Give into Me (Rich Woman/Poor Man Romance)

~Chapter 24

-24-

  Same church. Same man. Different circumstances. Today was the day Butterfly had been dreading. She was standing in the same wedding dress she had on when Lance left her at the altar. She stared at herself in the mirror. There was no happiness in her eyes. Only sorrow lived there now.

  Butterfly couldn't even escape from the church. Charles had men standing outside the room she was currently occupying. She was to be kept inside like a prisoner until it was time for the wedding to start.

  Her girls Cynthia and Lisa continued to stare at her with worry in their eyes. Cynthia and Butterfly made up when she filled her in on her dilemma, with Charles continuing to control her life. Both Lisa and Cynthia had no idea what Butterfly was going through. When they had found out, they became furious.

  "I can't believe he's forcing you to marry Lance again," Lisa stated.

  "Charles needs a good beat down. You know I'm not scared to fight a man," Cynthia said, eyes brewing with anger.

  Butterfly's lips turned up into a faint smile. "Cynthia, I don't want you going to jail on my wedding day." Butterfly's statement dripped with sarcasm.

  "What happened to the evidence you had against him?" Lisa asked.

  Butterfly sighed. "He found it."

  Lisa and Cynthia groaned in unison. Butterfly didn't make a sound. She had already cried herself sick the night before. Images of Isaiah kept popping into her mind. She didn't even know how he was doing after the shooting. She wasn't allowed to see him.

  Butterfly slumped down into the chair in front of the vanity. "What am I going to do?" She asked no one in particular.

  "What has got my beautiful wife upset?" Lance asked.

  Butterfly narrowed her eyes at Lance. "I'm not your wife."

  Lance ignored Butterfly and said, "Do you ladies mind if I talk to Butterfly a moment?"

  Cynthia and Lisa remained in their seats. They glanced at Butterfly as if they wanted to know that she would be ok if they left. Butterfly nodded in their direction and they slowly got up and left the room.

  "You know it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding." Butterfly continued to glare at him, as he came closer to where she was now standing.

  Lance smiled and said, "I'll take that chance."

  "What do you want, Lance?"

  "I want you to put a smile on your face, and be happy that you're marrying somebody like me." Lance tried to rub her cheek, but Butterfly flinched away. He was beginning to get tired of her acting this way.

  He must be crazy.

  "Why would I be happy marrying you?" She scoffed and said, "You have done nothing, but cause me pain."

  "I miss you." Lance grabbed Butterfly by the waist and held her tight.

  Butterfly struggled in his arms. "Let me go."

  "I let you go once before, I'm not going to let it happen again," Lance whispered into her ear.

  Lance stepped away from a disgruntled Butterfly and walked over to the door. He stopped with his back turned to her and said, "I'll see you at the altar."

  Butterfly continued to stare at the door after Lance left. The last thing she wanted to do was marry Lance, who was just a carbon copy of her father. She finally realized that the way her mother was living now, maybe how she would be living in the future.