Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
****
Roman got to meet the little boy under the table, but it took three hours of being at the orphanage for him to come out. In the end, it took Millie coaxing him out with ice cream and brownies.
Of course, it meant that he never got to speak with Alex as the little boy was plastered to her side like a second skin. He also wore the sweater she made for him. All the kids wore them, and each one had a different design. Much to his surprise, they all adored her. The other kids accepted Stuart’s fear, though, and none of them commented about how he was stuck to Alex.
They were approaching dinner, and after eating way too much ice cream, he was ready to head back, but Alex didn’t want to leave.
Once again, Millie had no choice but to pull his wife away, and the guardians helped with Stuart, but he saw the pain in Alex’s eyes at leaving the boy. No, not just the boy, but the whole house. The kids put on brave faces, but he saw how much they loved her.
Back in the car, Alex stared out the window, watching the house for the longest time. Millie held her hand. “We can return tomorrow,” Millie said.
Alex didn’t say anything. She held Millie’s hand like it was a lifeline, and he guessed at that moment, it was exactly that.
No one talked.
He’d listened to Alex and Stuart when they first arrived at the orphanage. When he saw her heading into the main house, his suspicions had risen, but then he’d watched. He didn’t think Alex had seen him bend down to see who this Stuart was.
The boy had been terrified, holding on to Alex like he was going to lose her.
Antonio, Marlo, and Cash were there. None of them knew what to say.
Arriving back at Liam’s house, Millie and Alex made their way inside. Dinner was expected within the hour, but he didn’t see any sign of his father or Liam’s car. He checked his cell phone, and still nothing.
“Are you okay?” Antonio asked.
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.” This came from Marlo.
“I’m fine.”
“I don’t know, it seems to me you kind of married a … good girl,” Cash said.
“This could all be an act.”
“An act that didn’t want to marry you in the first place?” Antonio held his hands up as Roman shot him a glare.
“Look, your words, not ours. You’re the one who told us that.”
Liam had been the one to tell him, as well as the few entries on her diary, which was inside his jacket.
“I’m going to get changed for tonight,” he said. “My father will want you all there.” He left his friends to get ready as he headed up to Alex’s room. The bathroom door was shut, and he tested the door to find it locked.
Roman could break it down, but he knew Alex needed some time. She loved those kids.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, he pulled out her diary and opened to where he’d left off. The edge of the page was pulled down and neatly folded.
Dear Mom,
You never got married, and I don’t want to either. So many dresses came today. Dad told me to have fun and to try them all on, but … I hate them. I hate dressing in white. I know he had to go and see … whatever his name was, because there was this stupid, horrible, request.
The pages were smudged like Alex had been crying as she wrote.
They want to find out if I’m a virgin. Have you ever heard of such a stupid thing? It is stupid. So fucking stupid.
I’m so angry.
Dad said that I don’t have to do the test. He believes that I’m a virgin. Of course, he does. He knows that I have no desire to be near boys. They’re horrible and cruel, and I hate this. I don’t want to marry Roman Greco. I don’t want to be married to that family, but I know how important it is to Dad. I overheard him talking to Millie. She was trying to help me get out of it, and he said that it is important. He likes Lucas Greco. The man, although old-fashioned with the whole virgin thing, is a good man at his core. He wants a world where I am safe, and he feels this is the best course of action. Roman is supposed to be a nice guy, but he’s not. I know he’s not. I’ve heard what the soldiers have said about him. He’s scary as hell.
A damn virginity test.
For what?
He’s no virgin.
Why do I have to be?
Not that I’m not. I’ve never had sex. I’ve never kissed a boy. Never even hugged a boy unless you count Dad!
I hate this. I refuse to do it. I won’t allow some strange person to look … there. That’s my place. It’s my body. There are limits, even now, right?