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

Khaos pushed his lips to the joint I was still pinching since his arms were now occupied, wrapped around Grace and her baby bump. She was still pissed from interacting with my mom until he brought a smile to her face, whispering what I can only imagine as sweet nothings in her ear.

I felt a soft slap on my shoulder and turned to face Grimm, it was his attempt to provide comfort, and I took it the way he wanted me to because I knew feelings were something he was ever good at. He used to be cold like Bowen seems now, but something was different about him. It was easy to give that credit to Abigail who came right over to give me a hug before pressing a kiss to Grimm’s cheek.

They were all fucked up in different ways, damaged souls just trying to live on with their innocent hearts.

He had good people around him, ones that would fight the world for each other, and that only made me more confused as to why Bowen ended up so seemingly alone.

BOWEN

Half of my suit was already off, slowly coming off in pieces as the night went on and on. Weddings were endless, and I liked definite timelines.

I liked things to expire so I could fake enjoying them for a reasonable length of time.

I already gave up being around people and the alcohol when I retired upstairs. That was the thing about having parties at your house—there’s nowhere to run and hide.

All my clothes were weighing down on my shoulders, heavier than my normal attire. Running my hand through my hair, messing it back up the way it normally was, I started to see myself reflected back in the mirror instead of what I was forced to be—a husband.

The guys didn’t spare the time to knock when they came into the office space I had upstairs with glasses and a bottle of Henny. They knew it was my poison of choice, and I respected them for keeping that information on whatever mental post it they had.

I didn’t let people know me. It was easier that way, no one gets hurt. When you get to know someone, you can’t stop sharing once you get to the bad stuff—they expect to know it all, good and bad.

No one is worthy of knowing my trauma.

All you get is face value—Bowen Astor, the menacing creep who does what he’s told, starves himself of everything, and drinks more than anyone should. Trauma took Eve’s place and left me with some interesting side effects: aversion to food, aversion to sex, and aversion to humanity. I was a walking dead guy dried out by alcohol consumption.

Khaos handed me a full glass of the brown liquor and I downed it before the toast even happened, making Vic fill it up again. “You don’t need a whiskey dick on your wedding night, man. Trust me you’re gonna need the energy.”

I didn’t even think of that as an out. Now I was.

I had zero interest in fucking Eve tonight with so many lies surrounding us. I had less interest in being naked around her and even less to sleep in the same bed. Human interaction was something I had been successfully starving myself of since she left, and she wasn’t about to change that after just a few moments of letting myself be weakened by her.

And by my heart that beats for her.

Khaos spoke next, “Don’t even have to worry about condoms now. Married status.” He sang the tune even though no one was reacting.

He never acted crazy for anyone’s benefit; he just was.

Grimm was the only one looking at me like how I felt; this was going to be torture for someone like me. “You good?”

Warm and fuzzy wasn’t his deal. Thankfully, it wasn’t mine either.

I shook my head still holding my glass up when I spoke, “Cheers to dying a natural death.” Shooting back the liquid, I felt the warmth fill my stomach. I just swallowed sunshine and that was a feeling better than anything else.

The guys left directly after our glasses were empty and I knew that meant the party was over. They never overstayed their welcome yet for some reason I had a feeling Eve invited their intoxicated asses to stay over again.

Heading out the same door still in my dress pants and black dress shirt, I started my search down the hallway shouting her name.

“Eve?”

Hide and seek was her favorite game when we were kids. She was dedicated too, one time she hid for four hours not willing to give up. She was the only one still playing by our adolescent rules anymore.

Instead, I found my mom with a look of pure domination on her face across from Eve’s mom. “How dare you bring him here, Virginia. Do you think Bowen is stupid?”

My mom knew more than she was telling me and at this moment I didn’t appreciate her ability to keep secrets.

Eve’s mom drank her wine with no real interest in being scolded. “All he knows is that he paid for her, what you tell him is up to you. He’s not my demon child. I can’t control Elias.”

Elias.

Who the fuck is Elias?

Was he the stranger who violated my space and had his hand around Eve’s neck?

Was he an ex-boyfriend, ex-lover, or something worse?

My mother had the same element of scary she passed down to us. “It kills you to see her finally happy, doesn’t it? That she’s with family now? Don’t try to pull anymore shit with me. Bowen isn’t the little boy you remember.”

Listening at the top of the stairs, I wanted to interject but I forced myself to