“What?!” The word tore out of me, louder than I meant.
He placed the paper on the desk, then set a pen beside it. “Here’s the marriage certificate. Sign it.”
“Marriage? Are you crazy? I’m sure you don’t need my signature on a marriage certificate to solidify the deal with my father,” I shot back.
He ignored me completely. “I’m going to count to five,” he said, coldly. “By the time I reach five, your name will be on that paper. One…”
“Mr. Avit, I’m sure there’s another way we can settle this,” I said, refusing to move.
“Two.”
“You’re a businessman, right? We can draft a contract…I’ll work for you a few times a week. I promise to honor it.”
“Three.”
“At least let me talk to my father first. Maybe we can…”
“A bullet’s waiting for your father if you don’t sign. Four.”
My breathing hitched. My father wouldn’t win any Father of the Year awards, but him being murdered wasn’t something Icould stomach. Even though it would've been a consequence of one of his many bad choices.
I crossed the room in a rush, grabbed the pen, and scribbled my name on the certificate.
But somehow, it didn't feel like a marriage certificate. It felt like I’d just signed my soul over to a blue-eyed devil.
Chapter 3 - Avit
I watched as Sienna dropped the pen as though it had scorched her fingers. Then she turned and glared at me.
“You're not a man, you're a monster. My father may have sold me, but I’ll never be your slave.”
Though I felt the sting of her words, I didn't bother to correct her. It didn't matter what I said to her now; she wouldn't believe me, anyway. Marrying her was to protect her from her father and any other schemes he may want to include her in without her knowledge. So, I ignored her comment, folded the certificate, and slipped it into my jacket pocket. I’d lock it in my safe once we got to the house.
“You’ll be staying at my place from now on.”
“What? Why? I have an apartment close to campus. There is no reason to live with you.”
I arched a brow. “You just got married to a Bratva heir. Do you really think I'd let my wife live anywhere but under my roof?”
“There are always exceptions to a rule.” She tilted her chin stubbornly.
“You are correct, but this will not be one of them. Besides, all your things have already been packed and delivered to our home. Let’s go.”
Her pale blue eyes almost seemed like glass as they shot daggers at me. Done with the conversation, I strode to the door and opened it, motioning for her to walk out ahead of me. Standing there was Wexler Durov, my most trusted guard, and one of the men I’d sent to bring her in. I only sent the men Itrusted most. They might have been loyal to the Safin faction, but their loyalty to me ran deeper.
Sienna and I followed Wexler to the parking lot. He opened the door for her, and she slid into the back seat without a word. I got in beside her while Wexler took the wheel of the SUV.
“Wexler, take us to the property I purchased earlier, the one where Mrs. Safin's things were delivered.”
“Yes, sir.”
As we pulled out of the parking lot, I glanced at Sienna. She was leaning against the door, her hoodie shadowing most of her face. Her knees were drawn to her chest, arms wrapped around her legs as if she could make herself smaller, or hold herself together. I wondered if she even realized what she was doing…or how many times she’d done it before, living with a father who drank and gambled.
Another thought struck me: how many of his messes had she had to clean up? Her mother was diagnosed with cancer when Sienna was fourteen. From everything I’d found, Jasper had loved his wife and daughter once. But as the years wore on and the bills piled up, the worthless bastard of a man began to spiral, leaving Sienna to care for her dying mother alone.
She’d been at her high school graduation when her mother passed. Jasper? He’d been at the damn casino with another woman.
I’d ordered Wexler and the others to bring her in because I needed control of the situation and leverage over Jasper if he tried to run or make a fool of me again.
