Page 16 of The Vow
“Milena Zakarian, this is no way to greet us, no way to speak to your father and me!”
A scrawny, harassed looking older man in a less expensive suit rounded the door, panting, out of breath. “Sorry, Sir, I tried to hold her back but she ran as soon as I got the helicopter on the tarmac.”
Jovan waved away the apology of his chief consigliere. “It’s fine, Kavan, thank you for picking her up-”
Milena tossed her ponytail off her shoulder and carried on her tirade of indignation. “Sorry mother, do you expect me to bow and kiss your feet? To say thank you for finding me a husband who will provide for me and bless me with children like a good little Armenian wifey-”
“You are being ridiculous! Your father wants what is best for you, what is best for the family. You’ve always known your marriage would be a business alliance! This will secure a prosperous future for us all,” her mother hissed.
“I’m not marrying him, end of story.” She turned and fiercely eyed everyone in the room.
Colt stood wide-eyed under her scorching glare. But she moved on from him after she’d swept him up and down and saw his leather jacket. She flicked a glance at Mayor Harris before her eyes settled on Carmelo.
Who stood still like a deer in headlights. She was terrifying. She was beautiful. All curves and long hair and sinfully dark, thick eyelashes, thick thighs. She was wearing a tiny white skirt and top, her hair was up in a ponytail, she had white high-top sneakers on, and a tennis racket in her hands.
“You interrupted my tennis match to have your guard dog helicopter me out here to tell me to marry this…” She indicated towards Colt with her tennis racket.
Colt held up his hands and backed away. “Not me. I’m already married. Him.” Colt’s hands slapped onto Carmelo’s back and he pushed him forward.
Her lashes swept him up and down again like a medical x-ray machine. An x-ray machine that judged him unworthy on a first inspection “A cop? Is this a joke? Not a dirty biker but a donut-eating bozo cop instead?”
Carmelo stumbled forward and frowned. “I didn’t say yes-” he tried to stutter.
She rolled her eyes and rounded on Carmelo, continuing her tirade. “Oh, well that’s good, as long as you don’t want me, then that’s all okay, isn’t it? I’m not a person with thoughts and needs myself, just an object-”
Carmelo frowned. “No, that’s not what I meant… and I don’t eat donuts… often…”
She turned from him, dismissing him already. Done with him already. “Well, now you can fly me straight back again so I can try to salvage what I can of the tennis match-”
“No, darling, we have a wedding to plan,” her mother cooed.
She rolled her eyes. “Come on, it’s not like I’m still a virgin-”
“Lena!”
“-I don’t need a husband to successfully run the family business, I can do that myself.”
Her father stood now. “We’ve booked the venue, this hotel, the date is already set, you and your mother will go ahead with making the arrangements-”
Carmelo and Lena both laughed, united for a second in ironic ridicule at the situation.
“That’s funny, ‘cause I didn’t hear anyone say ‘I do’!” Lena said, with an arched eyebrow and crossed arms.
Carmelo had recovered himself now. “I’m not fucking marrying her!” Carmelo raged to the room in general.
Colt gave him a heavy look. Carmelo knew what that look meant. It said play ball. Carmelo could see Colt’s regret, his discomfort at the plan, but he could see Colt’s resignation, as well.
Carmelo couldn’t accept this though. He wouldn’t resign himself to this ridiculous scenario. He took a breath to argue some more, but was cut off.
Mayor Harris stepped in. “I’m sure the betrotheds just need a bit of time to get to know one other. Maybe it’s best to wait to arrange a date until after everyone has spent some more time together and continue to plan our happy partnership-”
“No date, no wedding.” Lena trilled before stomping out of the door and slamming it behind her.
Carmelo marched forward, too. “Hate to say it, but I agree with my not-to-be future wife. I promise you this, no wedding, not now, not ever!”
Carmelo
Jesus fucking Christ this day had taken a turn. Carmelo was all set for storming out of the hotel and back to his police cruiser, but he passed the hotel bar as he made his way through the lobby. What the hell, he wasn’t on duty, he needed to sit down and take a fucking minute to process this. He wanted a drink, a swift, sharp, cold dash of reality.