Page 30 of Red Captive
No!
Crap!
Holy shit!I needed this day to come, but now that it’s here, I’m not ready. Thing is, my mom and little brother need money and soon. My mom will have to use the credit card. She’s out of straight funds. Her credit is limited. Time is running out.
I know I said I wanted out of this room, but not like this. I need to suck it up and do what I have to.
I realize that I’ve been staring at the garment bags for too long and look back up at his face. I see concern flash across his features for a moment, which takes me aback. Steel is concerned about me. Nah! I was seeing things. Steel doesn’t give a shit about me.
Then he clears his throat. “Are you sure that this is what you want? That you want to meet with these males and choose one to marry for money?” His eyes move across my face, like he’s trying to read me.
No!
I don’t want this!
I can’t say it. I want to tell Steel. It’s on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t say any of it. I can’t speak my mind or show my true emotions. The general has already halved the money my family is getting. They’ll get even less if I go against his wishes.
He might even force me to marry someone and not give a single dime to my family. My control in this situation is less than nothing. I need to do everything he says. I don’t have a choice.
“It isn’t a difficult question, Miss Harris. Why are you taking so long to answer me?”
“I’m not. It’s complicated. I want to go home, but we can’t always have everything that we want. That’s not how it works. I’m on board with this whole thing. I want the money. I need it.” I chew on my lower lip for a moment. “I’m nervous, though. It’s to be expected. I really hope that I like one of these guys, which will make it easier.” I’m saying too much. I need to shut up already. “That’s all.”
“What do you need the money for?” He scrutinizes me. For a second, I want to tell him that it’s none of his business. I’m not sure why he’s asking all of this in the first place. It’s not like he cares. I need to try to be nice. I need to tell him something. “Miss Harris.” He lifts his brows.
“I wish you wouldn’t call me that,” I mutter.
“And I wish you would answer a couple of simple questions, but it seems that we can’t always get what we want. Here’s the deal. I owe the general a favor. It’s the only reason I’m here.”
“Do you have someplace better to be?” I blurt. I want to know if he’s married…has kids. It shouldn’t matter to me because I’m about to meet one of the men I might marry soon. I will be marrying someone in the very near future. That someone is not going to be Mr. Tall, Dark, and Brooding over here. Good thing, too, because I would be miserable.
“Yes, I do,” he says.
He leaves it at that. I’m expected to tell him my life story, but he won’t tell me anything. Figures!
“Wife and kids? Other?” I lift my brows.
“No wife and kids…no.” He shakes his head.
“But you do have somewhere better to be, nonetheless.”
“Yes, my life is a… It’s complicated.”
I laugh. “So, you understand, then.” I told him exactly the same thing not two minutes ago. Seems like we have more in common than he would like.
“Yeah, well,” he doesn’t look impressed – so nothing has changed, “what I was getting at is that I owe the general a favor, but I don’t want to be involved if any of this is against your will. I’m trying to understand why you would sell yourself for money.”
Just as I suspected, he isn’t such a bad guy, not deep down. He’s worried about me. Actually, it’s more like his own conscience he’s worried about, but still, it shows he has morals.
I shrug, trying to act casual when I feel anything but. “It’s marriage, not quite as sleazy as you’re making it sound. I will choose a life partner and hopefully be happy. I’ll strive to be happy.” I force a smile. It feels just that: forced.
“Why do you need the money, Miss Harris? It’s a simple question, and I would like an answer.”
“For my family back home,” I say simply, hoping he’ll drop it.
Surprise! Surprise! He doesn’t. “So, not for yourself?” He narrows his eyes.
I shake my head. “Nope.”