Page 13 of Corruption

“Please,” I breathe, feeling tears come to my eyes. “Please don’t—Don’t do this.”

He ignores me.

I can’t say I didn’t prepare my mind for this. That it didn’t cross my mind that I’d be sold into a marriage and that I’d eventually be forced into my husband’s bed. But I thought by the time it got that far, I would have found a way to be willing. I would have found something enough to like about my future husband that I could bring myself to give myself over to him.

But not like this. Not when I don’t even know him. The families are so big on decorum and not offending each other that I thought he’d at least respect Adrian enough not to defile his daughter before the wedding night or whatever they believe in. I thought—

I’ve claimed you as my daughter. So you are my daughter. That gives you more power than most people could even dream… Use it to your advantage. Understand?

That’s it. That’s my power here. Being Adrian Fantoni’s daughter.

I suck up my tears, reach into Vaughn’s hair, and tug to try to get him to look at me. But he doesn’t. Not until I growl, “Stop. Or as soon as you’re finished, I’ll call my father and tell him what you did.”

Vaughn stops and finally looks at me. He doesn’t say anything for a long time before he chuckles and says, “You wouldn’t, sweetheart.”

“I would.”

“And who’s to say he would believe you?”

I don’t know. I don’t know that he’d believe me. I don’t know that he’d even care. But he told me to use this power to my advantage, and it’s the only advantage I may have right now.

So I call Vaughn’s bluff and say, “Who’s to say he wouldn’t?”

Vaughn gives me a long, hard stare. I know I’ve won before he does anything. Because I see it in his eyes. Apprehension. Fear. He’s scared of my pseudo-father.

Finally, he lets go of me and takes his body off mine. H stands at the side of the bed with rage in his eyes. Rage that I have power over him even though he could easily physically overpower me.

I glare back at him, feeling something I’ve never felt before. A high at knowing that I have this power. That I can dangle it over someone else’s head. Even if it’s not really my power, but the power of the Fantoni name. The threat of bringing their wrath down for hurting their daughter. Even if I’m not sure Adrian and Addy would.

“Not interested in getting to know me anymore,” I taunt.

“Oh, I’m interested. But even I’m not fool enough to risk the ire of the man who killed a hundred men to avenge a woman once.”

Killed a hundred men?

“Not when I’ll be able to have you without risk after we say our wedding vows.”

The reminder that my power is only temporary almost makes me lose my resolve. The reminder that in three short months, I’ll belong to him. That this only delays the inevitable.

But I don’t falter. Instead I say, “We’ll see about that.”

Something in him snaps. I see it in his eyes and begin to think that he changed his mind. That I haven’t escaped being raped tonight.

Instead, he snatches me by the arm and forces me to my feet.

“What are you doing?” I demand as I try to resist him. He just ignores me and drags me out the room. “Let me go. Let me—Where are you taking me?”

“Father,” Isaak begins, coming out his room as Vaughn drags me past. He frowns. “What are you doing to her?”

“Go back in your room.”

Isaak raises his voice as he says, “Where are you—”

“I said,” Vaughn begins rounding on his son, “go back in your fucking room.”

Isaak pales, glances at me, and then follows his father’s instruction.

Vaughn drags me all the way to the front door, opens it, and throws me onto the stone path.

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