Across the desk, my father slips his hand into his trouser pocket, his gaze locked onto the contract on the desk. The gleam of happiness in his eyes makes my blood boil with rage.
Something in me rises to the surface and I lash out. Since I only have my legs free, I use all my force to raise my knee and drive it into balls of the asshole holding my left arm.
“I hope you didn’t have plans on being a daddy, bitch.” The sound of his squeal is heartwarming if only for a split second.
I don’t know where all the brass balls attitude is coming from but I like it. Flying high on adrenaline, I turn to the next asshole and use my newly freed arm to push the base of my palm into the bridge of his nose.
Too bad he saw it coming and caught my attempt at giving him permanent sinus problems mid-air.
“Not happening.” He twists my wrist to the point I think it’s going to snap and holds it there until all I can do is stand on the tips of my toes and go anywhere he tells me.
“Careful, Elija. I need her unharmed for the wedding day.”
I snap my teeth at the asshole Elija who only chuckles like he’s practiced sounding evil in the mirror at night before bedtime. But he doesn’t twist anymore and I’ll take that as a win because it is true. If I do make it down the aisle on this forced marriage crap, I’m going to need the use of both hands when I try to bury a hatchet in Magnus’ chest.
The guy on my left lets out a few heavy breaths, clutching at his smashed balls.“You fucking, bitch,” he wheezes. He falls to his knees with a howl of pain ripping from his lips.
Magnus laughs and signals for another enforcer to take his place. No matter how hard I fight, and thrash there’s no use.
“The second I’m in your wedding bed I’ll bite your dick off.” I seethe toward Magnus.
Magnus turns and drinks in my shock and misery like the fear rolling off me is the finest bourbon ever distilled. His gaze turns glacial and my blood runs cold. “Then I’ll stuff those pretty lips as I spill my seed into your womb. You can take me with pleasure or pain… it’s your choice.”
Blood drains from my face.
Bile rises into my mouth. This man means every word he utters. My father always prided himself on making the best business decisions. Everyone here knew this was happening. All the stares I got. The dress my mother picked out. The earrings. This is an engagement party and they intend for me to sign and then go out there and show a farce of happiness to their friends.
Fuck that and fuck them.
My throat turns dry and my palms turn clammy. My heart rate hasn’t calmed since the second Magnus put his hands on me.
I look to my father one last time. “Please, don’t do this. There’s so much I want to do. I went to school. Let me leave. I’ll never show up in your life again. Please, Father.”
My father’s jaw tightens like this is all an inconvenience for him. “Shut up, girl. Magnus, make sure it matches her passport. We can’t have any issues when it’s time to register these with Genesis and the city.” My father’s tone is laced with casual irritation. Like selling me off to his friend is just another problem to resolve. His coldness erases the very last drop of possible respect I could have for the man.
“Done.”
Still keeping my hand captive, Magnus drags me into his arms and presses my body into his. My heart seizes in my chest, and breathing suddenly becomes impossible. The harder I try to pull air in the more difficult it becomes.
He leans in, presses a kiss to the edge of my lips. “Mine.”
My mouth cannot hinge open wider when my chin drops to my chest. I cannot believe this is my life now. I jerk free of Magnusand I am no fool. I know he lets me go versus me fighting back and winning my freedom. My body suddenly has a mind of its own and thinks that I should run. I bolt for the door. Surprisingly, no one tries to stop me.
I manage to get nearly to the base of the stairs when I feel the presence of the devil’s sidekick coming up on me and fast.
I turn to see Magnus following me, because of course the fucker can’t simply let me go.
I reach the bottom of the grand staircase before his body heat slams into mine. I grab the heaping material of my dress, but it’s too much and he’s faster than me. I whirl around to tell him what? I don’t know.Fuck offbounces on the end of my tongue. But I don’t get a word out because a hand tightens around my throat, cutting off my ability to speak.
He squeezes until the force of my blood being cut off shoots pounding pressure into my head. I can breathe, but just barely. He leans in, his mouth is close to my ear.
“One week, Persia,” he reminds me with malicious intent written all over his deceptively handsome face. “My ring. My bed. And my child in your womb. I’ll chain you to the headboard and fuck you every day if that is what it takes. Sounds fun.”
My eyes shudder closed and I try to tell myself this isn’t real. All I am experiencing is a nightmare and I’ll wake up any second.
He releases me so suddenly that I stumble forward, falling to my knees. “I suggest you spend this week coming to terms with your new life and being on your knees will be part of that.”
My mother stands at the top of the stairs, one hand pressed to her mouth, the other gripping the railing, her diamonds catching the light and her eyes very bright and not moving toward me.
