Journey of the Bride (10 page)

Heat beat down upon the back of Courtney
’
s neck and sweat dripped down her forehead. It was mercilessly hot outside. There were no clouds in the sky and the sun beat down without a care in the world for the thoughts of mortals and all they desired.

Hell on Earth,
she thought as she used a kerchief and blotted at the sweat upon her brow.

Movement bustled all around her as the servants working for her father whirled around her, prepping her dress, her face, and her hair with products meant to make her look even more like a bride.

She didn
’
t feel like a bride, and she definitely wasn
’
t a happy one. She remembered Talbert
’
s whispered words in her ear as he left her at the doorway to the room she now sat in. His grip on her elbow had been anything but pleasant, and the words he hissed in her ear even less so.

For a moment, she
’
d struggled against him, trying to free her arm from his grasp, but he
’
d only clutched tighter, his short nails digging into her flesh and leaving half-moon imprints upon her skin. She
’
d had to bite her tongue to keep from crying out, but she couldn
’
t hide the pinprick of tears in her eyes. He hurt her, and as she glared up at him, hating him with every fiber of her being, she knew it would only get worse the longer they were married.

It was the first time she
’
d ever prayed for death. This was not a marriage she wanted to enter into. She
’
d rather the heavy black shadow of Death claim her before this man did.

She
’
s swallowed a hard lump in her throat and forced herself not to blink as she glared into the angry face of the man before her, the same man she
’
d call her husband in a couple of hours.

He was not her rough-and-tumble cowboy. He didn
’
t wear a hat that she wanted to steal and put upon her own head, knowing she
’
d look pretty either way and quite possibly turn him on. For a moment, his face faded before her vision to be replaced with Brandon
’
s. She shook her head. Brandon was gone, and she was stuck with Talbert.

A hallow ache filled her belly to be replaced with a quell of fear as Talbert
’
s words registered in her mind.

“
We
’
re getting married today, Courtney,
”
he hissed.
“
After today, you will obey my every command or I will slap you.
”
A hideous smile curled on his face.
“
Or worse.
”

Then he
’
d kissed her. It had been a harsh kiss, a clashing of teeth and tongues that left her feeling dirty and used. It had taken everything in her not to bite Talbert, which had been the only thought running through her mind the moment his lips touched hers. There was nothing soft about the man. The past few days had proven that, but his kisses sealed the deal.

That sonofabitch!

Even her thoughts hated him. Disgust washed through her.
God, I
’
ll be cleaning my mouth out for a month.

It wouldn
’
t matter though because in another few hours, she would belong to him. She would be his wife. She would have to feel his kisses every day and deal with his desire and his lust.

Another wave of disgust washed through her. He
’
d groped her the night before, squeezing her breast through the fabric of her dress. When Brandon had done it, desire and lust ran rampant through her and a heady need had to be fulfilled. When Talbert did it, she felt nauseous and sick, repulsed with both his action and the lack of any on her part.

What could she do though? Her father had no intention of saving her. For all he knew, this marriage would save her. As if she needed saving.

Oh, who am I kidding? No one will save me. Even if I did, no one can. No one understands everything that
’
s going on. Talbert
’
s a respectable man of the community. He
’
d never hurt a fly for all anyone knows. Ha! If only they knew the truth.

The truth was no one would believe her. She knew her father wouldn
’
t. Talbert might as well have been Jesus and walked on water. Looking at the mirror before her, she fought the urge to cry. She would not cry. She wouldn
’
t.

“
Are you alright, Miss?
”
one of the women, Sheila, asked.

Courtney felt the gentle touch of a hand on her shoulder and looked at the reflection of the two women helping her. The second woman, whose name she could never remember, gave her a soft smile.
“
You look beautiful, Miss. Is that why you
’
re crying?
”

For a moment, she wondered what the woman was talking about. Then she looked down at the entourage she wore and felt a gasp leave her throat. She was gorgeous. The women had down her hair up in a bun with flowers curling in and out of her hair and wisps of it falling down around her face, framing her soft features.

She didn
’
t recognize her own face. She
’
d always known she
’
d looked soft and delicate, but the woman blinking back at her was more so than usual.
I look like a doll
, she thought.
One of those expensive handmade, hand-painted ones.
She
’
d seen them every once in a while on the shelves of the other women she visited from time to time. They were fragile things, just as she was now.

She sniffed and raised her chin higher. Her eyes dried and she wore a petite from upon her face. She wasn
’
t a fragile doll. She wasn
’
t someone Talbert would ever be able to beat down. She had her pride and she would keep it intact as much as possible when in the insufferable man
’
s company.

“
Are you ready, Miss?
”
Sheila asked.

Courtney sighed and stood to her full height.
“
Yes,
”
she said in a low voice. She let out a long breath of air and then said,
“
Yes,
”
with more confidence. She looked at the two women and gave them a smile. Her smile rang with everything she did not feel: happiness, love, and enthusiasm.

It seemed to be enough for them for they returned her smile and left her alone in the room. She knew they were fetching her father. She stood alone in front of the mirror, wondering how many people had come to the wedding. She hoped it was a small affair, but knowing both her father and her future husband, it would be anything but. They were both more prestigious men with the reputations of excellent businessmen. They had connections with the mayor as well as several other politicians. If nothing else, this would be a large wedding in order to secure their positions among those connections.

It
’
s all a play for power. It
’
s a political game that neither has any hope of winning, but I
’
ve become a pawn in it anyway.
She sighed, knowing her father would be there shortly to collect her. It was time to walk down the aisle and marry the man she detested with all her heart.

A lone tear slid down her cheek at the thought, but she wiped it away as her father stepped into the room, a large proud grin on his facial features.

“
Ready, my dear?
”
he asked, holding up his arm.

With one last sigh, Courtney nodded and took her father
’
s arm, the same fake smile on her face that she
’
d given the two women.

As she and her father stepped through the church doors, someone near the front started playing the organ, a loud brazen instrument she used to love listening to. She knew that after today, the instrument would forever give her horrible nightmares and she
’
d never sit in church the same way again.

A lump caught in her throat as she looked about her. The church was filled, as she
’
d predicted despite her hope against such. She recognized a few as the guests her father had entertained over the years, along with their families, but there were several people she didn
’
t recognize as well.

The center of the floor was littered with flower petals laid out before she
’
d walked through. At the end of the aisle stood Talbert, his face pasted with a bored expression that made Courtney realize he just wanted this whole event over with the same way she did, even though their reasons for such differed.

She swallowed the hard lump in her throat, frozen for a moment as she stared at Talbert. Was she really going to marry the man? Was she really going through this? Could she? She had to. She had no choice anymore. Neither he nor her father had given her a choice.

Brandon hadn
’
t either though. He
’
d told her he wanted her gone. He couldn
’
t love her, couldn
’
t get used to having a wife, couldn
’
t handle having another woman around. He
’
d sent her away.

“
Courtney?
”

Her father
’
s voice brought her back to the present and she realized she had stopped walking and was staring at Talbert, breathing heavily. He looked at her, an angry scowl on his face. He narrowed his eyes at her. She could read the message in his eyes.
“
Screw this up and I
’
ll make sure you regret this for the rest of your life.
”

She swallowed hard and smiled at her father.
“
Everything
’
s fine,
”
she said in a sweet voice.

They started down the aisle once more, coming to a halt just before Talbert. Her father kissed her cheek, his eyes brimming with tears that didn
’
t fall.

“
You look so beautiful,
”
he said.
“
Just like your mother.
”

“
Thank you, Father,
”
she replied. Another lump caught in her throat. She hoped her mother wasn
’
t watching down from Heaven. What would she say about this whole situation? Courtney was afraid to know.

Talbert smiled at her father as he passed her off to him with the words,
“
Take care of her, Simon. She
’
s all I have left.
”