undesired.

seventeen.

the next hour

levi had returned from picking up victoria, he stood in his bedroom, visibly stressed.

"what's wrong?", laina asked him softly. the girl sat on the bed now.

"i'm having second thoughts about the arrangement. i am afraid to give her away.. i want to put it off later. it's my duty to protect her since my father is gone. i mean, what if it's a mistake?", the man stated. laina saw it as an opportunity to win victoria some freedom.

"then postpone it. let her go to college for a bit, experience some freedom-", laina began to say. levi shot her a look.

"no. i need to ignore these doubts, she's come of the age of marriage. the sooner she gets married, the better. i see what 'good' freedom did to you. i wont expose her to corruption like that", he said coldly. laina remained silent, bowing her head. she had gotten in enough trouble for the night. peter's words echoed through her mind: the best women are seen and not heard. he got out a key, unchaining her.

"go start on dinner. but change into something respectable first. i don't need you setting a bad example for my little sister.", he stated. the girl was still in the black mini strapless dress from earlier.

"can you pick it for me?", the girl asked, curious to what he would pick out but also maybe her relinquishing some control to him would cause him to trust her more. he looked at her surprised.

"of course i can", he told her, rummaging through the closet.

"comfy?", he asked her. the girl nodded. the man placed a pair of leggings, a gray zip up hoodie & a black camisole on the bed.

"thank you", the girl said quietly, getting dressed in front of him. before she could get the new clothes on, he sat behind her, stroking her hair.

"you have a gorgeous body love..", he told her, kissing her neck. it sent shivers down her back. a knock on the room door caused him to jolt. laina sighed in relief.

"yes?", levi called out.

"what did you want to talk about?", victoria asked from the other side.

"i have to go talk to her. finish getting dressed and start on dinner", he told her. laina nodded, pulling on the clothes he had set out for her. the two left the room. laina sympathetically looked at victoria as she passed by, not saying a word as she proceeded to go downstairs.

"why does she have a bruise on her face levi?", she could hear victoria question him but it soon turned into muffles as laina approached the kitchen.

the girl began boiling water for pasta and placing meatballs on a pan to bake.

a few minutes later

the food was nearly done, laina leaned against the counter, flipping through a magazine as she waited when she heard yelling from upstairs following by a door being slammed shut. laina could hear banging on the door shortly after as levi soon appeared in the kitchen.

"it will just be me and you for dinner tonight, i will bring a plate to victoria's room for her", he told her.

"is she alright? i'm guessing the talk didn't go over well?", laina questioned.

"she's fine.", levi bluntly replied, obviously annoyed. laina shrugged it off.

"that's convincing", laina mumbled.

"she was happy as can be at the idea of marriage her whole life but the second you come along, she acts out. doesn't seem like a coincidence.", levi told her coldly.

"you cant blame other people's actions on me. i don't do that to you.", laina mumbled. the man took a deep breath but nodded.

"you're right. but it's incredibly frustrating.", he told her.

"i hardly think locking her in her room is a productive reaction", laina told him.

"she needs time to calm down and reflect.", levi said, defending her actions. laina went to go drain the pasta, levi pushed himself behind her gently, wrapping his arms around her.

"yeah okay", laina said, annoyed at his actions.

"do you want to be good and watch a movie with me tonight while we eat? or are you going to give me a hard time. i wont hesitate to lock you right back up and go about my night.", he told her. the idea of some freedom did sound appealing to the girl right now.

"we can watch a movie", laina said, finishing up dinner, she made three plates.

"can i bring it to victoria?", laina asked him, lifting her head. she genuinely wanted to see if she was okay.

"hmm.", he said, thinking for a second, he tapped the counter.

"sure, but i come with you", he told her. the girl nodded, picking up the plate. the girl followed him up, closely behind him.

"you can have a moment alone", he told her, unlocking victoria's room door, gently pushing laina in, shutting the door behind her. victoria sat in her bed, tears trickling down her cheek. laina placed the plate of spaghetti and meatballs on the girl's nightstand, sitting beside victoria. she just held the girl close, letting victoria cry into her. though they weren't blood related, laina really had grown to care about her like a little sister.

"i don't even know how to feel right now", victoria said.

"you don't have to", laina reassured her.

"i mean, i had a crush on corbin for the longest time. but i don't know him enough to marry him.. we haven't even had a decent amount of alone time in YEARS. how am i supposed to marry him and so soon. and so young.. im only seventeen", victoria said.

"i know.. im sorry. if i could get the both of us out of here, you know i would", laina told her quietly, lowering her voice so levi wouldn't hear. she heard levi knock on the door.

"that's enough time in there", he said. laina gulped but hugged victoria tightly.

"i'll convince him to let me come check on you in a bit", laina said, about to get up. victoria grabbed her arm, using her other hand's index finger to softly trace the bruises on laina's face.

"i want you to know i will never sympathize with someone who does this to you.. i know they are my brothers. i don't stand by their actions. i'm appalled.", victoria told her. laina nodded, hugging her once more.

"don't worry about me, okay?", laina told her before heading toward the door. she had managed to calm the girl down somewhat. the girl opened the door, levi on the other side, impatiently tapping his foot. 

"took you long enough", he told her, locking the door from the outside.

"she's your sister, not a prisoner.", laina told him, pushing past him and toward the stairs. the man rolled his eyes, following behind her. he grabbed her shoulders, turning her around.

"when will you realize maybe i'm just looking out for her best interest.. the same with you. neither of you know what's best for you. i do.", he told her. laina freed her arm from his grasp.

"yeah you're the most compassionate person i know", laina said, obviously sarcastic. she continued down the stairs.

"laina that's not fair..", he began saying, annoyed.

"don't make me change my mind about this movie and spending time with you", the girl said, the idea of being alone in the room was starting to seem more appealing then watching a movie with him.

"fine, just no more smart comments", he said, following her down. once back in the kitchen, levi pulled out a red wine from the wine rack.

"thirsty?", he asked her. the girl looked at him, surprised but nodded. maybe it would be nice to take the edge off a bit.