BOUND BY BLOOD AND BILLIONS

The Mess He Bought- Part 2

I look at Alistair and burst out a dry laugh. "A streetwalker?" I say, my hands getting all clenched up at my sides. "I would not dress up for you even if my life was on the line."

Alistair looks back at me, his voice cold. "Your life is not on the line Vivienne " he says.

"Your family's is. That is why we need to go over the details of the contract you just so blindly signed."

He does not even bother to open the folder. He just crosses his arms over his chest looking down at me like he is in charge.

"Number four " he starts, his voice echoing off the glass walls. "You will be moving to my penthouse. Today. My team is already at your house packing your stuff. You do not sleep anywhere else. You do not leave the city without my permission in writing."

I feel like I am going to stab this control freak with the gold pen I just threw.

"You are crazy " I say, the reality of the situation hitting me. "You can not keep me in your house!"

Alistair just smiles. "It is my house, which means it is safe, " he says. "That brings me to number seven. Your social life is now mine. There will be no pictures of you in the news at 3:00 AM. There will be no cars getting wrecked. No more drinking in public. Your credit cards are being watched. My team will be in charge of your social media accounts starting in five minutes."

"You cannot do that!" I yell loudly. My lungs feel tight and the air in the room suddenly feels so little. He is not just buying my name, he is taking away my life.

"I already did."

He takes a step closer to me, his hand on the table beside my hip. He is so close I can feel the heat from his body.

"This whole bad girl persona you have been doing for seven years? It is over now. It is boring Vivienne. It is just you trying to get attention. If you want to honor your brother, try acting like a grown up instead of a kid throwing a tantrum.”

When he mentions my brother it feels like a bucket of ice water was poured on me.

"Do not say his name " I hiss, my voice shaking with anger. "You can buy my time Alistair. You can buy my clothes and my family's debt.. Do not pretend you have the right to talk about honor when my brother's blood is practically dripping off of your hands."

For a second I see a flash of emotion in his face.. Then he is back to normal.

"I am going to make your life a whole f*****g hell, Alistair, and I will revel in every moment." I whisper, my voice full of hate.

Alistair just smirks. "You can try, " he says.

"Right now you are going to go into my private room, take off that crazy outfit and put on the dress my assistant laid out for you. We have a press conference. And you, my darling, you are going to smile like you are the happiest woman in the world."

He steps back pointing to a door at the back of the room.

"You have twenty minutes, Vivienne. Do not make me come there and dress you myself."

~

I slam the door of his room behind me leaning back against the wood as I try to catch my breath. The room is like him, expensive and cold. Dark tiles, charcoal furniture and a big window looking out at the city.

The dress is laid out on the bed. I walk over to it feeling sick to my stomach. It is the opposite of who I'm. It is a neck high, long-sleeved dress made of heavy silk. There is no cleavage, no panels, no jagged edges. It is a dress for a submissive corporate wife.

I hate Alistair, I whisper to the room, taking off my leather jacket and mesh top. I strip off my fishnets, tossing them on the floor in a pile.

I step into the dress and it fits perfectly wrapping around my body with precision. His assistant must have gotten my measurements right. I pull the zipper up the back feeling the metal bite into my skin sealing me into my reality.

I walk over to the mirror, staring at the stranger looking back at me. The red lipstick and black eyeliner look weird against the dress. I look like a fallen angel. I grab a makeup wipe and angrily scrub the dark makeup off my face until my skin is raw and flushed. I pull my hair back into a twist at the back of my neck. I put on the nude lipgloss I see among the light make up set they placed in front of his mirror. I look completely stripped bare. I look how Alistair wants me to look.

When I glance down at my hand the big diamond catches the light flashing like a warning sign. I clench my hand into a fist feeling the metal bite into my knuckles. I may be wearing Alistair's clothes. I may be standing in his cage but I am keeping my promise to Julian. I am going to tear this man's life from the inside. I take a deep breath, turn my back on the mirror and march out.

When I open the door and step back, into the big boardroom, I see Alistair standing by the windows buttoning his suit jacket. He turns as I walk in, and I hold my breath, waiting for his reaction. He just looks at me with a blank face. His eyes sweeping over the dress, the bun and my scrubbed-raw face. His expression is unchanging.

Alistair looks at me like I am a piece of paper on his desk, then he checks his watch, the i***t does not even care that he is being rude.

"You missed a spot of eyeliner on your lash line " he says in a cold voice. "Fix it in the car. We are three minutes behind schedule."

Then he turns around and walks away from me. I am so surprised that my jaw drops. I feel like screaming. I feel like throwing the marble paperweight at him.

But I swallow hard, forcing the angry lump in my throat threatening to come out back down and follow him instead.

The elevator ride down to the parking garage is very quiet. The air is thick and hard to breathe. Alistair stands still staring at the metal doors, and I awkwardly fiddle with the hem of my dress.

When the doors open we walk out into the parking garage, I spot the black SUV car waiting for us and the paparazzi waiting for us outside their cameras flashing. The news of the Merger must have leaked.

"You walk beside me. You keep your head high. You do not talk to the press. If they ask you a question, you. You let me answer it. Do you understand?"

I do not like being told what to do by Alistair. "I am not your dog, Alistair. You do not need to give me orders."

He looks at me his eyes cold and hard. "Play your part, Vivienne or your fathers estate will be sold."

The car ride to the Grand Plaza Hotel is crazy with cameras flashing and his driver speeding like we are being chased. When we get to the Gala, a swarm of reporters rush towards us, but Alistair's security guards hold them back.

"I need to use the restroom " I say, my voice tight.

He stares at me with calculating eyes "You can wait until after the press conference."

"I really need to go. I cannot wait. Your behavior is making my stomach hurt and being in the same car ride with you is not a pleasant experience" I say, slightly stomping my foot in anger "If you do not let me go I might throw up on your shoes."

He stares at me for a long time, thinking about it.

"You have two minutes. My guards will go with you. Do not try anything funny or stupid."

I get out of the car, his guards covering me from the reporters as we rush towards the restroom.

I lock the door behind me, and stare at the foreign person looking back at me in the mirror.

The silk dress looks nice, too nice. It feels like a collar around my neck. The high neckline feels like it is choking me and the long skirt feels like it is holding me back. Alistair wants me to be a perfect wife but I do not want to be that.

"Not today Alistair, not ever."

I look at the diamond ring on my finger, and using the edge of the ring, I poke at the seam of the dress till a small tear appears, then I use my hands to rip it open. the sound of the silk tearing. It feels good.

With a sharp, breathless yank, I rip the collar down the center of my chest, popping the hidden buttons and exposing my collarbones and the deep swell of my cleavage. I pull the pins out of my tight bun, letting my dark hair fall around my shoulders in a messy, chaotic cascade, I pull the small make up kit from my bag, and apply a red lipstick and touch up my face. I smile as I stare back at my reflection, I look wild. I look ruined. And I look exactly like Vivienne Alexander.

I push the restroom doors open and march back out into the lobby corridor. Alistair is waiting near the entrance to the press hall, flanked by his PR team. He turns his head as he hears my footsteps.

For the first time since I met him, the mask slips.

His eyes drop to the jagged tear exposing my thigh, then up to my ruined neckline and messy hair. A muscle in his jaw leaps violently. The stoic, icy composure fractures, replaced by a dark, simmering fury that makes the air crackle with dangerous electricity.

He knows exactly what I did. He knows I am daring him to stop me.

"Ready when you are, darling," I say, flashing him a venomous, triumphant smile.