“Dana,” I murmur to get her attention.
Her gaze snaps to me, and then she rushes to where I’m standing. She hugs me tightly. “I’m so sorry, Miss Winter.”
I nod as she pulls away. “Our guests will be here a while. Two of them might come and go but the third…” I swallow hard then break the news to her. “I’m marrying Damien Vetrov tomorrow.”
Her eyes widen, the legend of their name known amongst the staff as well.
“Is it a good arrangement?” she asks.
“Yes. It’s the best option for me under the circumstances.”
Her eyes widen again, and then she says, “We have a lot to prepare for tomorrow.”
“I’ll take care of everything,” Alexei suddenly says behind me. “Consider it a gift.”
I swing around, so my back isn’t to him. His eyes drift over me, and then the corner of his mouth lifts. “You look better.” Then his gaze moves to Dana. “We’ll eat now.”
“Yes, Mr. Koslov,” she murmurs fearfully and gets back to work.
Alexei pins me with his stare, and it has my feet moving. As I walk by him, he says. “After we’ve eaten, join me in your father’s office. We need to talk business.”
I nod and then head to the front door, needing to escape the men who seem to have made themselves right at home.
Walking through the birch and pine forest toward the shore, my mind races, jumping from all I’ve lost to my impending marriage to Damien.
I wish Cillian was here. Then I wouldn’t be in this position. Losing him tore a gaping hole through my heart and life.
God, and it leaves me totally at Damien’s mercy.
The thought shudders through me again, and it makes me walk faster as if I can flee it.
As I reach the shore, I stop, my breaths rushing over my lips. My gaze finds the town in the distance, and I stare until my sight blurs. My thoughts turn to the past month and how everything has changed.
The first time I saw Damien, and learning he’s a Vetrov. The shock and fear I felt. The training sessions and seeing how good he is. Unbeatable. Too strong for me to stand a chance against him.
My breath shudders over my lips, and my eyes drift shut against the brutal reality of what my future holds.
I remember how angry Damien was when my father won the bid.
It’s only with this thought that I realize Damien’s life has also changed. He’s stuck with me and probably trying to make the best of the situation.
Still, the marriage won’t be in name only. He made it clear he wants everything. Yes, the attraction has always been there, right from the first time we met, but I wasn’t sure whether he felt it too.
He took it easy on you during training.
He helped you during the laser game.
It wasn’t my imagination when we almost kissed!
The realization has my eyes snapping open.
Damien fought Vince and Hugo for me and guarded me while I was drugged.
My breaths begin to speed up again.
Damien wants me as his wife. He wants my body, my heart, my soul.
God. That gives me all the power I’ll need to survive in this world. If I can make him love me, then I’ll truly become untouchable.
He said if I treat him like a king, he’d make me a queen.
For the first time since my life shattered into an unrecognizable mess, do I feel a glimmer of hope shine through the darkness.
Before I can wage war against the Blancos, I’m going to have to wage war for Damien’s heart.
I’ll use what he wants as a weapon. I have to make him worship me.
I take a deep breath, filling my lungs with the fresh air.
I have to attempt the impossible because I don’t even know if Damien is capable of loving anyone.
DAMIEN
I watch as the small army of staff Alexei arranged for the wedding, scurries in and out of the house, getting everything ready for the ceremony that’s scheduled to happen at sunset.
Shaking my head, I glance at where Demitri is watching the spectacle while enjoying a tumbler of vodka.
“Leave it be, brother,” he mutters. “It’s tradition. After the ceremony, Winter Hemsley will be family. She’ll be a Vetrov. It’s something worth celebrating.”
She’ll be mine.
Nodding, I leave Demitri and head up the stairs to check on Winter before getting ready. I’ve left her alone the entire day but need to make sure she’ll go through with marrying me. When I open her bedroom door, there’s a buzz of low voices, and Winter’s surrounded by women tending to her hair and makeup.
The women gasp when they notice me, and then Winter turns her back to me. “I’m sure this is bad luck, and I don’t need any more of that. Get out.”
“You’ll be ready in an hour?” I ask as my eyes scan over the silky robe she’s dressed in. The silk following the curve of her body makes her look more petite.