He chuckles like we’re on a date instead of him having just paid six million dollars for me. “Because you’ll stand at my side. I’m used to getting what I want and I knew I wanted you.”
“So you took me,” I whisper as a slow dawning realization takes its place. It’s then that I remember my father talking about a man that he refused to give me to. “You’re the one my father didn’t like.”
“He didn’t like that I refused to pay off his debts. I told him I would marry you but he would have to personally work for me in exchange and he refused. That’s how selfish your father is. He sold you off to pay off his debts instead of putting in the work to pay off his debts himself. I won’t treat you like your father has treated you. I can promise you that.”
“You almost sound like you’re trying to save me. But you bought me.”
Nikolai stares at me for a long moment. His expression is neither cold nor hot. It’s neutral which makes it terrifying. I can’t read him. I’m in over my head.
“I know I did,” he finally says. “And I’m not acting like I’m your savior. I bought you because I wanted you. It wasn’t because I’m a good man. But you’ll see in time, Irina, that I’m not the man you need to fear.”
“How can I believe you?”
He doesn’t give me an answer.
The rest of the drive is quiet until we pull into the driveway of a large mansion. It’s made out of beautiful white brick and black trimmed windows. This place screams money and power.
Nikolai gets out of the car and offers me his hand. For some reason, I take it. The moment his fingers wrap around my hand, a rush of electricity flows over me once more like it did back in the theater.
It makes me gasp and I can’t help but rip my hand away. Nikolai frowns but doesn’t otherwise comment. I don’t run as he leads me into the house. I know I wouldn’t make it far.
Without a word, he walks past the living room and kitchen – both beautifully decorated rooms with soft furnishings and looking like something out of an Architectural Digest magazine – and into a bedroom. The master bedroom judging by the size of it.
There’s a rack of clothes in the middle of the room. But not just any clothes.
No. Wedding dresses. Nikolai meant what he said.
He wants to marry me.
Chapter Three
Irina
“Choose one,” Nikolai says. His tone is warm but the only thing I feel right now is an icy coldness seeping over my body.
“I really have to marry you?” I ask. “Don’t I get a say? Isn’t it illegal to force someone into a marriage?”
“Think of it more as an arranged marriage. Your father was going to make it happen anyway. If I had agreed to pay off his debts. And if any of those other men had gotten their hands on you, you wouldn’t be in such a good spot right now. I can assure you on that.”
“What do you mean?” My lips are numb.
“One of those men, Peter Samson, loves to rape and torture women. He buys them and then brings them back to his mansion where he tortures them for days, raping them bloody, and then eventually kills them.”
I go still. “How do you know this?”
“Because the fucker invited me to one of his parties. He invites other powerful men and invites them to rape the women along with him. I refused. I have no desire to rape women. So I left.”
“But you didn’t tell the police about him?”
“I’m the Bratva, Irina. I don’t like police involved in my business. I don’t really care what Peter gets up to as long as it doesn’t interfere in my life. And I knew I couldn’t stand to let him have you. Or any of those other men. Trust me. They would have all raped you and either killed you or left you alive until you killed yourself.”
“But you were there.”
For the first time that night, I see a passion rise up in Nikolai’s eyes. “Only to save you. I’ve never bought another human being before and I don’t plan on doing it ever again. It was just to get to you. That was it.”
“But if you marry me, isn’t that torture? Isn’t that rape?”
“A marriage contract will bind us together. But I will not touch you if you don’t want me to. The marriage is just to keep your father in line. And I want you. I won’t deny that. I will make you mine. But I will not rape you. I will not torture you. You will be offered freedom in this house. Just don’t try to run. I won’t take too kindly to that.”