“And if I don’t?”
“I’ll still marry her, you’ll be angry, but then we’ll move on. I would just like to avoid the part where you’re angry.”
Gabriel chuckles, shaking his head. “You were always something else, you know that?”
“I know.”
“Who even is this woman?”
“Alice.” It’s the only name that comes to my mind.
“Your housekeeper?”
“No. Another woman named Alice. You will see in time, Gabriel, that this is for the best.”
“Mmm. You are my right hand, Leo. And I do trust you. If you want to marry this woman, then… so be it. Marry her. But I’m not sure you’re ready for marriage. I wasn’t when I married Aurora.”
“You married her so no other man would touch her.”
“I did. Why are you marrying this girl?”
So no man can take her from me until I get what I want from her.
“Because I love her,” I lie.
Gabriel scoffs again. “I don’t believe you. But if you want to get married, then fine. Get married. Just as long as you don’t do anything to fuck up our business. I’m fine with it.”
That’s exactly what I’m doing but Gabriel will learn in time. This is for the best.
I’ve always been impulsive. It’s my one trait I used to be proud of but now I wonder if I’m making a mistake. Emma may not deserve this – to be brought into a world of darkness.
But she also might be deceiving me and I need to find out. If she’s just some girl I kidnapped, I have no claim over her. But if she’s my wife, then she’ll always be mine and I can get the information I need. I can stop using kid gloves with her.
I have to be tough and I can’t get distracted by Emma’s softness.
She will be mine so I can use her against Alessandro. She’s just a pawn in my game. Nothing else.
Emma
I’m woken up in the night to a touch on my arm. I gasp, sitting up, expecting it to be my mother but instead it’s only Leo. In my bedroom. At night.
There’s a wild look to his eyes that makes me shiver. Thank goodness I’m in one of the silk nightgowns he bought for me. It makes me feel more womanly. More attractive. But that shouldn’t matter because Leo is not mine.
“Leo?” I whisper. “What are you doing?”
“I had to ask you something, Emma.”
“What?” My heart is beating fast – too fast. It’s making me lightheaded.
“Will you marry me?”
His question doesn’t make any sense to me. “What?”
“Will you marry me?”
“But I’m your maid. Why would you want to marry me? I mean… look at me.” I wave a hand down my body. My mother always told me I was ugly and not meant to leave. There’s no way a beautiful man like Leo would want me. This has to be a dream.
But when I pinch my arm, I realize I’m well and truly awake.
