“You can force me into marriage and take my shares, but there’s one thing you need to understand. There was a time when you meant a lot to me. Now, you’re nothing to me, and you’ll never mean anything to me again.”
With that, I walk out, leaving that part of my life behind for good.
Chapter
Sixteen
Dante
* * *
If Tatiana hated me before, she loathes me now. Taking her back to the condo was the worst idea I could’ve had. I thought seeing Emily would make Tatiana happy. She loved and trusted their housekeeper.
On the contrary, the visit only served to remind her of everything I’d taken from her, including her mother. Something snapped inside my future bride, something that made her want to cut every thread that tied us together. However, some threads, such as the child we share and the insatiable chemistry between us, can’t be severed.
Since the disastrous episode that played out in the study, we don’t speak outside of the bedroom. At night, she gives me her moans and screams, but during the day, she only gives me silence.
I don’t like it. I’m running out of time. I was hoping by now, I would’ve won back her trust or at least a portion of it, enough for her to be honest with me. After what I did, I don’t expect her forgiveness. But I thought if she understood my motivations, she’d come to understand.
Yet she’s unreachable. The warm, caring woman who once gave me every part of herself has become unobtainable. Cold and distant. Yes, I own her body. I prove it every night when I bed her. I’m about to make her my wife. That doesn’t prevent her from keeping her distance in everything else that matters.
She’s not leaving me a choice. I’ll have to confront her. Kent is bugging me about it again. The only reason he’s still breathing is because he’s right. I have to get my hands on that necklace before Teszner does.
Knowing that snake, he’s already got buyers lined up. Selling that piece of jewelry will save him from the loan sharks and bankruptcy. It’ll make him a wealthy man again, and wealthy men have the means to be powerful. They can afford weapons and armies. They can bend the law to their will.
But worse, much worse, is it will mean he wins. In our war, that makes me the loser, and I’ll be damned before I let Lee down. I’ve come too far and sacrificed too much. Of all those sacrifices, Tatiana is the biggest one I’ve made, the one I regret the most. I’ll regret what I had to give up until the day I die, but I won’t let the price I paid be for nothing. I’ll find what I’m looking for. I’ll use any means save for torture. That necklace is the only thing that stands between me and my goal. It is my goal.
I’m so damn close to ending this game. Bennett confirmed that Leander Teszner owes him big money, money that he won’t be able to pay when the loan shark comes knocking. I’ve set up a meeting with Teszner and his lawyer under the name of one of my offshore companies with the ruse of being interested in investing. I’ll bankrupt Teszner before throwing him to the wolves. And then I’ll sit back and watch as he slowly rots away. But before that happens, Tatiana must become my wife.
Knowing I can’t trust my beautiful bride with the wedding arrangements, I left the organization to Penelope. Tatiana would rather sabotage the day than try to make it memorable. I’ve been particular about the details in my instructions to my assistant. I saw Tatiana’s scrapbook once. She didn’t mean for me to see it. The book just happened to lie open on her bed when I surprised her by climbing through her bedroom window via the fire escape at the back.
I’d gotten a glimpse of the wedding dress she’d glued to the page. It was a picture she’d torn from a bridal magazine. I’d snatched up the book and paged through her dream wedding while she blushed crimson and tried to pry the book from my hands.
Penelope just confirmed that the dress fitting is tomorrow. She made sure I understood how difficult that one was to pull off on such short notice. I’m walking through the house to locate Tatiana so I can tell her. After we’ve put Noah to bed, Sav called about business. While I was on the phone, Tatiana grabbed the opportunity to escape me, and now she’s hiding somewhere in the house.
Light falls from underneath the kitchen door. I make my way over and push it open. Jasper stands in front of the counter on the far side, wearing one of her new belly dancing costumes that comes complete with a coin girdle.
She spins around with her hand pressed on her heart, making the coins clink. “Jeez, you scared me.”
“What are you doing?”
“Practicing for an audition.”
I motion at the mess behind her on the counter. “I meant that.”
“Oh.” She places her body in front of the dried leaves and flowers. “I’m making an infusion to help me sleep. I haven’t gotten much of that since you kidnapped me.”
Ignoring the jibe, I cross the floor. “Does it work?”
She turns back to the counter and fills the teapot with water from the kettle. “It does for me.” Shooting a narrow-eyed look over her shoulder, she takes me in. “Maybe you should try some. You look like you need it.”
I’ve been working around the clock. Plus, at night, I go back to work at my desk in the study after fucking Tatiana, and I get up early so I have time to spend with Noah after work.
Jasper chucks a handful of thorny leaves and yellow flowers in the pot. “I assume you didn’t come in here looking for me.”
“Where’s Tatiana?”
She sneaks another look over her shoulder. “She’s working in one of the spare rooms.”
