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My father raises his eyebrow at me, and I look down briefly, but then remember I can’t give in to my instinct to cower, or he will eat me alive.
“Sir,” Nik says, “with all due respect, I can’t annul the marriage.”
“And why is that?”
“I love your daughter.”
My father laughs loudly, drawing stares from all over the room. “Sure you do. I’ve seen you Russians, and you don’t give a fuck about anyone.”
“I give a fuck abouther. No one else.”
“Is that why you killed my son?”
“I did not?—”
“Did you or did you not fire the weapon?”
“No,” I interrupt. “You know damn well Leo caused it. He pushed Andrea in front of him to protect himself like a coward. You know that, we all know that.” I take a deep breath and look into his eyes. “No matter how much you deny it and look the other way, it doesn’t change the facts. I won’t marry him just because you want me to. I won’t marry the person behind my brother’s death.”
“I don’t think you understand how this works, Camilla.” My father tuts and shakes his head. “You will do whatever I tell you.”
“Matteo—” my mother tries to reason.
“Shut up,bella,” my father tells her with stone cold eyes. “I’m not a weak man.” He directs this at me. “And I don’t care about your so-called love. Leonardo and you have been engaged since you were children, and the wedding will move forward. I don’t give a shit if I have to kill this man.”
“I will not marry my brother’s killer!” I yell, and the restaurant goes silent. “I thought you were better than this, but I guess I was wrong. You wanted Nikolai killed for his involvement, though I’m assuming Leo got a slap on the wrist? How could you do that to Andrea? Your baby? I thought he was your favorite.”
My father’s eyes water. “Shut up, Camilla. You don’t know what the fuck you’re saying?—”
“I can see it clear as day,Papà,” I reply with venom in my voice. “Because there’s something you have in exchange for my marriage, and I know it. We both know it. But I’ll tell you a little secret,Papà, I’ll kill myself before I ever marry him.”
My mother gasps at the same time my father’s lips turn thin. “We shall see now, won’t we?”
“Yeah, I guess we will.”
“Sir,” Nik tries again, “I can offer you something too. Just name your price, and I’ll make it happen. All I want is your daughter.”
My father seems to think on it briefly then narrows his eyes. “There’s nothing you can give me in exchange for her.”
My father nods and glances behind us. Suddenly, Nik and I tense at the same time. Two men come to each side of us, grabbing my husband by the arms and hauling him up from the chair. Surprisingly, Nikolai stays extremely calm and collected, then looks at me with sad eyes and strokes my cheek.
“I love you,” he whispers. “Always will.”
“Forever,” I tell him. “I love you more.”
The guards haul him out of the restaurant, and I sit there with silent tears running down my face. I can’t even look at my parents right now. If they kill Nikolai, I’ll never forgive them. My father may be the one giving the orders, but my mother is just as guilty for going along with it as well as keeping me captive.
“How dare you?” I ask my father. “Have you no regard for my happiness?”
“Happiness doesn’t exist in our world, Camilla. The faster you learn that, the better your life will be.”
“Papà, you might as well keep me locked up, because I love that man and I won’t just sit by for you to kill him. Where are you taking him?”
“That’s not your business, Camilla,” he replies coldly. “Now be a good daughter and marry the man you were meant to marry.”
I lift my chin in defiance. “Can’t,” I say with a shrug and a smirk. “I’m already married.”
“Not for long.”
