Chapter 1: The Spare

The backhand caught my left cheek with the force of a man who'd built empires on other people's broken promises, my head whipped right, my teeth sliced the inside of my mouth, blood pooled against my gums.

"You'll marry him," Father said. His voice didn't rise. "Tonight. In Lily's place."

I straightened, blinking away the stars dancing in my vision.

"No," I said.

Mother didn't look up from her phone, she sat in the leather armchair by the fire, legs crossed, sipping brandy like we were discussing dinner reservations.

"Don't be tedious, Elena, say yes, save the family, and we'll forgive your little design hobby, say no, and I'll personally make sure every client you've ever sketched for receives a letter about your... mental instability."

"I said no."

Father hit me again, open palm this time, knuckles dragging across my cheekbone, i stumbled, my hip crashed into the edge of his desk, a crystal paperweight some award for business excellence toppled and rolled, he caught it before it fell.

"You're twenty-four years old," he said. "You've contributed nothing, you've cost us everything. And now, when I finally find a way to turn your worthless existence into currency, you dare refuse?"

I spat blood onto his Italian loafers. "I'm not currency and I'm not Lily's placeholder."

"You're whatever I say you are."

The door opened, Lily swept in wearing a silk robe the color of fresh cream, her blonde hair was pinned in loose curls, she looked like she'd stepped out of a perfume commercial, she smelled like jasmine.

"Is she being difficult?" Lily asked, she didn't look at me. She never did, even when she was talking to me. to her, I was furniture.

"She's being stubborn," Mother said. "As usual."

Lily sighed, she walked to Father's side and kissed his cheek. "Poor Daddy, you work so hard, and your own daughter treats you like a villain." She finally turned to me, her eyes were the same blue as mine, but colder, like a winter sky before a storm. "Elena, darling, Adrian Cross is the most powerful man in the city. His family controls the banks that control our debt, without this marriage, we lose the house, the company, everything."

"Then you marry him," I said.

Lily laughed, it was a sound like breaking glass. "I would but Adrian's father called this morning. The merger requires an immediate legal bond, a signature tonight, a consummation, no delays." She tilted her head. "And I'm simply not ready, Elena, my dress isn't finished, my nails aren't dry. I'm too young, too delicate for such a rushed affair. You, on the other hand..." She looked me up and down, my faded jeans, my paint-stained T-shirt. "You're already rough around the edges, a little more damage won't matter."

Father nodded. "Lily's right. You're the spare. That's what spares are for."

The word hurt harder than his fist.

I lunged, I didn't think, i just moved, my nails caught Lily's perfect cheek, four red lines bloomed across her skin, she shrieked, it was the most honest sound I'd ever heard her make.

"You psychotic bitch!" Lily clutched her face, blood seeped between my fingers.

Father grabbed my hair, yanked, my scalp screamed, he dragged me backward, throwing me against the bookshelf, hardcovers rained down. One caught my shoulder, another my knee.

"Hold her," Father said.

The study door opened, two guards entered, men I'd seen around the property, big hands, empty eyes.

I kicked the first one in the shin, hs grunted but kept coming, i bit the second one's hand when he reached for my arm, my teeth sank into the meat between his thumb and finger, he howled.

"Restrain her," Mother said, bored.

The first guard punched me in the stomach, all the air left my body in a rush. I doubled over, gasping. They caught my arms, twisted them behind my back, my shoulders burned.

Lily approached, her cheek was bleeding, her smile was intact.

"Look at you," she whispered. "Fighting like a stray dog. Do you really think anyone will save you? The staff? They work for us. The police? They owe us. Your little design clients?" She leaned in close enough that I could smell the wine on her breath. "I called them yesterday. Every single one. I told them you were having a nervous breakdown. That you'd stolen from us, that you were dangerous."

She reached out and touched my bleeding lip. Then wiped her bloody finger on my shirt.

"You're already dead, Elena," she said. "I'm just giving your corpse a purpose."

Father straightened his tie. "Get her to her room. Lock the door, the car leaves for the courthouse at eight."

"Eight?" I choked out. "That's…"

"Two hours," Lily said brightly. "Don't worry. I'll help you get ready, wouldn't want you looking like a street rat for your big day."

They dragged me from the study, my toes scraped the hardwood. I thrashed. I screamed, the guards simply adjusted their grip, lifting me until my feet dangled.

Up the stairs, down the hall, to my room.

They threw me inside, i hit the floor, my elbows took the impact, pain shot up both arms.

The door slammed.

The lock turned.

I scrambled up and threw myself at the wood. "Let me out! You can't do this! I won't marry him! I won't…"

"Save your voice," Lily called through the door. Her voice was muffled but gleeful. "You'll need it for the vows. Oh, wait. Adrian hates chatty women, he prefers them quiet, submissive. Broken." She laughed. "Lucky you. You're already halfway there."

Her footsteps faded.

I beat my fists against the door until they were bruised, then I pressed my ear to the wood. Listened.

Silence.

Then, downstairs, the doorbell.

A man's voice, deep, authoritative.

"Mr. Cross is here to collect his bride."

He was here, already, two hours early.

Lily's voice, sweet as poison: "She's just finishing up,.please, come in. Have a drink."

Footsteps, below me, in my house.

I ran to the window, the drop was two stories onto concrete. I'd break something, maybe everything but maybe that was better than what waited downstairs.

I unlocked the window, pushed it open.

"Don't," a voice said.

I spun.

The door to my room had opened, not the main door the connecting door to the bathroom, a figure stepped through, young, a maid's uniform, dark hair, nervous eyes.

"Maria?" I breathed.

She put a finger to her lips. "They're watching the front and the back but the east garden wall..." She pressed a key into my hand. "The service gate. It's unmanned until seven-thirty. Go. Now."

I stared at the key. "Why?"

"Because last month, when my brother was sick, you sketched his portrait for free, hecause you're the only person in this house who's ever looked at me like I was human." She pushed me toward the window. "Go."

I climbed onto the sill.

The bedroom door burst open.

Lily stood there, she wasn't smiling anymore. Behind her, Father and a guard and behind them, filling the doorway with his shoulders and his silence, a man I'd never seen before.

Dark hair, green eyes, the kind of cute face you only see in movies.

Adrian Cross.

He looked at me at the window, at the key in my hand.

His eyes narrowed.

"Going somewhere, bride?" he asked and then he smiled.

It was the worst thing I'd ever seen.