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

goodbye.”

B

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Gifts

8 – Arranged Marriage–2

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

“Please. Please just let me go home, let me stay there. I’ll

his hand slowly, beginning 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

the closing door, I get to my shaky feet and rush towards it, heading

over my shoulder as a bodyguard takes me by the arm and leads

later, just as the sun is starting to come up, we pull up outside my small house. I had given the driver the address when we got in. The three bodyguards who accompany me ride in silence until we arrive, Lippert didn’t come

and brush past the body guards, throwing myself through the front door, which

hear my dad’s anxious

three bodyguards follow me.

Fay,” he says, wrapping me up in his arms. “I was

him, desperate. “Please tell me this is all a mistake

between me and the guards, who stand calmly in the room. They let us

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

and I can sense the lie

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

biological dad is, Fay,” he says, looking down at me seriously. “It never has. I’m your

he, Dad?” I

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

66

know,” I say, shocked, my words hardly breath. “You know

seeking to put

to the guards, putting out a hand. “We’ll disappear, you’ll never see us again, never have any

look at the other men, all three

back tie them – a gag in his mouth – a bag – oh my god a black bag over his head – it all happens in

slapping a hand over my mouth, and the two men lift up my dad and carry him out the front

climb into the car on either side

to use the chloroform again. We’d rather not do that.” Within his voice is the unsaid threat,

this – too – is out of my control. Suddenly exhausted, I again burst again into tears, burying my face

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

E

Choose to Betray–1

around to the back of Kent’s mansion and enters a garage. When I get out of the car, Kent is standing at the entrance to

to the trunk to remove

do this,” I ask, glaring at the

eye. “Because I knew that if I let you say goodbye, you’d tell the driver your address and

realizing, of course, that I did

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

ashamed and exhausted. He’s

takes my arm and moves

the chamber,” Kent says to the guards who carry

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