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He can’t be serious!
Surely, he’s delusional. How does he think that he can simply walk back into my life after ten years and expect me to marry someone I don’t even know? Has he lost his goddamn mind? Last time I checked I was a free woman who makes her own decisions, dammit!
“What does this even mean? Who is this person you want me to marry? What the hell is going on?” I snap.
“Watch. The. Way. You. Speak to me!” he snarls as he slams his fist on the table. I jump in shock. The dishes shake, and I watch him fume in anger. I’m past caring, though. How can he wake up one morning and decide to marry me off to some shady figure I don’t even know? “This is happening, whether you like it or not,” he continues. “I’ve made this deal with Ivanov, and I’ll be damned if I’ll let you ruin it.” His fists are clenched.
“Ivanov?” I say with a puzzled expression. The name sounds familiar, but I can’t place it.
“Lev Ivanov. The Bratva leader,” Simon says.
I blanch upon hearing this. Surely, it can’t be the same Lev Ivanov they are talking about; the one I've heard stories of.
The man everyone refers to as “the Devil.”
“No,” I whisper. My brother smirks at me. “ThatLev Ivanov? He is a beast! He is evil, and you know this. Why would you arrange for me to marry a heartless man like that?” I exclaim. I shiver at the thought of being tied to a man who is known for his ruthlessness. None of the things I’ve heard about him are pleasant.
“I don’t care what he is. I need him on our side. The best way to do that is for us to have a family bond. Do you understand that?” My father’s voice is deadly calm.
I am starting to see what this is. I’m supposed to sacrifice myself for the family business.
“No,” I repeat as I shake my head. My father’s eyes narrow on hearing this, but I don’t care. “I won’t marry that animal. Why am I even involved in this conversation? All my life, you’ve shown me how I don’t belong in this family. Why would I make such a sacrifice for something that was never even mine?” My tone rises as my anger escalates.
This is insane!
How does he think he can just do this?
“Maybe because there has been no use for you until now. This is the only thing I’ve ever asked of you,” my father says.
“The only thing you are asking for is my freedom, my sanity. Don’t you get that?” I question in dismay.
“I don’t care. My word is final. You’d better start getting used to the idea.” With that, he angrily pushes his chair backward and heads to the door. My brother does the same, glaring at me. “You are meeting him tomorrow. Get ready,” my father says as he leaves the room. I jump as the door slams, breathless with horror.
I can’t believe this.
What on Earth is he thinking?
He is condemning me to a life of hell, and all he cares about is his damn business? The thing he loves more than his daughter. I can’t believe he is dragging me into this. Right now, the years of neglect seem like heaven compared to this.
“No! It won’t happen,” I mutter with determination. I don’t care what it will cost me. I’m ready to fight my father and Lev Ivanov every damn step of the way. There’s no way I’ll let any of them decide how I’m going to live my life.
CHAPTER TWO
Lev
“The De Luca princess has arrived,” my cousin Ludis says, his face clouded with distaste.
I pause what I am writing when I hear this. It is happening, after all. The arrangement between De Luca and me.
“When?” I ask, acting as if the news meant nothing to me.
“This afternoon,” Ludis says. I nod. “Are you…?” Ludis trails off when my right-hand man, Petrov enters. I raise my head in interest, pleased to see the silver briefcase in his hands.
“All clear?” I ask Petrov about the assignment. I need verbal confirmation that everything has gone well.
“Yeah, Boss. Five million complete,” he confirms. I’m pleased to hear this. This is one of the reasons I like sending Petrov, my second-in-command, on assignments. He does a clean job, especially when it comes to sealing deals like this.
I don’t fail to notice the glare Ludis gives Petrov. There is no love lost between the two. For the life of me, I don’t understand why. But I don’t care why they hate each other as long as they get the job done.
