Whiskey King

Chapter 5

Adella

I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me.

“I can’t be another person’s property, that’s not possible.”

Levi pulled his plate in front of him and took a bite.

“It is possible and it’s true. When you were born your father was struggling, your family was going to go bankrupt and he needed to make a deal. To my father it made sense, he had boys, your father had a girl, seal the deal with a contractual marriage. This has been decided for the last twenty-two years Della, no use in fighting it.”

“This has to be a joke Levi, let me call my dad, we can figure something out!” I got up and started pacing the kitchen. “So, what are we supposed to get married now?”

“We’ll wait the polite amount of time after your brother and Katerine, then we’ll announce our whirlwind romance and engagement. The press will love it.” Levi shrugged.

“But you don’t even like me, why would you want to marry me?” my hands started shaking, tears forming. Levi walked toward me and held my chin in his hand.

“I don’t have to like you, hell love you, to marry you. You belong to me, I can do with you what I want, when I want it.” He stroked the side of my cheek with his finger and I squeezed my eyes shut resisiting the urge to lay my head in his large palm. 

“What do you want, money? A place in the company? Property?” I was starting to get desperate.

“I have the property that I want, she’s standing directly in front of me,” Levi looked me up and down. He walked over to the island, picked up my juice and handed it to me.

“I’m not property I’m a person! If you let me go I won’t call the police, I swear,” my heart was racing, I needed to find some way out of this.

“You won’t call the police, you know why? The Wade family has people in every precinct in the southeast. Besides, who would believe you over me? You’re a hysterical little girl who isn’t getting her way. I could have you committed over the fit you’re throwing.” Levi leaned against the counter, hands in his pajama pants pockets. “You’d also have to escape my security detail and Marco and Lionel happen to be very good at their jobs.” 

I froze, feeling like I'd been slapped in the face. 

“Marco and Lionel work for the Buchanans.”

“We transitioned your father’s detail out for Wade family security a few months ago to gather better intel before the contract date. Marco and Lionel have been very helpful in gathering information and,” Levi smirked, “They’ve been kind enough to send me private pictures of my future bride.”

“Oh my god,” I covered my face with my hands, I’d never felt so violated. Levi slowly walked toward me, grabbed me and pulled me into his arms. He pulled my chin upwards like he was going to kiss me and started stroking my cheek again. 

“Would staying here and being my wife really be so bad?” I struggled to push away from him but he only held me closer, ran a hand in between my thighs and whispered, “Would it be so bad to have me as the only man to hold you, touch you, make you scream?” My body betraying me, I could feel a sense of warmth growing between my legs. I’d never been held, or touched like this by a man before and I had to admit that it wasn’t the worst feeling in the world. Part of me wanted to melt into his embrace and let him keep touching me, whispering dirty things in my ear but I couldn’t let my first time happen like this and not with Levi Wade. I brought my knee up and into his crotch, hard.

“You b***h!” Levi doubled over and moaned. Carter stood from the kitchen watching, still eating his breakfast.

“I’m through f*****g around Levi, let me go!” I yelled motioning to the door.

Levi stood upright and fixed his glare on me.

“Fine, you want to quit f*****g around? I’ll start. Adella, your parents always knew they were going to have to let you go. Why do you think they sent you away to school at such an early age? Why do you think you spent entire summers at camp? Your parents knew they’d have to give you up so they wanted to get used to having you gone. You’re nothing to them.”

How could Levi be so calm about this? This couldn’t be the truth, could it? I gripped the back of a kitchen chair and lowered my head, forcing myself to take deep breaths. I couldn’t let myself descend into a panic attack right now. Levi walked closer.

“Benjamin brought home a bride, your parent’s new daughter. She’ll be the daughter that your mom could never have. And when we announce our engagement, what do you think that’ll do to Melody? Think she’ll ever talk to you again?”

My breath quickened and I crumbled to my knees on the hardwood floor. I covered my mouth with my hand, suddenly I couldn’t breathe. I panicked and started gasping for air. Of course Melody will never speak to me again, she won’t want anything to do with me. I'll be marrying the man who broke her heart. I lurched forward curling into a ball, starting to full on hyperventilate.

“Adella, snap out of it! Carter check the file, does she have anxiety attacks?” I could hear distant voices. Why didn’t my parents want me? Why’d they sell me to the Wade family of all people? What was I supposed to do now?

“Carter grab the tranq, she needs to be sedated.” Won’t somebody at the Telfair notice I’m gone? What about my internship? Could I even have a career now? All I wanted was a little independence.

I felt a small prick on my arm, my whole body went numb then the world faded to black.