Page 194 of Beautifully Reckless
“Oh shit. Are you the guy I stabbed?” I laugh, wanting them to think I’m unhinged, even though I’m freaking out inside.
“Unfortunately,” he grunts, glaring daggers at me, while the other bites back his own smirk.
“Wanna know which oneIwas?”
My eyes narrow, because his smugness is nothing but cruel.
“Oh wait. Let me think…” I tap my finger to my chin in fake thought, before holding it up. “Oh, I know! You’re the one who takes it up the arse from everyone else.”
“Abigail!” My mum scolds in shock, and this time, the man I stabbed lets out a burst of laughter.
The one I’m taunting doesn’t look impressed, his jaw so tight it looks like it might crack.
“I’m really looking forward to today,” he snarls before lunging for me.
I don’t even get the chance to run before both men are on me, wrangling me in place as my mother approaches with a pair of scissors.
“What are you doing?” I cry out, eyes trained on the huge shears.
“I have to get you out of that horrid t-shirt and into this dress,” she answers calmly, like cutting my clothes off me is an everyday occurrence.
Desperate to stop this, I try to kick out, but then Maggie is on me, latching onto my legs, helping the men hold me still as my mum starts cutting through the fabric.
Ringo’s t-shirt…
Even when I spit in her face, she doesn’t stop. She doesn’t even flinch when I snap my teeth at her like a rabid dog.
By the time she wrestles the ugly white dress in place, all the fight has drained from me, my eyes glued on the shredded remains of Ringo’s shirt.
I’m in a daze as the men start leading me from the room, so it takes a moment for my brain to catch up with what my eyes see as we pass the mirror.
I choke on thin air, coughing hard as my lungs scramble for breath.
“What did you dress me in?” I twist, trying to find my mother over my shoulder, but the two thugs keep a firm grip on me, making it impossible.
“Don’t be naive, Abigail.” My mother sneers at my back. “You know this day has been coming. Running away won’t change that.”
This day?
This day!
A laugh bubbles up, breathless and deranged.
Because I finally realise what she’s done.
She’s dressed me in a wedding dress and still expects me to marry Daniel.
Today.
A manic laugh bursts from my lips.
“Ohhhh, this is going to be so good.”
My unhinged behaviour has the men escorting me, turning their confused expressions my way.
They’re probably trying to figure out if I’m right in the head.
If I’ve truly lost it.
