“No contact. It’s written into the contract. You will be Irish after you marry… at least for now.”
He holds my gaze, but I have no idea what the hell he’s trying to convey. Probably that I’m to be a good little wife and do exactly as my husband decrees.
This night is going from bad to worse. Sucking a deep breath through my nose, I quickly count through my five familiar things. It gets my breathing under control, but not my rage. Tamping down on it, I turn to my father, my eyes flashing with anger.
“Why would you agree to this?” I hiss, clenching my fists at my sides. “Idid not agree to this.”
But deep down, I know why he agreed to this. Because he needed a pawn, and my father had an ace up his sleeve. A wayward daughter is good for nothing. Better to have one you can marry off to forge an alliance.
“There was no other way,draga.You need to sort out your affairs.”
There was no other way, my pretty little ass.
Chapter Two
SEAMUS
The arms shipment delivery went like clockwork. There were no issues with Matvei’s men and no sign of the Romanians. We are back at Oracle before six PM, and Liam is bitching because Juliet has been fired. Ronan glares at him until he shuts the fuck up, but his annoyance is palpable in the air.
My father comes in just after nine o’clock, and my crew and I end up in my office, drinking whiskey and giving him a rundown of the meeting.
Pa nods along with our debrief, seemingly uninterested until Darragh shoves away from the wall in the corner of the room where he was standing and places a gold ring on the desk in front of my father.
Pa picks it up, playing with it in his long fingers as the entire room falls silent. We all stare at the piece of jewelry until Pa speaks.
“We have a chance for a truce with the Romanians.”
Paddy casts a dark glance my way, but I ignore him, grinding my teeth and staring my father down. There’s only one person in this room that the wedding band could be for, and it’s me. No wonder he was so fucking interested in where I was sticking my dick the other week.
“When?” I grind out.
Pa nods at me. He knows that I understand.“Three weeks.”
A hiss of breath intake sounds around the room from my crew.
“Her name?”
Pa studies me for a moment, nodding to no one in particular. “Ylenia. Ylenia Albescu.”
Paddy hisses with anger, but I keep my face neutral. Albescu. She’ll be the daughter of Marius Albescu, head of the Romanian faction. Pa’s pulled out all the fucking stops on this.
Disgust settles in my bones at the idea of bedding Albescu’s daughter, and it must show on my face.
“She’s beautiful,” Darragh speaks up from the corner of the room. Five sets of eyes turn to him. Everyone except my father and me.
Pa nods in agreement as I stare at his face, my own schooled back into a neutral expression. I fuck beautiful women, yes. But I don’t marry them.
Unable to fidget without showcasing my feelings, I clench my toes. Jesus fuck. I can’t turn this down. To do so would be the ultimate disrespect to my father. It’s probably why he’s telling me here, in front of my whole crew.
The entire room is silent, everyone watching me. But I only care about Pa’s eyes drilling into my face.
“Just tell me when and where,” I say through clenched teeth.
“Three weeks, as I said. It will all be arranged. Ye just need to show up, son.”
I nod stiffly, not bothering to rise as Pa and Darragh leave.
The door swings shut behind them, and it’s just me and the lads. Paddy silently watches my face. Liam is indifferent, and Niall and Ronan exchange a look but, other than that, remain impassive. Connor plays with his watch until he finally speaks.