THE KINGSTONS DESIRE

MADDISON CRAWFORD

MADDISON’S POV

"Smile, baby. You're doing this for the family. By helping pay off what your father owed to the one man who saved him, so he could provide the beautiful life you've lived so far." My mother’s voice played on a loop in my head as I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

My wedding day.

The day I’d always imagined would be filled with love and excitement, with nerves that came from being bound to the person I chose, a person I loved but that wasn’t my reality. No, my reality was being handed over like a transaction, a debt paid in the form of my life, tied to a man I hardly knew, a man who saw me as nothing more than a means to an end.

Jared Kingston.

My soon-to-be husband, if you could even call him that. He made no secret of how little he cared for this marriage beyond the business deal it represented. The last time I saw him on our first date to "get acquainted" he made it clear with every lustful glance that passed over me that I was nothing more than an object to him. His words that night still haunted me, burned into my memory.

I would always be a transaction, something to be claimed, devoured, and discarded once my usefulness ran out.

I bit my lip, trying to keep the tears from spilling over. I wouldn’t ruin my makeup, the artist had spent hours turning me into this... vision of perfection, a doll to be displayed for the Kingston family and their allies. My gown was breathtaking, of course luxurious with a deep V-neck that exposed far more of my cleavage than I was comfortable with. But comfort was never a consideration, was it? Not for me. My life had never been my own to live.

Growing up as the only daughter, I had always been taught to put others first. I was raised to be perfect for everyone else and never for myself. It was drilled into me from the moment I could walk. A perfect daughter. A perfect woman . A perfect wife I knew this day would come, that I would be used for some greater purpose, to satisfy someone else’s needs. But I never imagined it would feel like this.

Empty. Hollow. I wasn't allowed to keep any friends maybe I would have had some sort of comfort in this moment, someone who could understand me, tell me it's ok…

The knock on the door startled me from my thoughts as my father entered, wearing that same proud smile he always wore when talking about this arrangement, this marriage. He looked at me as if I was the crown jewel of his life’s work. Did he ever think about my happiness? Did it even matter to him?

His smile widened as he approached, his eyes glistening with pride as he looked at me. "You look beautiful, Maddison," he said softly, as though his approval would make all of this bearable.

I nodded, swallowing hard, feeling the sting of tears at the back of my eyes. I couldn’t let them fall not here, not now. If I cried, I would break, and there was no room for breaking. Not on this day. Not ever.

As we walked toward the altar, I zoned out. The voices around me faded, the guests blurred into a sea of nothingness. The only thing I was aware of was the tight grip my father had on my arm and the weight of the gown dragging behind me. I couldn’t feel my feet moving, couldn’t hear the music, couldn’t focus on anything but the fact that, in a matter of minutes, I would no longer be Maddison Crawford. I would be Mrs. Jared Kingston, a title I neither wanted nor asked for.

We reached the altar, and my father looked down at me one last time before handing me over. "You’re beautiful," he whispered. "I hope you have a beautiful life."

I scoffed internally, a bitter laugh bubbling up in my throat that I had to choke down. A beautiful life. Right.

Then I felt Jared’s hand take mine. His grip was firm, possessive, his fingers curling around mine in a way that made my skin crawl. I looked up at him, and of course, his gaze wasn’t on my face, it was on my chest, shamelessly devouring the sight of me in this dress. I hated the way he looked at me, like I was something to be owned, consumed.

But I stayed still I was too practiced in the art of self-restraint to let him see how much it bothered me.

The ceremony dragged on. The vows I had practiced felt hollow as I repeated them, my voice sounding distant even to myself. Jared barely seemed to pay attention. This was just another business deal for him, another checkmark on his list of conquests.

I kept zoning out, nodding when necessary, speaking only when prompted. I moved through the motions of the ceremony like a marionette, strings pulled tight by my duty to my family. I wasn’t even living this moment, it was just happening around me. Jared didn’t care about the vows, the flowers, the guests. All he cared about was the prize he'd won afterall I was a sight to behold, I was molded to be perfect.

Then it was time for the kiss.

I braced myself as Jared turned toward me, his piercing blue eyes locking with mine, no doubt he was strikingly handsome if only he had a worthy character. He pulled me in, one hand gripping the back of my neck, the other pressing against my waist. The kiss wasn’t as rough as I'd imagine it to be and not so gentle either, It was calculated, controlled. His lips moved over mine with a skill I hadn't expected him to possess and for a split second I forgot who he was, where I was, and let myself fall into the kiss. But just as quickly I was reminded of the truth when he pulled away and whispered in my ear, his voice dark and dripping with possession.

“Mine to devour.”

I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. His words sent a shiver of fear down my spine, a fear that made my blood run cold. Jared smiled, clearly enjoying the look of dread on my face, before turning back to the guests with a charming grin. He basked in their applause, their admiration, while I stood there, rooted to the spot, trying to calm the panic rising inside me.

The reception was a blur of handshakes, forced smiles, and hollow congratulations. I must’ve greeted fifty guests, each one more meaningless than the last. My father’s acquaintances, Jared’s business partners, people I would now be expected to entertain and impress for the rest of my life. I was just another asset in their eyes, another tool for Jared to use to expand his empire.

By the end of the night, my feet ached, my face hurt from the forced smile I’d worn, and all I wanted was to collapse into bed. But I knew that wasn’t an option. I could see the hunger in Jared’s eyes, the way he watched me throughout the night. He wasn’t going to let me have this evening to myself. No, he had other plans.

As we left the reception his hand gripped mine tightly, possessively. My heart raced as I glanced over at him, he gave me that same predatory smile, and I knew exactly what he was thinking. There would be no reprieve tonight. No escape.

I belonged to him now.