Page 29 of His Forced Bride
"A frightened rabbit. But rabbits who bolt from their cages learn valuable lessons about the world outside."
Kirill chuckles a rusty sound, revealing what decades of smoking cigarettes will do to your vocal cords.
"You always did prefer the ones with spirit."
"Spirit can be redirected. Channeled toward more productive purposes."
I finish the venison and push the plate away.
"Broken things have no value. But controlled ones… controlled ones become extensions of your will."
The other men exchange glances.
They've seen me break competitors, watched me systematically destroy anyone who threatened our interests.
They know what I'm capable of doing.
"When do we meet her?" Alexei asks.
"Tomorrow morning at the ceremony. She'll stand beside me and speak the words that bind her to this family permanently."
I stand, straightening my jacket.
"Tonight, she learns what happens to things that belong to me when they try to leave."
Oleg rises as well, his expression troubled.
"Be careful, Yuri. Cornered animals become unpredictable."
"Then it's fortunate I know how to handle unpredictable animals."
We shake hands formally, each man offering their support despite their reservations.
They'll follow my orders because loyalty demands it, but they'll also watch for signs that my judgment has been compromised.
In this business, personal feelings are weakness, and weakness spreads through organizations faster than plague.
I leave through the restaurant's private exit, where my driver waits beside the black Mercedes.
The night air is crisp, carrying the scent of snow that will fall before morning.
"The compound," I tell him as I settle into the leather seat.
During the drive, I imagine Inessa's face when she realizes escape is impossible.
The fury in her gray-green eyes, the way her hands will tremble with rage and fear.
She thought she could slip away in the darkness, disappear into the city and start over somewhere beyond my reach.
She's about to learn how wrong she was.
She wanted to run from me, to reject the future I've offered her.
But running only delays the inevitable, and I've waited long enough to claim what's mine.
7
INESSA
