“I’d say you should relax since the rest of the day you’re going to be plugged in and stressful. As long as you do what you’re supposed to do.”
“Are you doubting my acting abilities?”
“Not in the least.”
Her smile was wistful. Cunning. “It’s funny. I don’t call ruining a man’s career stressful. I call it invigorating.”
Shifting, I pinched her chin between my thumb and forefinger. “Be careful, sweet Catherine, or one day you’ll look into the mirror and your reflection will have a haze of darkness you won’t be able to ignore.”
“That haze will have your name all over it.” The rebellious tone of her voice threatened to derail both our plans.
“My defiant fiancée. Does that mean you believe you’re exactly like the man you’re about to marry?”
“You mean the man who abducted me, forcing me into taking illicit vows?”
“Something like that.” I brushed my thumb across her face, forever marveling in her beauty. But the woman certainly could hold her own. “I want you to know how sorry I am that you were forced to discover your true identity the way you did.”
She tried to pull away, but I refused to allow her. “Are you really, Alexander? Is there any way you could possibly understand how I feel? You talked all about betrayal, yet you know who your family is. You know you can trust them. I don’t know if I can trust my mother any longer. I certainly can’t trust the man who raised me.”
“Your mother was a victim, my angel. That’s the way of this world.”
“A world I want nothing to do with. You have an uncle forcing you to marry me or you’ll lose all your wealth and power. So you’re doing the right thing for your family. You haven’t realized something important or maybe you have and just don’t care. If we have children, which I’m certain you’ll want to carry on your legacy, this ridiculous life-altering contract signed in blood decades before will still apply. Our firstborn son will be required to get married whether he wants to or not. And I’m certain you will require I have children.”
“Require? No. Hope? Yes. And you’re an attorney, Ms. Devereaux. I’m hoping by then you’ll determine a way to break this contract.” That is if I hadn’t killed my uncle long before.
He would soon learn he’d never be in power over me or the booming business my father had built.
She eyed me as warily as she had on the first day we’d met, but I could see the spark burning brightly within her. “I’m certain I can figure something out. As long as you know I might need to be very creative.”
“I would imagine nothing different. I’ll be right back. Oh, and in case you have any thoughts of escaping, don’t. My men will be watching.”
“Under the guise of protection?”
I wasn’t going to belabor the point as soon as Ivan Barishnikoff got wind of our upcoming nuptials, her life would be placed in extreme danger.
Her leash would need to be yanked after today.
“Something like that. Plus, you understand the consequences of disobeying me.”
She yawned on purpose and my fingers were itching to drag her across my lap right here in the middle of the bright sun. “You seem to forget that maybe I don’t mind challenging you.”
Fuck. I couldn’t get enough of the woman.
I didn’t waste any time exiting my vehicle, Jarvis falling in step. “How did Russo handle the terms of the new contract?”
My laugh was genuine for a change. “Like a champ. Of course he knows better than to try and defy me.”
“How are we going to implement the necessary changes with his company?”
“I don’t know yet. And do you want to know what’s interesting? I don’t give a shit about his company or the profits. None of it.”
We popped into the building, heading for the elevators and as strange as it seemed, I was lighthearted. When in the hell was the last time I’d managed to say that? Shit. I couldn’t remember when.
“Then what do you care about?”
I slapped my hand on the up button before answering. “The beautiful woman who entered my life. Making her happy. Making her smile. Huh. All new territory for me.” As I stepped into the elevator, I realized just how true that was.
“I’m curious,” Jarvis said as he pressed the button to the floor. “Have you told her that?”
