One hundred and forty-five

Talia's POV:

My father and friends back home weren't helping. I spoke once with my best friend, telling her about my hasty marriage, and her reaction had been shocked, to say the least.

"You married that arms dealer?" she exclaimed incredulously. "After everything, he's done to you and Jake? Are you insane? You're too young—and he should be in jail!" And no matter how much I tried to spin everything in a positive light, I could tell she got off the phone thinking that my abduction messed with me.

My father was even worse. Every time I called to him, I had to fend off his probing questions about why I went back and Nicholas's plans for our future. I didn't blame him for adding to my anxiety; I knew they were worried sick about me. The last time we had a video call, my Dad was so worried about my welfare. Obviously, the half-baked story I told him did nothing to calm his mind.