Promises and Pomegranates by Sav R. Miller

Recommendations

Info

CHAPTER 2MOST OF THE girls I knew growing up fantasized about their dream weddings.My younger sister, Ariana, dreamed of soft pastels and virginal white,despite being anything but. Years of ballet meant she knew the exact songand dance she’d bring our papá out for, and she’d look incredible doing it.Even Stella—the youngest, and smartest Ricci daughter—had the menuscribbled down on a piece of paper, using it as a bookmark for her textbooks.I planned my funeral.Up until today, my vision of a marble casket and bouquets of dahlias andlilies felt like little more than a pipe dream. A delusion I’d concocted to helpalleviate the dull reality facing me.Now, though, as I stare at my reflection in the mirror while my mothertries to yank my dress shut, I realize maybe the two events are synonymous.My marriage to Boston’s favorite volatile playboy, Mateo de Luca,marking the end of life as I know it.
“Dio mio! Suck it in, Elena,” Mamá snaps, anchoring her elbow to myhip as she pulls. “You just got fitted for this gown two weeks ago, how is itpossible you’ve gained this much weight already?”Heat floods my cheeks at her question, shame slicing through my skinlike the dull edge of a blade. “It’s only a couple of pounds,” I say, trying toobey anyway by inhaling as deep as I can.“Probably just stress, or water,” my aunt, Anotella, says from where she’sperched on the edge of the bed, gnawing at a chocolate-covered strawberryfrom the lunch platter we had delivered. “Or all that time she spends with hernose buried in a book.”“Or she’s giving up. Kids these days don’t go through honeymoon phasesanymore.” Nonna, my paternal grandmother, reenters the room just in time, abright blue gift box in hand.“Explain, Frankie.”Nonna shrugs. “Back in my day, a woman waited at least a few yearsbefore letting herself go. Now, they treat keeping in shape like an option, andthen wonder why half the country ends up divorced.”Humming, Mamá gives a final tug, stealing the breath from my lungs.Stepping back, she brushes a strand of dark hair from her face, huffing withfinality. “There. Good thing we went with the lace ties and not a zipper.”Face flushing, I glance down at myself in the sleeved gown—the smooth,flat expanse of my stomach, the excessive cleavage that I know is hiddenbeneath the conservative dress because Ariana insisted I wear it.‘This is the first time Mateo’s seeing you naked,’ she’d said, beaming atme from the lingerie section of the bridal shop. ‘Make him eat his heart out.’In truth, the only person I’m interested in inspiring something likejealousy within most likely won’t even show up for the ceremony.Not that he’d see what’s underneath the dress, anyway. Not again.Crossing my arms over my breasts, I spin away from my reflection,embarrassment making my stomach cramp. Perspiration slicks down myspine and along my hairline, and I busy myself with checking the seatingchart, making sure every guest is accounted for.Nonna walks over, licking the pad of her thumb and rubbing it across mycheekbone. “Anotella, get your makeup bag. We’re going to need to keep itnearby if she keeps sweating it off.”My aunt hurries from the room, bringing the main hall of the de Lucaestate into view for the briefest moment. Catering staff bustles by as the door
Page 3 and 4: Copyright © 2021 by Sav R. MillerC
Page 5 and 6: Chapter 36Chapter 37Chapter 38Chapt
Page 7 and 8: For my thirteen-year-old self. Your
Page 9 and 10: PLAYLIST“Pomegranate Seeds” - J
Page 11 and 12: —sometimes, simply the existence
Page 13 and 14: they don’t care if their crimes c
Page 15 and 16: “It doesn’t.” His face redden
Page 17: taking the place of violence.My min
Page 21 and 22: doorway suddenly, the burnt orange
Page 23 and 24: “What the fuck?” I hiss, hurryi
Page 25 and 26: CHAPTER 3MY DICK STIFFENS behind my
Page 27 and 28: And I realize, as she peels that pi
Page 29 and 30: tucking it in at his sides.If you d
Page 31 and 32: Breaking off on a strangled cry, sh
Page 33 and 34: never continued beyond that.Is it p
Page 35 and 36: that I can’t translate, while Pap
Page 37 and 38: “Here.” Kal shoves a piece of p
Page 39 and 40: CHAPTER 5“WELL, this is an intere
Page 41 and 42: sisters.It’s very clear to me tha
Page 43 and 44: When I breeze from the room, hittin
Page 45 and 46: With her, it’s always been about
Page 47 and 48: CHAPTER 6THE FIRST THING I notice w
Page 49 and 50: All my life, I chased bruised cheek
Page 51 and 52: man dubbed Doctor Death by everyone
Page 53 and 54: CHAPTER 7ELENA DOESN’T LEAVE the
Page 55 and 56: I bought the jet—a vintage 1987 M
Page 57 and 58: Of course, I hadn’t known it was
Page 59 and 60: fucking sentiment. “So you keep s
Page 61 and 62: strong, like he’s letting me keep
Page 63 and 64: it? Did you marry me to save me, or
Page 65 and 66: either side of the hall, we finally
Page 67 and 68: I know he’s said he was blackmail
Page 69 and 70:
Each year, my mother pinched and sa
Page 71 and 72:
over the black upholstered headboar
Page 73 and 74:
the headlines, my hand already reac
Page 75 and 76:
Kal left me in our room. I hadn’t
Page 77 and 78:
about your affare illecito. So very
Page 79 and 80:
“You’d what, Elena?” I mutter
Page 81 and 82:
CHAPTER 11ELENA’S EYES flare to l
Page 83 and 84:
“I’m not sure this is a good id
Page 85 and 86:
Silence.“Marcelline?” I call ou
Page 87 and 88:
CHAPTER 12THE LONGER I lie naked in
Page 89 and 90:
sisters sometimes say.”“Ah, yes
Page 91 and 92:
flash of distress in those tantaliz
Page 93 and 94:
CHAPTER 13“WHAT IS THIS PLACE?”
Page 95 and 96:
my little wife doesn’t turn and m
Page 97 and 98:
been in this week.Dread funnels in
Page 99 and 100:
CHAPTER 14I’M STILL GLARING at ou
Page 101 and 102:
“Jesus,” the man says, wrenchin
Page 103 and 104:
ones. And after, probably me.I knew
Page 105 and 106:
Besides, I shouldn’t even want mo
Page 107 and 108:
that she learned he was married.His
Page 109 and 110:
at the ache they cause, taking a st
Page 111 and 112:
CHAPTER 16I DON’T GET VERY FAR, s
Page 113 and 114:
Maybe if he hadn’t left you alone
Page 115 and 116:
And then everything goes dark.
Page 117 and 118:
Perching on the edge of the desk, I
Page 119 and 120:
naught, depending on what I find in
Page 121 and 122:
to push the narrative that I stole
Page 123 and 124:
fighting, even if he didn’t know
Page 125 and 126:
hitting you the longer we spoke.”
Page 127 and 128:
good stuff.“We don’t have long,
Page 129 and 130:
smoothness of his ministrations, an
Page 131 and 132:
succulent and entirely too pure for
Page 133 and 134:
the K I put there.Elena blinks down
Page 135 and 136:
tugs on my hair until pain lances a
Page 137 and 138:
CHAPTER 20I FEEL FULL.It’s the on
Page 139 and 140:
threatening to unravel at any momen
Page 141 and 142:
He steps past me, pushing open the
Page 143 and 144:
side.My clit throbs where it touche
Page 145 and 146:
the contract I signed years ago, ju
Page 147 and 148:
“Believe me,” I say, leaning ag
Page 149 and 150:
explosive connection, and lodges in
Page 151 and 152:
“Are you okay? You seemed... tens
Page 153 and 154:
CHAPTER 22“I’M TELLING YOU, the
Page 155 and 156:
were kids. “Anyway... how’s mar
Page 157 and 158:
on my arms, sending a shiver gratin
Page 159 and 160:
Asphodel and fuck his time away.“
Page 161 and 162:
at all times, there are just certai
Page 163 and 164:
Her eyebrows draw inward, and she g
Page 165 and 166:
CHAPTER 24SOMEHOW, even before he s
Page 167 and 168:
bumps sprouting along my skin. “D
Page 169 and 170:
most satisfying delicacy he’s eve
Page 171 and 172:
to him, and I feel that familiar pr
Page 173 and 174:
CHAPTER 25I’LL NEVER FORGET the l
Page 175 and 176:
pissed himself.When I put the bulle
Page 177 and 178:
Tony exhales, glancing around the r
Page 179 and 180:
glances up, her smile falters, chee
Page 181 and 182:
CHAPTER 26HE TELLS me to close my e
Page 183 and 184:
normal skin.” He shifts, dropping
Page 185 and 186:
side, shooting daggers at the bounc
Page 187 and 188:
his jacket pockets, pressing his li
Page 189 and 190:
I just can’t figure out why they
Page 191 and 192:
“That’s true. I’m very lovabl
Page 193 and 194:
She nods. “Always. Ari has a reci
Page 195 and 196:
between, despite the serenity aroun
Page 197 and 198:
an obsession become more?Probably w
Page 199 and 200:
them fully deserve it.“It’s not
Page 201 and 202:
CHAPTER 29AS BADLY AS I’d love to
Page 203 and 204:
back, folding them in her lap. “J
Page 205 and 206:
CHAPTER 30“DIO MIO, you must’ve
Page 207 and 208:
Mamá snorts into her wine glass.No
Page 209 and 210:
her glasses up the bridge of her no
Page 211 and 212:
CHAPTER 31I LET the silence filling
Page 213 and 214:
“It’s true.” I shrug, ignorin
Page 215 and 216:
“Your mother is plenty alive,”
Page 217 and 218:
CHAPTER 32I MEET my sisters and Lor
Page 219 and 220:
Annoyance flickers in my gut, but I
Page 221 and 222:
Boston to the ground, just to keep
Page 223 and 224:
“Of course, you didn’t, because
Page 225 and 226:
Just not the one I’d been hoping
Page 227 and 228:
path. Looking up at Kal, I’m stru
Page 229 and 230:
CHAPTER 34I HAVE HALF a mind to cha
Page 231 and 232:
concerned with the loss of blood an
Page 233 and 234:
kind of flames that flourish with p
Page 235 and 236:
CHAPTER 35THE THEATER LISTED on the
Page 237 and 238:
Taking the seat next to hers, I str
Page 239 and 240:
Like floodwaters after a hurricane,
Page 241 and 242:
my pants; I hiss when she drags the
Page 243 and 244:
“Think you can balance yourself o
Page 245 and 246:
yanking my face to hers.“You’re
Page 247 and 248:
The dancers take the stage at the s
Page 249 and 250:
CHAPTER 36ARIANA STARES at me as sh
Page 251 and 252:
in the luxury building.Lucky me, I
Page 253 and 254:
knew from the second I laid eyes on
Page 255 and 256:
“I used to want that from you, to
Page 257 and 258:
shoved my head between her legs.Her
Page 259 and 260:
Over the next couple of weeks, I st
Page 261 and 262:
answer.My eyebrows furrow. “What?
Page 263 and 264:
CHAPTER 38KAL’S SISTER looks like
Page 265 and 266:
Slamming the papers down on the gla
Page 267 and 268:
Wiping his mouth on my thigh, Kal s
Page 269 and 270:
expression in his eyes completely u
Page 271 and 272:
“For what it’s worth, I am sorr
Page 273 and 274:
captive before, because you’re da
Page 275 and 276:
Hades and Persephone.She finally st
Page 277 and 278:
IVERS INTERNATIONAL IS a company fo
Page 279 and 280:
She nods, producing another flash d
Page 281 and 282:
completely around our daughter’s
Page 283 and 284:
THANKS FOR READING!If you enjoyed K
Page 285 and 286:
ALSO BY SAVKing’s Trace Antiheroe
Page 287 and 288:
ACKNOWLEDGMENTSJesus, y’all. I wa
Page 289:
ABOUT THE AUTHORSav R. Miller write
show all

Promises and Pomegranates by Sav R. Miller

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?