I grab it lightly and shake it weakly when what I really want to do is crush his hand in mine and jerk his arm off his shoulder. I give him the sweetest, most demure smile I can muster, when what I really want is to growl and glare at him. I know whatViktor expects of his Bratva Princess though, so I’m an angel on the outside.
Dominic, the asshole, just continues to look at me disapprovingly. Fuck him. I can’t even shake his hand correctly! Asshole.
He pulls his hand from mine,wipes it on his pant leg, and turns from me dismissively towards Viktor, ignoring me. Just as my father does. “It was a pleasure meeting with you. I look forward to our alliance.” He starts to stride out of the room, stops, turns to me, looks me up and down one more time, sneers, shakes his head, turns, and leaves.
Viktor follows behind the asshole and walks him out of the house. I run to the kitchen in an attempt to avoid Viktor. Even though he’s in a good mood, I can smell the vodka on him, and I don’t want to be anywhere near him when he drinks.
Unfortunately, Yelena finds me a few minutes later and tells me Viktor is waiting for me in the dining room. I guess we’re having dinner together.Fuck.
…
After ten minutes of silence, Viktor speaks.
“You’re getting married next month,” Viktor says casually.
I choke on my stroganoff, hoping I didn’t hear him correctly.
“What?” I whisper.
“You’re getting married next month,” he repeats just as calmly.
I swing my gaze to him as tears gather in my eyes. They evaporate the moment I see the glint in his. He wants a reaction from me. He knows what this is doing to me. I won’t give him one.
“To Sergey?” I ask casually, looking at my plate. I take another bite, pretending the taste isn’t ash in my mouth.
“Not this time.” He chuckles.
What the fuck does that mean?
“This time?” I keep my tone disinterested.
“You’re marrying Dominic Montclair.”
My stomach drops. I’m marrying the asshole from earlier? There’s no way. There’s just no way Dominic wants to marry me. He was so disgusted and disapproving of me. He looked like he couldn’t stand to be in my presence.
“The man from the hallway?” Confusion laces my words. I just can’t make sense of it.
“Yes. He’s an important man, and your marriage will be the perfect opportunity.” His voice is dripping with glee.
“Who is he? What opportunity?” I beg for clarity.
“He’s the enemy. The head of the Syndicate. And you’re going to be his demise.” Delight devours his demeanor, and I can tell he’s already plotting his betrayal.
I’ve heard of the Syndicate. They’re horrible people. Barbaric. Just earlier this year, they brutally killed many of our men. And he’s going to marry me off to the monster that leads them?
My stomach twists at the thought. If Viktor, a rather reasonable man, can beat his daughter senseless daily, I can’t imagine what that barbaric man would do to his wife. I wonder if I’ll even survive a year of marriage before he kills me.
“I don’t want to marry him,” I whisper, more to myself than anything.
I don’t even see it coming. The sting from the slap across my face takes over. He hits me so hard my face hits the table and sloshes into my meal.
“You don’t have a choice, you ungrateful bitch!” he seethes.
I straighten my spine and muster up all my courage.
“I won’t marry him!” I swear on everything that I have that I won’t do it.
Viktor stands so fiercely that his chair swings back onto the floor. He’s on me in an instant. He pulls me up by a tight grip on my hair. The burn of my scalp brings more tears to my eyes. He raises me until we’re at eye level, and he’s so furious, his face is red.
