And if he wants kids? God, I can’t have children with him.
The farther he gets, the deeper the terror drags into my bones.
I open my mouth. “Wait!”
He pauses, slowly turning, his gaze drifting over his shoulder like he already knows what I’m about to say. “Yes?”
My lips part. My mind splinters. I can’t think. But I can see my parents in that office: the fear in their eyes, the weight of their future pressing down on them.
They’ve done so much for me. College. Law school. Even helped buy my home. How do I turn my back on them?
But how do I marry this man?
Yet what choice is there, really? It may seem like he’s presenting me with one, but it’s not much of a choice. It’s all smoke and mirrors.
Still…this doesn’t have to be permanent. Emilia might be able to help. If Konstantin steps in and talks to his brother, this whole thing could end. Maybe Aleksei won’t want to go through with the marriage. Maybe he’d divorce me if he does. There has to be a way out of this for me, but my parents don’t have that option.
Bitterness rises in my throat as the words claw their way out.
“I’ll do it,” I whisper. “I’ll marry you.”
His smile cuts across his face, polished and poisonous. “Of course you will.”
God, I want to wipe that haughty look off with my fist.
“I have conditions, though,” I bite out as he draws closer.
He dips his head slightly, one brow arched. “Naturally. Shall we discuss them over champagne?”
“I’d rather swallow broken glass.”
“That can be arranged.” His fingers barely skim up my hand, but my body screams for more. “You do understand that there’s no getting out of this marriage, don’t you?” His hand climbs higher until it wraps around my throat. “You will be my wife until your very last breath.”
He drops his arm and starts to leave, but not before he adds, “How does it feel, Ms. Prosecutor? To have no control?”
My hand balls into a fist.
“Welcome to your new life, Mrs. Marinova. I trust you will find it quite agreeable. Maybe.” He chuckles.
I can’t believe I agreed to this. I sold my soul to the devil and singlehandedly just made the worst mistake of my life.
And I’m not sure there’s any way back.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
ALEKSEI
She was always goingto say yes. If she hadn’t, I would’ve made her.
There was never going to be a world where Fiona Clark walked away from me. She was always going to be mine.
She came for my freedom, so now I have hers. That’s how this works.
I’m going to enjoy watching her walk down the aisle, knowing how much it’s killing her to give in. To give herself to me.
She thinks this is a loss for me? That marrying her was some kind of defeat for me too?
No. This was the win. She’s the prize.
