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,

not completely the monster you think I am, Fay,” he walking casually for the door. “After all, I’m going to let you say

goodbye.”

B

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Gifts

8 – Arranged Marriage–2

is waiting to take you to your father’s house, where you will pack a bag. You will say your goodbyes and

just let me go home, let me

to close the door, as if the offer is ending soon. “You can go home and say goodbye, Fay. Or you can just stay here and let him

closing door, I get to my shaky feet and rush towards it, heading out. As I pass over

glare back at him over my shoulder as a bodyguard takes me by the arm and leads

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

guards, throwing myself through the front door, which is

my dad’s anxious voice call

the three bodyguards follow me.

arms. “I was so worried –” he glances the men over my shoulder. “What… what’s happening?”

this is all a mistake that he’s not my real

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

dad is?” I say, wiping my tears from

I can sense the lie in his

of his pajamas. “Please, dad,

says, looking down at me seriously. “It never has.

Dad?” I

Fay,” he says, his voice low. “This is dangerous territory – who

66

words hardly breath. “You know the

seeking to put me behind him, but the

a hand. “We’ll disappear,

that’s not possible.” With a distinct look at the other men, all three spring into action. One comes forward, wrapping his arms around me, locking me within his grasp. I scream and thrash, desperate.

his back tie them – a gag in his mouth

men lift up my dad and carry him out the front door. Deftly, without being seen, they tuck him inside the trunk as I’m

guards that climb into the car on

if you continue this,” he says, “we’ll have to use the chloroform again. We’d

realizing that this – too – is out of my control. Suddenly exhausted, I

the house,” the second guard says to the driver. Without

E

9 – Choose to Betray–1

I get out of the car, Kent

guards move to the trunk

you do this,” I ask, glaring at the mafia boss.

“Because I knew that if I let you say goodbye, you’d

of course, that I

for leverage, you’d have clammed up and given him a chance to run. Honestly, Fay,” he says. “You’ve got

head, suddenly ashamed and

takes my arm and

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

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