Chapter 2

After I dried my hands, my phone buzzed with a text from Jared. "Monday morning. I'll take you to get our marriage license."

"Okay."

I kept my reply short, then went to the bedroom to pack. In the closet, I found something that wasn't mine.

It was something lacy and provocative, crumpled into a wrinkled ball like it had been shoved in there in a hurry. On closer look, there were dried stains on it.

The door creaked open, and Jared walked in. He saw the redness at the corners of my eyes and understood immediately. Without missing a beat, he took it out of my hands.

"It's probably something Trey's girlfriend left behind when they were over."

I kept my head down, hands trembling. It was not from sadness, but from disgust.

Jared clearly misread me. He reached over and stroked my hair, tender and pitying. "Brynn, you know what I like most about you?"

He didn't wait for me to answer. "You listen."

Over the years, I'd heard that more times than I could count. I was always obedient, well-behaved, and easy to manage, like a cat or a dog, but never like a person.

"Amber's in the past. The wedding was just me making it up to her. Don't overthink it."

He patted my head the way someone would pat a dog, with the same careless ease he'd had back when he decided to sponsor me and pointed at me like he was picking out a stray.

I got shipped off to the city for school, but one tear from Amber was all it took for me to get shoved right back into the corner. The rich kids treated me like trash, toying with me and kicking me around however they pleased.

"Alright, get some rest if you're tired. Amber wants to get her bridal nails taken off, so I'm going with her."

Maybe it was the constant ache of always losing, or maybe it was the stubborn sliver of hope I'd never managed to bury. I grabbed his wrist. "Can't you stay?"

If he stayed just once, it would prove that I mattered to him.

But Jared only paused, looking faintly apologetic. "I already promised her."

He'd made me countless promises too. He'd promised to take me to the doctor for my cramps, promised to come with me to visit my grandmother's grave, promised to celebrate even just one birthday with me, but every single time, he didn't show.

"Oh. Okay." I let go of his hand, my voice carrying the same resignation it always did.

For some reason, Jared grabbed my hand back. His voice went soft. "I'll bring you that red velvet cake you love when I'm back."

But I'd never liked sweets.

Tears pricked behind my eyes, but I smiled and said, "Thanks."

Jared didn't come home that night, but Amber posted something on Instagram. It was simple enough, just a photo of her flashing a peace sign, but I understood instantly that it was meant for me.

It was the same gesture she'd made back when Jared tossed me aside for her without a second thought, back when the other kids locked me in a bathroom and beat me until I couldn't get up. She'd stood over me and flashed the same pose, taunting and degrading, a gesture reserved only for me.

"Like a little bunny, right?" she'd captioned it.

The people in her comments didn't get it.

"It's your wedding night. Forget bunnies."

"Come on, tell us, is Jared as wild as they say?"

Amber replied fast. "Wild. Incredibly wild."

I scrolled past it and booked a doctor's appointment. My body had been breaking out in hives since yesterday, probably an allergic reaction to the sleeping pills, and I'd scratched my neck until it bled.

The doctor gave me a shot and said firmly, "You absolutely cannot take sleeping pills again. Your body can't handle them."

"I know."

I picked up my prescription and headed out, but ran into Jared in the lobby, holding Amber's hand. He looked caught off guard for a second when he saw me, but he didn't let go.

"What happened to you?"

"Allergic reaction."

Jared nodded absently. He didn't ask what caused it or if it was serious. Then he sighed. "She kept fidgeting while getting her nails removed and nicked her finger, so I brought her in to get it treated."

His voice was full of concern, as though Amber had suffered some terrible injury. I glanced down at her hand. The cut was barely visible and had already scabbed over.

Amber huffed, pretending to be annoyed. "It's your fault for distracting me the whole time. I wouldn't have gotten hurt otherwise."

Jared chuckled and played along. "Fine, it's all my fault."

Then he turned to me. "Go on home."

I nodded and started walking out, but I hadn't gone more than a few steps when Amber's voice carried over behind me. "Look at her, she's got a rash all over her face and neck. What if it's something contagious? You should make her get a full physical."

"She's had one before."

"That was before! I'm looking out for you here, and you can't even appreciate it?"

Jared answered lazily. "Fine, I'll have her go tomorrow."

His tone was casual, like he was scheduling a vet visit for a dog.