Page 7 of His Bride

“W-what?” I ask, swallowing thickly. The evil glint in his eye tells me he would do just that. I know that I would do anything for my family, including giving myself to this man.

“I know you aren’t stupid, Matilde. I have your college transcripts. I know you majored in drama. You can do this; it’s very simple. Marry me and fucking mean it, or at least give an award-winning performance acting like you do, or your entire family dies. Do you want that on your conscience when all you have to do is to spread your legs for me every night from now until one of us leaves this Earth?”

“I have questions,” I blurt out, not really believing that I am considering his outrageous demand. Surely he doesn’t have the power to kill over a hundred people in one fell swoop, does he?

“I assumed you’d have some. You may ask them. Would you like something to drink? A Jameson, perhaps?”

“Yes, please.” I mumble meekly. He walks over to his rolling bar cart and pours us each a drink.

“Here you go,” he says, handing me about two fingers of the whiskey. His fingers brush mine, and I feel a bolt of electricity shoot up my arm. It’s nothing but static, right? I’m so confused right now. I don’t understand why he chose me.

“Thank you,” I say, tossing back the amber liquid. The familiar fire quickly lands in my belly. My empty belly. Fuck, I hope this doesn’t go straight to my head. I’m a lightweight, even if I’ve eaten everything not nailed down.

“Another?” he asks.

“No, thank you,” I say, knowing that I need to keep my wits about me.

I plop down in a spacious leather armchair, already knowing I’m going to say yes to this man. He sits down in the chair next to me.

“Go on, ask your questions.”

“Where is Terancio? Did you kill him?” I ask, thinking of the man for the first time since I woke up. Dorian’s eyes darken, making me flinch.

“Is that stupid motherfucker your man?” he spits out. Is he… jealous? I’m so confused. When has a man been jealous about me before? Never. The answer is never. Fatty Matt, as I was known by my classmates until I graduated high school, has never even been kissed, let alone anything else.

“No,” I say quickly. For some reason, one that I can’t identify, it’s important to me that he knows Terancio isn’t mine. He visibly relaxes and unclenches his fists, flattening his palms on his thighs. “He is my bodyguard, though. His wife is pregnant, and I’m just hoping you didn’t kill him for her sake.”

“I didn’t. He left you unprotected, so I should have, but I took advantage of that instead. Nothing like that will ever happen to you again. A competent bodyguard will always protect you unless you are with me.”

“Will that be often?”

“Yes. I meant it. This will be a real marriage. We are just going about it backward, but that doesn’t change anything. You will be mine, or you must live with the consequences. The choice is yours.”

“How do I know you won’t kill my family anyway?”

“I’m a man of my word, Matilde.” I make a derisive sound. “You’ll see,” he says, sounding just like his sister, which makes me smile… a little.

“Will we tell people that we are married? Or am I to be a dirty secret locked up in your mansion?” A memory of the football quarterback pretending to like me to pass his history test to stay on the team comes to mind. I thought he liked me, but he used me. It soured me.

“Everyone will know that you are my wife and that I am your husband.”

“Are you keeping girls on the side?” I know a lot of men in this business do, and I shouldn’t care, but for some reason, I do.

“No. I would never break my vows to you. You don’t seem to get it. I did this, all of this because I want you. Only you.” I can’t shake the feeling that he’s lying to me.

“You could have asked me out on a date,” I say sullenly.

“Even if you said yes, that takes too much time. I want you now.” What the hell am I supposed to say to that?

“What if I can’t have babies? I’ve never gotten pregnant before, and I may not be able to. Will you kill my family if I don’t give you heirs?” I ask, needing all the scenarios beforehand. I also don’t want to tell him that I’m a virgin. I don’t think he deserves to know that. Given how sweet Cash is, I can’t help thinking he’d be a terrific father, kidnapping aside.

“As long as you let me have access to your body, I won’t hold medical issues against you. We can adopt. As I said, this is all about you.”

“Why me?” I ask, holding my breath. I need to know. Why does the gorgeous God of a man want me so badly? I’m too big, nerdy, and awkward as fuck. No man has ever been interested in me before, so why this one? What’s wrong with him?

“The O'Shaughnessy family has a bit of legend, except for my father we all know our women the moment we see them. That was you for me. You’re also gorgeous and have a way with children that I found endearing. I also knew that when I wanted to throw you down on your uncle’s dining room table and fuck my seed into you right then and there, you were the only woman for me.” The Vitali’s have that legend too. It’s not telling me shit right now. Why isn’t it? My mind is chanting liar over and over, and it’s breaking my stupid heart. I want to burst out into tears right the hell now, but I know that I can’t. I am going to have to toughen up in order to survive this monstrous joke.

“I see,” I say instead of the million things I should say or do right now.

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