Chapter 2
The second the car stopped, my father turned to face me, taking my hands in his as if he was about to ruin my whole life.
“Anastacia,” he started, his eyes unable to meet mine. “I’m sorry I had to do it this way, you would never have agreed otherwise.” He sighed.
“Sorry? Agreed to what?” I asked, already dreading the answer.
“I made a deal with Lorenzo Ricci.” He let out a ragged breath. “We can rebuild our alliance, but he wanted one thing.”
“Don’t say it. Don’t you dare say it!” I snapped, but I knew exactly what the man I called my father had done.
“He wanted to marry you…” His eyes met mine, and it was as though he was drained of any emotion. “Today you’ll marry Lorenzo, and our alliance will be as strong as it once was.”
“I can’t believe you.” I shoved the door open to make my getaway.
I made it a few feet before Miles stopped me, and then it dawned on me.
My brother knew, too. He lied to me, too.
“Let go of me, Miles!” My hands collided with his chest in an almighty thwack as he winced at the hit. “I’m not getting married!”
“Anastacia, you need to do this,” Miles demanded, gripping the tops of my arms tighter.
“For who?!”
“For Pa!” Miles shouted as I felt my parents’ eyes on us.
“Why should I?! Did he care about me when he made that stupid deal?!” I was livid. I couldn’t fathom what was going on or why my own father did this to me. “I’m not marrying him, Miles!”
“Ana—”
“You knew and you didn’t tell me. How could you do that to me?” I whispered, the pain stung at how my family hid it from me. At their betrayal.
“Because we knew if we told you that you wouldn’t go along with it.” He sighed, clearly torn between his loyalty to our father and to me.
“How do you know? If my so-called father would have sat down and explained everything to me, I might have listened. I know your loyalty to Victor is stronger than to me but to be kept in the dark is messed up! Why should I be the one to give up my life? Why should I suffer while you three sit in your ivory tower?!” I shouted.
I could feel my chest heaving, feel the heat rising under my skin like I was about to explode.
“I didn’t ask for this! I didn’t ask to be lied to, manipulated, thrown into something I didn’t even know existed!
” My voice rose, sharp and raw, cutting through the air.
“You should’ve told me. You all should’ve told me.
But I was just easier to sacrifice, wasn’t I? ”
“Sis—” Miles started again, not knowing what to say, or if he did, it was too late.
“No, you lost the right to call me that the moment you went against me.” I narrowed my eyes, shooting daggers at him and causing him to back off if only just a little. “I don’t have a family anymore.” I stormed past him, marching to the beat of my own drum when a burly figure stepped in the way.
“Your husband-to-be is that way, princess.” A man dressed in a three-piece suit smiled, a gold tooth catching my eye, as did the scar that ran down the middle of his face.
“You can tell that prick to get fucked. I’m leaving,” I said on an eye roll.
He cocked his head to the side, the bones in his neck cracking as he grasped my wrist tightly and dragged me back towards the venue.
“Get off of me!” I screamed, but it was no use. He had one job and one job only, and that was to get me to that altar.
“Anastacia, stop fighting. You’re making this harder.” My father sighed, running his hand through his hair with irritation.
“Don’t say another word!” I snapped at my father.
“You three are dead to me, do you hear me?” I couldn’t control the words that left my mouth.
My hands were balled into fists at my sides, nails digging into my palms until I felt the sting of skin breaking.
“I’m going to marry that psychotic bastard inside for your alliance, but I don’t want to hear a word from you again.
” I snatched my arm away from the guy who had loosened his grip on me. Did he feel sorry for me? Was that it?
I didn’t need anyone’s pity.
I didn’t need anyone anymore, period.
“Anastacia, sweetheart, there is a white dress for you inside. Lorenzo’s choice, apparently.” My mother smiled, and call me mistaken, but she actually looked happy that I was marrying someone.
“No thanks. I’ll walk to my death sentence in this. Seems quite fitting, doesn’t it?” I shot her a glance, as she gasped.
My father joined me at my side, his eyes darting between my mother and I. “Anastacia, would you believe me if I said I was sorry?”
“No, I wouldn’t. If you were sorry, you wouldn’t have done it. You sold me to what I guessed was the highest bidder. Sold me for an alliance that clearly means more to you than I do.” I started my walk up the few steps to the entrance.
“That’s not true,” he shouted after me.
I didn’t give him the respect of turning around. He didn’t deserve it.
“If that’s what you need to tell yourself to sleep at night, carry on.” I breathed, taking a moment to truly internalise what I was about to do.
My father appeared at my side, holding out his arm to walk me down the aisle like you saw in movies. I paused, not taking it now or even a minute later. He could get fucked.
“Anastacia, we need to be seen as united. What will it look like if you can barely look at me?” He touched my elbow, trying to find some sort of common ground.
“We were united until about ten minutes ago, but now you three are on your own, just as I am. I don’t want to hold your arm, Victor .
I don’t want to look you in the eye, and I most certainly don’t care what anyone inside thinks.
” I blinked back the tears, not wanting to come across as weak or bothered.
“I can’t even imagine what dedushka would think of you now.
He’d be turning over in his grave at what you’re doing. ”
“Don’t,” he admonished.
“Why? Does hearing little home truths hurt?” I scoffed. “Is babushka inside?”
“No, she doesn’t know.” He hung his head. He had to know just how fucked up all this sounded.
“Of course she doesn’t, because she feels the same way dedushka would have, and as I do.”
The faint sound of music came from the other side of the door, and I knew it was time.
Time to walk away from my family and into something unknown.
I kept my distance from my father as I walked towards a man I had only ever heard of.
One I didn’t know and didn’t wish to know.
I kept my eyes fixed on the registrar waiting for me at the front.
I didn’t look at Lorenzo, not even to see what he looked like.
What was the point? The deal was done. Appearances meant nothing.
“ Ulybka, Anastacia, ” my father coaxed from beside me.
“I will when I have something to smile about.” I swallowed the acid that rose in my throat as I took my final steps toward Lorenzo Ricci.
I wouldn’t run. I wouldn’t show any signs of weakness to that prick. I would be the woman my grandfather taught me to be. A woman who would never be ruled and dominated by a man, especially not one like Lorenzo.
“Hello, wife.” The smug bastard smiled.
“Get fucked, you psychotic asshole.” I scoffed, my head snapping towards a man with hair brighter than the sun. It was redder than red. He sucked in a sharp breath, clearly not used to people disrespecting their boss.
“I can tell we’re going to be very happy together.” His smile fell, and I knew the prince wasn’t happy.
He gripped my wrist, tighter than I’d have liked—actually, scratch that—I didn’t want him to touch me at all.
My face remained stoic and unreadable. I never once let my mask slip.
He yanked me into him, our bodies almost colliding.
I couldn’t hide my scowl as my father stepped away to join my mother.
That woman seemed more into this marriage than anyone else.
Hell, maybe she was the one who pushed for it, but she’d never admit that to my face.
I doubted my father would either. Lorenzo might have thought I belonged to him now, but the sooner he realised I belonged to nobody, the better it would be.
“I’d rather die a thousand deaths than be with someone like you,” I snarled, snatching my arm away, wanting to keep my distance but it was short-lived.
He leaned into me. I couldn’t disguise the fact my body had tensed ever so slightly.
It was clear he thought he had the upper hand, but in reality, that’d never happen.
“It looks like your Daddy didn’t give you a choice, though, did he?
” he whispered so only I was able to hear.
“He practically sold you to me for an alliance.”
My words sliced through the tense air, "Fuck you," I seethed, my voice trembling with fury. My heart pounded like a drum in my chest as I glared at the man standing before me. His face remained unreadable, I couldn’t work out if he was pissed off or shocked. The room felt small and suffocating, filled with the weight of my resentment and my unwillingness to accept a future I didn’t want.
“You’re mine. You belong to me now, Anastacia.”
“Over my dead body.” I leaned in closer than he did, resting my hands on his chest and gaining the upper hand.
I gently grazed his earlobe with my lips, sensing the quickening of his heartbeat under my touch.
“If you plan on using the outdated line of ‘that can be arranged’ just know it doesn’t work on me, Ricci.
” I smirked as I distanced myself, knowing I’d gotten under his skin.
I’d unnerved him. It was written all over his face. He looked more like one of those cartoon characters where steam was coming out of his ears. Like he was about to combust at any second.
It looked like Ricci had met his match, and all I had to say to him was good luck.
I tuned everything out as the registrar recited what he was supposed to up until it was time for us to say ‘I do.’ I was dreading it. I never wanted to say ‘I do’ to anyone, let alone to this jumped-up prick. It was obvious that he basically thought the sun shone out of his ass.
“Anastacia Katerina Fedorov, do you solemnly promise to love, honour, and respect Lorenzo Franco Ricci for as long as you both shall live?” The registrar asked as Lorenzo trained his gaze on me, as if he expected me to refuse, but no matter how much I wanted to say it, I wouldn’t.
My family might have thrown me into the lion’s den, but I knew what was expected of me, and I wouldn’t fail.
I had never failed at anything, and I didn’t plan on starting now.
I glanced at my future husband for a second, taking in all his features.
He was annoyingly handsome, I’d give him that.
Fire danced within his caramel eyes as they narrowed the longer I looked at him, trying to work out what I was doing.
A couple of jet-black strands fell down onto his forehead as the rest was tousled and pushed back in a minimal way.
My eyes snagged on the deep scar that ran in a perfect line across his sculpted cheekbone.
“Miss Fedorov?” The registrar prompted, interrupting my thoughts.
“It’s a simple yes, Ana.” Lorenzo scoffed, my nickname rolling off his tongue like acid. “Or if you want to be traditional, it’s three letters, two words. You choose.” He smiled, cocking his head to the side.
“If I have to.” I smirked.
“Lorenzo Franco Ricci, do you solemnly promise to love, honour, and respect Anastacia Katerina Fedorov for as long as you both shall live?”
“Yes.” Short and to the point. What more could I expect, really?
“As a symbol of your promise, please place your ring on Anastacia’s finger.” The registrar smiled, thinking he was joining two people in marriage who loved each other.
Lorenzo took the ring from the red-headed man before bringing it to my finger.
“I don’t wear jewellery, so you can keep that.” I practically heard my father sigh with disappointment.
“Either you let me put this ring on your finger voluntarily, or I’ll glue it on. It’s your choice.” Lorenzo grabbed my hand, bringing it to where he needed it before forcefully thrusting the thin diamond band over my knuckle.
It felt like he had just placed a noose around my neck as my skin burned slightly. Asshole.
“As a symbol of your promise, please place your ring on Lorenzo’s finger.” My turn.
I took the ring from Lorenzo as he produced a solid black band, no doubt to match his heart. I placed it on his finger, sliding it down past his knuckle until it couldn’t go any farther. He didn’t flinch, nor did he look at what I was doing. He just continued to watch me.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss!” The registrar cheered from in front of us, stepping back to allow us our space.
Lorenzo gripped the back of my neck tightly, pulling me into him as he towered over me. He pressed his lips against my own, catching me off guard. This bastard tried to put on a show for whoever was watching, and I wasn’t having it.
I had never kissed anyone before, and I didn’t plan on this man being the one that made me weak in the knees.
His fingers tangled in my hair, and by that point I was done.
I nipped his lower lip with my teeth, tasting blood instantly.
He pulled back just enough to silently let me know what a massive mistake I’d made, but I didn’t care.
It was worth it just to get this asshole off of me.
“It seems I’ve got myself a livewire.” He chuckled, his tongue clearing the blood from his lip. “I think we’re going to have some fun, wife.”
“Fuck off with that wife shit. I’d rather not be reminded.”
“Alright, Ana,” he said with a lopsided smile.
“I allow very few people to call me Ana, only people who are dear and close to me. You, Ricci, will never be close enough.”
“You can’t get much closer than a husband,” he whispered against my ear.
“Husband on paper, that’s all. Don’t expect anything other than that.” I turned to the guests who were still clapping and smiling as I readied myself to walk towards wherever I was needed next.
Lorenzo took my hand in his, almost crushing it in his vice grip. “Not so fast, princess.”
“Unless you want to bleed to death in your sleep, I suggest you stop with the nicknames,” I threatened through a fake smile.
“I look forward to the challenge.”
He took the first step. I had no choice but to follow, my parents beaming with pride, which sickened me to my core. How could they sit there clapping and smiling when they did this?
“From here on out, you’re mine,” Lorenzo added.
“I’m nobody’s, especially not yours.”
And I never would be.