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Except the look my father gives me lets me know this isn’t a dream. No, this hellscape is my new reality.
Marry the bastard who put my sister in the hospital? Not happening.
“Like hell I am.” The words are out of my mouth before I have time to stop them.
My cheeks flame and my entire body heats up as if I’m standing over an open flame. As I stand there staring at my father, my stomach drops to my feet. At this moment, my entire world is ripping apart at the seams.
I can’t marry Ivan. I won’t marry him. I fought so hard to keep myself out of this shit. I’m working hard to make a life for myself.
And now he expects me to give it all up.
“You’re going to marry him and it’s not up for discussion. Ivan is going to help our business and promised to get off my back. If you try to refuse, we’re all in danger. Do you want that for me or your brothers? What about Lily? She’s still in the hospital. She’s still unconscious and they don’t know when she’s going to wake up. Who do you think he’s going to go after first if you refuse?”
There is a wicked gleam in his eyes as the corner of his mouth twitches. The bastard is enjoying this. He doesn’t care about me or Lily. We’re two girls out of a countless number of children he has. The only people he cares about are his sons.
He wants me to keep them safe. He is the only person who benefits from this deal. He and my half-brothers don’t care whether I live or die.
“How can you stand here and ask me to do that?” I aggressively down the rest of the water, hoping it will calm my system.
I need to be strong right now. There is danger in defying my father. I might not want my siblings to die, and I will do everything I can to protect Lily, but I don’t want to marry a monster.
I can’t do it.
“I’m not asking.” Dad grins as his hands drop to his side and he approaches me. The room seems to shrink around us as he stands too close to me for comfort. “I’mtellingyou that you will marry Ivan, Sophia. If you do not do this for the good of the family, then I will stop funding your life and you’ll never see your sister again. Your life and that of all of us is in danger. The Bratva will hunt us down and destroy us.”
A strangled gasp leaves my lips as he steps back from me with a smirk. I nearly drop the glass on the counter as I lean forward over the sink. My stomach lurches as bile rises. I try to take deep breaths, but it feels like there is a vice grip around my lungs.
“You’re going to do this whether you like it or not. No more argument.”
“Please don’t make me do this. There must be another way.”
He shakes his head. “I have already given him my word. From what I've been told, you’ve brought this mess on yourself. What the hell were you thinking, going after a man like Ivan?”
“I can’t marry a man I don’t know. I’m certainly not going to marry a mobster. Dad! please don’t force this on me.” I plead.
Dad looks at me, disgust clear in his eyes before he leaves the apartment. The door slams shut behind him, leaving me standing over the sink. I exhale slowly. The pressure in the room around me starts to fade as I go to the door and lock it.
I would throw away the life he gave me if it meant I got my freedom, but Dad went after the one thing he knew would hurt me.
He threatened to keep me away from Lily.
I push myself on the counter, trying to gather my emotions. The bubble bath is still calling my name. So is the largest bottle of wine in my fridge. Maybe if I’m lucky, I’ll drink until I pass out and then wake up in the morning to realize this was all just a nightmare.
I can’t believe my fucking father. How could he do this? But he's already made the arrangements with Ivan and that's the end of the conversation. For him, it's nothing more than a business deal. I’m going to marry the Bratva boss.
There must be a way out of this. If I just talk to Ivan, he might be willing to negotiate.
That’s my only chance.
Chapter 6 - Ivan
Dim lights shine at each of the tables in the small restaurant, illuminating the couples gathered around them. I check my watch for the millionth time while sipping a glass of white wine.
One-night stands are getting old. Sophia will be my bride — the ideal young woman I can mold into a perfect Bratva wife. Nik was right, it's time to settle down.
And Sophia has a price to pay for trying to fucking kill me.
After she contacted me, I thought about ignoring the message. She was smart enough to call one of my reputable companies and talk to my assistant because she wanted to see me. All she said on the phone was that it was important.
