Page 33 of Forced into a Bratva Marriage
“They’ve marked your face, Miss Hendy.” I rose to my feet. “There’s nowhere on earth you can go where they won’t find you.”
She blinked rapidly, her hand on her chest as if to keep her heart from jumping out. “Oh, my God. I’m gonna die…” she whimpered.
“You are.”
She raised her head, her face twisting into a frown as she glared at me.
“Unless….”
A flicker of hope flashed in her eyes. “Unless what?” Her tone held a hint of desperation.
“You do as I say.” I closed the distance between us.
She sneered. “That’s convenient for you, isn’t it?”
“Marry me.”
She froze, staring at me in utter shock.
“The only reason you’re still alive right now is because you’re with me,” I continued, my voice steady. “Outside these walls and without my protection, you’ll be dead within a day.”
“No. No….” She shook her head, her jaw tightening to mask the emotions surging through her. “No, you’re lying to me.”
“Now, why would I do that?”
“I don’t know—because you’re pure evil?!” She raised her voice, her tone dripping with pain and frustration.
“My last name would make you untouchable.”
“Yeah. Untouchable to everyone else but you. How convenient!” Her fiery eyes bore into mine. “You know what I think? I think you don’t give a shit about me. I think this is some sort of punishment, and it benefits you one way or another.” The words tumbled out in a rush.
Silence.
“You lack the capacity to care about someone else’s safety.” She slammed her fists into my chest. “So don’t pretend this ‘marriage’ isn’t about your secret agenda.”
I seized her wrists before the next rounds of punches landed on my chest. Her body stiffened, and she glared at me, seething in silence.
“You’re right,” I said, holding her gaze. “I do have a secret agenda. And you’re going to be my wife whether you like it or not.”
Her blood was boiling with rage as my grip tightened around her wrists. Her breathing was ragged, and the fear in her eyes was replaced by sheer anger.
I wasn’t sure exactly what I was feeling at the moment. But she wasn’t wrong about my secret agenda. Beyond keeping her safe, a part of me craved having her all to myself. The idea of her belonging to me alone had settled in.
“Preparations will begin immediately.” I let go of her. “I implore you to cooperate with everyone involved.”
She swallowed hard, rolling her wrists in a massaging motion. “You’re a monster, Karik.” Her words were laced with venom.
I’d been called worse.
Without responding to her, I adjusted my tie and began walking out the door.
“You’re a monster!” she yelled after me. “You hear me, Karik? You’re a monster!”
Chapter 11 – Ellie
I paced the length of my room, fuming as his words echoed in the back of my mind. Fear, anger, anxiety, and the desperate need to vanish into thin air hit me all at once.
He said an enemy of his had their eyes on me, and because of that, my life was in danger. My life wouldn’t have been in danger if he’d never kidnapped me in the first place.
