Arranged love

I don’t know how much time passes before I push myself up off the floor, toss the now empty bottle into the trash, and fumble up the stairs. I trip twice on my dress. Opening the door, I’m much less quiet as I make my way back down the hall and back through the kitchen to the party. No one pays me any attention, though. I’m not the reason they’re here. All four hundred people are here for Luca. For his future. For his business. I’m no one. Nothing. But that’s how women are treated in this world. The Mafia is an exclusive men’s club. The women stay home and raise the children, most of the time in a Catholic upbringing. I know nothing about the religion. I’ve never even entered a church because my parents aren’t religious. Is he going to make me do research? Or make his mother teach me? Was that mentioned in the contract that I didn’t read?

“Haven?”

I stop in my tracks at the sound of her voice. My mother. The woman who has successfully avoided me.

I turn to see her approaching me in a champagne-colored sleeveless Burberry dress. Her bleach blond hair is up in a tight bun, showcasing her delicate neck and the pearls my father gave her for Christmas last year. She looks stunning, as always, and for the first time in my life, I feel nothing but hatred toward her. Where was she when my father signed my name to the contract? Where was she when Nite removed me from my parents’ house? And where has she been for the past couple of days while I’ve been a prisoner here?

She brings her hands up to her face and gasps as she looks me up and down. “You look beautiful. Absolutely stunning.” She reaches out for my hand, but I take a stumbling step back from her. And her perfectly painted on face falls as if I hurt her feelings. “Haven, I-”

“I don’t care,” I interrupt her, then hiccup.

Her green eyes fall to my left hand, and she stares at the rock on my finger. She flinches as if it hurts her to see. She should put herself in my shoes, then maybe she would know how much it hurts to wear it. “Haven, please let me explain.”

“How you let Daddy sell me?” She flinches at my slurred speech. “No thanks.”

Her eyes dart around the room to see if anyone heard me, but I highly doubt those in attendance believe I chose this. “Haven, please …?”

“Go home, Mother.” I turn, giving her my back. Walking out of the formal dining room, I head down the hallway to the back of his house where the bedroom I’ve been staying in is at. I have nothing to say to her. What my father did hurt, but my mother didn’t even try to save me. Not once has she tried to call me in the two days I’ve been here. That I know of. Now Luca has my phone. She let me go. And that’s a hard pill to swallow. She was supposed to protect me. Love me. Instead, she let him throw me away.

“Haven. Well, don’t you look every bit the part of a princess.”

I stiffen as I come face to face with Brad. He’s Bones and Grave’s father. He used to run Kingdom until his sons and their friends were old enough to take over the empire. He’s the only living member of the Three Wisemen who created Kingdom.

His blue eyes look me up and down in a way that makes me step back. I never liked him. He’s dirty, evil just like the rest of them. He uses women. All he cares about is how much money he can make and who will fall to their knees and suck his dick.

He leans in, giving me a smile. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. I won’t tell anyone that this isn’t the fairy tale you wanted.”

Without saying a word, I narrow my eyes and shoulder past him. I just want to be alone. Locked inside my bedroom where no one can bother me. Continuing down the hallway, I come to a stop when Luca’s office door opens, and a woman steps out. Before she has a chance to see me, I duck into a nearby half bathroom, watching her through the thin crack in the door, hiding my body behind it. She runs her hands down her black form-fitting dress, shoving it down her long legs. But it doesn’t cover much. She’s dressed more for a night out on the town. Then she steps up to the large mirror that hangs on the hall and fixes her wild, bleach blond hair. It’s knotted around the crown. Like someone’s fist was in it. She opens her clutch and reapplies her crimson lipstick, before popping her lips. I look over her arms and see red marks have formed on her pale skin. Fingerprints. She looks herself over one last time and then turns.

I move away from the door, hoping she doesn’t see me. Placing my hand over my mouth, I hold my breath so she can’t hear me as I listen for her heels on the hardwood as she passes my hiding place.

I wait for her to walk off, and I look out the cracked door. Once I see I’m alone, I yank it open, storm down the hall, and all but kick his office door open.

A large TV hangs on the far wall above a fireplace. Over to the right sits his desk. He has some papers scattered across the surface. I walk across the room, my heels digging into the thick black rug. I sit down and read them over. My eyes are a tad blurry from the alcohol swirling around in my system, but something catches my eyes on the third page. I recognize it. It’s the paperwork where my father signed my name. There’s a blood stain through the middle of Haven.

This isn’t a marriage. It’s a contract signed in blood.

I read over it, trying to comprehend it. With blurry vision, it’s hard to understand, but one word catches my attention. Heirs.

My hands begin to shake as I blink to focus.

The wife in question will produce three living heirs. Two of which must be sons.

All cases after that will be up to Luca’s discretion.

What the fuck does that mean?

I place the papers on the desk, my head falling into my hands. My eyes drop to the small black trash can under his desk. Something catches my eye, and I pick up the small container. “What the fuck …?” I whisper.

My blood begins to boil, and my heart pounds. I hear the lock to the adjoining bathroom click, and then Luca steps out. He comes to a stop when he spots me. My eyes immediately drop to his black slacks. His belt is undone along with his pants and his white button-down is untucked. His black-tie hangs loosely around his neck.

“What are you doing in here?” he asks, his eyes narrowing when they drop to the papers.

“What were you doing in here?” I snap, unable to hold my tongue.

“Haven ….”

“Explain this!” I shout, dumping the trashcan upside down and allowing the contents to scatter on his desk. We’ll get back to the paperwork later. Right now, we’re not even having sex, let alone having children, but he’s fucking someone. The freshly used condom falls onto the contract. Might as well mix some cum with that bloody signature. “You were just fucking her in here!” I scream.