Chapter 2

Clara's POV

His grip was firm and unyielding, pulling me forward like I was nothing more than a piece of luggage. Panic clawed at my throat, but I fought it down, determined not to show him any sign of weakness. My mind raced for an escape plan, but the alley was narrow, and the street ahead was empty. No one could hear me if I screamed.

"Please, let me go!" I spat, my voice hoarse. "What do you want from me?"

Damien's gaze was cold, calculating, and entirely uninterested in my pleas. He didn't speak for a long moment, just kept walking, dragging me along like a ragdoll.

I tried to pull away, but it was useless. He was too strong, too determined. "Who the hell do you think you are?" I hissed, my words laced with defiance, even as I feared every second that passed.

"Damien Russo," he said again, his voice like gravel, rough and final. "I don't need to explain myself to you."

Russo. The name hit me like a punch to the gut, though I couldn't say why. My mind scrambled to place it, but everything felt muddled. All I knew was that I didn't belong here, with him, in this dark, suffocating situation.

I stopped struggling for a moment, my heart hammering in my chest. "Please, let me go. I'm not a part of whatever sick game you're playing."

His lips curled into a small, almost amused smile. "You're not going anywhere. I don't play games." His grip on my arm tightened, and the last vestiges of my defiance flickered out. There was no arguing with a man like him.

I had no idea where he was taking me or why, but something told me I wouldn't like the answer if I found out. The uncertainty of it all was worse than any physical threat he could have made.

We rounded the corner, and a sleek black car pulled up beside us. One of the doors opened without a word from Damien. I swallowed my fear, trying to muster the strength to fight, but the reality of the situation hit me like a brick. I couldn't fight him. Not like this.

"Get in," he ordered.

I hesitated. The man had control over everything. Over me. My body trembled as I looked at the door of the car, my mind screaming for me to run. But where would I go? I didn't even know where I was. And who knew what he would do if I tried to run again?

With no choice left, I climbed into the car, the door slamming shut behind me. I glanced around at the plush interior of the car, noting the sleek leather seats and darkened windows that kept us hidden from the outside world.

Damien slid in beside me, not a word passing between us. His presence was overwhelming, suffocating. I was aware of every inch of him, the tension in his posture, the coldness in his eyes.

I didn't dare speak again. What could I possibly say to a man like him? What kind of person kidnapped someone and then didn't even explain why?

The car sped down the darkened streets, and the only sound was the hum of the engine. Time seemed to stretch on endlessly, each second dragging on as the silence grew thicker.

Finally, Damien broke it. "You're not going to like this," he said, his voice cold but calm.

My heart skipped a beat, a pit forming in my stomach. "What is it?"

"You're going to marry me." Damien's POV

I could feel her anxiety radiating off of her, even though she had tried to mask it. I wasn't fooled. She was scared, trying to make sense of what was happening to her, but there was nothing to explain. I had made my decision, and now she was mine.

The moment I saw her earlier, walking aimlessly through the city streets, I knew. She wasn't just any woman. She had the right mix of vulnerability and resilience I needed. And I had a deal to finalize, a contract that required a woman by my side-one who would be acceptable, if not exactly compliant.

The contract wasn't for love. It never was.

Her trembling body beside me was a constant reminder that she was not what she appeared to be-weak, yes, but not entirely helpless. I could sense something more beneath the surface, and it intrigued me.

I could tell she wanted to resist, that her heart was still heavy with the weight of her own betrayals. But I wasn't here for her emotional baggage. I didn't care about her past. I didn't care about the broken pieces of her heart.

I just needed her to sign on the dotted line.

"You're going to marry me," I repeated, my voice unwavering.

Her eyes widened, and for the briefest moment, I saw the flicker of panic. "What?" she whispered, as if not quite believing what she was hearing.

I gave her a side glance, letting the silence stretch for a moment. "You heard me."

The car rounded a corner, and the sound of tires against the pavement filled the air. "This isn't real. You can't be serious," she muttered under her breath, shaking her head. Her voice was laced with disbelief, but I could sense the fear underneath it.

"Do you think I would joke about something like this?" I asked, leaning back in my seat, folding my arms across my chest. "I don't need a wife, not in the traditional sense. I just need someone to seal a deal for me. Someone who won't get in the way."

I felt her tense beside me, but she didn't speak. Good. She would learn soon enough that when I made a decision, there was no going back.

"We'll get to my estate," I continued, ignoring the rising tension between us. "There, you'll sign the contract, and then you can go back to your life."

Her head snapped to the side, her eyes narrowing. "You think I'll just sign away my life?" she shot back, voice trembling with defiance. "You have no idea who I am."

I turned to look at her, my expression unreadable. "I don't care who you are. I don't need to know you. I just need you to do what I say." Clara's POV

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Marry him? What kind of sick joke was this?

Everything felt like a dream-or a nightmare. It didn't make sense. Nothing about this made sense. I was supposed to be grieving, not sitting in a car with a man who could snap my neck without breaking a sweat, being told that I had no choice but to marry him.

"Why me?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper, unsure if I even wanted to hear the answer.

Damien didn't answer immediately. Instead, his eyes flicked to mine, his gaze like ice. "Because you're the only option."

"Because I'm just... disposable?" I said bitterly, sarcasm lacing my words.

His jaw clenched, but he didn't rise to the bait. Instead, he simply stared straight ahead, his posture rigid. "I don't need your emotions. I don't need your affection. I need you to marry me and sign the contract. That's it."

The weight of his words sank in, and I was left speechless. This wasn't about love. It wasn't about anything remotely human. He was cold, calculating, and I was just another pawn in his game.

But something deep inside me stirred. The part of me that had been betrayed by those I trusted. The part of me that still had some fight left.

"I won't do it," I said, my voice trembling, but determined.

Damien didn't respond. He simply kept his eyes on the road ahead, as if my resistance didn't matter.

I wasn't sure if I was ready to take on whatever hell he was planning to put me through, but I knew one thing for sure-I wasn't going to make it easy for him.