Novels by Julie Mosco

Nathan's PovIt was a basement. Concrete floor. Pipes running across the ceiling. One bulb hanging off a wire. And Jessica, curled up on the floor, hair was a mess, mascara smeared, eyes red."Please," she was saying, her voice shaking. "Please help me. My sister locked me in here. She stole the wedding from me. She wanted Nathan for herself. She locked me in the basement. Please. Somebody."The video was cut off.I looked up at Olivia. She was watching me, waiting.I held up the phone. "What is this?"Her face was drained of color. Her eyes widened. "WHAT?""Your sister. Locked in a basement. Crying. Saying you did this to her."She shook her head, hands starting to shake harder. "That's not true. I didn't do that. I never did that.""She's on video, Olivia. Right there. Crying. Saying you locked her up…In the basement. What do you have to say to that?""That's not true!" Her voice came up for the first time. "I never locked her anywhere. I never would.""Then why's she saying you di

Nathan's PovThe light was too bright.I shut my eyes again. The room kept tilting a little even with them closed. I remember going to the bar last night to ease my frustration. My mother Patricia, had made an alliance with Morgan's tech through marriage. That meant I had to marry one of his daughters, Jessica. I wasn't happy but I couldn't refuse either.I forced my eyes open and turned my head, which made everything tilt worse. She was still there. I thought I was hallucinating from the effect of the alcohol. But apparently, I wasn't.My brain was working in slow motion."What the hell." My voice came out wrecked. I sat up too fast and the room spun. I pressed my palm against my forehead. "I said, who are you and how did you get in here?"She turned her head and looked at me. She had green eyes. Sad in a way that told me she already knew what was about to happen."Olivia," she said softly.I stared at her, trying to drag something out of last night. The courthouse. The judge. Papers

Olivia's povTwo hefty men were standing outside my door. I didn't know either of them. No uniforms, just dark suits. One tall, one wide, standing on either side of my door like they'd been posted there all night waiting for exactly this moment."Mr Morgan sent us," the tall one said. Calm, like he was telling me what time it was. "You're needed at the courthouse first thing in the morning. Please go back in and get some rest." He smiled as he pointed at my room signalling me to go back in.I stepped back. My hand went tight around the bag strap, the handle slick with my own sweat."I AM NOT GOING!!!" My voice echoed loudly.The wide one took one step forward."You're going. It's our job to bring you to the courthouse safely. We have prepared your civil outfit. It will be here at 6 am.Neither of them touched me.I looked past them. Down the stairs. I imagined the front door. The street. The bus station. Somewhere else. I was foolish. I shouldn't have returned after that meeting. That

Olivia's pov“You are marrying Nathan Hayes and that is final.”My father's voice didn't have anything in it. It came out flat like my destiny had been decided already. Like he was reading me the weather forecast or something. I couldn't believe what I just heard. The words rang a loud bell in my ear. I felt dizzy for a second.I looked up to him from where I was standing like a soldier in uniform and on duty."I'm sorry, what?" I said."Don't play dumb with me. I am not going to repeat myself, miss Olivia." He wasn't even looking at me. He was standing by his window with the Seattle skyline behind him. His office. His view with glass walls. The leather chairs cost more than my entire life spending put together. I had only ever crossed this office only when I was bringing in coffee or coming to clean it. Part of my job was cleaning his office daily. He made sure of that. "Jessica's too young. The Hayeses won't wait.” He looked to his side and said calmly, “You'll take her place.""NO