“He’ll be safe with them,” Kaiser says. I must look worried, so I smooth my features out.
I can’t believe I’m alone in my house with him. I can’t even look at his big, dumb, gorgeous face right now. He’s so hot. I don’t want to be attracted to him, but my ovaries don’t understand he’s the enemy.
What am I going to do? I don’t want to get married to the Un-Incredible Hulk.
I turn to him. “I don’t care about that contract. We are not getting married.”
9
Bella
* * *
He just gazes at me. My stupid fiancé or whatever. He’s not fazed at all.
“You will marry me. You don’t have a choice.”
“Is that what gets you hard?” I ask. “Forcing young women into marriage?”
“No. I don’t want anyone else. I want you.”
That gives me pause. “Because you want an alliance with my father. He’s your prisoner.”
“He’s our ally. He will be treated with respect.”
“But not me.” I rub my arms, suddenly feeling like a prisoner in my own home. “They just left me here with you.”
“You have nothing to fear from me,” he says it so gently, I want to believe him.
But look at him. He’s huge. Covered in tattoos. He’s mafia muscle. I knew with one glance that he was dangerous. He’s the sort of guy they send to shakedown the scary mofos, because he’s the scariest one of all.
I wonder how many people he’s killed?
“What if we do the ceremony, and then just live in different houses?”
“The marriage needs to be real.”
I snort. “No, it doesn’t. You’re just making up random rules.”
“We have a contract.”
“Fine. We could just get married and then divorce.”
“This marriage will be for life. Like the alliance. It ends with death—yours or mine.”
Goosebumps break out over my skin. So it is a matter of life or death.
Preferably his.
“We’re not consummating the marriage.” But even as I say it, I lick my lips.
His gaze falls to my mouth.
“Oh, we’ll be consummating it.” His voice is rough, and my core clenches in response.
I’ve got to get out of here.
“I want some privacy. And some space. I can’t think about this right now.” I need to get away from him so I can make a plan.
