Page 25 of Wicked King

“But nothing was set in stone until a few days ago when I lost a bet with my brother?—”

“What?”

He drags a hand over his face and heaves out a sigh. “It doesn’t matter?—”

“Like hell it doesn’t. You’re telling me I’m forced to marry you because of a stupid bet with your twin?”

“It’s not like that, Jia. This would’ve happened either way. You know Qian was on the verge of a strategic alliance with Nico months ago.”

“But then you killed him.”

“Cazzo, Jia, I didn’t kill him?—”

I shake my head, cutting him off again. “You may not have been the one to pull the trigger, but you were there. You were all there – the Rossies, the Valentinos, you’re all to blame.”

A wave of heavy footfalls jerks my attention to the procession of males filing from the meeting room. Yéye is one of the last to exit, speaking in hushed whispers with Jianjun and Hao Wei. They pause by the door, and I count the seconds until I can lay in on my grandfather in private.

I expected this from Qian, I would’ve expected it from my father, but never from him. His betrayal lashes at my insides, tearing my gut into bloody ribbons.

I’m so angry and hurt I don’t even notice Lei circle back. He stands before me with a circle of men behind him. “You made the wrong decision today, Jia,” he grits out.

Before he can utter another syllable, a streak of darkness flashes across my eyes and by the time I blink, Lei is pinned to the wall. Marco looms over him, his thick fingers tight around Lei’s throat. “And you made the wrong decision in daring to speak to my fiancée,” he growls.

I gasp at the venom in his tone and the murderous glare smoldering in those piercing eyes.

Lei’s men tighten the circle around Marco, but he cocks his head over his shoulder with a vicious smile. “Get any closer and I’ll snap his neck before any of you idiots have time to pull out a gun.”

The males murmur curses, but the half a dozen men step back.

“Now, let’s get something clear right from the start, Wang,” Marco snarls, flashing his teeth. “Jia is mine now, and anything you have to say to her goes through me. Do you understand?”

I’m impressed Lei isn’t pissing himself beneath the intimidating glare of the enormous Italian. Instead, his already thin lips squeeze into an even thinner line.

“She’s in charge of your shitty little organization now, and if you try any of this rebellious garbage, I’ll personally see to it that you are punished. No one threatens my future wife and lives.” His fingers tighten around Lei’s throat and a choking sound erupts through the smaller man’s clenched teeth. “Are. We. Clear?”

“Yes,” he forces out.

Marco smacks Lei on the cheek and grins. “Good boy.” Slowly releasing him, he whirls around at the circle of Four Seas rebels. “Now get the fuck out of here and behave yourselves. Jia will be in touch soon.”

CHAPTER 13

HIS TROPHY

Jia

I can’t help but stare in shock and a tiny bit of satisfaction as Lei and his men scurry off like sewer rats before the subway barrels into the station.

The subway, a.k.a. my new fiancé, hovers ominously behind me until the door of the restaurant dining room swings closed behind them. Marco turns to me, that smirk firmly carved along his chiseled jaw. “Do you think Lei will be a problem?”

I think my new fiancé is giving me way more credit than I deserve. But I sure as hell will not admit to that. I have no fucking clue what that asshole is capable of. “Most likely,” I bite back. “And I’m more than capable of defending myself, by the way. I don’t need you to fight my battles.”

“Whatever you say, spitfire.”

“And stop calling me that,” I hiss.

“Then stop acting like one.” He grins, and all I want to do is wipe that snide smile right off his face.

“Are you ready, baobèi?” Yéye pokes his head around Marco’s broad shoulder.

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