by Goode, Ella
I take off on a dead run hearing him shout my name as I make my way to the bedroom, shutting and locking that door too. I grab the phone, now understanding why Mom makes everyone have a landline in their home. My mom picks up on the first ring.
“Who is this?”
“They are coming for Roxy!”
“Cora. Honey, are you okay?” Her voice cracks, and for the first time in my life I hear worry in my mom’s voice.
“I’m fine, but they are coming for Roxy.” I hear a loud crash and know they’ve made it through the front door.
“They took you to Sara’s.” It’s not a question.
“Open the door!” I jerk around to look at the door. “Cora!”
“I love you,” I say before ending the call.
The door explodes in a second later. I drop the phone to the floor. I ball my hands into fists to try and hide that I’m shaking. I can’t stop the tears that break free.
The look on Aidon’s face has me scrambling backwards. In this moment I realize why men fear him. I fall onto the bed. I roll over and try and scurry to the other side. His hand locks around my ankle, and he pulls me back. I roll over again and kick, nailing him right in the chest. He doesn’t even budge this time. It’s as though I didn’t even do anything to him at all. His hold on my ankle tightens. I keep struggling, but deep down inside I know it’s useless.
“Who do you love?” he growls out. My mind blanks, not understanding what he’s asking. How can those eyes that looked at me with so much hunger now bore into me with anger he’s ready to unleash?
I am a silly girl for thinking he might have feelings for me. That he felt the same pull to me as I do to him. Now he’s showing me who he really is, and I need to remember that. My mom always told me that you should believe people when they show you their true colors because that’s who they really are.
“Answer me!” I jump, his deep angry voice startling me. “Find out who she called.” My eyes go to the door to see Kailler standing there.
“My mom,” I answer him. There is no point trying to hide it. I knew he would be able to track the call before I made it. All I needed really was to get a warning to my mom. I accomplished that so my job is done. His hold on my ankle releases.
“We’re leaving.” He grabs me, tossing me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
“Put me down!” I wiggle in his hold. He smacks my ass. I suck in a breath. The sting of the slap goes straight to my sex, turning into pleasure. You hate this man, I remind myself. I lift my head to see Kailler following behind us. “You’re a jerk face!”
“Jerk face.” He steps onto the elevator. “Did she call me a jerk face?”
“Yes.” Kailler’s response is snapped out. I guess she’s mad at me too. I lift my head again to meet her gaze. Her eyes soften for a moment before she quickly masks it.
Aidon walks out of the building, still carrying me over his shoulder. He puts me in the back of the SUV, slamming the door behind him. I don’t try to get back out, but his men are everywhere now. A moment later Aidon gets in on the other side, ensuring that I stay put.
“What do you want for dinner?” What do I want for dinner? Is that really what he’s asking me right now. “You didn't touch your breakfast or lunch. You need to eat. Tell me what you want.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“You have to eat.”
“No, I don’t.”
His jaw ticks. I am hungry, but now that I know it’s bothering him that I’m not eating I can’t help but poke at the big jerk. He deserves it after everything that’s happened today.
“You will eat.”
“Are you going to hurt Roxy?”
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
“You don’t need to worry about what I’m eating.” I fold my arms over my chest, looking anywhere but at him as the SUV starts to move.
In the blink of an eye my seatbelt is off, and I’m pulled into Aidon’s lap. “You’re starting to piss me off.” Tears sting at my eyes again. “Don’t cry,” he growls.
I burst into tears.
Chapter 13
Aidon
My crew is mostly men, and the women who are on it, women like Kailler, would rather gouge their eyes out than cry. I don’t know what to do with a crying woman. It shakes me up inside to hear Cora sob. It makes me want to tear the world apart with my bare hands. If Kailler had her way, I’d be the one torn apart. Her eyes flash angrily at me to do something.
Awkwardly, I pat Cora on the back, but it does nothing to soothe her.
“Drive faster,” I bark.
Dante steps on the gas.
“Stop touching her,” Kailler hisses under her breath.
I halt mid-stroke. Is Kailler saying that because she thinks I’m reneging on my deal with Karin Vieth or because she thinks that Cora hates me? Either way, I should do as my second suggests, but when I lift Cora up off my lap, her arms tighten around my neck, and her crying increases. Panicked, I look at Kailler, but this time she averts her gaze. She doesn’t know what to do about Cora either.
“What would Lawson do?” I ask.
“Lawson’s the villain,” Kailler sneers.
Cora heaves a sob.
“If I knew what he would do, then I’d know what to avoid,” I inform both of them.
Cora just shakes her head while Kailler’s lips press together so tightly they disappear. This is not working out for me. I wish I could order Cora to stop crying, but I feel like that would be met with more evil glares.
“Cake,” I say suddenly.
“C-cake?” Cora stutters.
“What?” Kailler says at the same time.
“Cake.” I nod emphatically. “I want a white champagne cake with fluffy frosting and…”
“Strawberries?” Cora offers quietly. The tears on her lashes look like diamonds. She could ask me for anything looking as sweet and tender and vulnerable as she does in this moment.
“And strawberries.”
Kailler is on the phone before I finish my sentence. Cora looks like she’s about to ask me a question, and I’m not equipped to answer anything at this moment, not with Kailler next to me and Dante driving. I shove her face back into the crook of my neck and stroke her back again. It settles her—and me, I guess, because as the vehicle speeds back to our compound, my tension seems to fade away. Cora leans into me, her bones like liquid. Her breath slows and evens out. The crying storm seems to have worn her down. That, and the motion of the auto, has put her to sleep.
When we arrive at headquarters, a battalion rushes out. I raise a finger to my lips to tell everyone to shut the hell up while Kailler makes a throat-cutting motion. Carefully, I unfold from the seat, holding Cora tightly to my chest. She feels too light. I’m going to need to feed her cake every day.
The elevator to the tower floor is too fucking loud, but Cora doesn’t shift. Kailler opens the door to the apartment and then leaves. The space is dead quiet except for the quiet huffs of breath from Cora. I carry her over to the bed, but at the last minute turn to the sofa overlooking the city scape. If I put her in the bed, won’t I have to let her go? I’m not ready for that.
I don’t know that I’ll ever be ready for that. I’ve only got five days left with Cora, and already I’m getting pissed about the idea that she won’t be in this tower room whenever I want to see her. Karin Vieth gave this girl to me, and I don’t see a future where I give Cora back, but how do I keep Cora and not engage in a war with Vieth? How can I touch Cora, devour her, and still avenge Poppy?
In all the years that I’ve been at the top, I’ve never had this dilemma. My word was my bond, and my bond was to Jason Chu, the man who dragged me out of the gutter, educated me, trained me, and taught me the way of the world. He entrusted his legacy to me, and for a decade, I’ve kept to the path without even the slightest temptation to deviate. That this one slight girl has brought me to my knees in a matter of days is humiliating, and yet...I don’t care. I don’t fuckin
g give one single damn what anyone says so long as Cora remains mine.
The solution slides into view so easily that I wonder why I didn’t think of it before. History is replete with disputes solved by the union of two opposite forces. A smile curves across my face for the first time in a long while. I slide Cora off my lap and cover her with a blanket. In my office, I meet with my lieutenants.
“I want a priest here in the next hour.”
“Don’t look at me,” says Kailler. “I’m an atheist.”
“Bran goes to church,” offers Pole.
“It’s Mass, and my priest can’t marry you,” Bran says. “You aren’t Catholic.”
“How much?”
Bran gapes at me. “You’re asking me to bribe Father Regio?”
“Yes. I’ll throw in a little extra so he can say a prayer for my sins.” I give the crew a chin nod to tell them that the conversation is over.
“Should I call Vieth?” Kailler asks.
“No. We’ll inform her when the deed is done.”
“What deed?” Pole blurts out. He’s bewildered, but Kailler’s pleased. She knows what my plan is and approves. She collars Pole and drags him out. Everyone else follows.
Over her shoulder, she says, “You’re going to need flowers and a dress and a ring.”
When I open my mouth to order her to get those for me too, she says, “No. Do it yourself,” and then slams my office door shut.
And so behind the desk that is stained with blood, I call up a jeweler and pay him an exorbitant amount of money to have a tray of rings, a fleet of dresses, and an orchard full of flowers here in one hour.
“Who is getting married, Aidon?” Oliver Sousa asks in his soft Brazilian accent.
“I am.”
There’s a prolonged silence before Sousa says, “May I be the first to offer you congratulations, then.”
“That is absolutely the correct response, Sousa. If you have need of my services in the future, do not hesitate to ask.”
“Very good. Everything will be at the compound in one hour. It is my honor to serve.”
I hang up, steeple my fingers together, and smile again. Soon Cora will no longer be a Vieth.
Chapter14
Cora
“Quiet. She’s sleeping. If you wake her you won’t like the consequences.” I peek open one eye to see one of Aidon’s men standing over by the door. I quickly close it again. A second later I hear the sound of the door opening and then closing again. The room is once again silent. I’m unsure of what to do or what will happen next.
I shouldn't find it sweet that Aidon is snapping at people so they don’t disturb my sleep. I have to remind myself that he’s the devil. Footsteps grow closer to the couch I’ve been sleeping on. I don’t even remember passing out.
I do remember Aidon freaking out about me crying. Trying to buy me off with a champagne cake. I bite the inside of my cheek so I won’t smile. I’d thrown that ridiculous request out there, expecting him to deny it, but instead he had agreed to get it for me.
The sofa sinks down as Aidon sits down on it. His fingers skim across my jaw before he tucks my hair behind my ear. His touch is gentle, and I enjoy it. It was the same way in the car ride over. He stroked my back trying to calm me down and ultimately put me to sleep.
“I know you’re awake.”
“Do you know everything?” I open my eyes with a huff.
“I try to.” I let out a yawn while stretching. Aidon’s eyes drop to my chest. My shirt tightens against my boobs as I continue to stretch.
“Can I go to my room?” I ask, sitting up. I swear I see a glimpse of disappointment cross his face at my request. Aidon is too handsome for his own good. I need to make space between us. I clung to him in the car. I didn't want to let him go, but at the same time he was the reason I was crying.
Space from Aidon is the opposite of what I’m supposed to be doing here. My seductress game hasn’t gotten any better since I arrived. It’s not much of a seduction if I’m bursting into tears. Why did my mom think this would be so easy for me?
As mad as I am at him, there is something that pulls me toward him. I really do think that he’s seducing me in his own way. It’s hard to tell, though, with the hot and cold thing he has going on. For all I know, that’s how all men are. I have nothing to compare him to really.
“You will eat first. You haven't eaten all day.” My stomach growls at the mention of food. “You will eat,” he says again, narrowing his dark eyes on me, trying to be stern. He’s used to people jumping when they’re told to do something. For some stupid reason I’m not scared of him. Which will probably end up getting me killed at some point.
“I can eat in my room. Alone. The same way I have been since I got here.” I know I’m pushing my luck and being a brat, but I can’t help myself. He made me give up my friend, and this is the only way I have to retaliate against him. Worry settles in my stomach again at the thought of Roxy.
“I’m the one who gives orders.” He pulls his phone out, texting something. A moment later there is a knock at the door.
“Come in.” The door opens. A man in a suit pushes a cart into the room. Tattoos are all over his hand and his neck. “That will be all.” He dismisses the man before pushing the cart over to me. I smile when he lifts the first lid. A cute little cake sits there. I can’t believe he actually got me a cake.
He pulls the lids off of everything else, but I’m too focused on the cake. “I read an article that said indulging in dessert before a meal can actually lead to healthier eating overall.”
“By all means.” Aidon smirks as he picks up a fork, going for the cake.
“Hey! I didn't say I was going to share.”
“I wouldn't ask you to.” He brings the fork toward my mouth. “Open.” I do. When the sweet buttery taste melts on my tongue, I moan. “If you keep making sounds like that, I’m going to pin you down to the sofa and see if I can get you to make the same ones while I eat you.”
My breath hitches, my body responding to his words. He brings another bite to my mouth. Another knock sounds at the door.
“I’m busy,” he barks at whoever is at the door.
“Just wanted to let you know everything has been handled.” My stomach drops.
“You found Roxy.” What is he going to do to her?
“Don’t cry,” he orders me as if I can control it.
“You’re the one making me cry.” I pick up a roll and throw it at him.
It hits him in the chest before dropping to the floor. He stares at me for a moment. Did I really just throw a dinner roll at the most feared man in the city? Then he does something I wasn’t expecting at all. He laughs. The sound is deep and rich only turning me on more. He looks less intimidating when he smiles.
I reach for another fork when something on my finger catches my eyes. I stare at the giant pear-shaped diamond. It’s beautiful but elegant too. How the heck haven’t I noticed or felt the weight of this before now?
“Why is this on my finger?” I ask. It’s not just on any finger. It’s on my wedding finger.
“We’re getting married.”
“No, we’re not.” I bite my lip. If we get married then he couldn't kill my mom. I stare at him. No, I think he might still kill her.
“We are.” He looks down at his watch. “In an hour.”
“You can’t make me.” I glare at him. What is he up to? Why the heck does he want to marry me?
“It would be beneficial to everyone. People have been doing it for centuries. Marrying two people from opposite forces to resolve disputes.”
I drop my head. A marriage of convenience. That’s what they call it in romance novels. Except I don’t see Aidon falling madly in love with me. This isn't a fairy tale; it’s real life. I shake my head no without looking up at him. Why does his idea make my heart ache?
“Marry me and I’ll leave Roxy alone.”
I jerk my head up. These girls have spent their lives protecting me and keepin
g me hidden from the rest of the world. Here is my chance to return the favor. I could save Roxy. I might not be good at seducing anyone, but my loyalty has never come into question.
“Deal,” I agree. He grabs me, pulling me into his lap. His mouth drops down onto mine. He seals my fate with a kiss. A kiss that not only takes my breath away, he’s taking all of me. I only wish that I could have all of him too.
Chapter 14
Aidon
“We’ve got her,” Kailler informs me as I wait outside the elevator for the priest to arrive. “Should I bring her up?”
“Yes, after the priest. And then let her go. She can carry word of the marriage back to Vieth. You always leave one alive in order for there to be no mystery in your intentions. Otherwise, people could mistake—" I cut myself off. It has always been there in the back of my head that Ashford was behind this. The reasons behind Poppy’s death were as opaque to Vieth as they were to me. She was sincere in wanting to find the answers because if she wanted a war, she would’ve declared a war rather than dropping a little bird on my doorstep with a promise that I would not sully said bird.
Yes, the Vieth orphans are famous for cons and swindles, but they’re also not dumb. My core crew might be only fifty, but if I called in all my support, the Vieth orphans would be overwhelmed. Besides, their forte isn’t direct fighting anyway. They would pick us off one at a time instead of taking out just one man and then showing up at my door.
The only reason we’re playing this game is because Vieth isn’t sure how Poppy died. If it was intentional, she would need to kill me because no sacrifice would make up for the death of one of mine. If he died because of an accident, Vieth would have said that and made an offering because I could forgive an accident. Murder, however, had to be met with equal force.
Cora is not a sacrifice or a peace offering. Cora is the handcuff. Touch her and the seven-day moratorium on violence is off. I’m famous for my restraint. Karin Vieth probably thought her little bird would be safe here. If the girl had managed to seduce me, then Vieth would be able to take me out, and my crew would have to accept the bitter pill of my betrayal.