His Captive, His Wife

The first thing Isabella Rivers noticed when she woke up was that her wrists were tied. The second thing she noticed was that the room was ridiculously expensive. The third thing she noticed was that whoever had kidnapped her had terrible taste in curtains. "Seriously?" She stared at the heavy black curtains covering the enormous windows. "Kidnapping people wasn't enough? You had to traumatize me with those?" A man standing beside the door slowly turned his head. Isabella smiled sweetly. "What?" He stared. She stared back. "You're very quiet." Nothing. "Do you people have a communication problem, or is the kidnapping package supposed to include silent bodyguards?" The man's jaw tightened. Isabella sighed. "Fine. I'll stop talking." Three seconds passed. "Actually, I lied." The bodyguard looked like he regretted every decision that had brought him into this room. Isabella looked around again. Marble floors. Crystal chandelier. Expensive furniture. A fireplace that probably cost more than her entire wardrobe. And two armed men guarding the door. Her smile disappeared. Something was wrong. Very wrong. She remembered leaving a nightclub the previous night. She remembered getting into her car. She remembered calling her mother. Then— Nothing. Isabella's stomach dropped. "Where are my parents?" The bodyguards remained silent. Her playful expression vanished completely. "Where are my parents?" Still nothing. She pulled against the ropes. "Untie me." No response. "Untie me now." The door opened. Both bodyguards immediately straightened. Isabella turned. And for the first time since waking up, she forgot to make a joke. A man walked into the room. Tall. Broad shoulders. Black shirt. Black trousers. A silver watch gleamed against his wrist. Dark hair fell slightly across his forehead, and his expression was so cold that the entire room seemed to become quieter around him. He wasn't merely handsome. He was dangerous. The kind of dangerous that didn't need to announce itself. His eyes settled on Isabella. She lifted one eyebrow. "You're late." His expression didn't change. "Excuse me?" "I've been kidnapped for approximately ten minutes." His gaze moved briefly toward the bodyguards. "How long has she been awake?" "About twelve minutes, sir." Isabella gasped. "Twelve?" She looked offended. "That's incredibly rude. You kidnapped me and didn't even give me breakfast?" The man ignored her. He walked toward her. Isabella's eyes narrowed. "Who are you?" He stopped directly in front of her. "Myles Kennedy." The name meant something. Everyone in the city knew it. Kennedy Group. Billionaire. Business tycoon. Dangerous reputation. Women threw themselves at him. Men avoided crossing him. Rumors followed him everywhere. Some said he had destroyed competitors without blinking. Others said people who betrayed him simply disappeared from his life. Isabella looked him up and down. Then she smiled. "So you're the billionaire psychopath." One of the bodyguards coughed. Myles's eyebrow moved slightly. "You're remarkably calm." "I'm not calm." "No?" "I'm furious." "Good." His voice was frighteningly calm. Isabella's smile disappeared. "Where are my parents?" Myles looked at her for several seconds. Then he said four words that made her blood run cold. "They're alive. For now." Everything inside her froze. "What did you say?" Myles turned away. "Bring them in." Isabella's heart slammed against her ribs. "No." The door opened again. Two guards entered. And between them— Her mother. Her father. Both alive. Both terrified. "Mom!" Isabella struggled violently against the ropes. "Mom! Dad!" Her mother tried to move toward her. A guard stopped her. "Isabella!" her father shouted. "Don't do anything stupid!" She stared at him. "You know me better than that." Even now, her voice trembled. Myles watched the reunion without emotion. Isabella looked at him. "What do you want?" "Something your father refused to give me." Her father went pale. Isabella's eyes moved between them. "What?" Myles reached into his jacket and removed a document. He placed it on the table. "Your marriage." Silence. Isabella blinked. Then laughed. Once. Twice. A third time. Nobody else laughed. Her smile slowly faded. "You can't be serious." "I am." "You kidnapped my parents..." "Yes." "...to force me to marry you?" "Yes." Isabella stared at him. Then she looked at her father. "Did you accidentally offend the wrong billionaire?" Her father closed his eyes. "Isabella..." "Oh, that's a yes." Myles picked up the document. "You will marry me tomorrow." Isabella stared at him. "Absolutely not." Myles didn't react. She leaned forward as far as the ropes allowed. "Listen carefully, Mr. Billionaire Psychopath. You can kidnap me. You can tie me to a chair. You can surround me with armed men." She smiled. "But you cannot make me marry you." Myles stepped closer. His voice dropped. "I can." Her smile disappeared. He placed a photograph on the table. Isabella looked down. Her face went pale. It was a photograph of her parents entering their home. Another showed her father's office. Another showed her mother at a restaurant. Another showed Isabella herself. Leaving her house. Entering her car. Walking into the nightclub. Every movement. Every day. For weeks. Someone had been watching them. Isabella slowly looked up. "You've been stalking us." "I've been protecting my investment." "Your investment?" "You." Her stomach twisted. "Why me?" Myles didn't answer. That scared her more than anything else. He turned toward her parents. "Tomorrow morning." Her father looked at him. "Myles, please." "No." The single word silenced the room. "If Isabella marries me, both of you walk out of this house alive." Isabella's eyes burned. "And if I refuse?" Myles looked directly at her. "Then we continue this conversation until you change your mind." She hated the certainty in his voice. She hated his calmness. Most of all, she hated that he seemed completely convinced he would win. Fine. If he wanted a fight... He had picked the wrong woman. Isabella smiled. It was the kind of smile her friends had learned to fear. "Okay." Everyone froze. Myles narrowed his eyes. "Okay?" She nodded. "I'll marry you." Her father stared at her. "Isabella, no." She ignored him. Myles studied her carefully. "You're agreeing?" "Yes." "Without conditions?" "Of course." Something suspicious flickered in his eyes. "You've changed your mind very quickly." Isabella smiled innocently. "I'm a reasonable woman." One of the guards almost laughed. Myles didn't. "Good." He picked up the marriage contract. "You'll sign it tonight." "Fine." "And tomorrow you'll become my wife." "Fine." "You will live in my house." "Fine." "You will follow my rules." Isabella's smile widened. "Absolutely." Myles stared at her. For the first time, something about her expression seemed to bother him. "What are you planning?" "Nothing." "You've been plotting since I entered this room." She placed a hand over her heart. "How could you accuse your future wife of such things?" Myles leaned closer. "Because I can see it in your eyes." Isabella smiled. "Then you should know I'm terrified." He didn't believe her. Good. He shouldn't. Because while everyone in the room thought Isabella Rivers had surrendered... She had already started planning. First, she would get her parents out. Second, she would figure out exactly why Myles Kennedy wanted her. Third— She would make him regret kidnapping her. And fourth... She would make the arrogant billionaire fall completely, hopelessly, ridiculously in love with her. Isabella's smile became wicked. If he wanted a wife... He was getting a nightmare. Across the room, Myles watched her. He had expected tears. Fear. Begging. Instead, the woman he had just forced into marriage was smiling like she had already won. He didn't know why. But suddenly, for the first time in years Myles Kennedy had the uncomfortable feeling that he might have made a terrible mistake. And Isabella? She was already planning her first prank. Tomorrow was going to be a very long day.