Page 9 of Forsaken Promises
Islam my bedroom door behind me, the sound echoing through the hallway. I’m seething with anger and frustration, my jaw clenched so tightly it hurts. Ever since I found out I’m engaged to Sofia Marino and the wedding is only a week away, I’ve been in a constant state of rage.
I can’t believe my father is forcing me into this. Marrying a woman who hates my guts, all for the sake of some bullshit alliance. It’s not fair. It’s not right.
A knock at the door interrupts my brooding. “Dom? Can I come in?” It’s Valentina, the only person who seems to understand what I’m going through.
“Yeah, whatever,” I mutter, flopping down on my bed.
Valentina slips into the room, closing the door softly behind her. She takes one look at my face and sighs, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Still in a mood, I see.”
“Of course I’m in a fucking mood,” I snap. “I’m being forced to marry a woman who despises me, and I have no say in the matter. How the hell am I supposed to be happy about that?”
She sits down on the edge of the bed, her expression sympathetic. “I know it’s not ideal, Dom. But maybe… maybe it won’t be as bad as you think. Sofia is a beautiful girl, and she comes from a good family.”
I snort derisively. “Sofia’s not just some pretty face, Val. She's got a fire in her, a stubborn streak a mile wide. She’ll make my life a living hell, I guarantee it.”
Valentina is quiet for a moment, studying me intently. “Is this really about the arranged marriage, Dom? Or is it about what happened between you and Sofia all those years ago?”
I stiffen, my heart clenching painfully in my chest. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t bullshit me, Dominico,” she says sharply. “I know you two had a thing when we were teenagers. And I know it ended badly. Is that what this is really about? You’re still hung up on her?”
I sit up abruptly, my hands clenched into fists. “I amnothung up on Sofia Marino,” I snarl. “I couldn’t care less about her. This is about my father trying to control my life, to force me into a marriage I don’t want.”
Valentina holds up her hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push.”
I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. “No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. It’s just… this whole situation is fucking with my head.”
“I can’t say I get it,” she says softly. “But Dom… maybe this is a chance for you to make things right with Sofia. To start over.”
I let out a humorless laugh. “Start over? Val, she hates me. And she has every reason to. I broke her heart, shattered her trust. I took her goddamn virginity and didn’t marry her. There’s no coming back from that.”
Before Valentina can respond, there’s another knock at the door. “Dominico!” It’s my father, and he sounds pissed.
I groan, dragging myself off the bed and yanking open the door. “What?”
My father glares at me, his eyes narrowed. “I just had two of the maids in my office, crying their eyes out. Apparently, you've been taking your bad mood out on the staff.”
I roll my eyes. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. They’re just being sensitive.”
“Watch your tongue,” he snaps. “I won't have you disrespecting the people who work for this family. You may be unhappy about your impending marriage, but that doesn’t give you the right to take it out on others.”
I clench my jaw, biting back the retort that springs to my lips. As much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. I’ve been a real asshole lately.
“I’m sorry, Father,” I say through gritted teeth. “It won’t happen again.”
He nods curtly. “See that it doesn’t. Now, your mother is waiting for you in the dining room. She wants to go over some details for the wedding.”
I suppress a groan. The last thing I want to do is sit throughanotherwedding planning session with my overly enthusiastic mother. She’s thrown herself into the preparations with a vengeance, determined to give me the perfect wedding despite the short notice.
But I know better than to argue. “Fine. I’ll be right down.”
As my father leaves, Valentina gives me a sympathetic smile. “Duty calls, huh?”
“Apparently,” I mutter. “I don’t even get to see my bride before the wedding. It’s all happening so fucking fast.”
A sudden thought occurs to me, and I feel a flicker of excitement in my chest. “Unless…”
“Unless what?” Valentina asks, her brow furrowed.
