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KALLY'S POV
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Heaven had saved me, or so I thought.
"What?" I squealed backing as if electrified. Looking unshaken, Ilay just puffed out a cloud of smoke in the air between us, his eyes trained on me.
Argh! Now my house had been defiled by his cigar and its taste would linger for some time. But that was the least of my concerns.
"That is crazy. Why should I-"
"If you want your sister to stay alive, you will do as I tell you. I'm not one to negotiate."
I paused, staring at Ilay like he was possessed. Possessed by the spirit of making me miserable. How could he order me to do something as absurd as this?
Marry him!
Hell no!
"I won't marry you, never!"
"Argh!" He dropped the lit cigar in the ashtray and peeled his back from the couch we sat on. His lazy eyes were a little red, letting me know he had done more than just cigar tonight.
But even with his intoxicated state, the difference between the two sides of him was close to nill. I had only been with him for a month and I was sure as hell that he was the reincarnation of Eros. To stain my mind with the thought of marrying a honey bastard like himself was too disgusting.
Even though I hadn't ever planned or envisioned myself married, I certainly didn't want someone like Ilay to be my first husband. Not to mention he was still married to Aya.
"I terminated my contract with your dear sister a month ago. And just like her, I'm marrying you to fend off my family's insane traditions," he said matter-of-factly. His eyes continued boring through mine, wordlessly telling me that I had no option. I had to marry him.
"But...but...I'm only nineteen," I said averting my eyes to the glass table before us. "Can't you marry someone else? I'm sure countless women will be willing to..." A warm slipped on my face, cupping my jaw and urging me to face him. His gentle touch would have melted my heart, only if, it wasn't Ilay's.
As expected, the tender caress ended up turning into his hand on my throat.
Our faces were half an inch apart, breaths mingling and gazes playing with each other. He looked even more attractive up close. The way his eyes dag into mine made my chest expand. The single cross-earring added extra charm to his good looks.
Why did a maniac like him have to possess such a face? Such a body? Such lips?
"No other woman has seen my darkness and continued being around me. Somehow," his whisper was hot and calm, "I've let you live to this day and even granted you your freedom. How unlike me."
"It wasn't my choice," I reminded frowning. "I didn't choose any of this. Never chose to meet or even get close to you."
Ilay chuckled. "Which is why you're perfect for this contract. A virgin and a notorious playboy getting married, what a lovely fairytale," he whispered with a smirk.
"I have a feeling that you're not too different from me Kelly. It's just that you're yet to step fully into my world and bring out the beastly side of you."
"I'm nothing like you!" I spat angrily.
Ilay laughed letting go of my throat to create some distance between us. "Say what you want to say, but I can tell. Most girls would recoil seeing fingers being broken like twigs. But not you. I saw the cold murderous spark in your eyes that day. There was nothing remorseful or innocent about that look."
That hit an odd spot within me.
I had had no pity because that geezer deserved it. Was that what Ilay felt like as he killed all those people that day?
"But don't worry, you can be as wild as you wish when you're around me. I tend to spoil my women too much. But I also hurt them just as deeply when they betray me." He said all that with a smiling face.
Gawd! I wanted to smack it off and bolt out of the house.
"What if I refuse?"
Ilay released a deep sigh as he threw his head on the back of the couch. "I've just told you, you can't refuse. And if you resist me, I'll make your little friend go through every single thing you've been through. I wonder what kind of choices she would make!"
Marry Ilay or drag innocent Hailey into my family's mess?
I wasn't an upright person, but I didn't implicate those who had no part in my shit. If he was threatening an enemy, I would have been begging him to go through with it.
"If I do this, when will I get my full freedom back?"
His head turned, his black hair rustling on the leather of the couch. "That depends on what is about to happen."
I eyed him questioningly and curiously.
"Shouldn't I know when-"
"Have you ever heard of Drakon?" Ilay asked while twirling some of my hair around his index finger. I shook my head honestly. Was it another company of his family's?
"Gawd! You're such a blank book."
"Are you...insulting me?"
Ilay smiled meeting my gaze. "No love. I'm complimenting you, which is a good thing."
I simply frowned further, awaiting his explanation.
"Drakon ranks second among the top four mafia houses in the world and it's solely owned and controlled by my family. In a few months, I'll become the Czar of Drakon. So your existence in my life is to make sure that I achieve that while not being tied down by some arranged marriage. I had managed to avoid it for some years but your silly sister had to ruin it."
His last statement had my insides boiling.
"Aya. Where is she?"
"If you wish to know everything, you have to marry me first, soonest possible."
"How soon?" I asked, a tinge of impatience staining my tone. I desperately wanted to know what Aya had done to cross Ilay so much. Wanted to know the reason my life had turned out the way it did.
"Tomorrow is a good day to become 'mine'."
I looked away.
Faced with such a difficult decision, I could only submit to fate and find ways in the future to crawl my way out of this marriage and Ilay's dark world.
His family was involved with the mafia, no, they were the mafia. And not a small group at that. To rank second had to come with a lot of powerful enemies and allies as well.
Was I ready to throw myself in that shit?
"Don't worry, you won't be directly involved with my world. Consider yourself a shadow that nobody pays attention to."
"What are my benefits?"
"Mmm.... let's see. Other than money, power, and myself included...nothing."
I sighed slowly, my eyes closing. Why was he saying such heavy words so lightly?
But power didn't sound like a bad thing. It got me curious what I could do with it.
"Fine. I'll marry you, but I have some rules."
Ilay groaned sitting up straight.
I changed my position and faced him for the instructions I was about to give him.
"One; I won't sleep with you. I'll be your wife in name only."
He shrugged mumbling, "will depend on my moods but okay."
"Two; if we're to live together, then don't bring your whores around me. I've had enough of that pornshit."
Silence. So I continued.
"Three; you're not allowed to involve my friends or family in any illegal activities... And four; don't hurt Aya."
The last one got Ilay fuming. His black-dyed eyebrows knitted while scowling at me. "Now that, that is the only thing I can't do. Just like you, she knew what she'd pay for betraying me. And the item she stole is too precious to just forgive her because my toy asks me to."
"I'm not your toy!" I hissed hurt.