Chapter 3 - Artur
Maria’s reaction is exactly as I expected it would be. Her brother taught me something valuable when he screwed me over. Expect the worst from a Baburin.
So, it was obvious from the start that she would be as bratty as she possibly could and make this process as difficult as possible.
What I did not expect was for Joseph to react like this.
The guy is a Bratva Pakhan. What the hell does he care if she’s willing or not?
I eye him skeptically, wondering if I’m making the right choice allying with a man who isn’t willing to do what it takes to get what he wants.
You want to tell me he’s never kidnapped anyone before?
I didn’t exactly expect Joseph Gregori to be drowning in morals after the dealings I’ve had with his father in the past. That man was a snake. It appears his son is quite different.
Sighing, I shake my head, pushing my hand through my hair. That’s why we’re entering an alliance with Joseph and not with his father.
“Joseph, I don’t understand why this is such a shock to you, or what the issue is,” I snap, getting impatient.
Maria softens her expression and curves her shoulders forward, dropping her chin and looking pitiful as she murmurs meekly to Joseph, “Please, I don’t want to be here. I want to go home.”
“Don’t listen to her,” I snarl, shocked at how quickly she changed from bold and confrontational to this sweet, innocent little flower.
A memory flashes through my mind…her, years ago, flirting with me, her beautiful, big eyes and those long lashes catching my attention instantly.
I shove the thought away.
I won’t let her get away with this. She is not going to manipulate this situation and ruin my plans.
“Joseph, she’s playing coy to manipulate you,” I insist.
“She’s playing coy because she’s desperate to get out of the situation you’ve tossed her into!” he growls.
“A situation necessary for our alliance to go forward,” I snarl back at him.
I will have my revenge on Misha. I thought he was my friend. My best friend. And after what he did, I want to rip his world to shreds and teach him a valuable lesson about being more careful when messing with someone like me.
I don’t take kindly to being screwed over by anyone, but especially not my closest friend.
Maria shoots a heated glare in my direction. She narrows her eyes and pouts her lips. “I’m not some toy you can do whatever you want with, Artur,” she blurts out.
“This isn’t right,” Joseph grumbles. “Are you two okay with this?” he asks Benedikt and Kazimir.
Kazimir shrugs, and Benedikt’s expression remains neutral. Neither of them responds, leaving the argument between Joseph and me.
“I’m not. There have to be a hundred willing women out there who we don’t have to kidnap to go ahead with this!” Joseph snaps.
“This is the only girl I will proceed with,” I respond.
“What personal issues do you have with her?” he argues back.
“None, and if I did, it would be none of your business. Now, it’s up to you; marry her right now, or the deal is off,” I demand impatiently.
“Please, Joseph, don’t do this.” Maria has managed to spring tears to her eyes. As fake as ever. She didn’t even cry when I kidnapped her. Not that I noticed, anyway.
“Stop your fake tears,” I growl at her.
“I’m really scared,” she whimpers to Joseph.
Getting angry, I grab Joseph but the arm and pull him away from her to the corner of the room.
Keep my voice low, I snarl roughly, “You need to make up your mind, Gregori. Quit fucking around and marry this girl now, with the other Pakhans, or the deal is off. No alliance. And I swear, if you walk out of here tonight, don’t ever bother coming back.
I will never give you another opportunity to join an alliance with me,” I say with quiet force.
Joseph clenches his jaw, clearly fighting an internal struggle, the dilemma that splits his choices between morals and needs. Right now, I’m hoping his needs outweigh his morals. At least enough for this to go ahead.
“You should have told me about this on the phone,” he complains.
“Would it have changed a damn thing? You want what you want, Joseph. Stop pretending otherwise.”
“It isn’t right,” he whispers, glaring at Maria.
“Make up your fucking mind. I’m done going in circles,” I demand.
Joseph lets out an agitated groan, pushing his hand through his hair.
“It’s just a marriage of convenience. No one will hurt her,” he says, looking pointedly at me.
I put my hands up in the air. “No one will hurt her.”
I have to press my lips together to hide the smirk of triumph.
I’ve won. He’s already decided.
“Fine,” he huffs. “Let’s get this over with,” he says, turning his body so that he doesn’t have to see the disappointment in Maria’s face.
So, Joseph has a heart. How intriguing.
“Are you two ready? Nothing to add?” I snap sarcastically.
Kazimir shakes his head. “Ready when you are.”
Benedikt nods, a small tilt of his chin. He really is the strong, silent type. That guy is built like a brick house. Definitely someone I’d like to have on my side in a fight.
“Let’s go downstairs. The lawyer is waiting there,” I tell them, checking my phone to see confirmation from my security team.
My hand wraps around Maria’s forearm, gripping tightly to make sure she doesn’t try anything. She can’t get away. This mansion is a fortress. But I don’t want any more delays. She’s already caused enough trouble as it is.
“Be a good little girl, Maria,” I snarl quietly.
“I hate you,” she whispers fiercely, trying to tug her arm away.
I dig my fingers in tighter, and she winces, letting out a soft yelp. Joseph immediately turns to glare at me. I loosen my hand a fraction and raise my brow at him in response. It’s not like he’s going to change his mind and choose morals suddenly.
The choice has been made.
The men make their way downstairs as I follow behind, pulling a reluctant Maria along with me.
“To the left,” I tell Benedikt, who is leading the group. “In the living room.”
He turns left, followed by Kazimir, Joseph, and me.
The lawyer is waiting patiently. He stands up from his seat on the sofa.
“Good evening, gentlemen, are we all ready?” he asks, smiling with pearly white teeth, too bright and too clean. They look like badly done veneers.
“We’re ready. Let’s get this done as quickly as possible,” I tell him.
“It will go as quickly as it goes. We must sign all the relevant documents and pay attention to the…”
“Just do it!” I snap.
Benedikt clears his throat and folds his arms across his massive chest. Joseph sighs. The lawyer springs into action, picking up a leather binder from the coffee table.
“Um, I will need…I need you all to sign each of these documents,” he explains, pulling a number of pens from his binder and setting them on the table. The men move to sit around the coffee table, waiting for his instructions.
I pull Maria with me and take a seat as well.
“Here, and here, you can sign both copies and pass them on….”
The lawyer shuffles papers and distributes them, making sure they come back to him in the right order. He must have OCD or something, because when Benedikt hands him the fourth page before the signing third, he starts twitching.
Kazimir notices and grins in amusement.
Maria is subdued, sitting next to me, but when I hand her the documents to sign as well, she does so without fighting me or complaint, other than the sour expression on her face.
The whole process is over in less than two minutes. No one says vows, other than a verbal acknowledgement and acceptance of the marriage contract. The lawyer and one of my security guards sign as witnesses, and just like that, it’s over. It’s done.
“I’ll get us something to drink,” I say, standing up and leaving Maria with the other men. “Vodka? To celebrate the confirmation of our alliance?”
“Vodka is good,” Benedikt says.
“Make mine a double,” Kazimir adds.
Joseph is watching Maria. His eyes trace over her quiet body language, subdued and miserable. “Give the girl a drink, too,” he demands.
“The girl has a name,” she snaps at him.
“Sorry, Maria,” Joseph responds gruffly, clearly not liking her tone, but also trying to be understanding of her mood.
She certainly won’t get the same patience from me.
I head toward the bar at the other end of the living room, some distance away from the others.
But I can still hear her, muttering beneath her breath.
“I hate him. I hate him with all my heart,” she murmurs.
I steal a glance at her, my chest tightening.
It’s her brother who fucked me over. Not her.
But they’re family, so they’re the same.
It might not be fair to punish her for his deeds, but life isn’t fair.
I’ve learned that more times than I can count.
I’ve been fucked over, let down, beaten…
I’ve been through hell and back, and it only made me stronger. This will make her stronger, too.
At the end of the day, I’m doing her a favor, helping her grow. She’ll see it eventually.