04| Maverick.

Confusion engulfs Arnicas’ beautiful face as she registers what I’ve just said.

“You own Fusion?” She spits out in a hushed tone, shoving my shoulder before she tries to scramble out of my embrace.

I cling onto her tightly, “I do, and before you ask, no it wasn’t a coincidence as to why you were given the job on the spot with no previous bartending experience.” I admit, knowing, I may have gone the extra mile to lure her to the club after finding out that she was jobless and on the verge of losing her flat.

I also happen to know that it was Matthias who got her fired from her last job in marketing, making it almost impossible for her to find another job with the hopes that she would come crawling back to him after all the pain and misery he bestowed upon her.

Matthias fucking Arnicas’ best friend in a very public place was low, even for him. But I also know that he hasn’t been the same since she walked away from him and refused to acknowledge him when he would randomly show up at her place of employment and residence.

My little brother tends to like thinking with the head in his pants over the one between his shoulders, and that’s why I made it my mission to find Arnica and involve her in my plans to ruin my brother's opportunity to inherit what is rightfully mine and my future heirs.

Matthias thinks that if he impregnates Tessa, it will bring peace between our warring families. He’s wrong. There is no way in hell I am willing to forgive the Lorenzo family for killing my mother and sister.

Heads will continue to roll until I find the right moment to make my only brother's head roll. He needs to pay for what took place a year ago, and HE WILL pay. It’s just a matter of when.

I’ve always believed that my blood has been tainted by my father's for as long as I can remember. The memories of the way he used to treat my mother burn my mind like a bad romance fuelled by poison.

“Please, for the love of God, release me from the clutches of hell, which I’m referring to as your body-crippling embrace, Maverick.” Arnica grits out between clenched teeth before the corners of her mouth curl upwards into a forced smile.

I’m mentally pulled back into reality by the harshness of her voice and her peppery choice of words. I lick my lips, masking the amusement that is spreading across my face like a deadly plague.

“You’re a real hoot,” I say as I narrow my gaze at her, loosening my grip just enough to watch her squirm a little before she breaks free.

As she does, a chill rapidly takes over me as she takes her warmth with her, too.

“And you’re a fucking sicko.” She retorts, covering her chest with her hands. “Is this all some sick game to you and your brother? To watch me suffer under the scrutiny of your power?”

Tears prick her eyes, and a sense of rage licks the back of my neck to see her upset. I quickly peel off my suit jacket and place it over her trembling torso.

“No, Angel. This isn’t a sick game to me.” I state firmly as I tilt my head back and close my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose.

“It's quite difficult to fathom, considering that ever since I parted ways with your brother—following his betrayal—my life has been a constant storm of misfortune. And now, it appears that you have become a part of this tumultuous journey. But you had to take it a step further by drugging me and forcing me to marry you.”

“Label me as the Devil all you want while you portray yourself to be an Angel, Arnica.” I sigh, brushing a hand over my face as I open my eyes and look at her. “That halo on your head, kitten, will only give me something to hold on to while I fuck my baby into you like we agreed,” I mutter with finality.

Shock, confusion, and a sprinkle of curiosity gleamed in her eyes as they bore into mine.

After a moment's thought, she scoffs with an underlay of laughter.

“There is no way in hell that I would have agreed to let you impregnate me.”

I lean forward with a deadly serious expression on my face, “you agreed, Arnica, and it was your idea to get married. Not mine.”

“No….”

“Yes.”

She shakes her head, causing the loose strands of her ponytail to fall free across her pear-shaped face, and I curl my hands into tight balls to prevent them from reaching out and tucking those silky strands behind her ears.

“There is no way in fucking hell that I would breathe a word of what you’ve just said, Maverick. No fucking way.”

That’s it, I’ve heard enough, and I’m over her blaming me for drugging her and forcing her to marry me when that’s not the case at all.

I might be a ruthless prick, but that doesn’t make me a monster. Not entirely anyway.

I reach into my pocket, extract my phone and press play on the saved voice-recorded file after unlocking the screen with my thumbprint

“Yes, I want to get my revenge on Matthias and if I have to give you an heir to ruin his future plans of becoming a King in the underworld, I’ll do it. But I have one condition you must agree to first.”

“Name it, buttercup.”

“We need to be married before we put your plan into action. I don’t want my child born into this world and being labelled as your bastard child. If there is one thing in life that I have learned, it’s that words stick with you forever.”

I press my thumb against the pause icon on the screen after playing the crucial part of the conversation we had.

“That’s my voice.” She hangs her head with shame or regret.

Probably both.

“What? You’re not going to accuse me of doctoring the file?” I add for good measure.

“I know my own voice when I hear it, Maverick. I’m not a fucking imbecile.” She hisses fiercely.

“No one said you were an imbecile, buttercup.” I reach into the breast pocket of my vest and pull out her wedding band. The very one she tossed onto the pavement this morning. “I’m going to need your left hand,” I demand sternly, holding the ring up for her to see why.

Her brows furrow with disbelief before her eyes widen with irritation. “That can’t be the same ring you put on my finger this morning, surely?” She retorts, slowly extending her hand in my direction.

I take her hand in mine, bring it up to my lips, and press a gentle kiss on the centre of her palm. She gasps upon contact, and my dick twitches in my pants.

“I promise that I will be faithful to you always, and I will be a good husband. I may infuriate you, and I give you permission to take that fury and use it on my body, sexually. After all, we are trying to get you pregnant.” I wink at her as I slide her wedding ring down her finger for the third time in twenty-four hours.

Arnicas’ eyes glaze over with an unreadable expression, and she leans in towards me, her gaze dropping to her hand before they cast back up to mine.

“I don’t care if you are loyal to me, Maverick, or if you want to be a good husband. All I want is your respect and I promise to uphold my end of the deal. Last night's conversation has somehow slipped my mind, but knowing that all of this is to ruin Matthias in the long run, I’m in.” She says in an even tone, licking her lips as her gaze drops to my mouth.

A low rumble ignites in the pit of my stomach, and I want nothing more than to crush my lips against hers. 

I need to know what they feel like against mine, what they taste like and what pleasure her secrets can cast upon me.

Against my better judgment, I cup the sides of her face and make a beeline to her lips with my mouth. But she turns her head to the side and I plaster a kiss on the corner of her mouth, missing her lips by a hairline.

A growl departs my throat with disappointment and anger.

“I’m sorry, Maverick. But kissing me on the lips isn’t going to happen. You said that you will respect me, I genuinely hope that includes my wishes too.” She whispers with a hint of apprehension lining her voice.

I pull away from her far enough so I can look her in the eyes, the pad of my thumb gently strokes her cheekbone and I nod my head with a smirk curling on one side of my mouth.

“I will respect your wishes, Angel,” I state sternly. “You said the same thing to me last night, but I thought you were playing hard to get. I’ll just have to kiss you on the lips somewhere else that makes you moan deliriously with pleasure.” I wink at her then coolly lean back in my seat with a devilish smile on my face, knowing that she will be the one begging me to kiss her on the mouth by the end of the month.