CHAPTER 25 - ARIANNA
CHAPTER
Arianna
A T FIRST, I almost fall into his trap. His wife ? I nearly fly off the deep end and react, but I don’t because Red Bateman wants to punish me for questioning him, the conceited, jumped up, piece of...
Narrowing my eyes, I glare at him, showing I don’t appreciate his pathetic games and ridiculous attempt at humor. But seeing his expression, ice rushes along my veins.
This man is serious!
Red adjusts his tie and folds his arms across his chest. As his shirt moves, I get a small glimpse of that tattoo under the edge of his starched white collar and again wonder what it is.
I inwardly shake away the meaningless question.
What should it matter what he’s got tattooed?
Nothing, short of that it underlines his lack of breeding and gives a further reason why I’d never marry him.
Not that I require any more reasons. I already have plenty, but panic still clouds my senses in a cloying miasma.
I keep my voice level, the ability of doing this under the circumstances, astounding. “Are you insane? There’s no way I’ll marry you.”
“Don’t flatter yourself, Arianna.”
I don’t expect the laugh coming from between his lips and find myself looking at his mouth; the way his full bottom lip neatly sits above the tiny cleft in his chin.
Flatter myself? My panic gives way to anger. I’m not sure whether, despite what I promised myself, I can control it. I open my mouth to speak, but he gets in first.
“You’d do well to remember that, like I’ve previously pointed out, I have no interest in you.
This marriage will be one of convenience,” he continues.
“Convenience to both of us. This is more than generous, given the circumstances. Marrying you will offend my enemies in the highest possible way, while from your side, it redeems and protects you from what you did to your first husband.”
All retorts disappear. My first husband? Like I want another? I never wanted the first one and don’t want a repeat!
Red sees me as a conniving, cold-blooded murderer, out for myself, so in his head, we’re well-suited. But we’re not. I’m nothing like Roberto, and I’m certainly nothing like Redmond Bateman.
“I’m not marrying you,” I say icily. “I’d rather die!” I can’t get plainer than that!
Red’s face darkens. “Then you’re one hell of an ungrateful bitch, Arianna.
I’ve stuck my neck out for you. You asked for my help.
I’ve given you that, yet all I get in return is blame and a corpse!
You then ask me to spare your family and protect them from Bristoni wrath, yet you find fault with how I see fit to provide everything you ask! ”
“You think marrying you will bring all of that?” A small part of me has the good grace to accept that I have indeed asked a lot from a man who has only ever been on the other side. What if he’s right and this is the only way to keep my family safe?
Only last night, I saw with my own eyes what the Bristonis are capable What happened on that carpark had to be down to them.
But married ? If we married, then he’d expect... expect to...
“I can read your mind, princess,” Red sneers. “Rest assured, our marriage will be in name only, which translates to I do not require, nor wish to experience your body.”
My cheeks burn. “Name only?”
“Yep. Name only. We will of course share a bed for believability, and it will be this one here. For security reasons, I must remain on site at the moment, but that’s as far as it goes.”
Red’s eyes burn into mine, and I look down at my hands, horrified at the slight tremble of my fingers. I then glance at the lavish super-king bed I woke up in this morning, unable to refrain from wondering what it would be like to wake up next to this man.
I’m even more horrified that somewhere within me is slightly put out. I should be relieved Red Bateman has no wish to possess my body, so I don’t appreciate my twinge of disappointment.
It’s only because I’d enjoy turning him down.
“So, the Harrods woman will also measure you up for a wedding dress while she’s here. There’s no time to lose because the wedding will happen as soon as possible.”
“I haven’t said I’ll do it yet,” I mutter. “I’ve agreed to nothing.”
Red rises from the chair to tower above me. “Becoming my wife is not a question for you to accept or not - it’s a fact and an instruction. You’ve caused too many problems for alternatives.”
Even though I can’t bring myself to look up at him, his anger ripples its way over my skin.
“You want your family saved from Bristoni retaliation, as well as mine, do you not? This is the only way to achieve that.”
Red pulls a newspaper cutting from his pocket and hands it to me. My eyes flick over the words. What is this? Roberto had a heart attack? I’m recuperating in a secret location?
Confused, I look up, finding Red studying me, the intensity of his gaze making me lightheaded. “Why... why would they say this?”
Red laughs hollowly. “You are naive, princess. They’re liars - your family included - you just don’t realize it yet, but I intend to expose them all.
By marrying you, I can achieve that and, in addition, get the bonus of knowing how pissed off they will be for exposing them and taking you as my wife.
In return, you get reassurance of knowing your family is safe. ”
I blink. He’s wrong . My family aren’t liars. I might have had to marry Roberto, but they arranged what they thought best for me.
However, much I as despise it, Red is right on one thing. Under the circumstances, it is the only way. I have to remember that I came here and brought him into this, not the other way around.
Even though I’m desperate to do the opposite, I slowly nod my agreement.
Red takes my hand and examines it. I won’t look at him to witness his gloating expression of victory, so I stare at his hand instead.
“I’ll get your finger measured,” he mutters, like he’s offering me something as nonsensical as a cup of tea. His fingers scorch my skin, making me imagine what it would be like to feel his hands all over me. Would he be gentle? Would he be rough? How would it be?
Oh, Christ.
How can I do this? How can I bear being married to a man who is the epitome of everything my family and I despise? How can I stand being in the same bed as him when he doesn’t want to touch me? And how can I live with the fact that I want him to?
There is one thing I’m sure of, and it’s that I want to slap the sarcastic sneer off Red Bateman’s face.
I also want to know what it’s like to kiss him properly...
There! I’ve admitted it.
I hate myself with a passion. As much as I deny it to myself, and it goes against everything I was raised to believe, I cannot deny that Red Bateman affects me in ways that he shouldn’t.
“I reckon you’re a J.”
I blink, completely off track, and he laughs at my obvious confusion.
“The ring,” Red grins. “I reckon this finger is a size J.” He encircles my finger, then traces along my hand and down my arm. Dipping his head, he leans closer. “Am I correct?”
He’s in my face on purpose to make me uncomfortable. Oh, I can’t do this.
“Surely you remember what ring size you are? It’s not like you haven’t been married before!” he says, a sneer on that goddamn handsome face of his.
I meet his eyes, the stark reminder of my marriage extinguishing the fire burning inside me. “I paid little attention when I got married, being as I didn’t want to do it in the first place!” I also suspect I’ll feel the same the second time I’m forced to go through it.
I push thoughts of Roberto aside, except they’re still there. I’m wearing my thoughts on my sleeve, but I can’t because I don’t want Red knowing anything about me.
His eyebrows raise with a mocking lift as he makes a tutting sound. “Fancy that... The woman loses her husband, yet wears another man’s ring before the week is out...”
I let his dig wash over me, despising him further. I feel like screaming.
What have I done that is so wrong to hand me not one abusive husband, but two? Red Bateman is no better than Roberto. In fact, he’s probably worse, yet my only option is to marry him?
My resolve hardens. How Red affects me is only physical. It’s something I’m not used to, but I’ll control it. Whatever this weird shit is going on inside me, it won’t last, so yes, if it keeps my family safe, I’ll marry Redmond Bateman.
But one thing is certain - Red will never know the real me.
I’ll go through the motions and attend whatever poxy events he wishes me to as his “wife”.
He can parade me around as he sees fit, providing he honors his promise and a) keeps my family out of his vendetta and b) this whole charade works by shifting the onus of Roberto’s death from me onto someone else.
My guilt over Red taking the blame disappears. There would be no qualms the other way around. His remit is revenge and point scoring. But one thing I will give him in return is to ensure this marriage is hard work.