Chapter 4
I glanced down at the band on my finger, feeling sick at the events of today.
How could my father do that to me? He was a man I once looked up to, alongside Artem, his original right hand, however, he left out of the blue.
He was more like a father to me than Victor ever was, and what’s worse, my father didn't seem to care.
His focus was Miles, Miles, and Miles. I knew deep down he felt no remorse about packing me up and handing me to Lorenzo Ricci.
I supposed having me gone would be one less thing for him to worry about.
“Anastacia, are you okay?” Red asked from the driver's seat.
“It’s Ana, Red, and I’m fine,” I lied. I wasn’t okay. I would never be fine, but I had to grin and bear it just as I had many things in my life.
“You don’t need to lie. He might be my boss as well as my friend but?—”
“But what, Red?” Lorenzo snapped as he slammed the door behind him. I hadn’t even noticed him open the damn thing.
“Nothing, just nothing.” He sighed, perhaps feeling sorry for me, but he didn’t need to. Give me a day or two and I would genuinely be fine.
Fine… A word I hated. I always knew my mother wasn’t okay when she used the word fine, and now I couldn’t stop saying it. It flowed out of me like bloody water.
“Let’s go. We have that meeting to get to tonight, and we can’t be late.” Lorenzo tapped on his phone, not paying attention to anything else.
“At least I won’t have to deal with you tonight then. I guess my prayers have been answered,” I teased, turning my attention to the passing nature. “You’ll probably end the night with a quick fuck to get your rocks off.”
“Jealous, wife?” he asked, cracking his neck.
“Of the poor woman who has to fuck you?” I scoffed. “Not in the slightest.”
He chuckled before the car fell completely silent.
I was in the process of working out if that was a good thing or something incredibly bad.
Then suddenly I had my answer, Lorenzo gripped my chin between his thumb and forefinger, forcing me to look at him.
He leaned into me, the warmth of his breath brushing my ear.
“That mouth is going to get you into trouble, Anastacia,” he hissed.
“I doubt that, but then again, you won’t be paying much attention to me after today anyway. As you said, you want a quiet wife. I’m guessing one that’s seen and not heard.” I bit back, not faltering or letting myself seem rattled by him or the words he spoke.
“And is that what my wife craves? My attention?” He brushed his thumb over my lower lip, making my skin prickle unexpectedly. Dammit.
“I don’t need, nor do I want, your attention. I’m content being alone.” I let out a steady breath, my confidence coming back in full force.
“Lying isn’t a good look on you.” In one swift move, he fisted my hair, causing my head to jerk back just enough so he had access to my bare neck. His stubble scratched my sensitive skin before he roughly sucked on my neck. Did that bastard just give me a motherfucking hickey?!
I saw red. Rearing my hand back, I wasted no time in letting it collide with his face. The sting radiated through my palm and his cheek reddened.
“Touch me again and it’ll be more than just a slap,” I threatened, shoving his body away from mine as I saw the rage written all over his face. “Why would you do that anyway?!”
“I can do whatever I want with my wife. At least now any man who sees you without me by your side will know you’re taken.”
“And the ring on my finger isn’t indication enough?” I threw my hands up in despair, wanting to smash his damn face in.
“No, not nearly enough.” He scowled, his eyes darkening as he spoke.
I turned my back to him, not wanting to feed his ego with more attention. No matter if it was good or bad, he didn’t deserve it.
It wasn’t long before we turned onto a long gravel driveway that led to what could only be his house.
It was magnificent, I had to admit. It was grander than the one I shared with my family.
The driveway must have been over a mile long and was shaded by bushes and trees, hiding security cameras no doubt.
As we reached the entrance, we circled around a fountain that replicated a work of art.
Red parked at the bottom of the steps leading to the front door.
“Welcome to your new home, Ana.”
Lorenzo huffed like a child as he exited the car, slamming the door behind him.
“Well, this is going to be fun.” I laughed as Red tried his best not to join in.
“I promise, he isn’t bad. I’ve known him since we were kids.” His promises meant nothing to me. I hadn’t known him long enough to trust him yet.
I was about to respond when Lorenzo yanked the door open, almost taking it off its hinges.
“Out,” he demanded, his hand hooked over the top of the door in a tight grasp as he waited.
“You know, a please would be nice,” I teased. It was worth it. He looked just about ready to combust.
I exited the car, not waiting for Lorenzo as I made my way up the stairs. I didn’t need to look to know he was striding after me, I felt his presence close behind.
“Why don’t you slow down since you have no idea where you’re going?”
“Oh, silly me. I thought that big thing in front of me with a handle was the door. Have I been wrong all these years?” I gasped sarcastically.
I heard two men chuckle from the car. Red had been joined by another guy, who I saw beside Lorenzo at the wedding. My assumption was that he was a friend as well since he wouldn’t have gotten away with that laugh otherwise.
“You two can shut up,” he snapped, directing his anger at them both.
“If you’re going to get so worked up about it, lead the way, your highness.” I curtsied as he stormed past me.
“No, I’m done. I’m fucking done.” Red cackled, not able to control his laughter anymore.
“Red, I swear to God if you don’t shut up, I’ll gut you from navel to mouth, friend or not.” Lorenzo shoved the door open as Red stifled his next bout of laughter.
I followed him into the foyer of his home and was immediately slack-jawed.
I couldn’t believe how immaculate and stunning it was.
There were bay windows overlooking a lake on either side of the staircase opposite me, the body of water picturesque.
It seemed serene and peaceful, everything this marriage wouldn’t be.
The staircase parted at the top, leading to different sides of the house. Hopefully I’d be far enough from him to keep my distance. Although the house was so breathtakingly beautiful, it was incredibly sparse. There were no flowers or pictures. It just felt empty and lifeless.
“Welcome home,” Lorenzo said from behind me, closing the door to everyone else outside.
“I’ve already told you that this won’t be my home.”
His hand snaked around my waist, the back of my head colliding with his shoulder. He brushed my hair over my shoulder as he brought his lips to my ear.
“It already is,” he whispered, sending a shiver down my spine and not in a way I liked.
“Can you show me to my room, please?” I asked as politely as possible, wanting to get this shit day over with.
“Your room? Correct me if I’m wrong but we’re married now. Husbands and wives share a room, bed, and many other things.” He ran his tongue over the hickey he left not that long ago.
“We will share nothing, believe me. Now, do I have my own room or do I need to find one myself?” I twisted in his arms, challenging his authority. “I’d hate to stumble into someone else’s room and maybe even fall into bed with?—”
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence!” he ordered.
“You have your own room. Your bags are already waiting inside.” He cleared his throat as I stepped away from him.
“I have a meeting to get to. Take a left at the top of the stairs, follow the corridor until the end, and your door is on the right next to mine.”
“Don’t trust me to be at the opposite end of the house, no?”
“You’ve got your own room, Anastacia. Don’t push the rest,” he snapped, turning his back to me as he slipped out the door without another word.
I had a feeling he didn’t trust that I wouldn’t pull a moonlight flit, hence why he wanted me in the room beside his. But at least there was a wall between us. I guessed that was something.
I glanced around, hearing the television blaring from what I assumed was the living room or a hang out area for his men. Ignoring that, I climbed the stairs, following Lorenzo’s instructions.
I didn’t know what to expect upon opening the door to my room but it wasn’t what I saw.
My bags were at the foot of the four-poster bed that sat in the middle of the room, the walls a soft cotton white with petal pink accents dotted around the room.
As beautiful as all this was, the one thing that captured my attention was the view.
It was the same as the one I saw earlier with the lake in the back garden.
The remainder of the afternoon sun reflected on the water as the trees that surrounded it blew gently in the breeze.
The only good thing about living in Lorenzo’s house would be the scenery, nothing else.
I quickly rummaged through one of my bags to find a comfier alternative to the dress I was wearing. I came across a note instead.
Ana, I’m so sorry. I only found out about what was happening this morning.
Your father was incredibly tight-lipped about the marriage arrangement, and by the time I found out, I couldn’t get near you to let you know.
I packed your bags for you. Everything I could manage is in them.
If you need anything, you know where I am.
The house won’t be the same without you. Please forgive me. - Chad
I dropped the note back into my bag in desperate need of some shorts and tank top, anything to replace this damn dress, but then something else caught my eye and I had an idea… Probably one that would get me into trouble, but fuck it. You only lived once, right?
I dialled my best friend’s number, and within two rings, she answered.
“Where the hell have you been? I’ve called you multiple times today!” Robin asked, worry coating her voice.
“Getting married.” I sighed as the line went silent for a second.
“I’m sorry. I must have misheard you. You got married?” She stumbled over her words, and I knew how real the shock was.
“My father made a damn deal with the devil in disguise.”
“Of course it was your father’s doing… Are you okay?” she questioned, her voice softer than before.
“I don’t know. I hate him.” I groaned, just thinking about the cocky bastard made my blood boil.
“Who? Your father or husband?” She chuckled, trying her best to lighten the mood.
“Well, both, but mainly Lorenzo Ricci, the asshole that is now my husband.” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes, which she instantly knew because we had that kind of friendship.
“He sounds hot, though,” she teased.
“Alright, he’s hot, yeah, but that doesn’t mean I want to be married to him.” I sighed. “Anyway, that’s not why I called.”
She gasped. “You’re sneaking out, aren’t you?”
“Indeed, I am. Meet you at that newer place in town?” I asked, already knowing her answer.
“I’ll call Tay and meet you there in a couple of hours.
Think of tonight as your bachelorette party since we didn’t get to throw you one.
Get drunk and get fucked. Tonight is your night, baby!
” She knew I wouldn’t fuck anyone, but that never stopped her from saying it every single time we snuck out to bars and clubs.
When I lived at home, my father never approved of me going out.
Then again, he barely approved of me doing anything.
After showering and getting ready, I felt the adrenaline coursing through my veins as I prepared to execute my plan.
Sneaking out of a house unfamiliar to me promised to be more challenging than I had anticipated.
Nevertheless, I was determined to give it a shot.
I moved stealthily through the dimly lit corridors, slipping past the rooms where the men I had yet to meet were residing, my heart pounding in my chest. So far, so good.
The real challenge awaited outside, where the men patrolling the grounds and the gate were more vigilant, their eyes scanning the surroundings with practiced precision.
Yet, by some stroke of luck—or perhaps a small miracle—I managed to evade their notice.
I slipped through the narrow pedestrian gate nestled beside the imposing electric one, which loomed silently, locked and unyielding.
Wow, that wasn’t too bad.
I bet I was caught on the cameras, but by the time they noticed anything, I’d be long gone.
See you in the morning, Ricci.