Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 68858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
There was no sugar-coating, no attempt to make this seem like anything other than what it was—a binding agreement with a man who was accustomed to getting exactly what he wanted.
“And in return,” he continued, his voice softening just a fraction, “I will give you what you seek. I will make sure you see your sister again, and I will protect you in ways you can’t even begin to imagine. But make no mistake, Elena—this is not a negotiation. This is your reality now.”
I wet my lips and reached for my water.
The deal was clear: my life, my freedom, in exchange for his protection and the promise of finding Eva. It was a terrifying proposition, but deep down, I knew there was no turning back. I didn’t dare ask if he would be loyal to me as well. The thought flickered briefly in my mind, but I quickly pushed it aside. This wasn’t a union of love or something born from a genuine relationship. It was an arrangement—a calculated move in a much larger game where emotions held little value.
Mateo’s loyalty would only extend as far as it served his interests, and I knew that asking for more would be a mistake. In this world, trust wasn’t given freely; it was earned through power, control, and fear. Anything beyond that was a luxury, and luxuries weren’t part of this deal. I kept my expression neutral, refusing to let any doubt show on my face. If I was going to survive this, I couldn’t afford to reveal all of my weaknesses, especially in front of Mateo.
He leaned back in his chair, his gaze steady on me as I took a few more bites of fruit. “Anything else?” he asked, his voice deceptively casual, though there was an undercurrent of something darker beneath. His eyes tracked every bite of the strawberry I brought to my lips, and I couldn’t help but notice that he wasn’t eating at all.
I hesitated, feeling his scrutiny like a weight on my shoulders, before deciding to ask about something that had been nagging at me. “What about the living situation?”
He didn’t miss a beat, his reply coming swift and sharp. “You have no reason to step foot in your old home again,” he stated. “But because I’m such a kind man, I’ll allow you to visit tomorrow. You can announce our engagement then before we hold a ceremony.”
“Engagement?” The word throwing me off kilter.
“Do I look like a man who would have a shotgun wedding at a courthouse?”
“You don’t really look like the wedding type at all,” I replied honestly.
“Why not? You think I look good in a suit, wait until you see me in a tux.”
“A tux? Seems a bit too civilized for you.”
He laughed lowly. “I know you’re not a morning person--..”
“You couldn’t possibly--.”
“I know more than you can imagine,” he cut me off. “And civilized isn’t the word I’d use, but I assure you, you’ll be wearing white, I’ll be in a tux, and at the end of the night, your dress will be stained red.”
I stared at him, turning those words over in my head. He wasn’t talking about sex.
“Anyways,” he reached for his drink. “I know you aren’t a morning person, but if last night didn’t put you in a good mood, I shouldn’t have gone so easy on you.”
That was easy? I ached every time I moved, and there was a faint bruise around my throat from how hard he’d gripped it.
“So, we’re going to do the whole engaged thing?” I changed the subject.
He grinned at my obvious deflection, deepening his dimples. “We’ll be engaged, and then you’ll have a wedding fitting of your new name and of my bride.”
I was quiet for a moment, trying to process the implications of what he was saying. This was spiraling into something far more serious than I had imagined. “This is for show, right?” I asked cautiously. “You don’t expect us to behave like an actual married couple?”
“Do you have a problem with hearing or is it comprehension you’re struggling with?” he asked, his voice laced with mockery. “You will be my wife in the truest sense of the word,” he explained, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that left no room for doubt. “And in my bed every night.”
“But what happens after you find my sister?” My voice trembling slightly despite my best efforts to remain composed.
“You have my children,” he replied, his tone matter of fact as if discussing the most mundane of topics.
The simplicity of his words hit me like a punch in the gut. There was no affection or romanticism in his declaration. The reality of it all settled over me like a cold, heavy weight. This wasn’t just about finding Eva. This was about securing a future—his future—through me. I was a means to an end, a vessel for his ambitions. Any remaining illusion I might have had about being anything other than a piece in his game was shattered.