Twisted Affair: The Complete Series Box Set by M. S. Parker Page B

never force himself on a woman. She argued about how I knew that. Katka had spent the remainder of the night in her room, pouting.
    Saturday morning, I'd dressed in the simple, but elegant dress that Blayne had paid for. We weren't having a big ceremony, but he'd insisted I get something special to wear. If I'd had the time, I would have designed my own, but what I had chosen was almost as beautiful. My skin tone washed out in white or ivory, so I'd gone with a very, very pale blue. It was almost too pale to be called blue but it complemented my coloring much better than any shades of white would have.
    I pulled my curls up into a simple but flattering twist and fastened them in place with the only sentimental thing I'd allowed myself for the day. Most everything that had belonged to our parents had been sold after their deaths, but I had managed to hold on to a pair of silver combs. Family heirlooms, they were genuine silver and studded with small sapphires. No matter how bad things had gotten, we'd never considered selling them. I'd always assumed Katka would be the one who wore them on her wedding day, who would pass them down to her daughter. She would still do that, just not first. At least the wedding part. I wasn't planning on having a child any time soon.
    I pressed my hands against my stomach as butterflies fluttered nervously. Children. Blayne had explained to me that his father hadn't made an heir a requirement, for which we were both grateful. I wouldn't have been able to go through with this if it had been. As attractive as Blayne was, I didn't want to think about being required to sleep with him. I was nervous enough about having to kiss him. And that didn't even account for what it would do to bring a child into this arrangement.
    At least it would be a small affair and I would be eased into meeting his family, I thought as I set my make-up on the counter. His parents would be there, of course, but out of his four siblings and their families, only his brother Samuel, sister-in-law Hannah, and their five children would be present. It still made me shake my head at the idea of nine people being less than half of a family.
    I had to admit, it wasn't the Westmores' money or position that made me the most anxious. It was the prospect of being a part, even for only three years, of such a massive family. Even before our parents' death, Katka and I had come from a small family. We had no other living relatives.
    I checked my make-up again, trying to be as critical as possible. I knew that Blayne's father already didn't approve of me and thought I was only in it for the money, but I wanted to make a good first impression on the others. Granted, I was getting married for the money, but not in the way Mr. Westmore was assuming.
    I took a deep breath and glanced at the boxes sitting in my bedroom. Blayne had told me to only pack a small carry-on for the honeymoon. I would be able to buy whatever else I needed. That bag had been picked up an hour ago by a man named Javier who'd introduced himself as the driver who'd be taking Blayne and me straight to the airport. The boxes contained the rest of my belongings and would be moved into Blayne's penthouse while we were gone.
    I didn't look at Katka's closed door. She had informed me on Friday that she would not be attending my wedding. She had to work. I knew that she purposefully scheduled herself to work, but I didn't argue with her about it. I knew she didn't approve, but I would've liked to have her there, if for nothing else but so I would have someone I knew. But, it wasn't like this was a real wedding, a day I would want her to be my maid of honor so we could celebrate the happiness together. I could not really be hurt by her refusal.
    The town car Blayne had sent was waiting for me and in the backseat was a small bouquet of flowers. A card was tucked between the red roses. The handwriting was surprisingly neat. For someone like Blayne, I'd expected a messy scrawl. The