Drug Lord

Liana POV

I almost laughed, out of every man in the world, she couldn't have chosen a worse one.

Yes, Adrian Knight was young, devastatingly handsome, obscenely wealthy, and powerful enough to make the entire board answer his calls and they did think twice before crossing him, he was definitely every mother's dream son-in-law.

But to me, he was the last man I would ever marry. "You'll have to find someone else."

My mother's brows drew together as she leaned back in her chair, studying me with quiet confusion. "What's wrong with him?"

I forced my face to remain blank, refusing to let even a flicker of panic betray me.

How was I supposed to explain Adrian Knight?

How was I supposed to tell her that the man she was trying so desperately to hand me over to had already seen every part of me a husband was supposed to discover after marriage?

She couldn't know and if my mother ever found out Adrian had proposed months ago and I'd rejected him without a second thought, she'd probably drag me to the altar herself. "He and I don't get along," I said carefully.

"Really?"

I nodded. "Yeah. There's no way he'd be interested... and I'm not interested in him either."

Mother rested her chin on her hand, her expression thoughtful rather than convinced. "That's strange."

A knot formed in my stomach. "Why?"

"Because when I spoke to him, he seemed... extremely happy."

Every muscle in my body locked and my heartbeat stumbled before crashing painfully against my ribs. "What...?"

She smiled as though she'd just shared wonderful news. "In fact, he told me not to approach anyone else. He said he was completely on board."

The room suddenly felt too small and suffocating, this wasn't happening. "I'm not marrying him."

My voice came out sharper than I'd intended and my mother frowned. "Why not? He's got everything, Liana."

She began counting on her fingers as though presenting a business proposal instead of discussing my future.

"He's young, successful and very respected. He comes from one of the wealthiest families in the country, and he's been crazy about you for years even a blind person can see the way that man looks at you."

I almost laughed again, except this time there wasn't anything funny about it. "He doesn't love me."

"I think he does."

"He's an asshole."

Mother sighed. "I don't think an asshole would fight this hard for the chance to marry you."

My jaw tightened because she had no idea.

"He doesn't want me because he loves me," I said quietly. "He wants to punish me."

Her brows knitted together. "For what?"

"For rejecting him."

She stared at me for a long moment before shaking her head. "I don't believe that."

"You should."

"He seemed sincere."

I looked away before frustration completely consumed me. If only she'd seen the look in Adrian's eyes the day I'd turned him down.

It had been wounded pride because he wasn't used to hearing the word no, especially not from me. "Adrian is the best match you'll ever find," Mother continued. "He's powerful enough that no one would dare threaten you. You'd have complete control over the hotel and every door would open because you're his wife. He has connections and resources most people can't even imagine."

"No."

"Liana..."

"I said no."

"I didn't reject his proposal just so I could marry him later."

Mother didn't look angry but disappointed and somehow that felt worse.

After a long pause, she spoke quietly. "I've already agreed."

I blinked. "What?"

"I told him I'd support the marriage."

A cold rush swept through me. "You what?"

"I thought you'd come around once you considered everything."

"You made that decision without asking me?"

"I did what I thought was best."

I let out a bitter laugh that sounded nothing like amusement. "Then you marry him."

"Liana."

"I'm serious."

I pushed back my chair so abruptly it scraped against the floor. "If you're so impressed with Adrian Knight, you can have him."

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Talk to him before making a final decision."

"I have nothing to say to him."

"But maybe he has something to say to you."

That only made me angrier, I turned and walked out before I said something I'd regret.

By the time I reached the hallway, my pulse was pounding so violently I could hear it in my ears.

I couldn't decide what infuriated me more, the fact that my mother had gone behind my back to meet Adrian without saying a word to me or the fact that Adrian had agreed, after he knew exactly how I felt.

Funny how people always rewrote history to suit themselves, Adrian and I hadn't fallen in love.

A few weeks after I started working in the hotel, our attraction had become impossible to ignore and long nights at work had blurred into lingering conversations, stolen kisses, and eventually a relationship built almost entirely on chemistry neither of us cared to resist.

It had been simple and free of expectations, at least... that's what I'd believed but then Adrian changed the rules and he started talking about marriage and building a life together.

I shut him down before he could finish because arriage had never been part of the deal not for me especially after everything I'd watched growing up with my parents then came the secret that destroyed whatever feelings I'd been foolish enough to develop.

Adrian wasn't just the brilliant businessman everyone admired. He was the man pulling the strings behind one of the most powerful mafia organizations in the country.

The respectable hotelier I'd been sleeping with was a crime lord. Whatever affection remained inside me died that day or at least, I forced myself to believe it had.

Now my mother had unknowingly walked straight into his trap and if Adrian thought he could use her to get what he wanted then he was about to remember exactly why I turned him down the first time because this time, I wasn't walking away quietly.