders, as I turn to get out of her grasp. She grabs for my left hand, strong holding me and every nerve ending in me screams like a banshee. I buck against her hold, grunting and half screaming. She grips me hand hard, as if trying to break it, and rips my wedding band away from my finger, throwing my ring across the room.

  She lets my arm go and thrusts me across floor. I catch myself and look up at her defiant. She may have took my ring, but it still doesn't change anything. Panting she stares down at me, as if she wants to murder me and I remember how that guy looked at me in the church. She was my mother. I would have expected disappointment, but never this.

  "I'm calling Garrett over and you will see him," she seethes. "You will play by my rules and maybe I won't throw you out this house right now."  

  "Why can't I love him?!" I scream and she just stares at me. "You can't even give me a reason!" I look at my wedding ring laying across the room and go for it, when she grabs me by my ankles and pulls me back. I turn and look over my shoulder at her and angry I reach back and kick her in the face. With a powerful tug, she drags me away from it, as I scratch across the stone floor for it and she pulls me up to stand by my hair. "Ah! Let me go! Caleb!" I squirm. "CALEB!!