THE CONTROL: An Arranged Marriage Romance by Elena Monroe (ebook reader android .txt) 📕

Clave ring, I watched him while holding my breath, waiting to see what he would do when he slipped my ring in its place. He just declared me the center of his universe.

More tears crawled down my face, and I couldn’t wait anymore before wrapping my arms around his neck, holding on for dear life when he whispered into my ear, “I mean it, Evey, no refunds. We’re already crazy like them.”

Bowen fell asleep pretty quickly, but my heart was too wired to fall asleep. It had been empty for years and was now finally full, giving me energy I needed to burn off. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I tried to listen to the noise outside the room so I could tell if everyone else was asleep, but it was quieter than a church.

Neglecting my powder blue robe, I adjusted my silk matching pajama set and headed for the door. No one really ate during dinner; everyone was quietly awkward and too shell-shocked that Bowen wasn’t their regular dark cloud to actually enjoy him.

My stomach twisted in a knot, needing some kind of substance that would sit in my stomach instead of in my heart like Bowen did. Stepping into the dark, mostly black kitchen, I went right for the fridge in search of something hearty when I stumbled upon croissants on the way.

Taking it out of the glass pedestal, I practically shoved the whole thing in my mouth when I felt a presence and shifted my eyes up. My shoulders were up to my ears when the light above the island illuminated the room to show Khaos leaning against the counter with a mixing bowl full of cereal.

The remnants were still close by for refills.

“Have you ever tried putting your bowl of cereal in the freezer? Game changer,” his voice was so carefree and easy. It made me hate him.

My voice was only that easy when I forced myself into being the good little Denmark girl.

“What are you doing in the dark?” I was actually curious even though I told myself not to be. It’s Khaos, there’s no rhyme or reason, just chaos.

Shoveling a spoon full of fruit loops into his mouth, he spoke around chewing, “Grace is super pregnant, so she passed out early. Finally got her alone and she chose to snore instead of doing me. I digress… You’re using my lady as your new, and now you’re just missing borrowed, right?”

Did I want to answer this honestly? 

Apprehensive, I let a slow yes slip from my lips when Khaos glided over like he was Jesus walking on water or Moses parting the sea before stopping right in front of me. He looked over his shoulder before saying, “I got you covered.”

Questioning Khaos was like asking how the world was created, you got a lot of answers and you could easily believe any of them. 

Pushing something cold into my hands, I flinched, looking down at the old skeleton keys hanging on a chain that screamed Bowen. Some part of me knew it wasn’t his to give up at all. “What is this?”

Throwing his hands up, he smirked. “Half-truths, baby. I’m bound to not say anymore, or it ruins the fun. You can’t ask for help either. Truth only reveals itself to one person at a time.” Looking at him like he was crazy, he huffed and continued, “Abigail, Vic, Me—we all broke first under the weight of truth. Now it’s your turn, butterfly.”

I didn’t break first though, Bowen did. So, by that logic, was this his truth to uncover or mine?

“Don’t lose that. Bo will bury me six feet deep and forget to tell my loved ones where I am.”

Turning it over in my hand, I looked at it in its near perfect condition. Khaos was trusted with this key and was now giving it to me. Why would Khaos have his trust when he hates him the most?

My head spun with theories as I ripped a part of the pastry with my teeth and chewed it the most unlady-like way I could. Bowen was breaking me but not as much as I broke him already.

BOWEN

Waking up in uncomfortable positions was something I was used to. When you get wasted every day for fun, you wake up with regret, rage, and something like a limb that’s asleep.

I woke up with my arms wrapped around Eve and her cheek pressed into my chest and that’s when the regret set in. Not rage or a sleeping limb like I might have hoped for—regret.

You can’t pull back the curtain and then pretend they didn’t see all the shit you keep hidden from them.

I had gotten so drunk I forgot there was a curtain at all.

I drank enough to never black out, so I was fully aware of my actions and still recovering from Eve’s mouth being around my dick. All night that bastard was begging for seconds, but I didn’t have the heart to wake her up from her slumber.

Let’s be real: I didn’t deserve her pleasure anyways. 

And she deserved my coldness for simply breaking me first.

Carefully pulling my arm out from under her, I watched her stir and reach out for me as I escaped my bed altogether. She mumbled my name a few times and it nearly broke whatever was left in me hanging on to being cold.

Sitting up, the black blanket contrasted with her pale skin only made her baby blues shine brighter. Her exposed chest was tempting me to have morning wood when I did enough damage last night. I gave her more of me than I bargained for, and now she was going to expect that level of niceness from me when princess hadn’t earned it.

Those parts of me were reserved for my Evey, not the tea party