Chapter 8 – Arranged Marriage-1

“That’s impossible!” I gasp, staring up at him. “You can’t force me to marry someone against my will!”

He laughs at me, holding me too him, still looking down into my face. “It’s possible if I say it is.”

I press my hands against his chest, trying to push away. “It’s 2023! Nobody has arranged marriages anymore – this isn’t the eighteenth century!”

He laughs again and lets me go. I skitter away from him.

“You’re in my world now, Fay,” he says, calmly putting his hands in his pockets. “The world you were born to. Do you think laws really matter in the underworld, the world outside of the stupid bureaucracy you’ve deluded yourself into thinking keeps you safe?”

My jaw drops open at this arrogance. “I have rights!”

“You have nothing,” he barks, taking a step forward towards me. “The only thing that matters is power. Which is money. Which is might. You have none of this. The only thing which gives you anything in this world, Fay, is your bloodline.”

His eyes flick now to the piece of paper which lays crumpled on the floor. “Which you are so eager to dismiss.”

“But,” I say, falling a few steps back, trying to comprehend this. “There are laws “Leou o little

no

closer. “And your own recommendation that I stay

imprisoned forever. But here I am,” he spreads his hands out, demonstrative.

“Me, and men like me, Fay? Like your father? We control all of it. So, if I were you,” he looms over me again. “I’d be a little more grateful that I got you out of the club and restored you to the life of privilege to which you were born.”

I look up at him, truly terrified now, realizing that my life as I knew it is…completely gone. With one test, he’s wiped it away.

I’m trapped now, in this world – as the daughter of a don, engaged – oh my god, engaged – to the son of another. There’s no way I’m getting out.

As tears start to drip from my eyes, he shocks me by pulling a handkerchief from his breast pocket and offering it to me. Slowly, hesitant, I take it.

“There’s much you don’t know, Fay,” he says. “But you’ll have to learn fast. I’ve notified your father – he’s away on business, but he’ll be back in two days, and he’ll want to meet you.”

I gasp, horrified – Alden has almost as bad a reputation as Kent Lippert. God, what a contrast to my gentle dad, sitting at home. My mind suddenly shifts to dad, who must be worried about me. I start to cry harder, putting my face in my hands.

“Please,” I say, my voice hiccupping with tears, with shock, with fear, “please let me go home – I’m begging you – I just want to pretend it never happened – I’ll never tell anyone –”

“No, Fay,” he says, stern. He glances at the door and I can tell

again.

I stare up at him, the tears still slipping down my cheeks, and feel my emotions change from desperation and agony to anger.

“You’re a monster,” I cry between my tears. “You’re ruining three lives tonight, just so you can get your way. A monster.”

Kent shocks me, then, by leaning forward and taking my chin in his hand. He smiles, bringing his face close to mine, and says, “Did you really think that was going to work on me, Fay? Calling me names?” He shocks me, then, by lifting his other hand to my face and wiping away a tear from my cheek with his thumb.

Then, slowly, he raises his thumb to his mouth and slips it inside, savoring the taste of my tears. “I told you before, I like my kittens with claws.”

Outraged, I try to push past him for the door but he laughs, faster than me, and puts out a hand that catches me in the chest. Another light shove – as he did before – and I’m knocked back onto the lounge.

says,

he walking casually for the door. “After all, I’m going to let you

goodbye.”

B

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Gifts

8 –

take you to your father’s house, where you will pack a bag. You

his face, pleading in my eyes. “Please. Please just let me go home, let me stay there. I’ll never bother you again.”

shakes his hand slowly, beginning to close the door, as if the offer is ending soon. “You can go home and say

sight of the closing door, I get to my shaky feet and rush towards it, heading out.

over my shoulder as a bodyguard takes me

the driver the address when we got in. The three bodyguards who accompany me ride

and brush past the body guards, throwing myself

hear my dad’s anxious voice call from

three bodyguards follow

me up in his arms. “I was so worried –” he glances

looking up at him, desperate. “Please tell me this is all a mistake that he’s

stand calmly in the room. They let us have our moment, but

dad is?” I say, wiping my tears from my face with

says, hesitating, and I can sense the

wrapping my hands in the lapels of his pajamas. “Please, dad, tell me

he says, looking

Dad?” I

my eyes at me. “What do you know, Fay,” he says, his voice low. “This is dangerous territory – who are these men

66

you know,” I say, shocked, my words hardly breath. “You know the truth – it’s real –”

to put me

hand. “We’ll disappear, you’ll never see us again, never have

at the other men, all three spring into action. One comes forward, wrapping his arms around me, locking me within his grasp. I scream

gag in his mouth – a bag – oh my god a black bag over

him out the front door. Deftly, without being seen, they

that climb into the car on either

continue this,” he says, “we’ll have to use the chloroform again. We’d rather not do that.” Within his voice is the unsaid

– too – is out of my control. Suddenly exhausted, I again

to the driver. Without

E

Choose to

the back of Kent’s mansion and enters a garage. When I get

to the trunk

ask,

you say goodbye, you’d tell

that I did precisely that.

“if I told you that we wanted to take your dad for leverage, you’d have clammed up and given him a chance to run. Honestly, Fay,” he says. “You’ve got to become a little more canny if

hang my head, suddenly ashamed and exhausted.

and moves me into

the chamber,” Kent says to the guards who carry my dad.

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