Evangeline and my mother are gone. I haven’t seen either of them since my visit with Dad. I wonder if my mother picked up Evangeline from school and is keeping her away on Abel’s orders. Or Santiago’s. The only other person in the house with me is James. I guess Abel isn’t taking a chance that I’ll make a run for it.

Twenty more minutes pass like this with me sitting on the bed numb and wondering how I’m going to do it. How I’m going to get up and get dressed and go to the church and get married.

Married

To a stranger.

Abel was smart to use Evangeline to trap me. His words before I got out of the Rolls replay in my mind of what he’ll do once he has guardianship of Evangeline. Which he will get because our mother will give that to him as per the rules of The Society. The head of household must be male, and if Dad dies, he’s it.

I’m thinking.

Santiago De La Rosa will be my husband in a matter of hours.

Santiago is a powerful man. Can he do something? Would he? Would he help me if I asked him to?

He can’t be worse than Abel. I just can’t believe anyone could be more hateful than Abel.

Pushing the blankets off, I get out of bed. I change into an old swimsuit and pull on a robe, then walk out of my room. I head down the stairs and, still barefoot, out the back door. James is on my heels, but I don’t bother with him.

It’s misty, the grass wet and cold beneath my bare feet as I make my way to the pool at the back of the dark garden. My mother keeps it heated throughout the winter to swim her laps. She wanted an indoor pool, and I remember the fight she’d had with my father when he’d outright told her we couldn’t afford that. So outdoor it is.

James stands back and watches as I drop my robe. Shuddering in the cool night, I make my way to the stairs that lead down into the pool. The water is cold. Colder than I expect for a heated pool. Wasn’t she heating it anymore? Although the house isn’t maintained like it used to be. I don’t stop. I keep going until I’m in as deep as my chest, then submerge myself entirely and swim.

I swim short laps back and forth and back and forth. It’s not a very big pool. I don’t know how long I keep going only opening my eyes when I come up for air. I just swim, staying under as long as possible, the sound and weight of the water drowning out my thoughts. Drowning out the world.