Mistaken Hero by Ella Miles

Author:Ella Miles
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ella Miles

13

Ri

I don’t know where I was expecting to get married, but it wasn’t this. Paxton leads me out of the cabin, down a trail to the water, and onto a small dock where a man with a bible waits at the end. His men surround the edges of the water, but only two walk onto the dock with us.

One of the men holds up a phone, and it’s then that I realize he’s recording this. I don’t know what they expect is going to happen when they show this video to my father. I don’t think he’ll be too happy to see I’m tied up, but then again, he doesn’t actually care about me. He would just see it as a big f-u to him that Paxton would dare to tie up and marry his daughter without his permission.

The officiant starts talking, while Paxton continues to hold onto my arm like this is a real wedding and not forced at all.

“Repeat after me,” the officiant says, and then I have to listen to Paxton declare his devotion to me like he’s been waiting his entire life for me. I guess in some ways he has been looking for a meal ticket like me his whole life.

Paxton stops talking and looks at me expectantly. I wasn’t listening, so I don’t know what words to say.

“Say, ‘I, Rialta Corsi, take Paxton Cook as my husband,’” Paxton says through gritted teeth, already losing patience with me.

“No.”

“You don’t get to say no. This isn’t your choice. Say the words!”

My eyes flutter to the officiant, who doesn’t seem fazed at all. I give him a smug smile. He’s dressed in a simple suit. I’m not sure if he is a man of the church or just someone who works for Paxton who got ordained online. Either way, he doesn’t seem surprised by my noncompliance.

Paxton grabs my throat and squeezes, immediately cutting off my supply of oxygen. My eyes bulge, but I force myself to remain calm, not to react. He won’t kill me. He needs me alive in order to marry me and take whatever power he thinks my father will provide.

So despite the strong urge in my body to fight for air, I remain still. It’s painful, not just in my throat, but in my lungs, too, as the remainder of my oxygen slips from my body.

Finally, Paxton releases my throat, and I gulp down large mouthfuls of air as I bend over. Paxton’s satisfied smirk beams down at me.

“Let’s try this again. I, Rialta, take Paxton as my husband. I shortened it to make it easier for you to remember.”

I stand up tall. “I, Rialta, am going to kill you. That’s a promise.”

Paxton’s eyes darken with fury, and then they snap to one of his men standing on the pier.

I feel the crack of a whip before I see it. It slices through my skin, and I can’t help the cry that escapes my lips. I almost stumble over from the impact. My

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