Prologue

“ A delaine! What are you doing? Why isn’t your dress on?”

Addie cringed at the shrill tone of her mother’s voice. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. You can do this. You can do this.

I can’t do this .

The clack of her mother’s shoes hurrying across the floor made Addie wince.

“Good grief. The guests are in their seats, the groomsmen are lined up at the altar, and you’re standing here in your lingerie.”

Addie bit her tongue. It wouldn’t do any good to speak. It would be better if she just let her mother roll right over her—as usual.

“Arms up. Seriously, Adelaine. I don’t understand you sometimes—and where are your bridesmaids? If you were more pleasant, they would be in here helping you.” The pitch of her mother’s voice rose with each sentence, grating on Addie’s last nerve.

Like a robot, she held out her arms and let her mother lower the ugly wedding dress down her body. It was hideous. Addie never would have chosen anything like it for herself. All sleek body-fitting satin that wrapped tightly around her, making her look like a hooker in her opinion.

And the bridesmaids? Ha. Addie didn’t even know half their names. They were the daughters of her mother’s friends and the girlfriends of her fiancé’s groomsmen. She didn’t know any of them. That’s why they weren’t in the bride’s room, helping her get dressed. Why would they be?

“Suck your stomach in, Adelaine,” her mother ordered as she worked the zipper up the back of the ugliest wedding dress known to mankind.

When Addie let herself look in the mirror, she saw a Barbie. Her long hair was nearly black and styled to perfection in a poufed updo that she’d had no say in. Tendrils of it hung in perfect ringlets that had been shellacked to the point that she doubted she’d ever get all the hairspray out of it.

Her skin was pale—much to her mother’s dismay—because she’d been born this way and had refused to get a spray tan for her mother’s special day. Honestly, Addie didn’t even recognize herself. Who was this woman staring back at her? The makeup artist had applied long fake lashes and a year’s worth of eyeshadow. The woman had spent the entire two hours grumbling under her breath about not having a foundation as pale as Addie’s skin.

“Pull your shoulders back. You look like you’re heading to your death instead of the altar. This is the most important day of your life, Adelaine. Stand tall. Smile. Try not to make me look bad. The room is filled with my most important clients.”

Heaven forbid if Caroline Albrecht’s clients weren’t wowed by this most important business deal.

And that’s what her wedding was—a business deal. Addie was being married off to the son of one of Caroline’s business associates.

Joseph Bulgari. Such a pretentious ass. The man had never once called Adelaine by her preferred nickname, even though she’d told him to call her Addie every time she’d seen him.

And how many times had that been? Twelve. That’s how many times Addie had been in the presence of her future husband, and the future was now. Today. This hour.

The door to the bride’s room opened again, and Addie looked up to see the wedding planner stick her head inside. “They’re ready for you, Mrs. Albrecht.” The woman was speaking to Addie’s mother. Her mother ! Not one person gathered at this church today cared a single bit about Addie herself—the bride.

Caroline sighed. “I’ve done the best I can with you. Please don’t embarrass me.” She turned and clacked out of the room on her heels.

Addie stared for a moment longer at her reflection before she used the mirror to glance toward the door her mother had just exited through. Thank God she’d shut the door. Addie could hear the faint sounds of the prelude and knew she had only a minute before she would be expected at the altar.

She would be walking herself down the aisle because her father had passed away five years ago, she had no brothers or uncles, and her mother preferred to be seated before Addie entered.

The wedding was all arranged. Every moment of this day had been organized and planned by Caroline Albrecht, Joseph Bulgari Sr., and his wife Marilyn.

Addie’s heart raced as she turned around. She glanced around the room before her gaze landed on her suitcases and oversized purse. She had no idea what was in those suitcases—her mother had packed them—but she did know what was in her purse because she’d added several things to it herself.

Next to those three pieces of luggage was a door that led to the back hallway of the church and the side entrance. It was the door she’d used to enter the church hours ago so that no one would get a glimpse of her.

Addie looked toward the door the wedding planner would undoubtedly come through again in less than a minute.

Breathing deeply, Addie made her decision. She bent down, tugged off her heels, tossed them aside, and raced toward her luggage. In seconds, she had her bag over her shoulder and a suitcase in each hand. She pushed through the door.

She could hear the prelude still playing. No one was in the hallway. She turned toward the exit, dragging the brand-new suitcases with their perfectly functioning wheels, and slammed her hip into the bar across the door leading to freedom.

When it opened, she burst into the sunlight and glanced around. Now what ?

There was a row of cars along the curb on this side of the church. Four of them were limos with drivers standing at the ready. All four men looked toward Addie, eyes wide.

Please, for the love of all that is holy, let them take pity on me .

Addie knew she looked like a madwoman running down the sidewalk toward the limos. She had bare feet, two large suitcases, and a giant pink purse that matched nothing.

“Which one of you is going to take me away from here?” she begged as she approached.

“Uh… Ma’am? Aren’t you supposed to be getting married?” one older man asked.

“Not today,” Addie answered. “Who’s going to drive?” She glanced over her shoulder, certain she would be caught at any moment. “Please. This is important. Do any of you have a daughter?” There. She would appeal to their fatherly senses.

“Yes,” the driver of the second limo, a younger man, tentatively responded.

“Would you marry her off to a man she barely knows just to improve your family’s standing in society?”

“No,” he muttered.

She rushed toward him as if it were decided. Please, let it be decided .

When he didn’t move, she opened the driver’s door, reached in, and popped the trunk. He could either help her, or she would take his limo.

“Ma’am?” the younger driver said louder. “Are you sure about this?”

“Shit,” the older gentleman mumbled. “Her mother will fire all of us.”

Addie ignored them as she dragged her suitcases to the trunk of the younger driver’s limo. She was in a panic as she worked to lift the first one. It was fucking heavy. She was going to have to leave them behind.

Giving up, she tugged up her skirt and hurried back to the open driver’s door. With one more glance at the young man who owned this limo, she said, “Either you’re driving, or I am.”

He jogged toward her and opened the back door. “Fuck,” he muttered. “Get in.” He looked over his shoulder. “James, get her luggage, will you?”

Addie held her breath as she watched the driver of the third limo run over and load her things in the trunk.

As soon as her own driver was in his seat with the door closed, she ordered, “ Go .”

“I’m going to lose my job,” he grumbled as he pulled away from the curb.

Addie looked over her shoulder out the window to find the wedding planner standing on the sidewalk, looking around. When the woman spotted the limo driving away, her eyes went huge, and she started running toward Addie’s getaway car, waving her hands.

That woman was going to get fired, too. Addie didn’t care. She didn’t even know the woman’s name. She didn’t think the woman had ever looked her in the eye or addressed her directly, nor had Addie been specifically introduced to the woman who’d planned this entire farce. Addie didn’t give a shit if the woman got fired. Served her right.

Addie finally began to calm down as soon as the driver pulled around the corner.

“Ma’am, what’s your plan?”

Addie chewed on her bottom lip, thinking. Finally, she met his gaze in the rearview mirror. “Please take me to the nearest bank so I can make a withdrawal. After that, I’d like to go to the airport. I’ll give you a handsome tip if you promise to do those two things for me. You’re a good man. I’m sorry if you get fired. When you tuck your daughter into bed tonight, remember she’s a human being who deserves to make her own choices in life.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Addie. My name is Addie.”

“Addie.” He smiled at her in the rearview mirror. There were tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry for whatever you’re dealing with, Addie.”

“Me, too.” She sighed.

“Where will you go?”

“I don’t know. Wherever the first flight out is headed.” That was the extent of her plan, but it was a start.

Adelaine Albrecht was reclaiming her life, starting now.