Page 21 of Hunted to the Altar
His eyes flashed, sending me on high alert. He was hiding something from me.
“It means there would be rules,” he replied. “Clear boundaries. You would remain here, under my protection, and no one would touch you. Not even me, unless you wanted it.”
My stomach churned at the implication, but I forced myself to focus. “And these rules?”
Samuel nodded, stepping closer again. “First, you would never leave this penthouse without me. It’s not safe out there, Nina. The Sicilian Mafia has eyes everywhere, and I won’t risk you falling into their hands.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, my defiance a shield. “Anything else?”
“You would be free to live your life here as you see fit,” he continued, his tone calculated, almost businesslike. “You’d have access to everything you need. Comfort. Security. Freedom within these walls. But you’d remain under my watch.”
“So, a gilded cage,” I muttered.
“A fortress,” he corrected, his gaze piercing. “And in return, you’d carry my name. It would shield you from threats and give you protection no one else can offer. It’s not ideal, I know that. But it’s necessary.”
I hated how logical he made it sound, how he stripped away every argument I could think of until I was left with nothingbut grim acceptance. He was right. I knew he was right. But that didn’t make it any easier to swallow.
“And what happens if I refuse?” I asked quietly, my voice barely more than a whisper.
Samuel’s expression darkened, his jaw tightening. “Then you’d be unprotected. A target. And I can’t promise you’d survive long enough to regret it.”
The finality in his tone sent a chill down my spine. He wasn’t making an empty threat—he was stating a fact. My hands trembled slightly as I looked away, unable to meet his gaze any longer.
“What about children?” I blurted out suddenly, the thought hitting me like a freight train. My voice was shaky, but I held my ground. “What if this arrangement… leads to that?”
Samuel didn’t hesitate. “If we have a child, they will carry my name. That is non-negotiable. You would never take them from me. Ever.”
I shook my head, panic rising in my chest. “That’s not fair. I’m not—I don’t want?—”
“It doesn’t matter what you want, Nina,” he interrupted, his tone unyielding. “If you think you could run from me with my heir, you’re mistaken. There would be no hiding, no escaping. Do you understand me?”
I clenched my fists, tears stinging my eyes. “You’re a monster, and I’ll make sure to never miss a pill.”
His eyes flashed dangerously. “Maybe I am,” he breathed, his voice softer now but no less terrifying. “But I’m the monster keeping you alive. And if it means ensuring my child’s safety, I’ll be whatever I need to be.”
The weight of his words settled heavily on my chest, suffocating me. I had no choice. I never had a choice. Samuel had ensured that from the moment he entered my life. And now, I was trapped, bound to him by circumstances I couldn’t control.
He took a step closer, his voice dropping to a level that mademy stomach twist. “I’ll give you twenty-four hours to think about your future, Nina. I’m gracious like that. Use the time wisely. But let me make one thing clear—this isn’t a negotiation. When the clock runs out, you’ll marry me. Because if you don’t, I will become your worst nightmare.”
I wanted to argue, to scream at him, but the look in his eyes silenced me. He wasn’t bluffing. Samuel hasn’t bluffed yet. He would force my hand if he had to, and we both knew it.
When he finally left the room, the weight of his presence lingered like a shadow, pressing down on my chest. I curled up tighter on the couch, my mind racing with thoughts I couldn’t control. The thought of becoming Samuel’s wife was horrifying, but the alternative—being left to the mercy of his enemies—was unthinkable.
I let my head fall back against the couch, staring at the stark white ceiling above me. Time felt warped, dragging, and speeding up all at once. Each second that ticked by seemed louder than the last, like a countdown I couldn’t escape.
What kind of life was this? Could I call that surviving? Or was it just another kind of captivity? I didn’t know, and the not knowing clawed at my mind like a feral thing.
I glanced at the clock on the wall. Two hours had passed. Or maybe it had been two lifetimes. The weight of the decision Samuel had forced upon me was like a vice around my chest, squeezing tighter with each passing minute. Every thought, every scenario I imagined ended the same way—with me saying yes. Because what choice did I really have? None.
I could leave. No, that was a lie. I couldn’t leave. The mafia would find me faster than I could run. And even if they didn’t, Samuel would. He’d said as much. He would never let me go. Not truly.
The thought made me shudder. I stood, pacing the room to burn off the nervous energy thrumming through my body. The windows drew my attention again, the city below looking likeanother world entirely. How many people down there were living their lives, completely unaware of the battles being fought just above them? Battles like mine.
I closed my eyes, my fists clenching at my sides. If there was a way out of this, I couldn’t see it. All I could see was the inevitability of it all. Twenty-four hours from now, I would be Samuel’s wife. And there was nothing I could do to change that.
When I sat back down, I let the tears fall silently, soaking into the pristine fabric of the couch. For the first time, I allowed myself to mourn the life I’d lost. The life I’d never get back. Because no matter what happened next, nothing would ever be the same again.
CHAPTER NINE
