chapter 2: Bound by signature

AVERY'S POV

There was something wrong. The men in this room were all strange. I wouldn't be surprised if they were shape-shifting monsters. They terrified me.

“Take my hand already,” my father ordered in a low, dangerous voice.

I immediately slid my hand into his. He guided me to the table I hadn't noticed earlier. My heart skipped a beat at the sight of the dark-haired stranger seated gracefully at the table.

His shoes were dusty, and the hem of his suit pants had traces of dry grass stuck in them. Does he by any chance live in a jungle?

He lifted his head, his gray orbs locking with mine in an intense stare. He sized me up, and I could feel the color leaving my face. His aura was dangerous; his stare screamed retribution.

Even my father quivered at his gaze; I could feel him shaking. We stopped a few inches in front of him. He made my dad seem short. What a perfectly dangerous man he was.

“Move closer.” I heard the command, but I couldn't get my body to move. I feared I would collapse from fright.

"Look at me!”

I flinched, immediately lifting my eyes to stare into his ice-cold eyes. “I do not repeat myself.” That was a warning for me. I nodded in understanding.

“You look even prettier in person,” he murmured, forcing a smile that didn't reach his eyes. For a moment, he looked less dangerous. How could a man so handsome be so terrifying to look at?

He turned to the officiant. I hadn't noticed his presence before. He, too, appeared to be shaking with fear. “You may begin.”

This was it; I was going to be married to this dangerous stranger. No one would save me—no one but me… I can at least try.

"Excuse me, Sir… I…” My voice shook with fear. “I know nothing about what's going on here. I'm being forced into this. I am not a willing bride.” I glanced at the officiant, hoping he could be of any help.

“How dare you?” The words were delivered with a hard slap across my face.

My words had infuriated my stepmother. I had expected an outburst from the dangerous man instead, but he just stared at me blankly.

Tears formed in my eyes. I could tell her fingers would leave marks on my cheek from how much pain I was feeling.

Suddenly, my stepmother fell to the ground, screaming in pain with her hands on her cheek. The dark-haired man had struck her hard across the face.

His nose flared, his brows drawing together. “Nobody touches what's mine!” he thundered.

Turning to the men behind him, he ordered, “Deal with her.”

“No, no, forgive me, Mr. Armstrong. I was just trying to teach her a lesson.”

He turned a deaf ear to her pleas as she was dragged out of the room.

My father opened his mouth to say something but shut it in fear.

"Are you okay?" Mr. Armstrong asked as I stared at him in disbelief. I just couldn't believe my eyes. Mr. Armstrong was angry because my stepmom hit me? And he was worried if I was okay? No way.

He appeared calm now. His brows had relaxed, and his face was back to the expression he had earlier—blank, cold indifference.

"I am fine... Thank you." My voice was barely audible.

"Good. Now, back to what you were saying. You have no interest in whatever is going on, but sadly, you can't get out of it."

"But—"

He lifted his hand in the air, a signal to keep quiet.

"I give you five minutes to make your choice. Your time starts now.”

His tone did not suggest I had the chance to refuse. He didn't say it, but I knew there would be consequences. “I assure you, you will be well taken care of and rewarded.”

"You can't win me over with money, and I'm not marrying you." I don't know how I was able to object after everything I had just witnessed.

"I take that as an insult." He looked pissed.

Considering the kind of man he was, he probably took what he wanted; he didn't have to bribe to get it. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut.

“Four minutes,” he said dismissively.

Slipping his hand into his suit pocket, he pulled out a lighter for his cigarette. I caught a glimpse of his gun. My heart began to beat even faster; I didn't think that was possible.

"I'm feeling rather kind today. Go on.”

The air in the room changed. It screamed danger, and I wished this was all a dream and I'd awaken soon. I saw my dad step forward.

"Mr. Armstrong, if you don't mind, I would love to speak to my daughter for a second." I didn't want to hear whatever my father had to say. He pulled me to the corner of the room to talk about God knows what.

"Look, Avery, this wasn't my idea."

"But you agreed to it," I countered.

"I have raised you all these years; just help me this once. I'm going bankrupt. Celia suggested all of this as a way out. But now, if you don't accept, we will all be doomed. You must marry him," he stated as an order.

"I will not marry him!" I yelled at him in disgust.

"Hush now, we don't want him to hear,” he whispered, looking back in fear. “You will marry him, willingly or not. You have no choice."

“You cannot force me.”

My father looked at me with a wicked smile and said, “I can, and I will. We have raised you; it’s time for you to pay us back. Otherwise, all of your mother's belongings, the inheritance she left you—consider them all gone."

I felt a heavy weight hit my chest when I heard those words. He didn't mean that, did he?

“You can't do that! How can you expect me to marry someone I’ve never met? Did you stop and think if I would want any of this?"

His smile made my breath hitch. "Of course not, you never cared. You let your wife and daughter treat me however they wanted, and you never said or did anything to help me. Instead, you joined hands with them to make my life a living hell."

Taking my hand in his, rather roughly, he said, "Let's put everything behind us and start afresh.”

What I would have given to hear this sooner, but he meant none of those words. “I could be the father you have always wanted if you help me this once. I mean every word I say."

I stopped trying to argue. I turned to look at the man I was expected to marry. Why couldn't I just wake up from this horrid dream?

AIDEN'S POV

"Move closer."

I wanted to see her face. I wanted to see the beauty I had observed from afar up close.

She stayed fixed where she was, her gaze glued to the floor like she was scared or shy.

"Look at me!"

She was startled. She looked at me immediately, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. She was afraid.

"Good. You look even prettier in person." I looked at the marriage officiant. "You may begin."

"Excuse me, I know nothing about what's going on here, and I don't want to be part of any of this." The voice came from the tiny, innocent-looking girl beside me.

Such boldness from such a petite creature. Of course, I knew she had no knowledge of this. That much was evident from her expression and body language.

I was going to reply to my bride when the Kingston woman slapped her across her pretty face. All I saw was red.

"What did you just do?" I spat out every word bit by bit through gritted teeth.

"I was trying to put some sense into her. She's—"

"Shut the hell up! Nobody touches what's mine."

I signaled Stephan. "Teach her a lesson."

No questions asked, he dragged her out.

“Stupid witch!” A Kingston brat screamed as she lunged forward.

She fell silent when a gun was pressed to her head. For some reason, I wanted to protect Avery from these people. Deep down, I knew I wasn't any better.

“You have five minutes.”

One little conversation and she had already gotten me pissed.

Mr. Kingston requested an audience with his daughter in private.

It's time to be as brutal as possible and teach these Kingstons never to mess with me. I gave the signal to Steve; more men came in, ready to act on my command. I may have given them a choice, but I never offered to withhold punishment.

"Your time's up!" I turned to the marriage officiant. "Let the marriage begin!" I announced.

I signaled for Avery to come to me. I watched as she scanned the room, noticing the change. She sensed the danger. I hoped she'd make the right choice.

Resigned to her fate, she came over to me. We were married in seconds. I figured a smile would calm her down a bit, but she looked at me like I had grown horns.

"It's time to go home, wife."

"I have to get my mother's things." I knew she wasn't talking about Mrs. Kingston. I had gotten information on them before coming here.

"Alright, Steve will go with you." To my surprise, she didn't argue. We were out of the house in about thirty minutes.