Beauty and the Rose: a Dark Romance by Stasia Black & Lee Savino

Author:Stasia Black & Lee Savino [Black, Stasia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Stasia Black Author LLC
Published: 2020-04-21T16:00:00+00:00

Eleven

Daphne

I’m in dreamland, riding a wooden horse while wearing a huge white dress, frantically trying to get to Logan so I can marry him—but every time he comes into view, the Merry-Go-Round swings me away before I can say ‘I do.’

Then “Mambo No. 5” breaks into my dream and shatters it, pulling me awake.

I roll over and grab my phone, answering it with a half audible, “Hello?”

“Daphne, darling, how are you?” Armand trills in my ear. “Did I wake you?”

“It’s okay.” I push my hair back from my face. Yesterday I left Logan at the altar. But not really, since he never asked me to marry him in the first place. Compounded by the awkwardness of him inviting all our friends. We made up but I still haven’t dealt with the fallout.

Armand is prattling in my ear like it never happened. “I’m calling to share the good news, darling. I’m expanding into New Rome, opening seven new locations.”

I make appropriate happy noises. I’m still waking up.

“I have a new investor. Just listen to his name: Sebastian St. James. Doesn’t it just scream wealth and power?”

I murmur my agreement, but I only understand half of what he’s saying.

“I nearly swooned when I met him,” Armand continues. “So stern and handsome. But young.” A pause, and then he adds, “You must meet him.”

“Uh, no,” I say quickly. Is Armand seriously matchmaking right now? “I think I’m good with the one I got.”

“Are you now?” Armand’s tone is so offhand, I know he’s super interested.

“Yes. Definitely. Logan is the man for me. Speaking of which,” I close my eyes as my stomach knots in embarrassment. “Uh, I’m sorry you came to my wedding...and it never happened.”

“It’s no problem, girl. I’m always happy to plan a wedding.”

I wince. I hadn’t realize he’d planned the whole thing. When I say so, he laughs.

“Your wedding, when it happens, will be the event of the year. I will make it so.”

“Uhh, thanks,” I make a mental note to elope if I ever want to say ‘I do.’ “Is Cora mad? She and her husband came all this way, and—”

“Don’t worry about that. Cora of all people understands what it’s like to be held captive by the man you love,” he says, which is not really an answer.

I frown into the phone. “Logan isn’t holding me captive.”

“Isn’t he?”

“All right, sorta. But...he isn’t holding me against my will.” Not really. Not any more. “He didn’t capture me. He saved me.”

There’s a long silence where he digests my words, and I feel relief at the life I escaped. I’m not CEO of my father’s company anymore, and so much has changed, but at least I’m living life on my terms.

“How are you feeling?”

“Better. It’s one day at a time. Tell me more about your new spa.” He happily changes the subject and we chat easily for a few more minutes. He jokes a few more times about planning my wedding as the “event of a lifetime.”

I end the call and droop against my pillows, wondering if I can borrow his certainty about my future.

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