Page 24 of Risky Fight

Her eyes locked angrily on me, she doesn’t answer for a while, then says. “Do I get a choice? Can I say no?” Still so fucking feisty and wanting to fight this.

“My God, Lou,” I growl, “can you not feel the connection we have? Do you honestly want to tell me you don’t want me, that you want to go back to the boring accountant. No. You fucking cannot say no. I paid a shit ton of money for this arranged marriage, and I bought you a damn expensive ring.” She glares at me. “You are going to marry me, Lou, but I was fucking hoping you’d want to. That you wouldn’t see this as an arrangement, but as an opportunity.”

“Marriage is stupid, we’re just setting ourselves up to fail. I don’t know any happy married people,” she says, “and I don’t want to marry you or anyone else for that matter. You can force me all you want. I can wear the ring, and a fake smile for the cameras. But I don’t want this.”

I grab her hand and put the perfectly sized marquise cut diamond on her finger. “Will it leave a mark if I punch you?” she asks, balling her fist, looking at the ring. It suits her — and I like how it looks. A visible sign that she is mine, claimed and no other man can take her from me.

“Try it and see what I do, I will tan your ass black and blue.” I hold her hand in mine and stroke my thumb gently over the diamond. It’s as unique as she is.

Chapter15 - Lou

Since he placed the ring on my finger, I’ve felt dirty, I’mowned,not engaged but he insists on having a fancy engagement party. I just wanted to visit my brothers, alone or accompanied, to announce it. But I can catch them alone at an engagement party just as well. Besides, if Roark is distracted with numerous guests, it might give me an opportunity to leave. If I can hide long enough I could eventually find a way out of Ireland, I’m sure of it. Maybe stow away on a ferry to England and from there fuck off to some backwater country no one will think I’d be in. I can live a simpler life away from all this bullshit. Away from my past with him.

All these years I stayed here, subconsciously waiting for him to come back. Now all I want is to leave. To get far away from all of it — him, my brothers. Bless their little black hearts, I want to kill them for this.

The sound of cater waiters and people all over the house remind me it’s a few hours until I have to act like the arm candy, trophy wife-to-be.

It also means I have to put on the stupid shiny dress he chose for me, a silver, skintight thing that will show everyone what Roark has captured. When he slipped that ring on my finger, he asked me if I experienced the connection he felt. I don’t give a fuck about any connection when I’m being forced to get married because my brothers got themselves into shit. How much could they possible owe Roark’s father that they would need tosell me.

A fucking lot, obviously.

I have to give them a talking to before I slip out because even if they are family, they aren’t anything to me. Not anymore. I can take care of myself and I always have. Roark is amazing to fuck but I won’t be possessed, even if I love having him spank me for being naughty. I toy with the idea of being naughty tonight and not wearing the dress but I don’t want attention drawn to me. I want him to be happy and think I’m playing the role, or faking it, and behaving the way he wants. He needs to be busy having the time of his life.

I amhisafter all.

Once he is thoroughly distracted and I’ve dealt with my brothers I will slip out to where I’ve hidden a change of clothes and use one of the guest’s cars or a catering truck or something, to get out. I’m not setting anything in stone, I will take it as it comes and do the best I can but I am not sitting here and taking this bullshit. Playing wifey — I am not wife material. I’m not even sure I am material at all, I am more like the steel wool they scrub pots with.

I go to the bathroom and take a long shower. My ass still stings a little from when he smacked me. I shouldn’t like the way it feels so much. He spanked me — and I liked it. I’m fucking insane. As the hot water runs over me I rub it, remember his hand and the pressure. I’m surprised I didn’t develop bruises, though he promised if I continued to defy him, he’d definitely give me some. I’m tempted, but no.

Stick to the plan, Lou.

I wash myself properly, a full-service clean-up, who knows when next I will shower. I don’t know where I’m even going to run to at this point. I just need to get away, then I can figure out the rest. If I can get away from him, he can’t corner me and make me dumb with his sexiness.

I dry off, do my hair and put on some makeup before I slip into the dress. I look at the heels he wants me to wear and I sigh, thank God I’ve already hidden sneakers in the bag downstairs. I hope I can grab it and change before I run off. Another look at myself — this is not me. I don’t wear dresses and makeup and heels, Roark knows that. Why he is trying to change me, I do not know.

“Lou, hurry up. Guests are going to start arriving soon and I want to be waiting when they get here, especially my father.” He barks the order through the door and I roll my eyes. The queen isn’t coming so they can all wait, she’s the only person I would hurry up for.

“I’ll come when I’m ready,” I shout back, then try control myself as I add, “I’ll be there shortly.”

It’s too late, he’s walked into the room. He’s in a tux, it hugs his burly body and he’s neatened his beard. He looks at me with those bright angry eyes, an eyebrow quirked.

“Don’t test me tonight, Lou.” It’s a warning, and I hope it doesn’t mean he’s going to have me watched all night. Hopefully he’ll be distracted by his family. I can’t be too subservient though or he’ll know I’m up to something.

I start putting my earrings in, “Either you want me to look good and wear this fucking clown suit you chose, or you want to come right now. Pick one.” He needs to get a grip.

“Hurry up,” he growls the words. That growl. God, the way he is so authoritative, in another world I might have willingly bent to his will but he left me in pieces and I only had myself to pick those back up.

He made his choice.

I’m making mine.

“Yeah, yeah,” I mutter the words and when I look into the mirror and meet his eyes, I give him my cheeky smile. I stand up and walk towards him holding out my hands. “Satisfied?” I feel like an animal on display in the zoo.

He grabs my face in his hand and looks deep into my eyes, “Best behavior tonight, Lou. I mean it. You have thus far pissed me off numerous times but I won’t tolerate being embarrassed in front of my family.” His family know me, we have lived in the same city the entire time he was gone, his dad has even seen me throw down in a brawl or two. They’re not going to be fooled by pretty dress and some makeup.

I look up at him defiantly, “I won’t embarrass you, you have my word.”

He lets me go and offers his arm, “Then let’s go show them what a happy engaged couple we are.”

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