Chapter 3

The black Aston Martin purred to a halt in front of a majestic mansion. Viktor's hand fell from the wheel, and he turned to gaze at the young woman sleeping in the passenger seat. Her silky hair cascaded over her face, and her soft snores filled the air. His eyes narrowed in surprise. How could she fall asleep without knowing their destination?

A knock on the tinted window broke the silence, and he turned to see Orion standing outside. He wound down the window.

"Mr. Rossi, you should get down. I'll carry her to the guestroom," Orion suggested.

Viktor's gaze drifted back to the young woman, his eyes reaching for her curled fists. Memories of her desperate plea for help flashed through his mind, and he shook his head.

"I'll carry her myself," he stated, his voice firm.

Orion's eyes widened in surprise, but Viktor ignored him. He stepped out of the car and rounded it to her side. Gently opening the door, he scooped her sleeping figure into his arms. Instinctively, her arms curled around his neck, and his body stiffened. Her nose pressed against his neck, and he could feel her soft, tingling breath on his skin.

Clearing his throat, he adjusted her in his arms. "Park the car," he instructed Orion, who nodded before Viktor headed into the mansion.

Entering the guest room, he carefully lay her down on the king-size bed. Her dark brown hair was long and wild, her olive toned skin looking a little too pale. 

He allowed his eyes to drift over all of her, the clean lines scoop neck seamless top that didn't do much to hide the swell of her firm breasts, the mid thigh length shorts showing off her silky flawless skin. 

Damn. 

He heard footsteps, and as he glanced over his shoulder, it was to see Orion coming to stand in the doorway. He glanced at the woman on the bed, and it had Viktor reaching for the covers and throwing them over her to hide her body from his assistant's view. 

"Can I have a word with you?" Orion asked, his mind still reeling from Viktor's unexpected actions.

Without a word, Viktor stepped out of the room, the door clicking shut behind him. He faced Orion, his expression unreadable.

"I know what's on your mind," he said, his voice low.

Orion hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Time is running out, sir. I'm sure you can... persuade her to marry you before your 30th birthday." 

"I'll figure something out. I always do." He was focused on expanding Rossi Industries, not romance. But now that it had gotten to this, he had no choice but to put things into action. 

******

Katarina leaned against the giant window in the expansive room, staring at the stars that illuminated the sky. She had woken up a few minutes ago, to find herself in a spacious room with no idea of how she got there. The only thing she remembered was her getting into her life saver's car, and then dozing off. 

Her thoughts were disrupted when the door opened and she pivoted round to see him walking into the room. Gone was the tailored suit and crisp white shirt he wore. In its place, he wore a long-sleeved thermal shirt and jeans, and his feet were bare. For some reasons, she wanted to giggle at his long toes, but she tamped down the odd reaction.

"I—I slept off," she mumbled awkwardly when he stood just three steps away from her. 

"I'm eating dinner. Would you join me?" 

"I'm fine," she lied. She was starving. 

He grimaced. "I doubt that. You're too skinny, you need to eat more." 

Before she could say anything, he grasped her elbow and led her out of the room to the high counter separating the kitchen from the living space. "Sit," he ordered, pointing to the high padded stools. 

Knowing better than to argue with him, Katarina did as she was told. As he moved into the kitchen, she looked around the enormous space. Dark wood floors, three large, chocolate brown leather sofas, and white walls highlighted the vastness of the room. 

The walls were undecorated, aside from a massive TV in the living room, no personal photos or knickknacks. Even the furniture was bare—no cushions or throw blankets everywhere. Despite its grandeur, the room was cold, impersonal.

He returned and set a plate of Golden Calzone in front of her. Her mouth watered at the sight. It had been ages since she tasted such an exquisite meal, and somehow she couldn't help but think it seemed too normal for him. 

"Eat." His voice was firm, and despite the discomfort she felt at the way his gaze slid over her face the moment she picked up the spoon, she dug into the meal and ate in silence. 

She was halfway into the meal when he spoke up again. "You said you don't have a home." 

Her hands froze mid air and she raised her head to stare at him. She had been expecting such question from him since she literally threw herself to him and desperately asked for his help. 

Slowly, she nodded her head, keeping her eyes on her plate. "It's okay if you can't help me. I'll find a place to stay for the meantime," she mumbled. 

"I'm willing to help you on one condition," he stated, his eyes locked on hers. Her gaze shot up to meet his, a spark of hope igniting within her.

He was willing to help her on one condition? Of course, she'd gladly do whatever he wanted if it meant escaping the hellish home she'd endured for so long.

"I'll do anything," she said, determination creeping into her voice.

He nodded and rose to his feet. "It's settled then. We'll be getting married in a few days."

Katarina's eyes widened in shock as she gaped at him, motionless. Slowly, she slid off the stool, facing him, her gaze flitting around the room.

"Married?" she whispered, her voice trembling. She was sure she'd misheard him. It couldn't be.

"Yes, married," he confirmed, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "Didn't you say you'd do anything?"

Katarina's face burned with indignation. "Yes, but not marriage!" Her voice came out harsher than she intended. Yes, she had asked for his help, but did he have to take advantage of her situation that way? If this was a prank, he should rather stop it because she doesn't find it amusing. 

Viktor's expression turned cold, his eyes glinting with a hint of warning. "Okay," he said, his voice dripping with indifference. "When you're done with your meal, make sure you take your leave. I don't want to find you here tomorrow morning."

Her heart sank as the weight of his words hit her like a wave. "You—" Her voice faltered as tears filled her eyes. "You're not helping me anymore?"

He turned, a devilish smirk spreading across his face. "You can't expect me to help you without receiving anything in return. Like I told you, you don't ask strangers for help, because..." He leaned in, his breath whispering against her ear.

"They always want something in return."