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Never me.
“No.”
Calvin chuckles, but it’s not a nice sound. It makes the hairs on my body stand on end and my pulse kick up. “Yes.” He turns to Spencer and his daughter. “Everything is set up in the pool house. Macy will escort you both there so Stacey can get ready.” His gaze moves back to me. “I need to see you in my office, son.” His voice leaves no room for argument. It’s a command. One I must follow if his facial expression is anything to go by. Following him out of the foyer, we head down the hall to his office. Stepping inside, Calvin closes the door behind me before rounding his desk and taking a seat. He motions toward a chair, silently demanding I sit. Sighing, I do. I don’t know why. I could walk out of here right now and never look back, but something tells me whatever he is going to say, I need to listen to it.
“You disappoint me, son.”
I chuckle, but it’s humorless. “I can’t say that I am worried about that.”
His eyes narrow before an evil smirk curves his lips. “You will marry the Parkes girl today. The ceremony is organized for five P.M., and the staff are setting up outside.”
“No. I won’t.” I kick out my leg nonchalantly. I need to play this right. Calvin has clearly gone off at the deep end and knows he is losing control of me, hence bringing the wedding forward. I will placate him right now to keep my family safe, but once we can overthrow him, all bets are off. “I will go ahead with the wedding in a couple of months. It’s what we agreed to.”
He leans back in his chair. “Things have changed. You will do it today.”
My fists ball as my jaw clenches. I know what he is saying without saying it. This is all to do with Aria. “No.”
He laughs, the sound so chilling, it sends a shiver down my spine as he spins his laptop around to face me. I freeze. Everything inside of me turns to ice at what I see on the screen. Aria and Baron in the park with Edward. A red dot is pointed at the back of an unaware Aria’s head. My eyes dart to the numbers on the screen. It’s live footage. I shoot out of my seat and am across the desk wrapping my hand around Calvin’s throat. “What the fuck is this?”
His eyes gleam in triumph, and his next words shatter everything inside me. “This, son, is what will happen to your precious Aria if you don’t comply. I have several snipers tracking her every move, and if you don’t do as I say, they will shoot her. All I need to do is give the order.” Just then, I hear the door open, and footsteps step inside. “You didn’t think I would just allow you to play happy families with that girl, did you? I need you for the plans I have, and you will follow through if you want her to live.” He pulls out of my now slack grip around his neck.
Stumbling back, I feel arms grip me from both sides. I glance over my shoulder to find several of my father’s guards, some with guns trained on me while the others hold me. “Why are you doing this?” I choke out.
He grins. “Because I can. Now hand over your cell phone. I can’t risk you warning the girl. My men are going to watch your every move while you change into your wedding suit. And at five P.M., you will stand under the makeshift altar and marry Stacey Parkes in front of all The Five Families and their heirs.”
I glare at him. I have never wanted to kill someone as much as I want to kill this man. My own flesh and blood. I hate him. And soon, I will get my revenge. I am not scared of Calvin Hastings, but I know I need to follow his orders to keep my woman safe.
When my princess finds out, I married another woman—which she will if my sperm donor has anything to do with it—it will destroy her. I promised her that she would be the only woman to have my last name, and today I am going to break that promise. But I would rather hurt her now than lose her forever.
I will do anything to keep her safe, to keep her alive.
And if that means marrying Stacey Parkes today…
I will.
* * *
I pace the guest room in my father’s wing. I was brought here from the office, and the room is bare save for a bed and a nightstand. I know why. There is no way for me to contact Aria here. If they had taken me to my own bedroom, I could have maybe fired up my laptop and got a message to my princess somehow. At least, I could have tried. Though, I don’t know how easy it would have been, considering I have four guards watching my every move.
Coming to a stand, I glare down at the tuxedo laid out on the bed. The designer suit mocks me, showing me what I must do today, no matter how much I don’t want to. I tell myself over and over it’s to keep Aria and Baron safe, but no matter how much I force the thoughts, I can’t help the bile rising in my throat or the way my heart constricts in my chest. I can’t even warn Aria about the wedding. I am not stupid enough to think my father won’t have some online gossip rag break the news before I can tell my princess.
It kills me inside. I hate the thought that she is going to find out about my marriage online. Hate that she will think I have betrayed her. I squeeze my eyes closed to ward off the tears I know are coming as I swallow down the lump in my throat.
Fuck.
I can’t believe this is happening.
My only hope is that Ryker will notice something is up and come through for me, but I don’t hold out much hope. We needed time to put our plans in motion, and that has been taken from us.
“It’s time to get ready, Xander,” Silas, my father’s number one, says. I hear the amusement in his tone, and it takes everything in my power not to lunge at him, to beat the fuck out of him. He is enjoying this. I glare at him. He smirks back as his eyes travel over my face, no doubt looking at the bruises I am still sporting from his fists.
I shoot him a grin, flashing my teeth. “You will get what is coming to you, Silas. Mark my words. I am going to kill you.”
He barks out a laugh. “Yeah? I look forward to it.”
He thinks that I am joking, that I will not get out of this and will forever be under Calvin’s thumb. It’s ignorant of him. He thinks my father will always be on top. Will always lead the brotherhood. “Good. Because I think you are going to feel the worst of my wrath.” I turn my back on him, effectively ending the conversation, and grab the offending tux off the bed before heading into the adjoining bathroom to change.
I use the toilet first and then pull on the suit. It fits like a glove, and if I were wearing it for anything else other than a wedding I don’t want, I would be happy with the fit, the material, and the way it hugs me like a second skin. But all I can think as I stare into the full-length mirror is it feels like a noose around my neck. Feels like the final outfit I will wear before my execution.
