Talon (Ashes & Embers Book 4) Read Online Free Page A

6
Asia
    Three Months Later
    " Y ou look beautiful . Like a princess!" Kat holds me at arm's length with tears in her eyes.
    "I'm not sure," I say nervously. "All these buttons? Is it too Victorian? Maybe I should have bought the other, simpler dress. Or just made my own." I stare at myself in the full-length mirror in the private room the hotel assigned me to get ready in. The wedding ceremony and reception are both taking place in this hotel, as apparently both my future husband and I opted not to have a church ceremony. Yay for something in common so far.
    In less than an hour, I'll be married. I don't know his name. I don't know what he does for a living. I don't know what he looks like or what his age is. I only know that he is supposedly perfect for me.
    "No!" Kat yells, interrupting my daydream of the most handsome man I've ever seen waiting for me at the altar. "The dress is beautiful, and he's going to go wild over you when he sees you. That's what we're after."
    "I hope so. I feel sick. What if I pass out? Or throw up?"
    She waves her hand at me like I'm a bug. "It's all normal wedding jitters! Do you want a Valium? I have some Xanax, too."
    Leave it to Kat to be a walking pharmacy. "I think I'll pass, but thanks. It might be best if I stay mostly coherent for this."
    Nodding in agreement, she touches up her lipstick and runs her hands through her blond bob in the mirror next to me. "I better get out there," she says to my reflection. "I'm sure they're gonna be knocking on the door soon for you to walk down the aisle."
    Walk down the aisle. To a stranger!
    Suddenly feeling light-headed, I grab on to her arm for balance. "Kat, I'm not sure I can do this. What am I doing? Why are you letting me do this?"
    She puts her arm around me and leads me to a big chair in the corner. "Asia, honey. You can do this. You've spent months with Dr. Hollister, and so has your guy. She's convinced that her team found the perfect matches for the five couples involved."
    Fanning myself with a magazine, I ask her a question I've asked her at least a hundred times, hoping I may get a different answer this time. "Didn't you see anything about him at work? You type up all her notes. Surely she must have mentioned something?"
    She shakes her head vehemently. "No, everyone was referred to with a number, even you. The whole thing is very confidential; I told you that." She fusses with my hair. "You're going to meet him in less than half an hour, so try to take a few deep breaths. Hyperventilation is not a good first impression."
    "Do you think this is wrong? Seriously. Am I crazy?"
    A sweet smile passes her lips. "Asia, I think sometimes we have to take crazy chances in life. I love you like a sister. Hell, I love you even more than my sister. If I didn't think this was a good thing for you to do, I'd be dragging your ass out of here. Trust me."
    "I'm scared. I've never even lived with a guy before."
    "It will all be okay. You're going through it with him. That's the idea. He's probably just as scared and nervous as you are."
    Great.
    She gently tugs me back to my feet. "I have to go since I'm supposed to be out there as your amazing maid of honor."
    "It's not fair that you get to see him first."
    "Too bad. Now remember, Rob, Dr. Hollister, and the research team will be sitting on your side at the ceremony. On your left when you come down the aisle."
    Terrific. My best friend's boyfriend and the romance team for the experiment will be the only ones sitting on my side. My future husband is going to think I'm a total loser when he sees I have no family and only one friend.
    Kat gently hugs me good-bye before disappearing to take her place at the altar in the ceremony room, leaving me alone to eye the window as an escape route. I'm on the first floor of the hotel, so I could easily jump out and run away from this madness and hide. Being single isn't really that bad. I've done it this long; I can do it longer.
    There's a soft knock on the door and