2. Chapter Two #2
With Adrien, there’s so much uncertainty.
I doubt life with him would be boring. Not a man who has his kind of power and good looks.
I’d actually get the chance to experience physical touch with a man.
Get my first kiss. My first everything. And frankly, it wouldn’t be hard to be with Adrien physically.
Just from looking at him, I feel a warmth in my body like never before.
But on the other hand, life with him might not be safe. Will he truly protect me? He might not physically hurt me but that doesn’t mean he’ll treat me right. He might be cold or aloof. He might ignore me and leave me locked up in his house all day with nothing to do.
It’s a risk no matter what I choose.
The one thing I know for sure is: this is my chance to live my own life. I have to take it.
“I’ll marry him,” I say. Mom’s arm drops from my body. Natalya looks like she wants to pass out. Mikhail gently helps her sit back down.
“Are you sure, Ana?” Mom asks.
A slow smile creeps across Adrien’s face. It makes a heavy weight settle in my stomach. Did I make the right decision? I can’t take it back now.
“She’s sure,” Nico says dismissively. “Let’s get this show on the road. I was thinking the wedding could happen in a month. So, start planning it.”
Mom blinks. “It’s up to us to plan an entire wedding in a month? A wedding I didn’t ask for?”
Mikhail holds his hands up in surrender. “We’ll hire a wedding planner. Nico is just being an impatient ass. But the wedding will happen in a month. Now, we have business to attend to. Ana, Adrien, if you two wanted to talk, now’s your chance.”
“I would love to talk with you, Anastasia. Preferably alone.”
“I am not leaving you alone with my daughter,” Mom snaps.
“Mom,” Natalya says, touching her arm. “Let’s give them a chance. I don’t like this either but it’s happening.” She turns to Adrien. “But if you ever hurt my sister, I will not hesitate to use my pregnant stomach against you. Understood?”
Adrien chuckles as he fixes his cufflinks. His navy suit looks effortlessly good on him. His white shirt clings to his chest. I can’t help but notice that he has such a large, broad chest. It makes more heat settle between my legs.
“I’m not going to smack Anastasia across the face,” Adrien says. “I just want to talk to my future wife. I’m not an evil man, Natalya.”
“You’re a mafia man. All of you are a little bit evil.” She takes Mom’s hand and practically drags her from the room, leaving me and Adrien alone.
He slowly walks over to me like a cat stalking its prey. My feet move back for some reason until my spine hits the wall behind me. I have nowhere to go.
“You are even more beautiful in person,” he murmurs.
“Thank you?” I hate that it comes out as a question. I always wanted to flirt with boys. Be bold and strong. But right now, I’m none of those things and it stings more than I thought it would.
Adrien smiles and it makes my stomach flutter.
“I think we can have some fun together.” As soon as his smile came in, it disappears.
“But you should know something about me, Anastasia. I don’t believe in love.
I have no desire to be in love. So if you’re looking for some grand fairytale, it won’t be with me.
I can show you pleasure you’ve never dreamed of.
But if you expect to get my heart, think again.
No woman has ever won my heart. So don’t take it personally.
And frankly, I am a lover of women. I intend to continue seeing other women. ”
“Even after we’re married?”
He shrugs like he’s saying is no big deal. To him, it isn’t. To me, it’s breaking my heart. “I like to have fun. Variety. You should know that about me.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier? If I had known, I would never have said yes to marrying you.”
“I didn’t think it mattered. I’ll still show you a good time. I can promise you that.”
“But you’ll be cheating on me.”
“It’s not cheating when there’s no love between us. This is a marriage for political gain. Not love.” His eyes search all over my face before they widen slightly. “Did you actually think there would be love here? Is that what you wished for in a marriage?”
“It’s what everyone wishes for in a marriage.”
“Not me.”
“Then you’re the exception. Because I want love. I don’t want a husband who cheats on me. If we’re to marry, then you have to be loyal to me.”
“You’re not in a position to be making demands. You’ve already agreed to marry me. That’s enough.” He pushes a piece of my hair behind my ear. “You are truly beautiful. I am glad for that. We will have a lot of fun together. Just focus on that, Anastasia.”
I hate how my body responds to him saying my name. It’s like a caress.
“I will make our marriage enjoyable for you. I will show you pleasure in the bedroom. I will not beat you. Isn’t that enough?”
But it’s obvious that Adrien will never love me and if he never loves me, then how can I ever love him?
“If you get to see other women,” I say, “then do I get to date other men?”
“No.”
“No? That’s not fair.”
“I don’t want a slut for a wife.”
I huff. I cannot believe this man. “And I don’t want a slut for a husband. If you cheat on me after we’re married, then I will make your life hell. There will be no fun.”
He steps back and shrugs, acting cool as a fucking cucumber.
“Then I will just spend more time with other women. I wanted to marry you, Anastasia, to keep Nico and Mikhail and Liam in line. I wanted what they have: wives who tie them all together. Now I will be a part of that. So you can be proud knowing you’re a part of building a dynasty that will last a lifetime. ”
“You’re an asshole,” I hiss. When I dreamed of a handsome husband, he looked a lot like Adrien. But I never dreamed of one with his personality.
“That doesn’t really matter to me what you think. We’ll be married in a month. You will be my pretty wife. We can have fun if you just let it happen.”
“Not when you’re going to see other women.”
“Then that’s your choice to make. Once we’re married, we’ll move to France. Start our lives together there.”
“Wait. What? France? You never said I had to leave New York. Leave my family behind.”
“I’m French. I thought it was obvious.”
What is obvious to me is that I have been tricked into agreeing to a marriage with a man without all the information I needed to make a smart decision.
My mom was right: a marriage isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I thought I would find freedom with a husband but that hope is slowly slipping through my fingertips.
Adrien flashes me one more smile before he walks out of the kitchen, leaving me alone to think about the mistake I just made.