Chapter 2

AMELIA

I woke up slowly, my head heavy and foggy.

My eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. I was in an unfamiliar room. It was clean, spacious, and eerily quiet. My wrists were still tied, and my ankles too.

I tried to get off the bed, but I fell instead. The sharp and sudden impact jolted through me. Panic clawed at my throat as the door suddenly swung open.

He walked in, the same man from last night. Calm, and annoyingly confident, like he owned the whole damn world.

“I can see that you’re awake,” he said, amused, placing a glass of water beside me. “Drink.”

“Oh, so now you’re being hospitable?” I scoffed, trying to find my balance. “You kidnap me and now you’re offering a drink? Let me go if you’re feeling generous.”

He didn’t flinch. He stepped closer, grabbed my arm, and lifted me back onto the bed like I weighed nothing.

I felt my heart beat twice as fast, I had no idea where I was, who this man is or what was going to happen to me. I struggled with the ropes. “You know this is illegal, right?”

“You shot someone,” he replied coldly. “If it had nothing to do with you, why get involved?”

“Why else? I was trying to save your life.”

He tilted his head, a dark gleam in his eyes. “You thought your tiny ass could save me?” He let out a low chuckle. “That’s cute. But that’s one version of the story. The other? You’re in cahoots with them. And when I prove it’s true... I’ll end you myself.”

I let out a frustrated sigh, “what else do you wa…”

His phone buzzed interrupting my attempt to plea for freedom. He glanced at the screen and sighed before answering.

“Yes, father… I’m aware… What? Right now? Fine. I’ll be there.”

He turned to me, pocketing his phone. “Well, ive got something to take care of. Someone will help you out of that take you home.”

“Gee... how kind of you,” I muttered feeling a little relieved.

He was halfway out when the door opened again.

My jaw dropped as my father-in-law walked in.

“Amelia?” my father-in-law said, brows furrowed. “What’s going on here?” His eyes darted between me and Rafael. “Rafael, what are you doing with your brother’s fiancée?”

I blinked in disbelief, the long-awaited brother of Ethan that has been out of the country forever was the man I fucked?

I looked at Rafael, he seemed to have been shocked too but quickly covered it with a smug smile. "Don't worry about it dad, I thought she was someone else when I kidnapped her."

"You just arrived back last night and you're already pulling such stunts?!" His father shouted at him. "Get Amelia out of that and take her home. We have business to attend to."

I flinched as he cut the ropes on me. I studied his expression, he doesn't seem to be fazed in any way about who I am.

My father-in-law turned his full attention to me. “Amelia, you need to be more careful. You know how precious you are to this family. You refused bodyguards, fine. But if something like this ever happens again, I won’t give you a choice.” His voice softened. “Are we clear?”

"I'm sorry father," I told him. "It wouldn't happen again."

*********

The ride home was painfully awkward.

After the tense meeting, Rafael had offered to drive me back. I didn’t know if it was kindness or, guilt.

Just as I decided to break the silence, he muttered something too.

“What?” we both said at once.

“You go first,” he added quickly.

I took a deep breath. “I’m sorry about last night. I honestly didn’t know who you were. I hope things won’t be... weird between us?” I glanced at him. “And Ethan.”

He didn’t answer right away. Then finally, “Amelia?”

“Yeah?”

“How does Ethan treat you?”

He took his eyes from the road and glanced at me for a second. I caught a glint of something in his eyes, was it pity?

“What do you mean?” I asked, wondering what he was really thinking.

“I might be wrong,” he said, “but you don’t seem like the type of woman who sleeps with strangers. Especially days before your wedding.”

I let out the heaviest sigh. “It is better I do that now than when I’m married. No?”

We pulled up to the house and I immediately wished we hadn’t. Ethan was outside, looking like he was about to devour anything in his part. When he saw us, his eyes went wild.

Rafael reached for my hand just before I opened the door. “You don’t have to marry him, you know?”

I stared at him, speechless.

Ethan charged toward the car and landed a heavy punch straight to Rafael’s face.

“What are you doing?!” I screamed, trying to stop him.

He ignored me and hit Rafael again.

Rafael wiped blood off his lip, totally unfazed, he straightened himself up and stared down at Ethan.

“Don’t you fucking touch her again,” Ethan hissed, then grabbed me by the wrist and dragged me into the house.

I looked back at Rafael, who simply got into his car and drove off like nothing happened.

“Let go of me,” I snapped, struggling against Ethan’s grip. “You’re hurting me!”

He shoved me inside and slammed the door.

“Where the fuck have you been, Amelia? What were you doing with him?”

“You told me to get out of your face, Ethan. That’s where I was.” I didn’t even look at him as I headed toward my room.

Normally, I’d feel guilty. But I was too tired to care.

“What were you doing with Rafael?” he barked again.

“Ask him. He fancied me enough to kidnap me.”

“Amelia,” he said, voice low but sharp, “my brother is not someone to mess with. I mean it. Be careful with him.”

I stopped. “So now you care?” I scoffed. “Go find your mistress, Ethan. I’m exhausted.”

“Amelia!” he shouted. “I don’t want to ever see you with him. You don’t know who he is!”

“Oh…” I turned to face him fully, eyes burning. “Then tell me… who is he, Ethan?”