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

was the day they’d go shopping, get lunch, check in—pretend it was all normal.

On Tuesday, my room seemed a lot bigger and the day dragged by with quiet, depressing boredom without her presence surrounding me.

I was being hugged by the bean bag chair I had kicked in front of my TV with a controller in hand that was booting up alongside my Xbox. Getting lost in some form of entertainment was all I could do to avoid missing her.

Fully immersive experiences only.

The rain coming down in buckets in LA wasn’t normal, but it happened. Eve always said it was bad luck, but I liked how it drowned out the thoughts swirling around my head.

Deep in concentration, Eve barreled through my bedroom door, soaking wet and clearly upset when my whole body went into a panic. I didn’t have to ask, something in me was tethered to her and knew something was wrong.

“She’s making me leave. The new guy… they’re getting married, Bowey. The suitcases are in the taxi.” I had never seen Evey cry like this, only her butterfly got her to cry and that was heartbreaking enough never mind how she was now.

 

“Right now? Why didn’t you tell me? We can run away together.” I would feel betrayed but there wasn’t time.

Grabbing the knife off my nightstand, I barely made it to her when some stranger grabbed her by both arms and pulled her back effortlessly.

All immersive but none of it good.

I didn’t think before my hand drove forward and his deep voice yipped at the cut I gave him as the blood bled through his crisp white shirt. It didn’t stop him though; he still held onto Evey and didn’t let go.

Maybe she was stronger than me.

Maybe this only worked for her against my enemies.

Running after them, I didn’t let myself feel defeated when I followed behind the car. My feet chased after them as I watched her cry through the back window. The rain weighed me down more and more with every new step, but I kept running until I lost them. I ran until the tears were dried up.

When I got home there were black vans and guys wearing windbreakers with the logo for the FBI. When I finally got past the door, I threw up my hands and surrendered like I was the reason they were all here when my mom rushed over asking about Eve.

“Have you seen Eve, Bowen? When was the last time? This is important. Their house is empty and she didn’t go to school.” My mom’s voice was filled with enough worry to fuel a country of bad parents.

Already pulling myself from her grasp, I headed for the stairs, knife still in my tight fist that went numb hours ago. “They took her. Her mom’s new boyfriend moved them away.”

Every day after that seemed to blur together when I refused to get out of bed, refused to shower, refused to pack for Patmos. I was a shell of myself the day she left.

No more blue to color my black and white world.

BOWEN

All night I relived memories I had locked away, dark parts of my mind that were still mourning the distance we suffered.

Eve was fast asleep on top of me on the couch where I was too scared to move from; if she woke up, it would mean more drinking and it was painful to watch.

Car crash in slow motion.

Her cheek was pressed into my chest, and her tears that made a wet spot had dried. I managed to get the bottle out of her grasp and push it onto the table while I let her fall asleep.

There was nothing I could say to make this better, so I settled for being a pillow.

Under any other circumstances, I would have let myself give in to her body. The damn silk was doing nothing as a barrier with her pressed against me, but right now I was just her comfort.

After almost every limb fell asleep, I decided it was time to put Eve in my bed. I needed an outlet and a strong drink while I contemplated the possibilities of what Elias did. Whatever it was, was bad enough to have her in tears and enough to make Eve hate her mom even more for not giving a shit about it.

Picking her up carefully in my arms, I watched her curl into me, arms wrapping around my neck while still half asleep. Climbing the stairs and making it to my bed, I kneeled into the mattress, placing her down carefully when her arms only held on tighter.

“Bowey,” her voice was soaked in need that I wasn’t strong enough to reject when I tried to pull away.

She’s scrappy and frail but no part of her weak. She’s the strongest person I know. 

Sitting up, I felt her lips hit mine when I tasted the Hennessey making me a weaker man than I already was for her. Her tongue licked at my lips and her arms secured themselves around my neck.

I was wrapped around her finger just like when we were kids, and I didn’t care if it made me the weak one in this relationship. For once, I didn’t care how anything looked.

Falling more into my palms, I couldn’t help but sink into her, letting her take over my mouth. Her legs wrapped around mine, pulling me further in and her hands snuck under the hem of my shirt, skimming my ribs while her tongue pushed against mine.

Putting my weight into my knees, I pulled myself away while her mouth chased mine and she whispered against my lips, “Bowey, please just love me.”

Her words broke me in ways I