“For you.”
“Do not,” I said, stepping towards him, “pretend as if you are doing this for me.”
He didn’t even flinch.
“Come with me to the study,” he repeated, something in his tone shifting into a sense of finality. He wasn’t going to take no for an answer for much longer. I could see I was already testing his patience more than enough. I didn’t know why, but a flicker of unease threaded through my anger as I looked at him.
“Why?” I demanded again.
“You’ll see.”
“I’m not—”
The doorbell rang just then, and we both went still. I looked at him as he looked at the entrance, a knowing look on his face. Whoever was out there, he had been expecting them, which only meant it would not play into my favor. Instead, ice crawled down my spine while he moved towards the door to open it. Two men in dark suits stepped inside, carrying large white boxes. Behind them, another man wheeled in an arrangement of flowers, white orchids and roses arranged withclinical precision. I stared uneasily, my pulse beginning to roar in my ears.
“What is this?” I asked quietly, but the men didn’t answer. They didn’t even look at me as they carried the boxes past us, towards the hallway leading to his study. I followed automatically, dread blooming with every step. The guy didn’t stop them, and he didn’t speak either; he simply continued to watch me.
The study door was already open, and when I stepped inside, everything tilted. There was a man standing near the window dressed in a simple black suit. He seemed older and rather serious, with his hands folded in front of him as if he were waiting for something. The flowers were placed near the large oak desk in the center, and the men efficiently opened one of the boxes. White fabric spilled out of it. It was a beautiful soft silk with a lace bodice, the dress a perfect shade of ivory. My stomach dropped the moment I realized what it was.
“No,” I breathed, the word barely making it out of my horror-struck mouth. The man by the window gave a respectful nod in Fyodor’s direction, who was right behind me.
“Good evening,” Nikolai greeted him. My head snapped towards him, no longer concealing the anger I felt.
“What is this?” I asked, but he closed the study door behind us, the click echoing like a gunshot.
“Elisse,” he said calmly.
“Don’t.”
“You must listen to me.”
“No.” I took a step back. “No. You do not get to do this to me. If this is what I think this is, it is not happening.”
The older man looked mildly uncomfortable, and I couldn’t blame him. He had no part in the drama that was unfolding between the crazy man and me before me, but he was still caught in the middle of it.
I turned to look at him, resolve shining on my face. “You can leave.”
He didn’t move, exactly as I had expected. It almost felt as if he hadn’t even heard me.
“You are not authorized to be here,” I snapped at him when he didn’t budge. “Whatever he told you, this is a mistake. No one here is getting married tonight, so you are not needed.”
The man glanced at Nikolai, and he simply nodded once. The officiator cleared his throat. “I was informed the bride would require a moment. I am more than happy to wait outside while the two of you settle your differences before the wedding ceremony begins. I am sure these men will also require some time to set up the flowers.”
Bride.
The word detonated inside my skull, and I looked at the dress and flowers again. The men in the room continued to take bunches of flowers out of boxes with a calm, prearranged efficiency that made me feel as if they were both deaf and blind, unable to see me lashing out. None of this was intimidation or part of a theater performance. It was preparation, and that too for my wedding.
“You’re joking,” I said slowly, unable to breathe.
“I don’t joke about things like this, Elle,” he replied, his face expressionless.
“You think you can just, what? Drag me in here and marry me against my will? Why exactly do you believe it is that easyor that I will agree to this? Does it look like I am some sort of helpless little girl who gets intimidated easily? If I had my pistol on me right now, I would have shot you in the head.”
“Well then, I am glad you don’t have it. But in case you still might want to try, I have a nice little weapon in the house I can give you.”
The simplicity of his words stole the air from my lungs. He certainly could not be serious. How could he be? Right?
“You have lost your goddamned mind, and I am not playing any part in this,” I said, almost shouting at him, but his gaze didn’t even waver. “You don’t get my consent, and you will never have it. You will have to force a screaming bride in front of the officiator because I will never say I do willingly.”
