Protecting Ellis (Loved by the SEAL #1)

Chapter 21

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Ellis couldn’t believe this was happening. Her father had her try on a dress while being watched by two guards. They wouldn’t even let her shower or go to the bathroom without someone watching her. She felt horribly violated.

As she’d laid in bed, she’d tried to come up with a way to escape. She hadn’t found any opportunities to leave. She had to get away before they took off on a honeymoon. She’d been warned that she wouldn’t make it home from the trip. Her dad said he wouldn’t let her ruin this for him. He was willing to let her die just so he could get money.

From an early age, she’d known her dad wasn’t a good person and didn’t really care for her. But he was threatening to kill her for money, and that made her feel absolutely awful. How could he do this?

The door opened, and the object of her ire stepped in. It was impossible to think of him as her father without thinking terrible thoughts about him. The man had stopped caring for her, if he’d ever cared for her in the first place. Her mother was behind him with her eyes on the floor. She wouldn’t get any help from here. Whatever little power Eloise had in their relationship wasn’t enough to overcome Dean’s anger at this point. He seemed desperate for money, and he would do anything to get it, even sacrifice her life.

She felt the need for information. “How did you get the marriage license?”

“I have a friend at the county clerk’s office. They did me a favor.”

She shook her head as disbelief poured through her. “Who will perform the ceremony?”

“Don’t worry your pretty little head about that. We have everything covered.”

Anger filled her. “This won’t work. Someone will figure it out.”

He threw his head back, laughter spilling out. “No one cares about you enough to stop this marriage. It will work, and there is nothing you can do to stop it.”

She feared he was right. She didn’t know where they were going or who would be there, but she wouldn’t get free unless she fought to free herself. Dean was taking too many precautions and paying too many people to keep an eye on her.

“Time to go. You’ll be married in the hour, and then we’ll have our money.”

“When are you going to kill me?”

Her mom whimpered, and she wondered if Eloise knew exactly how deranged her husband was. Did she think Ellis would just go along with this fucked up plan and say nothing?

Perhaps there was some hope. If only her mother would finally stand up for herself. It would take a lot to get her mother to do anything, but maybe Dean threatening to kill her would be enough.