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His icy eyes narrowed, pinning me in place. “This alliance between your father and me is a done deal. We’re going to war. Caesar will take America from Adrián, while I eliminate Stefano Duarte here in Mexico. You will be an obedient wife and play your part without complaint. I didn’t get to where I am today by tolerating insubordination.”
My stomach turned, and I took a step back. Pedro didn’t care if I consented to this marriage any more than Daddy did. My gut knew what he meant by playing my part, even if my brain didn’t want to fully acknowledge the threat of rape.
“Pedro, we should talk about this,” Carmen insisted, the flash of fear in her eyes belying her assertive posture. “Caesar lied to us about Sofia’s willingness to marry you. What else isn’t he telling us? We can’t go to war without considering the risks.”
“I’ve told you everything,” Daddy countered, but he appeared shaken, too. He placed his hand on Pedro’s shoulder, a friendly, reassuring gesture. “I didn’t understand how badly Ignazio had warped my little girl. We should postpone the wedding until she’s had a chance to calm down. She’s not thinking straight.”
“There’s no point postponing it, because I will never agree to it.” My declaration wavered with fear, but I had to stand my ground on this. Daddy seemed to realize that Pedro did not have my best interests at heart. My father might have betrayed me, but in his mind, he was doing all this for my own good. If I could get him on my side, he would protect me.
I lifted my chin and met Pedro’s fierce scowl head-on. “I will never marry you. I love Mateo.”
His icy blue glare turned on Daddy. “Maybe Carmen is right. What else have you been lying about, Caesar? Is my bride even a virgin?”
“Ignazio promised—”
“I’m not,” I cut Daddy off. “Mateo makes love to me because I ask him to. Not because he bargained for the right to my body in some sick power negotiations. I will never give myself to any man who claims me in an illicit deal without my consent.”
Pedro’s frigid stare made my blood freeze in my veins. “I don’t care about your consent. This marriage is happening. The wedding goes forward tomorrow as planned. Anything else would cause public embarrassment at this point. I’m not going to be a laughingstock because a silly woman has notions about romance. That’s not how the world works. Your Daddy might have indulged you in the past, but I won’t be humiliated just to spare your feelings.”
“Now wait, Pedro,” Daddy cajoled. He wiped sweat from his brow. “I won’t let you talk to my little girl that way. You promised me she would be provided for and treated well.”
“And you promised me a virgin,” he shot back. “The terms have changed. You’d better pray this doesn’t get out. If a rumor goes around that Ignazio deflowered my bride, I will find a way to vent my displeasure.”
“I don’t agree to these new terms.” Daddy swelled with fury, his protective instincts finally rising to defend me. “Our deal is off. I won’t allow my daughter to marry a man like you.”
Pedro moved faster than I could comprehend, and I caught a flash of silver just before Daddy bellowed in pain. Pedro got in his face, their chests nearly touching as my would-be fiancé snarled at my father.
Pedro stepped back abruptly, and Daddy dropped to the hardwood floor with an agonized yell. The blade at Pedro’s side dripped crimson, and a matching shade bloomed on Daddy’s white shirt.
I rushed to him, my scream echoing through the room. I dropped to my knees beside him, but my hands fluttered uselessly around his bleeding body.
“He’ll live,” Pedro announced, wiping the bloody blade on his slacks and returning it to the holster at his back. “If you agree to marry me without putting up a fuss. That way, I won’t have to hurt you to make you cooperate, and Caesar can heal up to carry through his end of the bargain. I won’t be made to look like a fool because of a woman’s willfulness. You exist to serve my needs. Tell me you will cooperate, and I’ll call for medical attention for your father. We can still salvage this deal.”
Daddy struggled to push himself up, only to drop back to the floor with an agonized cry. He reached for me blindly, gripping my hand in his. “I’m sorry, princesa,” he rasped, his eyes shining with anguish.
“Daddy,” I whispered brokenly, my heart shredding in my chest. Everything was happening too fast, and my brain was paralyzed by the horror of the events unfolding around me.
“This isn’t what we talked about, Pedro,” Carmen interjected, her voice edged with anxiety. “And it’s not a sensible strategy. If Ignazio feels the same about her as she does about him, he will fight for her. You’ve seen what he’s capable of. Do you want to invite that threat into our lives?”
