Chapter Six
1008 Words
~JANICE~
There was something about those eyes.
Eyes green as spring, filled with an intensity that words could not describe. Recognition flickered to life in some obscure place within me. I had seen those eyes before. I didn't know where, or when.
I still didn't even know who he was.
But those eyes… Those eyes were familiar.
My thoughts must have reflected in my own eyes, because his fingers tightened around my wrists and he asked again.
"Do you know who I am?"
"No," I replied. "No, I don't. Have we met before?"
He looked even angrier at that, as if I had betrayed him somehow.
"Don't lie to me," he hissed. "Don't you dare lie–"
"I said I don't know who you are!" I shouted. "What sort of psycho randomly kidnaps someone and starts insisting that they know who he is? I already told you I don't. What are you accusing me of lying for?"
He paused, seeming surprised by my outburst.
"You are Janice Chambers, aren't you?"
I wanted to scoff.
"Obviously I'm Janice Chambers," I retorted. "Who are you?"
He watched me for a moment, gaze flickering over my face like he was trying to glean my thoughts from it. The action made me feel exposed, and I squirmed uncomfortably in the silence.
"My name is Seth Diavolo," he said slowly. "And I didn't kidnap you."
My eyes widened. I barely heard anything that came after "Diavolo." This man was Seth Diavolo, the most wanted man in the entire country? I might not know much about the powerful families in AZ country, but I did know the Diavolo family. They were a feared Mafia family, whose multimillion dollar empire was built on the blood of others. And the man in front of me was the current patriarch.
My insides froze with fear.
"What do you want from me?" I asked.
He studied me for a moment, then said: "I'm going to release you now. Don't do anything stupid."
I didn't need to be told twice. What could I do, anyway, that wouldn't end badly for me? He let go and reclaimed his chair while I sat up slowly, rubbing my sore wrists.
"I'm offering you a deal," he said without preamble. "Become my wife– on paper only and I'll give you the protection, resources and influence you need to get your revenge."
I blinked at him, my head spinning.
What the hell?
Was I having a fever dream right now?
"You're offering me… a fake marriage?" I asked, mostly because I couldn't believe my ears.
It was, funnily enough, the smallest issue here. How did he know I wanted to get revenge? How did he know I was trying to gather resources for it? And, if he really wasn't the one that kidnapped me, then how the hell did I end up in his custody?
The whole thing was too suspicious for any sensible person not to see it. Besides, he was SETH DIAVOLO. Patriarch of the blood-soaked Diavolo family.
Did he really think anybody would want to bind herself to him or his house, even in a fake marriage?
"Um…" I said. "No."
Seth looked at me like I had lost my mind. Wait, he honestly expected me to say yes?
"What?" he asked, in a tone that made it clear that he couldn't believe I just said that.
I cleared my throat nervously.
"No, thank you," I added, cringing away from him. "I appreciate your offer. Really, I do. But I just escaped getting married to one psycho. Not that I'm saying you're a psycho" –that was totally what I was saying– "but I'd rather not. Sorry to disappoint you."
I was, of course, not sorry. But I wasn't stupid enough to say that.
Not that my tactfulness did me any good, because now Seth was looking at me with eyes like chips of ice.
"You're refusing me." It wasn't a question.
I gulped, putting even more distance between us.
"I don't think you quite understand what's going on here," he said. "Your uncle sold you to me. I paid for you, Janice, and you can either allow me to claim what I paid for, or you can be smart about this and sign the marriage contract instead." He leaned back, raising an eyebrow. "Well? What will it be?"
My whole body had gone rigid.
I felt myself start to shiver despite the warmth in the room. I hugged myself tightly, fingers digging into the skin of my shoulders, teeth chattering.
My uncle had sold me.
Matteo… had sold me?
'It can't be,' I thought desperately. 'It can't…'
It hasn't even been up to three days since I was reborn. Two people can't have betrayed me already. Two people I put my trust in. I thought back to the car park, to how quickly my kidnapper had struck, as if he knew I was going to be there. As if he'd been expecting me. The only person who knew I was going there was Matteo and his employee. And now that I thought of it, the employee in question hadn't done anything to help me. He didn't call 911 or try to stop the kidnapper or even drive off. He just sat there, calmly watching me get knocked out. They probably even transported me in that fancy Lexus of his.
Cold.
I felt so cold.
There was ice choking up my heart, and I couldn't breathe around it.
Seth was still watching me. Waiting for my answer, though we both knew what it would be. I wasn't that naive. I knew exactly that I would have to surrender to him if I didn't sign the contract, and I'd be damned if I let a man have my body just because he paid another man for it.
"Fine," I said, forcing the words out through my tightening throat. "I will sign the contract. I will be your fake wife, Seth Diavolo."
'And I will make Matteo pay for this.'
- Writer
