CHAPTER 2

Matvei

Love. Marriage. Family.

These are the three things I’ve despised my whole life, the three things I swore I would never let trap me. Yet here I am, sitting like a king, actually pleased that a complete nobody agreed to sign my marriage contract. Oh my Hell!, I can already picture my father’s expression right now. I defied his biggest demand, to marry the daughter of a Sicilian mafia clan to secure our alliance, and instead chose a commoner. The satisfaction I feel today is unreal.

Never did I imagine I’d ever be this happy about marrying a stranger I barely even know, just to spite my father.

My door opened without a knock, and I knew it was Geal, my most trusted person, who would dare to fling my door open without knocking, so I did not pay attention to him. I kept my gaze fixed on the message my secretary sent me about the contract marriage.

“Are you smiling?!” Geal asked, a smirk tugging at his face.

 “Yes,” I said, smiling wider, dropping my phone and fixing my gaze on him.

“What did you do to your dad?!” he asked instantly; he knew what could make me smile like this.

 “Married a commoner,” I said, rising from my seat, turning my back as I faced the window overlooking my building.

 “Yo-Yo-Yo,” he said, stepping closer with widened eyes. “You’re fucking joking, right?!”

 I turned to him with a cold glare. Why the fuck would I joke about that?

 He read the answer in my eyes and dragged a hand through his hair, looking frustrated, and I didn’t give a shit why.

“You were supposed to marry that Grace girl your father picked for you, Matt,” he said slowly. “Who the fuck did you marry, and how?!”

Gael is my trusted man, and he damn well deserves an explanation for what I pulled. I can see the hurt in his eyes, as I got married behind his back. He’s such a soft bastard.

“Marriage with Grace Moretti is a massive deal for my dad,” I said, my voice low and cold. I hate explaining the shit I do. “So I figured if I married a commoner, he’d lose his mind—and get disgraced in front of the fucking Morettis.”

“That’s true, but you needed that marriage for a stronger alliance, Matt.” He sat up straighter in the chair across my desk. “You traded business for this marriage stunt just to spite your dad. You might gain nothing from it.”

“Hmm.” I hummed. “I already have a solid deal with the White House, Gael, and most of my legal businesses are turning into a billion-dollar empire. Only my father loses from this. Watching the pain and disappointment on his face is my gain.”

“I don’t know, Matt.” He dragged his hand through his hair. “Marriage is a big thing. Who the hell did you marry? Wait—don’t tell me you picked some whore you like fucking.”

“Nah.” I let out a low chuckle. “I told my hotel secretary, ‘Sonia,’ to find me a commoner—submissive, easy to bend into my world. She got back to me this morning.”

He flushed at the mention of her name. He’s got a massive crush and still no balls to talk to her. “Damn, that was fast, Matt,” he said with a wide grin. “No more fucking around, yeah?”

“It’s in the contract that I can fuck whoever I want and be with whoever I want. She’s just a calm, obedient, good girl. And she signed it.” I sat back in my chair, facing Gael, who suddenly wore a no-no expression.

“What?” I snapped.

“I don’t know what to say, Matt.” He looked away, shaking his head.

He sat there giving me that this is wrong look. I didn’t give a damn. I glared at him. Who the hell wants to be loyal to one woman? Not me.

I shifted the topic to business. I didn’t build this empire by talking about some shitty marriage. Last night at my club, a few idiots had the guts to ambush me and ended up shooting one of my whores by mistake. I’m not letting that slide.

“Did you get the update on the fuckers who tried to ambush me yesterday?” I asked, keeping my glare locked on him.

“Yeah. Some of your goons plotted against you. Used their access to the club to try to shoot you dead. They’re in the underground now.”

I burst into laughter. A bunch of idiots under me are thinking they could kill me. Now they’re getting the slowest, most painful death I can give. I’ll peel their damn skin off.

“Let’s go have some fun,” I said to Gael, and he started laughing too. He’s more deranged than I am—just has too many damn emotions.

We stood and headed to the door when one of my goons knocked. Gael opened it, being closer.

“Don Matvei, your parents are outside waiting for you,” he said.

On any other day, I’d be pissed they showed up. But today, I’m the happiest man alive. The disappointment on my father’s face will be the highlight of my day.

“Let’s go share the good news, Gael,” I said, eyeing him.

“Nah.” He lifted his hands in defense. “I’m not letting your dad put a bullet in my head. I’ll just go have fun in the underground.”

“Pussy.” I slapped his arm.

We both laughed as we stepped out of my office. I headed straight for the sitting room while Gael practically jogged downstairs.

“Did you cut off the marriage with Grace Moretti?!” My father’s harsh voice hit me before I even stepped into the room.

I smiled widely at the sight of all that disappointment. “Yes. I got married to the love of my life.”

“You did what?!” my father snapped.

“I married a commoner I love,” I repeated.

“I know you’re lying, Matvei. You didn’t marry anyone,” my mother’s quiet, irritating voice filled the room—always speaking only when he allows it. She’s never cared what her children want, only what he decides. “Don’t say these things just to hurt your father.”

I enjoy hearing that—hurt your father. Every time he steps into my way, I make sure I hurt him. “What makes you think I’m lying, Violetta?”

“Don’t call her by her name. She is your mother,” my father snapped.

The only thing stopping me from putting a bullet in his head is the fact that he still owns half the empire I built. My mother tapped his shoulder, asking for permission to continue. He gave her a curt nod.

“I’m just saying I haven’t heard or seen you with any woman,” she continued. “You have different women around you every day, Matt, and suddenly you’re married? She’s not even having a bachelorette party, no engagement—nothing. It’s suspicious.”

My father glanced at her and smiled like she’d made a solid point. This is not why I got married. “She’s having a bachelorette party tonight. I kept her private to keep her out of danger because of our allies. So dress up for the wedding tomorrow.” I scoffed and walked out.

“Don’t you walk—” I didn’t wait to hear the rest.

I smirked to myself, heading to the underground, and pulled out my phone, dialing Sonia.

“Arrange the girl for a bachelorette party. You know what to do.”

“Yes, sir.”

I hung up and exhaled. This marriage will wreck my father’s alliance with the Morettis and humiliate him. Oh, maybe I should send them an invitation to the wedding tomorrow.

I pulled off a full wedding in twenty-five hours. Well, I’m Mattvei Orlov—no one ignores my orders and lives.