𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 - 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐃𝐘𝐍𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐘 𝐎𝐍𝐄 - 𝟏𝟖+

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

A N D R E A

My eyes fluttered open and I looked around the unfamiliar room that was nothing like mine. A man sat on a chair with his head down, and I couldn't make out his face in the dimly-lit room. It didn't take long after that for me to remember the day's events. Disbelievingly I brought up my left hand, and sure enough, a wedding band sat on my ring finger. Dots appeared in my vision as I sat up, suddenly aware of the precarious position I was in. I could hear my heart beating inside my chest as my gaze fixated on him. Even in his half-asleep state, he emanated dominance, and it reminded me to never expect amateurism from him. I didn't know him well enough to infer what kind of a man he was, however, the fact that he was here, alive, despite my father's nefarious plans to blindside him, told me enough to never underestimate him.

I controlled my labored breathing, and carefully got down from the bed. The cold floor felt foreign against my feet and I held my breath as I walked past him to the restroom. I sighed as I closed the door behind me, making sure it was locked before I leaned against it and took a deep breath. The ludicrously wrinkled and withered bridal dress suffocated me, and I felt this undeniable need to get out of it, but without any clothes on me, I couldn't do it either. I washed the makeup off my face and pressed my wet hands against the back of my neck. I worked on removing all the hairpins Aida had used for my hairdo, and as I did, my hair fell over my shoulders in slight waves. Brushing them with my fingers, I winced as I untangled the large knots, and rubbed my fingers over the nape of my neck going all the way up to my head so I could facilitate circulation to ease the formication. I suppose if they were going to sedate me, the least they could have done is get these fucking pins out of my hair.

Finishing up, I pushed the door open and stumbled out as my dress got caught under my feet. I hadn't even heard when he got up from his half-asleep state until someone tugged my arm, and before I knew it I was spun around so that my back was pinned against the wall. Lorenzo's frosty eyes met mine as I craned my neck to look at him. He placed his hands right next to my head, caging me as he watched me like a scientist did his next experimental subject. Perhaps it was his unanticipated closeness, or maybe it was his addictive woodsy scent, I found myself paralyzed as I waited for his next move.

"We need to talk," Lorenzo's raspy voice has goosebumps forming on my skin, and for the first time in years I couldn't understand my body's reaction to a man.

"This isn't making for a level talking field," I whispered, partly scared of him, and partly scared of my desire for him. "Are you going to kill me?" I had no idea where this sudden boldness in me came from, I was never one to ask questions I didn't want to be answered.

"That depends..." He paused, his eyes narrowing on mine, and I arched my brow, silently urging him to finish his sentence, "On your usefulness to me,"

"I'm not here for your amusement," I hissed, and pressed my hands against his chest to push him away, but he barely budged from his place, if anything he had an awful smirk on his face at my failed attempt.

"You really believe that?" Lorenzo leaned in, and whispered against my ear, making me hyper-aware of his close proximity, and my hands that were still on his naked chest. Heat coursed through my arms all the way down to my core, and I shuddered as adrenaline pumped in my veins. "Do you know what your father reduced you to? I'm sure he told you over breakfast when he told you how he wanted to end my bloodline."

My blood ran cold and my eyes widened as he moved back, now standing in front of me, the smirk still plastered to his face.

"What?"

"Don't be coy, I'm pretty sure you read that contract before it ever reached me." Lorenzo rubbed his jaw contemplatively almost like he was baiting me, but I didn't even know what he wanted from me. I racked my brain for any clauses that I remembered in that godforsaken contract that now tied me to this man but I came up short. I'd stopped reading that shitty piece of paper after I'd read about the term marriage.