“I believe she and her husband went on a trip and repaired the family home.”Mikhail spotted the exact moment she understood that he spoke the truth.“If your grandmother can repay those funds immediately, that would fix part of the problem.”
“I doubt she can,” Edwina whispered.“My parents’ home needed extensive repairs after a recent storm, and my grandmother gave them a loan to help them out.”She studied him, deadly pale.“She got that money from you.Truly?”
“Truly,” Mikhail said.
“She had no right to sign me over like a parcel.”She looked as if she might cry.
Her hunched shoulders screamed of mental pain, and Mikhail wanted to hold her and offer comfort, the thought so foreign, he hesitated.
His tiger made a chuffing sound—a prompt, and Mikhail shook himself.He narrowed the space between them and embraced her.She didn’t fight but quivered, and once again, the need to commiserate caused him consternation.Aware of the ticking clock—the waiting minister and plane—he reached a decision.
“Edwina, I urgently need a wife.I am within my rights to force you to marry me.You understand this.No one in the shifter world would gainsay or blame me for my actions.But what if I offered you one million dollars to marry me now and remain married for a minimum of a year?You’d lose your university place, but with the money I give you in exchange for marriage, arrange for private tutors and upskill that way.Reapply for your university place later.Would you agree to that?”
She lifted her head to catch his gaze.“How much did my grandmother sell me for?”
Mikhail hesitated.“I’d rather not say.”
He’d gone into the agreement with his eyes wide open.He’d allowed his grandmother to negotiate on his behalf, but Edwina hadn’t had that luxury.Her grandmother had secretly maneuvered her, so he understood Edwina’s anger.
“Please tell me.”
“Two million cash.”
Edwina winced.“She loaned money to my parents and insisted on repayment and interest.My parents work hard, and she has the cash to help them.Unbelievable.If she thinks I’ll keep quiet about her manipulation and lies to my parents, she should reconsider.”She lifted her gaze to meet his, and he saw pain amongst the fiery anger.“I agree.I’ll marry you and stay married for one year.You’ve already paid for me, so you don’t have to give me a million dollars, but I would like to continue with my music.It… Music makes me happy, and this is hard enough as it is.It means putting my dreams on hold.My grandmother has fought and continually told my parents I should stay in Middlemarch.I was too wild and not trustworthy.I should’ve been suspicious since she didn’t argue when I agreed to attend the gathering.”
Guilt flooded Mikhail at his part in this deception.He’d gone to his grandmother and told her he needed a biddable wife.He’d explained his reasons.She’d agreed to help him and keep everything confidential until he introduced his new wife to the family.Edwina hadn’t had the same luxury.“Are you certain?”
“Yes.”
Mikhail loosened his grip and offered her his arm.“We’d better hustle before the minister loses patience.”
“What about the relevant licenses and legal stuff?”
Mikhail patted his jacket pocket.“I have the necessary documents.”
“Of course you do,” she said.“How can you trust me to keep my end of the bargain?”
“Because if you go back on your word, I will destroy your grandmother, and unfortunately, other family members will get caught in the crossfire.”
3
Edwinasurreptitiouslyeyedtheman standing beside her in the stone chapel while she tried to fashion a last-ditch rescue for herself.Nothing came to mind.
Snared like an eel in a net.
Her grandmother had sprung the trap, and she’d innocently walked into it, not guessing the lengths her grandparent would go to get her way.Her parents were happy, weren’t they?Yet they’d likely faced the same hurdles presented to her now.Heat flashed to her cheeks as she berated herself.She was trying to become a better person, yet she’d been arrogant with her parents.Angry at the restrictions placed on her and putting her needs first.She shook away her self-loathing and promised herself she’d do better.An apology for a start when she next spoke to them.
Soft lights glowed around them, and two stern men with military-short hair stood as witnesses to their nuptials.The minister’s robes rustled, his mouth pinching tight in abject disapproval, even though Edwina had assured him she was a willing participant.
She hadn’t had an option with her abductor gripping her forearm in silent warning.
Mikhail Lermontov had planned everything.While he was a stranger, she understood his type.Bossy.Determined.Despite his arrogance, she trusted him when he said he was amiable to her pursuing her musical career during their marriage.She’d glimpsed what she’d thought was honesty in his direct gaze.Time would tell if her instincts were off.
Her mind wandered to her grandmother, the manipulative…bitch.Gods, her grandmother was lucky she wasn’t standing nearby because Edwina doubted she’d bite her tongue and afford her grandparent the respect she always demanded.This was a massive betrayal.Heck, her grandmother had moved her around like a game piece, all for money.She’d sold Edwina for creature comforts.Edwina wondered if her grandfather had been complicit.She blew out a breath, frustration stalking her as she replayed her dilemma.Yeah.Probably.
“Everything okay?”Mikhail’s deep, accented voice distracted her from her traitorous grandmother.
“Yes.”A lie.Everything was a horrid mess.
