Page 6 of Forced Bratva Bride

I stare in numbed silence at the smiling faces around me.

On the inside, my head is spinning wildly, and my thoughts are screaming. My legs feel weak and shaky. My stomach is tight, and I feel like I want to puke.

On the outside, I smile politely, nod, and say thank you as people come up to me one by one to congratulate me on my engagement.

I have been taught never to make a scene. Never to react or show emotions in these types of situations. Always polite, obedient, and in control.

I can’t even look at my father. I can’t stand to make eye contact with him. Not now, not after he just dropped this on me.

This was the emergency.

This is why he had me come home in such a rush.

He wants me to marry some guy I have never met before in order to strengthen his business relationship with his family.

I continue to suffer through the crush of people, smiling and happy for me, all having no idea how I really feel about any of this.

When my head feels as though it is going to explode, I take my chance and duck away, rushing out of the crowded space and into the garden to stand beneath the pergola, surrounded by soft fairy lights and the peaceful night air.

I take a deep, slow breath. Then another one. I am fighting all kinds of emotions which are threatening to overwhelm me. What the fuck is going on? Did that really just happen?

Everything I planned for my life…

My chest tightens, and it becomes more difficult to pull air into my lungs. I begin to feel dizzy as panic surges through me.

I grip on tightly to the railing for balance.

“I guess congratulations are in order?” a deep, soothing voice comes from behind me.

I slowly turn towards the stranger, tall, lean, muscular and very good-looking.

For a brief moment, I am lost in how blue his eyes are. The panic falls away for a second.

He smiles at me. “You look as though this news is something you only just found out?”

He moves to stand next to me, leaning his back against the railing and looking me up and down.

“I did only just find out.” I bite my inner cheek, my brows knotting together, anger beginning to grow and replace the panic.

“I’m sorry to hear that, I can’t imagine it's easy. Are you okay?”

I look into his eyes again, and his soothing tone eases me enough to be honest. And the truth is, that if I am being honest—I am furious about all of this.

“Actually, I’m not okay. I don’t understand why my father would just drop that on me like this. In front of everyone,” I snap angrily.

Chapter 3 - Maxim

Chiara’s hands are wrapped so tightly around the railing that it looks as though her she is trying to snap the iron bar in half. Even in the soft lighting, I can see her knuckles glowing white.

“My father didn’t mention a single word of this to me. And then, he tells in front of a massive crowd. I know he did it on purpose, so I couldn’t cause a scene. But it isn’t fair at all. He should have warned me, he should have told me in private. He told me it was a family emergency when he called me and asked me to get on a plane to come home. This isn’t an emergency, this is some sick joke. How am I supposed to marry someone I don’t even know? This isn’t what I wanted for my life,” she continues, rushed, angry, and frustrated.

She huffs loudly and brushes a stay curl from her face, glancing at me with her nose wrinkled, her dark eyes fierce.

She pauses, falling quiet for a moment, looking over my face.

So, this is the girl who is going to be my wife. She is beautiful, there is absolutely no doubt about that. Her dress shows off her incredibly long, shapely legs, and her slender figure has curves in all the right places. Her features are almost otherworldly. Her chocolate-brown eyes are round and bright, her lips luscious, plump and rosy.

She is gorgeous. But what stands out the most to me right now in this first encounter with her is how feisty she is. Defiant and temperamental. Am I going to be able to put up with her attitude in order to get through all this? I like peace and quiet.

---