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“Here.” The feeling of something soft and warm engulfing me startled my body into a jerk. When I realized it was a harmless jacket, I relaxed a little. Breathing in deeply, the intoxicating scent of aftershave along with pine and soil warmed my body as my senses were invaded by him.
Shivering, I grasped at the lapels of his jacket and pulled it close to my body, covering myself as much as I could to remain decent and warm. “Thank you.” I didn’t know what else to say in this situation.
The two of us stood there in silence, just looking into each other’s eyes, trying to read one another. It didn’t take long for everything around me to fade into the background as I got lost in his enchanting blue orbs. If the situation were different, this moment could have been a lovely one.
It felt like a long moment but not. When my stepmother returned with some papers along with some officials in tow, a lawyer and an officiant, everything shattered back to reality. So much for our little moment.
Well, maybe this won’t be so bad...
Oh, who am I kidding!?
The Pakhan—the head—of the Volkov Bratva!? In no way was this good! He was downright handsome, I’ll give him that, but beyond physical appearances, I knew very little about him. From what I read in the articles, he immigrated here from Russia with his family at a young age, he owned successful businesses—no doubt fronts for bratva activity—and was charming, charismatic, rough around the edges, and clouded with too much mystery.
“I hope this treaty is to your liking,” Lady Qing said with her sick smirk as she slid over the documents that were just written up.
Looking down, I let my eyes scan the documents before I was disrupted. “Nah ah, not for your eyes girl.” Lady Qing chided, covering the documents with her hand and sliding it away when she saw my eyes reading it.
Taking a deep breath, I puffed my chest out, ready to say something but then Nikolai reached out and took the documents back. “She is involved in this as much as all of us, especially since she is to be my wife.”
My wife.
Those two simple words made me want to clench my thighs together to dull the aching between my legs. My dream of having a man call me his wife became long forgotten once I came to accept that I was forever doomed to stay single. Yet, that distant dream would now become a reality, in a twisted way through this arrangement.
Sighing softly, I clicked my tongue as I placed my hand over Nikolai’s, shivering a bit at the contact as I slid the papers closer.
Glaring over at Lady Qing, I clicked my tongue softly again before throwing my words at her. “I might not be around much, but don’t you forget your place.” If I really wanted to, I could take over fully and everyone would bow to me. One big problem: I wouldn’t know how loyal everyone would be to me considering how many have already turned their backs on my father in favor of my stepmother.
Gritting my teeth, I leaned in close to Lady Qing and glared at her. “You may think that you have won, but mark my words, you will regret everything. If you so much harm one hair on my father, I will take it all from you within half a blink of an eye. You may just hold the title of head lady for now, but that’s only because I am allowing it. Do not forget your place, snake.” I seethed at her in Mandarin, watching as she glared back at me.
“You do not forget your place girl.” She threatened back in Mandarin.
Smirking, I replied, “Oh, I know my place, but I’m not sure you do.” Two could play at this game, and this game was one I would always win.
Carefully, I read over the treaty agreement, taking in every single word, line, and clause multiple times to make sure it was what they had just agreed on with nothing slimy in between. I had to bite my cheek to hold back my smirk when I saw the loopholes in it though, ones that would benefit me in the future regarding my plans. “Almost as good as my charting, good to see you didn’t skimp on the lawyer this time.” I remarked in English with a smirk, watching as my stepmother scowled at me in annoyance.
I watched as both sides signed all the copies of the treaty agreement in silence. Then, much to my surprise, Nikolai held the pen out to me. “Like I said, you are as much involved as all of us now. You’re going to be my wife, therefore part of it all.”
Sighing softly, I took the pen and signed my name under his on the documents before sliding one back to the nervous looking lawyer and the other towards my seething stepmother. At least her displeasure brought me some joy out of this fucked up situation.
“Ahem, I’m to officiate the marriage.” The officiant spoke up with an awkward and forced cough.
Groaning internally, I repressed my eyes from rolling as I remembered why I was drugged and dragged here. How the hell was I going to get out of this? I didn’t want to be married yet, let alone with a stranger who was head of the Bratva! Well, again, at least he was handsome. I could have been carted off to some fat slob who’s a wife beater. Oh god, I hope Nikolai wasn’t some abuser behind closed doors. I can’t make myself a widow at twenty-four. Hell, I didn’t want to kill my own husband, period.
Gripping his jacket tightly, I stared at the ground as the officiant went on with the impromptu ceremony. “Do you Nikolai Volkov, take Angel Qing to be your lawfully wedded wife, to live together in matrimony, to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to have and to hold, from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?”
“I do.” Nikolai replied bluntly.
Wow, so much for the wedding bliss and excitement. Full sarcasm intended.
Then, the officiant turned his attention towards me. “Do you Angel Qing, take Nikolai Volkov to be your lawfully wedded husband, to live together in matrimony, to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to have and to hold, from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?” Truthfully? No, I don’t. Too bad I couldn’t say it without signing my father’s death certificate.
Gritting my teeth, I swallowed my pride and answered, “I do.”
“Before these witnesses, you have pledged to be joined in marriage. By the authority vested in me by the great State of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss each other if you wish.” I feel like the last bit was altered by the officiant given the circumstance.
Did I want a kiss from him? Yes! In any other situation, yes! Right now though? Through a forced marriage? I wasn’t so sure.
Well, guess Nikolai made the choice for us. “No, we’ll take our leave now. We have other business to attend to.” Reaching down, Nikolai picked me up in his arms unceremoniously.
