Page 1 of Sins & Paradise

Prologue

Angela

The blood trickledonto the ivory white carpet, and no matter how hard I tried to snatch my gaze away from it, I just couldn't.

The sound of my brother and father laughing rings in my ears as Miguel yells at me for being so incompetent.

How could I have been so wrong? I thought telling my brother and father that Miguel wasn't who they thought he was would bring an end to this madness, but it seems like it's just more of the same.

"You think I'm going to let you push back the wedding now? After I've waited so long for you to open those legs for me? You're out of your mind." Miguel spits in my direction, and I cringe away from his words.

For years, my father has drilled it into my head that Miguel was a perfect match for me. He sent me away to boarding schools and even seminary school just to make sure I wasn't tainted by anyone on the outside. Yet he's willing to just hand me over to this monster.

I'm twenty-one now, and I'm supposed to be married to Miguel within a week's time, but ever since I came home from school, he's done nothing but beat and demean me. I don't want to go through with it. I don't want anything to do with him.

"You know that might just be the problem? She's too pent-up. She hasn't learned her place yet," my brother remarks from the side of the room, and I finally shift my gaze to look at him.

"None of you can make me do anything I don't want to do. I'm not going to marry him." I lift my chin and shakily get up from the floor, pressing a hand to my lip to stop the blood from dripping down my face.

"It's too late for all that, sweetheart. I've already promised you to him. You belong to Miguel; all we're waiting on is the marriage certificate. By all intents and purposes, you're his."

My jaw drops, and I shake my head in disbelief. At one time in my life, I loved my father. He was the moon and the stars to me, but today, as I look upon his real face, I know that I've only loved the devil himself.

Quickly, I close my eyes and say a quick prayer for his soul. I'm not sure it'll do any good, but I know he needs it more than I do.

"Are you fucking praying? You think God is going to help you right now?" Miguel surges forward, and I squeal as he grabs hold of my pinned-up hair.

The pins, along with his nails, dig into my scalp, and I scream out in pain.

The pain is so intense that my eyes flash white for a second, and before I realize what I'm doing, I've lifted my hand and slapped him across the face.

The laughter ends the moment my palm makes contact with his cheek. His hands let go of my hair, and once again, I'm being flung to the ground.

I look up at the three men who are supposed to protect me and slowly back away. They're like wolves in the night, all of them looking at me like I'm their prey.

"Like your father said, you're mine. I can do with you as I wish. In fact, I don't think waiting for the wedding night is needed anymore. How about you give me a little taste of what you're fighting so hard to keep me away from?" Miguel snarls before he reaches down and grabs hold of my ankle, yanking until I'm flat on the floor.

"No! Please!" I yell and look over to my father and brother, who have the nerve to be taking a seat in the corner with tumblers of liquor in their hands.

"You going to watch?" Miguel looks over his shoulder. He seems as surprised as I am.

My family is about to watch him debase me.

"We have to make sure the deal is sealed," my father shrugs, but I can see the glint of excitement in his eyes.

"No! We're not married. I can't!" I try once again to pull myself away from Miguel, who is struggling to get on top of me. I spent my entire life protecting my purity. It's a sin to lose it before marriage. This can't happen.

"Fuck marriage. I want what's mine now," Miguel growls and tears my skirt down the center.

The sound sends a wave of tremors through my body. I don't know what to do. I try to push at him again, but when I hear the tinkle of his belt coming loose, I know I've lost the fight.

I turn my head once again to where my father and brother are sitting on the side and reach out to them.

"Please, help me. Please." I beg, my tears crowding up in my throat.

"Just be a good girl and take it, Angela. It'll be over soon." My father's words are soft, but there's no love in them.

How can he love me and allow something like this to happen?