Vows of Deception: Bound to My Ex's Step-Father

Chapter 3

“Shocked, little honey?”

I gasped when I heard Rydell’s baritone voice behind my ear. He looked amazing in a crisp black tuxedo, his gray eyes scanning my face. Yes, his step-son is my ex before Ariston came into my life. The man who shattered my heart with his endless cheating. I thought Ariston was my safe haven from the hell of a heartbreak Randall caused me.

But I’m wrong, he just caused more pain in me. I’m afraid to open my heart again to anyone. But Rydell, what does he want with me? Why would he risk making me his wife given our huge age gap and the fact that I’m his step-son ex.

Why would he bring me to Randall's engagement party?

Randall is engaged to that woman who didn’t only hurt me but tortured me. She’s the only daughter of a known mafia, second to Rydell’s rank. They’re too busy for this day so they probably don’t know that his step-father had rescued me and took me as his wife.

What is Rydell’s motive? Did he really save me or just want to ruin me even more?

“You brought me here with all of these people even though it’s Randall’s engagement party?” I said. I didn’t even bother to whisper it because my head was spinning. How could he bring me here with the man who ruined me many years ago?

“Why? You’re going to be my wife. I told you, no one will ever make you a second choice again.” Rydell said, his hand settling firmly at the small of my back. “And certainly not a boy I raise under my roof. Come.”

Before I could even protest, Rydell gripped my hand, and led me straight inside the ball room full of people I don’t even belong to. The moment we stepped under the bright lights, a sudden, suffocating silence swept over the room.

The music died out.

Guests turned, their eyes widening in absolute, utter shock. And why not? Rydell rejected countless women who shamelessly threw herself to him and all of them died. But here I am, with him. Whispers erupted like wildfire. They all recognized me. To the Kreiston family, I was the penniless orphan ex-girlfriend that Randall had arrogantly discarded.

At the center of the room, Randall stood beside his beautiful new fiancée, a glass of champagne in his hand. When his eyes landed on me—and then trailed down to Rydell's hand tightly gripping mine—his smile faded and went pale.

"Father?" Randall choked out, stepping forward, his voice trembling with a mix of confusion and sudden rage. "What... what is she doing here? What is the meaning of this?”

Rydell didn't stop until we reached the raised dais at the front of the room. He looked down at Randall with the absolute, chilling indifference of a king looking at a peasant. Then he grabbed a champagne flute from a passing waiter and tapped it with a silver spoon. The ringing sound echoed with the whole ball room.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Rydell announced. “Thank you for gathering tonight to witness my son’s special night. However, there has been a change in the evening’s celebration.”

I can see Randall staring at us with his dark expression. The crowd gasped. Rydell raises his glass and looks at me. “Tonight, we are not celebrating an engagement but a wedding. A new reign. I want you to all meet this beautiful woman. Hazel Aevia Kreiston. My wife. The new matriarch of the Kierston clan. “

As loud gasped from everyone ripped the whole whole room, I saw Randall stumbled backward, his champagne glass fell on the floor and maybe in his mind, he realized that I’m not someone he can easily hurt now. Because his own family, his own father, is now my husband.

The silence didn’t last long as Randall stepped forward from the center floor, his expression twisted with disbelief and humiliation. He looked at me, the way he looked at me before, then looked at his father. “Is this some kind of a sick joke, Father?” he shouted. “You’re bringing this woman here and announced as your wife? She's trash that I already disregarded! And you want us to believe that a penniless orphan would be the new matriarch on the day of my engagement?”

I held on Rydell’s arm tightly as another man stepped up. I know him. It was Don Roman, Yhone’s father and the oldest and one of the most ruthless syndicate bosses in the city. He looked at me then to Rydell with deep fury.

“What is the meaning of this insult, Kreiston?” Don Roman boomed, pointing an aggressive finger at him. “We came here to solidify an alliance between our families. Yet you disrespect my daughter. Don’t you know that by doing that, you also disrespect my bloodline? All for what? For this rat?”

“Watch your mouth, Roman,” Rydell warned softly, his voice calm but his hand tighten on my waist.

“Or what?” Don Roman snapped, seeing his daughter on the side crying. No one in the world is too tough when they see their daughter in that state. So I know his reaction is valid, but still. I can’t bring myself to stop, Rydell. “You think you can play games with us? Your son discarded this woman as trash and now you pick her up to mock my family? This engagement is a blood contract! You will explain yourself or this night would be history for the bloodiest celebration of the century. “

“Father, she’s nothing but a gold digger! She been out in our life for years and now probably there’s no man willing to accept her so she crawl to-”

‘Enough!” Rydell screamed synchronised with the sound of guns that echoed from every corner of the ballroom. Then a dozen men appeared from the crowd surrounding them carrying heavy black tactical pistols. And every single one of them aimed precisely at the head of Don Roman, Randall and their personal bodyguards. I know all of them, I used to joke with them in the past before knowing that they are Rydell’s elite guards.

“Rat? Trash? “ Rydell didn’t even raise his voice. He simply looked down at Don Roman and Randall from the stage.

The entire room went dead silent. Nobody breathed including me. What did I even do?

“You are standing in my house, because I allow it. “Rydell says, his tone is cold and absolute. “If either of you speaks another disrespectful word about my wife, you won’t live long enough to see the war you just threatened.”

Don Roman’s jaw locked, his chest heaving under the red laser lights while Randal stared at the guns with a face pale from terror. One wrong move from anyone, or even word this whole room would be filled with blood. I couldn’t let that happen.

I need to stop this now.

I squeezed my eyes shut, letting out a soft gasp and allowed my knees to give out completely. I know I’m mattered to Rydell the most so he won’t hesitate to give his full attention to me.

“Rydell..” I whimpered. My head fell back as my body went limp. Before I could even hit the floor, I heard Rydell and Randall calling my name. Rydell caught me against his chest.

“Little honey?” His terrifying tone just a while ago is gone, replaced by sudden terror. I can’t believe that I really mattered to him. “Clear the way! Move!” He shouted as he carried me into his arms effortlessly.

Even with my eyes closed, I know that he’s taking me to my room. Rydell laid me down on the massive bed with a gentleness that didn’t match with his lethal frame. I still force my eyes shut staying entirely still or he would discover that I’m just pretending.

“Hazel…open your eyes,” he muttered, his voice rough and lace with a vulnerability he never showed to anyone even to me before. Then the mattress dipped beside me. “You’re safe here with me.” His large, warm hand touches my face, I can feel his fingertips tracing my cheekbone.

What is he doing? “They can never hurt you again, little honey.” Rydells didn’t pull his hand away. His hand slid from my jaw down to the exposed skin of my collarbone, his fingers burning like fire. He leaned down over me, as I could feel the intense pull of his presence. The next second, I could feel his warm breath across my lips, sending shivers straight down to my spine.

Is he going to kiss me? Right as his lips were about to press against mine. I opened my eyes.

Rydell froze.

Our gazes locked in the dim light- my wide, breathless stare meeting his gray eyes which even with the dark, I can see his untamed lust.