Married Off To The Devil

CHANGE OF PLANS.

BELLADORA

I worried at my bottom lip as I stared at the laptop, watching as it seemed to take an eternity for the screen to load.

I felt like I was doing something wrong… searching the Internet for any piece of dirt I could find on my soon-to-be-husband. Alexei Ivanov, a man notorious in the Russian Mafia as being insane, demented and dangerous.

**Multi-millionaire heirs to the Ivanov empire at only twenty nine and twenty eight, Pavel and Alexei Ivanov, who have suspected ties to organized crime, have ventured into a new enterprise and renovated the Clandestine building on Greenway Blackwood.**

I looked back at Alexei then, feeling this strange tightness in my gut at the fact I’d be marrying him in the near future.

Very near future if my father had his way. His short dark hair was haphazardly strewn across his head, as if he ran his hands through it and didn’t care how it looked. I felt like he probably didn’t care about a lot of things.

Like humanity. He had the same shade of blue eyes as Pavel, a smirk on his face as he stared at the camera, as if he dared whoever was standing in front of them to take the picture.

My heart started racing, my throat tight and my mouth dry the longer I stared at him. I’d never spoken to him, never seen him in person, yet I felt this intense apprehension just from a picture alone. In fact, this was the first time I’d seen him in any capacity.

I shouldn’t find a man like him attractive, but I couldn’t help the fact I did. How would I feel once I was in the same room with him… alone with him? It was enough to have fear striking me hard and fast.

The last article I clicked on had my heart picking up an irregular beat as I read about Alexei having a traffic incident where it’s rumored he tore the finger and toenails off a man for cutting him off in traffic.

A knock on my bedroom door startled me and I slammed the laptop closed and pushed it under my pillow just as the door opened and my mother stepped inside.

I could see by the exasperated expression on her face and the way she was moving a little too quickly that she was nervous about whatever had brought her into my room.

“Is everything okay, mamma?” She immediately walked toward my closet without responding, and started rifling through the dresses that were hung up. I heard her mutter under her breath,

“this won’t do”. I stood and started twisting my hands together, but with each passing second I was growing more anxious about what was going on.

“Mamma?” She stopped as if my voice had pierced through the muddled fog of her thoughts. She turned to face me and I felt my brows lower as I looked into her eyes.

“What’s going on? Is Lilyana okay? Chris--” She waved her hand again, cutting me off, as if brushing my concern away.

“No, your brother and sister are fine. Everything’s fine. It’s just the plans have… changed a little.” I felt confusion fill me coupled with a good dose of apprehension.

“Changed how?” As if my life wasn’t already a mess.

“Your father just got off the phone with the Ivanov’s.” My heart sank into my belly and I felt a rolling tide of nausea settle into me.

The only thing worse than being tied to a man I didn’t love and had never met a single day in my life, was if he called off the engagement.

It would bring shame upon my father, on our whole entire family. I’d be seen as tainted, worthless… not good enough to even be sold off by my family.

And I would be the sole reason for it all, even if I’d had nothing to do with it, even if I couldn’t have offended anyone aside from just simply breathing.

“Okay,” I said slowly.

“What does that mean?” I could see the tension around her eyes.

“Your father got you a personal guard until the wedding, and then… she glanced around and looked at my closet once more.

“And plans have moved up.” My pulse raced and I shifted on my feet. I wasn’t surprised about the guard.

We’d always had soldiers following us, men watching out for the Conti family whenever we left the house given who my father was.

Vincenzo Conti had many enemies, people who’d kill us to get to him.

“What do you mean things have moved up?” I normally didn’t press, but the words spilled out of me before I could stop them.

She turned back around without answering me and started pushing hangers aside, inspecting each dress.

“This won’t do. Not at all.” She faced me once more.

“We need to go dress shopping tomorrow.” She nodded.

“Have things been canceled?” I whispered that last word, holding onto hope, but also feeling a spike of fear.

I didn’t want this arranged marriage, but at the same time if Alexei Ivanov called off the wedding for whatever reason, I would be the one who suffered for it.

The brunt of my father’s wrath landing on my shoulder” because I wasn’t “good enough.”

“Pavel Ivanov called your father this afternoon, said he wants the engagement and wedding pushed up.” I swallowed roughly, not sure how to take that. I hadn't known when the wedding actually was, the only details I’d been told was that it was happening.

For some reason I thought I'd have a long while before things went through, before everything was finalized. Weddings took a long time, right?

Right? Seemed like I’d been wrong.

“Alexei and Pavel Ivanov are flying in this weekend. We’re having dinner here.” My mother smoothed her hands down her perfectly pressed dress.

“They want to discuss a firm date for the wedding in person, and I’m sure Mr. Ivanov wants to meet you officially.” I wasn’t fool enough to think Alexei cared anything about me, not about anything of importance. I’m sure he wanted to make sure I wasn’t a homely spinster, or had a disfigurement.

Not that any of that would stop him from this marriage, not when it meant more power all around.

I wanted to curse, wanted to deny it all and tell my mother I would not do this. But I was a good Italian girl. I had learned my place in this world, where I stood with my family.

And so I pressed my lips together and kept all thoughts to myself. It was safer that way.

Even if I trusted my mother, and knew she empathized with me, my disobedience--as my father would see it-- would no doubt get back to him.

“Okay,” I finally said. My mother gave a firm nod and faced my closet once more.

“You need to make yourself presentable,” she said without looking at me.

“You need to look your best so Mr. Ivanov sees your worth.” Yeah, like superficial beauty was all any female in this world had to offer.

“Bella, you need to meet the new guard your father will have with you until the wedding.” she started murmuring under her breath again.

“New guard? What about the ones I’ve used before?” She started murmuring in Italian again as she looked at my closet.

“No, no. They’ve been reassigned. More pressing issues, your father tells me. Your father wants you downstairs to introduce you to Dimitri.”

“Why?”

“We don’t question what your father decides, especially when he wants you protected.” I pursed my lips but otherwise said nothing else. I turned from my mother and walked over to the window, pulling the heavy curtain out of the way and looking outside.

My bedroom faced the front of the house, the long, elaborate and winding driveway leading down to the wrought iron gate.

My life wasn't my own. It never had been and it never would be, and that wouldn’t change because of who I married. And Alexei was no different than my father.

In fact, I had a feeling he was even worse.

The very devil himself.