Stepping out of the car, she chanced a look toward her parents. Their disapproval was clear. She held her breath, the usual dread flooding her veins. It seemed she couldn’t do anything right by them.
She no longer held her hair up and the veil was gone.
Klaus gripped her hand, locking their fingers together, shocking her even more as he lifted up part of her dress to help her walk up the steps toward them. His fingers brushing her inner thigh sent shockwaves of need rushing through her despite her predicament.
“Klaus,” her father said. “I’d like a word with my daughter.”
“Not happening,” Klaus said, to which her mother gasped.
“Excuse me. She is my daughter.”
Klaus stepped up to her father. He was taller by several inches. “And she’s my fucking wife. By law, she’s now my property, and you don’t get a say anymore. This is our wedding.”
Her father cleared his throat. “Isabella, you’re unseemly. Go and do something with your damn hair and get the fucking veil back on.”
Isabella cried out. With his free hand, Klaus wrapped his fingers around her father’s tie, pulling him forward.
“You must have a death wish, old man. She looks radiant. I like to look at her. She’s pleasing to me and only me.” Klaus tightened his grip so her father’s face turned red. “Don’t you think?”
Isabella squeezed his hand, wanting to end this. She didn’t want to see this kind of violence and conflict.
Klaus released him. “We’ll see you inside.”
Without another look toward her parents, she followed Klaus toward their waiting guests. All of them had arrived. Even her grandmother.
“I made sure our driver took as long as possible. You’re the star of this day, and you look ravishing.” He took two flutes from a passing waiter, handing her a glass.
It was on the tip of her tongue to refuse, but the look he sent her way had her pressing the liquid to her lips and taking a small sip.
“You will not be dancing with your father. You won’t leave my side. Understood?”
“But I thought—”
“Understood?”
She nodded her head.
“Good. I’m the only one who matters to you now.”
He finished his champagne, took her glass, and put it on the table.
In the next moment, she was in his arms. People stared.
“We’re not doing this right, are we?” she asked. “There’s speeches and cake and all of that stuff.”
“There’s something you need to know about me, Bella. I don’t conform to what’s expected of me. I do whatever the fuck I please, and I’m starting to think you need to do the same.”
She frowned as she looked at him. “There are always rules to follow.”
“I don’t give a fuck about the rules, and neither should you. All that matters is what we want. You’ve spent way too much time under the thumb of someone who only wants to squash you.” Klaus’s hand moved to her lower back. “There are a lot of pleasures to be had.”
“For a man. You can go and sleep with women. Us women, we’re expected to be nice, obedient, sweet, kind. You wouldn’t have wanted me if I wasn’t a virgin.”
Klaus leaned in close so his lips were right beside her ear. “You’re wrong. I want to fuck you, Bella. I want to feel your tight pussy wrapped around my cock as you come so hard. I want to see your cunt dripping with my cum. I would have wanted you without your virginity. Now, I get to have you all to myself and to mold you into a woman who will love my dick. There’s so much for you to learn, and I can’t wait to teach you.”
The dancing didn’t stop and the anticipation of the coming night was nearly too much. When her father approached, Klaus told him no, breaking tradition. He turned every single man away from her, including her brothers, from dancing with her. Once they cut the cake, he made sure to serve her a large slice, feeding her from his plate.
Each action to protect her was also an insult to her father, but she didn’t care. She should care, but it was hard when he’d put her through so much hell over the years. The moment she’d woken up, fear had flooded her body, refusing to let up. This was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. Klaus, with his protection, was helping to make it so. By the time nightfall came, the tension within the reception was at an all-time high. Their two families had never been in close proximity with each other for so long without blood being spilled.
To end the reception, Klaus did no more than take her hand and lead her out of the main hall.
“Leaving already?”
“I’m lucky I made it this long. Don’t let Father drive home. He’s drunk. We’ll talk tomorrow, Renzo.”