But he did hold a gun to my head. That really happened.
But he was in shock.
Doubt creeps into me. The certainty begins to crack.
Adrian shakes me, pulling my attention onto his face. His dark eyes pierce into me. “Sign the papers or your father dies,” he says without a trace of hesitation.
I believe him. The way he delivers the threat leaves absolutely no space for doubt. But still, this feels unreal. I stare down at the papers in front of me. If I don’t sign, my father dies?What choice do I actually have then?
“Please,” I whisper, tears springing to my eyes. My legs feel weak, and for a moment I think, if he weren’t holding me so tightly, my legs would collapse beneath me.
“It’s for your own good, Athena.” His words don’t make sense. How can this be for my good?Do this, or your father dies.My heart sinks. Resignation floods my body.
My hand is shaking as I scribble my name across the lines. Pitch-black ink stains the marriage license, and suddenly, I have a husband. I am married. To a man I know absolutely nothing about.
“Good,” Adrian growls.
“Mr. and Mrs. Volkov,” the lawyer smirks, rubbing it in. “Congratulations. I will have a copy sent to you for your personal files.”
Adrian threads his arm around my waist and holds me as though he’s protecting me. It’s a strange gesture. Gentle almost. But also, darkly possessive. He’s making it clear I have nowhere to run, or no way to escape his side. I guess it’s not protective…he’s just making sure I can’t get away.
My hands are still shaking when he leads us back to the elevator.
Disbelief flickers through me over and over again, and I go mentally blank for a moment.
Then I’m in his car.
Then we’re parked outside a massive mansion.
My head is swimming, ducking and diving, and in denial.
That did not just happen!
He switches the car off and turns to face me. “We’re home,” he says.Home? This isn’t my home.His voice isdifferent. Still deep. Still edged with something dangerous. Carved from authority. He is a man who is used to getting what he wants. But now there is something gentle in his tone as well. “Come on, I can make you something to eat,” he says, climbing out of the car. I stare at him as he walks around the front of the car. My brain has gone numb.
He pulls my door open and offers me his hand.
I place mine in his, and as soon as there is contact between us, my mind jolts back into my body, and my thoughts are clear again.
And the panic is back in full force.
What is going on? Who is this man? Why am I here?
I tug my arm away, fearful about what he actually has planned for me, but he’s faster than me, anticipating the movement. He grabs me and lifts me from the car. He quickly pulls me close to him.
Leading me up the stairs to the front door of the mansion, he has a firm grip on me. Not painful. Not aggressive. But firm.
“Please just let me go?” I beg.
“It’s not going to happen. You are my wife now, and I will make sure to take care of you,” he says with command in his voice. “Everything I have done is to keep you safe,” he tells me.
I stare at him in disbelief. The scary part is he truly believes what he’s saying. For some reason, he thinks he’s helping me. Can he really be that delusional?
Chapter 3 - Adrian
I get it. She’s overwhelmed. A lot happened in a very short space of time, and she needs a little while to process everything. Patience is a skill I learned many years ago.
“You can’t keep me here. I’ll just leave the moment you’re not looking,” she informs me abruptly as I pull the front door closed behind us. I release my hold on her. Now that she’s inside the mansion, I am satisfied that she can come to no harm. This place is a fortress. I know because I designed it that way. Nothing comes in, and nothing goes out without my permission and awareness.
