Page 12 of Sold to the Devil
I didn't squeeze that hard.
“No, but I know you, Mattheo. You treat women like shit.”
I chuckle, uncrossing my arms and putting my hands in my pockets. “I don't see how that's a problem. They love it when I fuck them like sluts. Not one of them has ever complained before,” I shrug.
He huffs, his anger rising at my words. I don't understand what his problem is. She's just another slut for me to fuck, and he's never cared before. The only difference with her is that she's going to be my legal wife, and I have to impregnate her to have an heir. That doesn't mean I have to treat her any fucking differently.
“She's not like the ones you usually fuck!” He raises his voice, making me raise an eyebrow in silent question.
“Damn, Mattheo, can't you see how innocent she looks? She's willing to let you treat her like shit just to please our fathers!”
I roll my eyes before pulling a cigarette from my pocket. I light it and inhale the smoke, feeling it fill up my lungs. That toxic shit always has a way of calming my nerves a little.
“It's not my problem. Father wants me to have an heir and he wants her to give it to me. That's all. Innocent or not, she's nothing but a fucking womb for Heir Rigast. Like it or not.”
He takes a step back, running his fingers through his hair in an annoyed gesture.
“She's a human being, Mattheo. You can't use her like she's nothing. She has feelings too, and I'm pretty sure she doesn't want this marriage either. I know you only agree to it because it's Father's order. Guess what, she agreed to it for the same reasons! That girl's father sold her to ours to prove his loyalty, and she's so innocent that she doesn't object to it—to please him! To please them both!”
I watch him silently, smoking my cigarette as I watch him pace. I try to understand why he seems so concerned about this poor girl's fate. My brother never thinks of anyone but himself. All that matters to him is proving his worth to our father.
Then, realization hits me and I inhale the smoke while laughing darkly.
“Damn, you wish you were the one to marry her, aren’t you, little brother?”
He stops moving and his head swivels towards me. If a look could kill, I'd be dead.
“You want her? Take her. She's all yours. I don't fucking want her,” I shrug.
He huffs angrily, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“First of all, we both know you're next in line for father's throne, not me, which means I don't need an heir. Second, I don't want to marry her instead of you, Mattheo. I just want you to treat her well. She deserves it.”
A dark, mocking snort escapes me. “I still don't see what any of this has to do with you. Why the hell do you care how I treat her?”
His jaw clenches painfully and he turns his head to the side, avoiding my gaze.
Yeah, that's what I fucking thought.
“Don't think I'm stupid, Tom. You'd like to be the one who has to marry her. You met her, what, an hour ago? Did she put a spell on you or something? You want her.”
His eyes meet mine again, murderous. “What if I do? We both know I can't have her,” he snorts, seething. “Look, all I ask is that you treat her right. Don't fucking hurt her in any way. Please.”
My eyebrows raise in surprise.
Shit. He must really like her to beg me.
I laugh darkly. “Don't tell me you're in love Tom? Rigasts don't have feelings.”
“I'm not. She just deserves to be treated well, Mattheo. Like I said, she's not like the women you're used to.”
“And how could you know that ?” I roll my eyes.
He's starting to get on my nerves. He's barely met her. How can he know what she's like? I've been around her longer than he has and I don't know her.
“Because I looked into her mind. Not for long, but enough to see how innocent she is. In her memories, I never saw her leave her father's house. He probably kept her locked up to protect her. I'm pretty sure she knows nothing of the real world.”
I sneer disdainfully, rolling my eyes.
