“You’re my prize, Charity. Your father and I made a deal. I’m afraid your choice doesn’t matter in this situation. You will be my wife.”
“Never,” I say fervently. I won’t be his wife. I refuse to marry a man I don’t love. I refuse to marry this man at all. I don’t belong to him no matter what he threatens.
“You really should learn to watch your tongue.”
“I have a boyfriend, Dima. I won’t be made to marry a man I don’t love.”
“And you love Jasper Collins, do you?”
I shake my head, not knowing how to respond to that. Part of me wants to tell him yes, hoping that will end the whole thing, but another part tells me that would be a bad idea. I need to protect Jasper and our budding relationship from this evil man.
“It’s a new relationship.”
“Ah, young love. I do remember those days. But that is neither here nor there. You will be mine no matter what you say or think. There is no getting out of this. Our wedding is planned. You will be mine. Tomorrow.”
“No way. I won’t marry you. I’d rather die.”
“That can always be arranged. But no. I think I would rather hurt your little bodyguard instead. You’re way too pretty to be killed over something so trivial as a misunderstanding,” he threatens.
“A misunderstanding? You call this a misunderstanding?” I say incredulously.
“But of course,” he says, sounding amused.
“The Iris Hotel on Saint James Street. Tomorrow at noon.”
“And if I don’t come?” I ask, fearing the answer.
“I’ll start picking off the ones you love starting with Jasper and ending with your little friend Darlene.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Don’t be so sure about that,” he threatens.
The line goes dead, and the idling SUV begins to drive off. My phone is clenched tightly in my hand, still held to my ear as I watch the car drive away. A few seconds later, Jasper walks into the room in just his boxer briefs.
“I don’t like waking up without you,” he says with a cocky smirk. “I had plans…” His words cut off as he takes in my still-as-a-statue stance. He’s instantly on alert and looking around the room for any potential threat. That’s when he notices the phone clenched in my hand.
“What’s wrong, babygirl?”
I shake myself out of my fear-filled stupor and shake my head. “Nothing,” I say, forcing a smile to my face.
“Why do I get the feeling you’re lying to me?”
I shake my head, turning my smile up another watt or two. “It’s nothing. Really.”
“Who was on the phone?”
I look down at the phone still clenched in my hand, my knuckles white from my grip. “Oh, no one. Wrong number.”
Understatement of the year. Wrong number, wrong life, wrong everything. What happens if I don’t go to that hotel tomorrow? Am I brave enough to find out? The real question is can I risk the lives of the people I care about instead of marrying a mobster. No, I don’t think I can save myself and risk them. I’d never forgive myself.
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
Jasper
Something is definitelywrong with Charity, but she obviously doesn’t want to talk about it. I want to push her into telling me, however, I push that desire down. Instead, I pull her into my arms and kiss her deeply. She’s stiff at first, whatever’s on her mind holding her captive, but then she melts against my chest, kissing me just as deep and passionately. Whatever is bothering her fizzles away as she leans into my arms.
“How are you now?” I ask.