Mafia's Forced Bride

e's Poin

surveillance cameras I'd noticed last night. Kai hadn't been coy about the object of

loss led my thought to be thrown out of its stability, working hard to reconstruct the broken pieces

d me. My heart skipped a beat at the soun

dark eyes forced me to the spot and their intensity made

is voice smooth and con

I made slowest progress forward, trailing behind him and walking behind him on tiptoes, out of the

aller. Wall-to-wall clear-glazed units delivered diffusive light spill-out onto the highly reflective surface of timber. Lea

nxiety. Taking an alcoholic spirit, he downed a measure of whisky and the color of the amber, us

" he said, swirling th

biting. "Let me guess-you're

into a faint smi

apprehension with defiance

to the room, leaning his elbow agains

n the air, surre

ked, certain I

devoid of humor. "I need a wife

y indication that it was actually m

d make you suppose

t have a choice,"

me. "So this is just an

tantly becoming softer and softer, almost imperceptibly. "T

ffed. "What are y

for a reason. They wanted you dead. If they find out you're still alive, they'll come for

t of this arrangement?"

upon his. "Leverage, an alliance and an image. It would

. "You're insane if you thin

m offering you a way to stay alive, Katherine. Refuse,

to weigh my options. It was a fact-no one who meant me to died back down. As

sked, my voic

he said simply. "And because you're

roposal. It was

ed before I cou

, and a slight surprise passe

gaze. "I'll marry you. But by no mea

used smile. "You'll find, Katherine, that

hot back, refusi

n a battle of minds pressed tog

ea

ee, but fleeing was not a possibility. I approached it slowly and bum

voice firm in spite

ood. The arrangements will begin immediate

, my jaw tightening.

he turned to leave. "Y

s all jumbled. I have recently been offered the chance to marry a person I have never concei

ically, take control of me