Chapter 2

"Tara"

She knew he was already aware of her entire life but that's how mafia worked. You spoke when told to.

"Why don't we give you some privacy" her father intervened.

Before she could comprehend his words, men had already started standing up to leave the room. She looked up to her father, pleading with her eyes to not leave her alone with him.

As a good father that he was far from being, he didn't spare her a  glance, leaving with other Italian guests. Just before closing the door on them, he turned back to look at his only daughter, his gaze stern. She knew what it meant, she either be on her best behavior or get ready to forget any freedom she had in her miserable life.

When he left with the thud of door, she felt caught it the lion's den. It was surprising how fast he was making her feel claustrophobic.

She still hadn't gathered enough courage to look up to the man in front of her, afraid if she did, she might burn into ashes. 

After several long minutes when she thought their first meeting would conclude nothing but silence his stance changed. His cross legged posture now morphed into dominating one, his knees spread with sufficient distance to fit three of her.

His sharp gaze pierced her, analysing his future wife for her place in dangerous world.

He made no mistake in asserting who was in charge, not that she could ever stand an argument in that. With the growing heat of his gaze, she moved further back in her seat terribly flinching as he spoke,

"Eyes up"

She hated his voice. She made a note to herself to never give him a chance to speak whenever she could. She could already sense how this man loved to control everyone around him. 

Her eyes hesitantly peeked up her lashes at the man in her front. He stared intensely, looking right through her.

By the time her gaze fully reached to him, she felt choked, out of breathe. Even sitting she assumed his height to be unfairly tall. His  menacing beard covered his dangerously handsome jawline. He looked like a god with intention of the devil. It was enough to make her gulp in fear. She didn't dare move her eyes from his green forest ones to look down at his body. This was the worst time to check him out. His bulging muscles did a good job at getting noticed even from her peripheral vision. She suddenly felt self conscious. Her being just a normal looking girl with not so eye-catching features felt wrong to be paired with a Greek God like him.  Although she told herself she was straight-up ugly for him, his stare told another story.

Ever so slowly his eyes moved from her black orbs down to her body. She felt completely naked to his eyes as they took in the slight shake of her hands, the small exposed skin of her slender waist, her heaving chest and the mole in the corner of her lip. His gaze traveled shamelessly over her body as if contemplating her suitability to suffice his needs.

He made her beyond uncomfortable, if she didn't distract him now she feared how much would he explore her on the spot. Without thinking too much she pointed her finger at the door, his gaze traveling up to her eyes.

" the...there's garden. It's nice" her stuttering wasn't the part of plan but neither was his unarguable dominance.

The moment his eyes narrowed at her she knew she should have just kept quiet. After an awkward moment of silence he stood up, walking to the door.

As soon as he realised she wasn't following him he stopped to turn. Suddenly understanding  what it meant, she immediately found her foot, practically jogging behind him. They walked out to the garden, him simply uninterested in everything and she uncomfortable in all contexts.

As she silently walked beside him she realised just how little she was. Her head hardly reached his shoulder. When his gaze would turn once in a while in her direction, he would have to look down and as much as he didn't show it, the difference between captivated him. It wasn't just about height that made him tighten his jaw but the way she carried herself, softly, carefully, hesitantly, so unlike him.  

She didn't even know his name and she wasn't curious, just worried. His name was a mystery far miniscule than his intentions. From his voice and language she had come upon an understanding that he was of serious authority. Whatever reason he had agreed to marry her for was strictly for his benefits. She only hoped he'd be busy enough to mind his own business and let herself be. She had dreams to achieve and plans to execute. The more his attention was away from her the better. She couldn't help but sigh at the thought.

"You better be fertile"

His sudden statement dragged her out from her thoughts.

He wants a child??

Ofcourse he did. She just hadn't expected this subject to come out so early.

"Yes" she meekly replied. Few days ago some doctors had paid her visit to ensure she indeed was fertile. If he didn't take her word for it, her father literally had medical reports that backed the claim.

To say she was terrified was an understatement. The mere idea of having children had always horrified her. If he was speaking of children even before their marriage meant he wanted to get this done with. She felt both relieved and struck. Children meant end of her life but it also meant he would get off her back. The latter sounded tempting but at the cost of having children? She was busy with her thoughts when he again broke the silence.

"One week. Then we move to Italy, keep your bags ready"

With that said, he started walking back to the mansion. Just then Tara thought of it as the perfect timing for a request, a request she always thought would get rejected from her husband, but she had to give it an attempt before giving up.

" Wait" she almost screamed unable to keep up with his pace with her difficult-to-walk-in saari. He sharply turned towards her, the glimpse of annoyance clearly visible on his sharp features. She looked up to his face with a strained neck before comprehending whether to say it not. As the annoyance on his face grew she decided to give up on the silence.

"I am a writer"

His annoyed face became blank again, when he said nothing she illustrated further to make a point.

"Medical writer. I'd like to keep writing after our..." she stalled in her sentence noticing uncomprehensible expression on his face.

She saw him taking a step towards her and then another and another until a distance where it became difficult for her to stretch her neck to his face. His cologne purged her nostrils, she immediately looked in front, at his buttoned white shirt.

"Our what honey?"

His voice sounded like a brutal slap on her face, his tone taunting, she heard the venom in the cracks of his noise. After all he didn't want to marry her too, this was all an arrangement.

What must be so crucial that he had to agree into marrying me?  

Before she could sort out her thoughts a hand snaked to the back of her neck making her shiver in fear at the feeling of his hand tightening on her delicate throat. She immediately looked around for someone to see or hear her in case she screamed.

"Don't even think" he said gritting his teeth, immediately halting her attempts to look for help. She settled to look into his eyes. They made her cower back in fear, destroying any hope she ever held on to. His eyes burned her every desire to ash.

"You won't work" with that, he gave a slight jerk to her neck, letting go before taking long strides back into the mansion. She had prepared herself for this moment long ago but when it finally happened, when she finally saw her dream getting shattered just by one man's disagreement, she allowed herself the privilege to cry.

After minutes of mourning she paused, finding something odd about what had just happened. She hadnt ignored his hesitance before blatantly repealing.

The way he had given himself a moment to go over her request told her she had to tried again.

She wouldn't let herself give up on everything just after a single attempt.

She decided to patiently wait for the next time, she knew she wouldn't be able to give up just yet.