Wedded

Zoe

We stand at the altar staring at each other, seemingly in a stalemate.

“I don’t have all day, Kitten.”

“Stop calling me that!” I grit my teeth, my rage taking over again. I can see both my father and Dan shaking their heads. They are probably screaming “Little terror” in their heads.

“What? Are you going to shoot me too?” he scoffs while his men burst out in laughter. They must think I am really stupid. Maybe I am, because I am glaring and feel like strangling the most feared man in the country.

Crammed up in the corner, trembling are the most powerful people in our county, yet here I am snapping at this man.

He takes out a folded paper from his jacket pocket and throws it at me. What a jerk!

I catch the paper, unfold it and immediately notice our country’s old flag on it.

Agreement of marriage between Prince Leonard Largota and Lady Zoe Maloy. By the order of Her Highness, Queen Violet and First Countess, Lady Monroe.

His surname is Largota? Like the country’s name. As in a member of the believed to be dead royal family?

“I…”

I am trying to recollect my thoughts when he speaks again.

“This is just a formality. We are as good as married, Kitten.”

“We are not!” I object.

This must be some sick joke. There is no way I am married to this man!

“You are twenty-five. Are you not?”

I open and close my mouth. I saw something on the paper about turning twenty-one.

“That agreement came into effect four years ago. That, Kitten, makes you my wife.”

I lift my eyes to meet my father’s. He immediately looks away. This is not something one finds out about at their shamble of a wedding. Is this the reason why he never pressured me to wed like my peers were? Is it why he did not say a word when I got engaged? How can he not tell me about this?

How come no one ever mentioned that the country’s boogy man was royalty? Does this mean other royals are also alive or is he the only living heir?

“I don’t have all day, Kitten and I hate your attitude. It might get your father and brother killed. I will ask one last time. Ready?”

I swallow my saliva and nod my head. I don’t doubt his threat. All I know is I never want to live in a world where my father and brother don’t exist. I will have to find a way out of this when my family is safe.

In a daze, I marry an angry, cold-blooded murderer and a stranger who hates my attitude.

“You may kiss the bride?” the priest’s declaration sounds like a question. Like he needs him to give him the permission to utter it.

“Eew! No!” he smirks and eyes me with so much disgust.

“No one forced you to marry me,” I mumble under my breath and immediately get grabbed on my back, my body colliding against his hard chest.

“Careful, Kitten. I don’t tolerate disrespect.”

I hold my breath, my throat drying up and my heart galloping.

That’s when my father approaches us and kneels in front of him with his head head bowed.

“Forgive me for trying to marry off my daughter, Czar. I had no idea that you were alive.”

There is a moment of silence before he loosens his grip on me and waves his hand, dismissing my father like he is nothing. What an ass!

My breathing halts again when his strong hand grips tightly on my right arm and leads me towards the exit. I am about to object to being ushered like a prisoner when he speaks.

“Kill them all. Make it spectacular.”

“Yes, Sir,” his men respond in unison while I subconsciously look at him.

“Objections, Kitten?”

“Stop calling me that. Surely, killing them is enough. There is absolutely no need to make a parade of it.”

“Have the two Lord Maloys lead the parade.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Fuck! Me and my big mouth. I just got my father and brother into a mess. I don’t know what they have to lead, but it can’t be good or legal.

I grab his arm with my left hand to plead for them when his cold stare lands on my hand. It’s as if I have committed the most atrocious crime on land. I quickly let go and swallow my saliva.

“Please. They are innocent.”

“I should care?”

“If you force them do anything illegal, I swear on my mother’s grave I will hate you all the days of my life.”

He raises his eyebrows.

“Wow! You are quite a dynamite, aren’t you? Now I can’t wait for our honeymoon.”

Oh Lord. I have not even thought about what marrying him means.

“Lord Maloy and junior are free to go. I wouldn’t want to be hated by my wife now. She might just deny me my spousal rights,” he smirks while I choke on my saliva.

This is all a joke to him, it’s a nightmare for me.

“Don’t worry, Kitten. I can be gentle, if you are good.”

If I am good? More like the real kitten he calls me. I want to scream at him. Tell him that I am not a cat or a pet. I want to gouge his eyes out, but that would be signing my father and brother’s death sentences.

I take one last look at my father and Dan and nod when our eyes meet. I hope they get away and as far away from here as possible. It’s the only way I would be able to escape him. I quietly comply when he leads me to the exquisite black SUV parked in front of the hotel. A hefty man in all black stands outside the passenger door. He bows his head before quickly opening the door for us.

I slip inside and shift towards the window while my husband gets in behind me. The driver steals a look at me before fixing his eyes forward. He looks younger than me, innocent even. I can’t help wondering if he chose to be the cold bastard’s driver. Of course, not. Here I am his wife and one consulted me.

The hefty man closes the doors and gets in n the front seat next to the driver.

“Destination is alternative first place. Avoid Dual avenue and Main street. Keep to the speed limit. We don’t want attention,” the hefty man who opened the door for us instructs the driver who nods and pulls off.

I fix my eyes outside the window. This was meant to be the happiest day of my life.

“Come closer, Kitten. I don’t bite,”that cold voice again. It is laced with amusement this time. “I do have other means of making you bleed than biting,” he adds.

I turn to look at him. That’s when it dawns on me that he is used to people trembling before him. He thrives in it. I am not going to give him that satisfaction, ever.

“Are you planning on threatening me forever?” I ask.

“Probably.”

“Why?” I enquire and he looks at me like I am crazy.

“Why not?”

I have never met a psychopath, but I am convinced that he must be one.

“You need a reason to not threaten me? Normal people don’t just threaten others for no reason.”

“You don’t know when to shut up, do you?”

“You did not have to marry me. You stayed away for four years. You could have just kept that agreement to yourself.”

He clearly can’t stand me. I am wondering why he bothered showing up. The Monroe land, of course. He must have an interest in it too.

“If it’s about the land, you can have it. I will sign the divorce papers and the land over to you. You can process everything in two month’s time.”

He gives me a disappointed look and shakes his head. “Precious blood was spilled. A great price was paid for that land, and you just want to sign it off like that.”

I don’t know what he is talking about and I have no energy to ask him.

“I did not even know about it, now my whole life is fucked up because of it.”

“That’s on your gullible stupidity.”

I clench my fists, my anger exploding. He cuts me off when I open my mouth to speak.

“Shutting up is a skill and a virtue. You should try it before I cut your tongue out.”