They want to find out if I’m a virgin. Have you ever heard of such a stupid thing? It is stupid. So fucking stupid.
I’m so angry.
Dad said that I don’t have to do the test. He believes that I’m a virgin. Of course, he does. He knows that I have no desire to be near boys. They’re horrible and cruel, and I hate this. I don’t want to marry Roman Greco. I don’t want to be married to that family, but I know how important it is to Dad. I overheard him talking to Millie. She was trying to help me get out of it, and he said that it is important. He likes Lucas Greco. The man, although old-fashioned with the whole virgin thing, is a good man at his core. He wants a world where I am safe, and he feels this is the best course of action. Roman is supposed to be a nice guy, but he’s not. I know he’s not. I’ve heard what the soldiers have said about him. He’s scary as hell.
A damn virginity test.
For what?
He’s no virgin.
Why do I have to be?
Not that I’m not. I’ve never had sex. I’ve never kissed a boy. Never even hugged a boy unless you count Dad!
I hate this. I refuse to do it. I won’t allow some strange person to look … there. That’s my place. It’s my body. There are limits, even now, right?
There was no ending to the passage.
Roman slumped.
Not even kissed a boy.
When he’d kissed her in church, her eyes had been wide, and if his memory served him right, she hadn’t even puckered her lips.
Why hadn’t she done that? Did she not know how?
The door to the bathroom opened, and he slid her diary back into his jacket.
Alex had a towel on, and her hair fell around her in wet rivulets. “What are you doing here?” she asked.
“My dad likes punctuality, and I need to get ready.”
“I don’t have any clothes here for you. I can go and fetch some from my dad’s room.”
“No need to. I already have clothes here. While I was waiting for you this morning to finish your sewing, I organized some suits. They’re in your closet.”
Their marriage wasn’t coming to an end any time soon, and he doubted it ever would. Everything he found out about Alex showed him this woman was strong, loyal, and loving.
Not the image of his wife he had.
His past lovers and the women in his world were anything but. Innocence was often destroyed, and quickly, unless they were young children.
She rubbed at her temples. “You’re right.”
Roman stepped closer toward her. “You care for that boy, don’t you?”
“I care for all of the kids at the orphanage. They’re all special. He was the one I found.”
“He relies on you a lot.”
She sighed and rubbed at her temple. “Can we not talk about this? It’s hard enough to leave them. I don’t want to think of them alone at night.”
“Don’t they have guardians?” Roman asked.
“They do, but they’re being paid to take care of them.” She went to step around him, but he placed a hand on her waist, stalling her. He didn’t grip her too tightly as he didn’t want to startle her or make her afraid.
“Alex,” he said.