Page 15 of The Bratva's Innocent Sold Bride
“Stop,” I said harshly. I had never once spoken to him that way, but everything was different now. Just like Mat said. “You’ll never win against someone like Mat. Just stop.”
“You sound like you’re beginning to admire the man,” he whined.
“No. I just understand who he is. Something you failed to do.”
The song ended, and I let him hug me and kiss my cheek before Mat cut in and swept me away. As glad as I was to get away from my father, I was now in the arms of the man who owned me and expected a wife. I could handle being a slave, but never that.
His strong chest and firm grip on me weren’t making me melt now. His nearness was making me freeze up instead. Would he really make me sleep in his bed tonight? Do more than sleep? I longed for the blissful unreality I experienced when he kissed me, but it wouldn’t return.
By the time we left in our decked-out limousine, to the cheers of everyone we knew, I was shaking with fear. I tried to hide it, but Mat noticed, lapsing into a stony silence in the car. I couldn’t figure out what I feared more, his affection or his wrath.I didn’t want either one, but something was going to happen when we got home.
He was a man who kept his promises. Everything was going to change.
Chapter 10 - Mat
Seeing Gordon Taurus brought so low was satisfying, but not nearly as gratifying as making CJ mine. Everyone we knew and cared about watched us join as man and wife, and while I never supposed it would be under those odd circumstances, I was thrilled it was official.
My brothers were right to be shocked that I had married an American, let alone gotten married at all. I just didn’t have time for more than dalliances, and even though I was pushing forty, I still felt like I had time if I ever wanted to settle down. I never did, until I laid eyes on CJ. She would have said she was my complete opposite, but I suspected differently. I didn’t think it would take much convincing for her to see that we were more alike than she’d ever admit.
Until she began trembling with fear once we got in our getaway limo. Someone, probably Mila or Rurik, had tied cans to the back end, and they clanked noisily until I ordered the driver to pull over and tear them off. Then, as we got on our way, I meant to make a joke about it to CJ, but she practically recoiled from me like I was a venomous snake.
It annoyed me when she said she hated me, because the way she melted into my kisses told me otherwise. Her terror pissed me off. For one, it wasn’t like her. For another, it made me question if I’d already been too harsh on her when I first thought I was being lenient. As enamored as I was by her, in the beginning, I wasn’t sure if she was culpable in her father’s criminal activities. She was his sole heir after all, and I’d learned she recently got a job at the company. A job she still wanted to keep.
However, it didn’t take much digging to find out she was completely innocent, and her shock at finding out about her father wasn’t feigned. I was going to shower her with gifts tonight and tell her she no longer had to do any chores around the house. My staff would be returning, and she would be treated like a princess.
And she was cowering from me, as if I… had taken her as payment and forced her to marry me. The sudden thought almost made me laugh. I’d have to move slowly.
Once we arrived at home, I swept her into my arms as she struggled to get out of the car in her voluminous dress. There had been some arguments about her changing into another dress for the reception, because Mila said this was stylish, but CJ put her foot down, tired of fittings and fuss.
“Now I suppose you’re wishing you had on a different dress,” I said, carrying her up the steps to the front door.
She was stiff in my arms, only holding onto my shoulders so she wouldn’t tumble backwards. “This dress might be as ridiculous as that ten-foot-tall cake, but I can still walk in it.”
“You’re very capable,” I said. “And no nonsense.” I admired both qualities about her, but she thought I was being sarcastic and scowled at me.
“So put me down.” She kicked her feet, sending one of her satin heels flying.
“May as well kick the other one off,” I said.
Through the door, I slid her body down mine until her feet hit the floor. She stood slightly lopsided, her brief bout of anger at being carried over the threshold doused again by that fear I despised seeing on her pretty face.
“I-I…” she stuttered until I slid my hand into her hair and kissed her.
“Welcome home, Mrs. Fokin.”
She pushed against my chest, then pulled me closer. What was it this time? Five seconds with my mouth on hers? She wasn’t fearing me now. As her fingers trailed against my neck, she began to soften in my arms. I wanted her with a fire I had never felt before. Not for any woman, or any acquisition.
And I wanted her to want me even more.
Gently extricating myself from her grasp, I nodded toward the stairs, wanting to curse when I saw the flash of fear return to her eyes. “Go to your room and get some sleep. You’ve worked hard the last couple of weeks and must be exhausted.”
“Did you say my room? The guest room? Not your room?”
Even her hopeful confusion was charming. She had me tied in knots. And at the same time, I wanted to lift her up, carry her to my bed, and make her see who she belonged to.
“Would you rather go to my room?” I growled, reaching for her again.
She was gone in a flash of white, almost tripping in her haste. I swore under my breath and headed to my office. Since I had just bought the house, it wasn’t completely furnished. Mila had offered to hook me up with one of her designer friends to put it together for me, and I might have jumped at that before CJ, just to get it done. But I thought CJ might have ideas of her own. If she wanted to choose every item herself or hire the designer, I’d leave it up to her since she was now in charge of our home.
