Page 39 of Ruthless Vows

“You did, Rory. I’m going to marry him.”

“Like hell you are.”

I suck in a deep breath, knowing it’ll be hard to convince her this is the better choice. I barely even believe it myself.

“Aurora, I have to do this for our family. I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of this.”

She glares at me. “They’re willing and prepared to protect you because that’s what family does. You don’t have to do this. I’m not going to let you.”

“You’re not letting me do anything,sorella. I’m making this decision on my own because it’s the right thing to do.”

“How is marrying a complete stranger the right thing to do?”

“I imagine the wedding won’t be anytime soon. Hopefully he won’t be a stranger by then,” I muse.

“Are you seriously making a joke right now? This is serious, Lucia.”

“I need you to trust that I can do this on my own, Aurora. You’re always so good at making sacrifices for us. It’s my turn now.”

Tears well up in her eyes and my heart breaks a little at the sight. I can’t help but think that she’d have an easier timeaccepting this if she knew the truth about my situation. I have to tell her as soon as possible.

I don’t realize the room has quieted around us until Ivan speaks.

“As entertaining as this has been, Lucia and I need to leave.”

Aurora grips my hand at the end of that sentence, like she’s trying to physically keep me with her.

“I’m sorry, leave where?”

“You don’t really think I’m going to let you continue to stay here, do you? They’ll have you on a plane out of the city the first chance they get. No way in hell I’m risking that. You’re coming with me,krasavitsa.”

A muscle in my head starts to throb. But I know he’s right. Staying in this house gives Aurora an avenue to convince me not to go through with it. And knowing my sister, she could very well bundle me onto the nearest plane out without my permission.

I look up into her eyes. “It’s okay, Rory. I’ll be fine, I promise.”

“Lucia, you don’t have to do this,” Nico says, standing beside his wife.

“Actually, I think I do,” I murmur, my eyes meeting Ivan’s brown ones.

His expression hasn’t been ruffled once since he stepped in. Not even when I agreed to the marriage. Does that mean he was expecting it? Or he just doesn’t care either way?

The man is impossible to read. Which is unfortunate because I just offered myself to him on a silver platter.

It feels very much like selling my soul to the devil.

CHAPTER 12

Ivan

Lucia insists on packing her bags before we go, leaving me standing here waiting for her to return. The Don remains in the room as well. Same as Adrian Rossi and Lukas, but all the women leave to assist Lucia. Several minutes pass and I decide to speak up, knowing I owe Nicolas at least that much.

“She’ll be well taken care of,” I state, because despite everything, I know he considers Lucia to be like a younger sister. This must be an incredibly frustrating situation for him.

“She would have been taken care of here, with her family.”

“I can’t argue with that, but you have to understand that she was always going to have to get married. I just helped to speed along the process a little.”

“Not to you,” he grits out, blue eyes hard and unyielding. “If you hurt her, Volkov, I swear to God you’ll regret it. I’m trying very fucking hard to hold myself back right now. But the minute you harm a single strand of hair on her head, forget any stupid wars. I’ll cut your throat in your sleep.”

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