Chapter 3 - Rhiannon
Rhiannon lay on the couch, fuming silently as Irena leaned over her, meticulously checking the wound on her head. The woman's hands were gentle yet efficient, and the irony only fueled Rhiannon's impatience. She couldn't shake the escalating anger boiling inside her, fueled by the indignity of being left in such a helpless state. With every touch, she felt a knot of distrust grow in her belly. How could she trust Irena? They were enemies, after all.
"Ever thought about being less reckless?" Irena asked, her voice laced with a strange combination of humor, annoyance, and a hint of concern that only deepened Rhiannon's resentment. Rhiannon clenched her teeth at the sharp pain as Irena cleaned her wound and began to re-bandage it.
"Reckless? You think this is my fault?" she snapped, glaring up at Irena while the woman arched an eyebrow skeptically. Sure, a part of her knew it was—she'd let her impulsiveness get the better of her—but she wasn't about to admit that! "I never meant for this to happen!"
Irena barely concealed her smirk. "I don't doubt that. But you Americans always think you're indestructible," she scoffed, her accent thick and undeniably Russian. The reminder of her own vulnerability in the situation left Rhiannon uncomfortably aware of how dangerous her position was. "Something tells me you got into this mess all on your own."
"Spare me the lecture," Rhiannon interrupted, roughly pulling away as she felt Irena apply more pressure. "You're not my fucking mother."
They both grew silent, and Rhiannon couldn't help but mutter, "Besides, I'm Irish."
"Fine," Irena said curtly, straightening up. "You'll live, but you'd better think hard about your next moves. Don't make me come back to find you in worse trouble." With one last dismissive glance, Irena disappeared through the door, leaving Rhiannon alone with her thoughts and the mounting silence closing in.
Fury bubbled inside her, an uncontrollable blaze fueled by humiliation at being left there, shackled like some prisoner in the fucking Russian's living room. The jerk had left her handcuffed, and his absence felt more infuriating than the situation itself. Who the fuck did he think he was?
Adrian Nikolai , her mind supplied unhelpfully, but she quickly silenced that voice. She refused to bow down to the fricking Russian, regardless of whether he’d actually saved her or not.
While a part of her acknowledged that her circumstances could have been much worse—her father's men had plans that were probably far more sinister—Rhiannon felt nothing but betrayal and simmering anger. How could they treat her like this? Here she was, at the mercy of the Nikolai family, the very people she'd been trying to outsmart for the past few months. And damn it, there was an infuriating sense of safety she felt in the chaos, but she quickly shoved that feeling aside, forcing herself to focus on the gnawing shame in her gut.
This was a monumental failure, plain and simple. No one in her family would ever take her seriously after this. After all those years of clawing for respect and recognition among her brothers and father, she was reduced to being a fucking hostage trophy for a rival family.
A bitter laugh escaped her lips at the thought. If her brothers ever found out about this, she'd be a fucking laughingstock. They'd use this against her for the rest of her life.
Tears prickled at her eyes, but Rhiannon stubbornly set her jaw. No, she wouldn't cry. She couldn't. If she let this defeat define her, she'd never get back up.
Determined, she nodded sharply.
Maybe if she could find a way to slip out of these handcuffs and enact a plan that saved her reputation, she could prove them all wrong. The thought of redeeming herself sparked a brief flicker of hope.
Just as that hope began to dwindle, the door creaked open, and Adrian stepped in, his presence instantly commanding the room. She glared at him, her anger flaring again as she caught the inscrutable look in his eyes. What was so amusing to him? Did he think this was funny?
"Nice of you to finally show up, jerk," Rhiannon snapped, crossing her arms defiantly as much as she could with the damn cuffs binding her wrists.
Adrian's lips curved into that infuriating smirk of his. "Not a fan, Princess?" he teased, stepping closer. "Pity, I rather like you tied up for me."
Heat burned her cheeks at what he was implying. "I don't appreciate being chained up like an animal," she shot back stiffly, hostility creeping into her voice. It felt good to challenge him, even as that annoying spark of attraction twisted in her stomach.
Before she could spit out another insult, Adrian closed the distance between them. She narrowed her eyes, too stubborn to back away, as he pulled something out of his pocket. As he deftly unlocked the cuffs that bound her, Rhiannon held back a sigh. The tension between them was palpable, and damn it, she felt her heart quicken—not just from anger but also from a deeper, confusing attraction she refused to admit she felt.
"You seem very certain I won't run," she stated, breaking the silence. Her voice came out sharper than intended but filled with defiance and distrust.
He chuckled lightly, tilting his head as he looked at her. "Even if you tried, you wouldn't succeed. And besides,"—his gaze grew serious, darkening with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine—" I doubt you'd want to, especially since your father is on his way here. Wouldn't want to piss him off further, would you, Princess?"
The mention of her father silenced her. What did that mean? How did he find out? Panic began to swirl inside her as the weight of his words pressed down on her like a lead blanket. Damn it, there went her plan of redemption.
Before she could give it more thought, the door swung open again, and her father strode in, all business-like, a stern look etched across his features. He exchanged pleasantries with Adrian, and Rhiannon's heart raced at the sight. There was a subtle undercurrent of respect her father had for Adrian, the way he regarded him with an air of consideration that only fueled her irritation and resentment. Did he really think so little of her feelings?
After their brief exchange, her father turned to her, his eyes steely as he surveyed her. Annoyance flickered across his features because, of course, he wasn't worried about her at all. "Rhiannon," he greeted stonily.
"Father," she replied quietly, a lump forming in her throat. There was no pity to be found in his gaze, only condescension. She was ready to burst out with a retort, to defend herself, but he didn’t look like he would welcome any arguments.
"I'll head to the car," she said, preparing to storm off, ready for the inevitable tongue-lashing waiting for her. At the very least, she could get away before it happened in front of their enemy. She wasn't sure she'd survive the humiliation if that ever happened.
"No need," he stated, cutting into her plans and freezing her in place.
"No need?" she echoed, warning bells ringing in her mind. "Why's that?"
"You won't be leaving," he replied vaguely. "I've had a conversation with Adrian regarding today's events, and it looks like you'll finally get what you wished for." His tone was heavy, and she felt her stomach sink. Considering his words this morning, she could only guess what he meant. "You're going to take on a bigger role, helping our business."
Rhiannon blinked, confusion washing over her. "I—I will?"
"Yes," her father continued sternly, a warning earnest in his gaze. "I've decided it's about time you start contributing to the family."
"What does that mean?" she whispered, her throat suddenly dry.
"Thanks to Adrian's rescue today, we've decided to put aside our past troubles and establish a new alliance between our two families," her father said, his expression unreadable.
"I don't understand," Rhiannon replied, her heart thumping painfully against her chest.
"Of course you don't," her father scoffed, irritation evident. "It's a marriage alliance. You'll be marrying Adrian Nikolai."
And just like that, Rhiannon completely lost it. "What?! Is this a fucking joke?"
Disapproval flashed across her father's face, and sickness spread through Rhiannon's stomach.
"You have got to be kidding me!" she yelled, her voice rising above the tension in the room. "I've been begging for a chance to prove myself for years, and now you think handing me off like a prize cow is the solution?"
Her father's expression remained inflexible. "You asked for more responsibility," he challenged, his words cutting through her anger like a knife. "This is your opportunity to prove yourself. Don't waste it."
Rhiannon shook her head, frustration burning through her. "So what? Am I supposed to just smile and accept this? Be grateful to be traded like a bargaining chip while you two use me to secure more power?" Her eyes flared angrily, locking onto Adrian's as an electric tension crackled between them. "Marry me, I dare you. I'll shove a knife into you the second I can," she hissed.
But Adrian only stood there, watching her with that same smug grin, clearly enjoying her outrage. "Now, now, Princess. You know better than to threaten. We'll be married, after all." His eyes gleamed with laughter, even as he suggested, "Think of it as a business deal. Two families coming together. It could be… advantageous."
The casual way he said the word twisted something uncomfortably in her.
"Advantageous? Please! This is a nightmare," she spat, looking between the two men. "You both treat me like I'm some kind of trophy to be won! I've busted my ass in this family while you ignore my efforts, and now that you can get an alliance with the Bratva, now you want to use me? Because I'm a woman?"
Her father didn't answer her, instead turning to Adrian. "You'll deal with her from now on. I hope you have better luck reigning in her temper than I did."
"Dad!" Rhiannon cried out, hurt lacing that word. Some fucking father she had!
Her heart raced as Adrian stepped closer, that glimmer of amusement in his eyes only firing up her fury. "Well," he said smoothly, leaning back slightly with an infuriating grin, "he isn't wrong about your temper, Princess." His voice turning conspiring, he murmured. "You did just threaten to stab me."
"Do you think this is funny?" she snapped, glaring daggers at him. The intensity in his gaze mixed with an undeniable depth that made her pulse race; it was maddening.
"Not funny—just interesting," he replied, holding her gaze with that infuriating smirk.
Her father interjected, the scorn evident in his tone. "You have your chance, Rhiannon. What other choice do you have but to accept this? This opportunity doesn't come around often."
"But what if I don't want it?" she shouted, her voice breaking under the weight of it all.
"Then you don't get another chance," her father replied, his voice dropping to an ominous tone.
The room fell silent as the realization of her situation sank in. She felt trapped, but there was still that undeniable spark igniting between her and Adrian, something she couldn't shake free even amidst her fury. She couldn't let them dictate her life any longer.
If she had to go through with this absurd arrangement, she wouldn't comply quietly. She was determined to make Adrian's life a living hell; their newly formed alliance would be anything but harmonious. Rhiannon lifted her chin defiantly, a fire burning in her eyes. Let them think they could control her—she was going to turn this disaster into something of her own making. She wouldn't go down without a fight, that was for sure.
"Fine," she snapped.