Chapter 2 Chapter 2
REYNA
I stare at him.
He stares back.
And the bastard has the audacity to look pleased with himself.
“You—” I sputter, wiping water from my eyes. “You absolute, deranged, psychotic son of a—”
“Careful, firefly.” He adjusts the cuff of his sleeve. “You wouldn’t want to ruin that pretty mouth.”
I gape at him in shock. I can’t believe the nerve of this strange man. “How dare you harass me like that?! I’m going to—”
“Going to what?”
I open my mouth then close it. I have never hated a man so quickly in my entire life. And the worst part? I don’t even know his name. But I am going to find out.
And when I do, I’m going to make him regret the day he ever laid eyes on me.
“Get out!” I shout, pointing toward the door. “Now!”
He glances at my finger before looking back at me as though he’s entertained by my outrage.
“You’re in my suite, sweetheart.”
“And you’re in danger of losing your balls if you don’t leave!”
For a second, silence hangs between us.
Then he laughs. Actually laughs out loud, throwing his head back. Why is his laugh attractive? It only makes me hate him more.
“Such a temper.”
“Only because you’re rude.”
His smile widens. “And yet, you keep talking to me.”
“Because apparently, you don’t understand simple instructions.”
“Perhaps I prefer hearing you speak.”
I snatch a nearby towel and wrap it around myself, glaring at him as if my eyes alone can set him on fire.
“Get out before I call security.”
“By all means.” He gestures toward the door. “I’m sure they’ll be delighted to hear how you broke into a private suite and threatened its owner.”
My jaw drops.
“You pushed me into a hot tub!”
“And you survived. A remarkable evening for us both.”
I swear, if murder were legal, this man would be my first victim. He gives me one last infuriating smile before turning toward the door.
“Enjoy the rest of your evening, firefly.”
“Go to hell!”
He waves a lazy farewell at me before disappearing through the door. I stand there, breathing hard before angrily walking forward. Then I kick the nearest chair.
“Ow!” I grab my foot and hop on one leg.
Perfect. Absolutely perfect. I’ve managed to humiliate myself, nearly drowned in a hot tub that wasn’t even mine, and encountered the most obnoxious man alive.
All in one evening.
I should receive an award.
By the time I return to my bedroom, I’ve already decided on three different ways to ruin that man’s life.
The first involves exposing whatever terrible personality disorder makes him think throwing women into hot tubs is an acceptable way to end a conversation.
The second involves finding out his name and ensuring he never forgets mine.
The third…. still a work in progress.
I change into a black dress and dry my honey blonde hair, refusing to let the incident ruin the rest of my evening. I might be furious, but I refuse to give a stranger that much power over me.
Besides, I have more pressing problems.
Like my father and this doomed arranged marriage.
Two weeks.
That is how long I have before he expects me to marry Costa Duriolo, a sixty-four-year-old man who looks older than my father.
I shudder at the thought.
No. Absolutely not. I don’t care how much money Costa has or how desperately my father needs it. I will not spend the rest of my life married to a man I don’t love simply because my family has made a mess of its finances.
I already have plans of leaving this godawful house. I will just have to speed it up now that I know fate.
A knock sounds at my door.
“Come in.”
One of the housemaids steps inside, keeping her eyes respectfully lowered.
“Miss Reyna, your father requests your presence downstairs. Dinner is about to begin. We have special guests and your father said to dress for the occasion.”
Of course it is. Because apparently, my evening cannot get any worse.
“Special guests?” I ask.
“Yes, miss. They arrived a few minutes ago.”
I turn back to the mirror and apply a final coat of lipstick.
“Wonderful.”
The maid hesitates. “Your…father also said you should be on your best behavior tonight.”
I meet her gaze through the mirror.
“Did he now?”
“Yes, miss.”
“Then you can tell him I’ll behave exactly as I please.”
Her eyes widen slightly.
I smile at her reflection.
“Don’t look so frightened. I’m not going to bite you.”
If my father expects me to sit through another evening of him pretending our family is perfect, he can at least have the pleasure of watching me do it in a beautiful dress. I pick out a simple black gown and keep my make up light while pinning my hair up in a classy updo.
Okay, let’s do this…
The dining room is already occupied when I arrive.
My father sits at the head of the long table, wearing the expensive suit he reserves for important business meetings. My stepmother, Elena, sits to his right, looking as polished as ever. Isabella occupies the seat beside her, dressed in a pale pink gown that probably costs more than some people’s monthly rent. Her twin brother, Alek, stares me up and down but says nothing.
Alek used to be my friend until he started being… creepy. A few years ago, he told me he liked me and wanted me to be his because in his words “we’re not related by blood”.
At first, I took it as a harmless crush, but when he became extra touchy and even had the nerve to threaten whatever boy that liked me in school, I realized that he was going too far.
The day he forcefully kissed me, I slapped him out of shock and anger and to my greatest shock and horror, Alek slapped me back and proceeded to beat me black and blue. I can never forget the evil glint I saw in his eyes as he beat me the hell up that night when l turned twenty one. Even after all this, Alek still bothers me. I try to stay out of his way but it’s virtually impossible considering that we stay in the same house. And when I reported him to his mother, she told me it’s my fault for trying to get his attention.
That is when I realized that I had to leave this house for them. This is why I’ve been schooling online so I can graduate one day, get a good job and make enough money to be able to move out of here.
Isabella looks up at me as I take a seat beside my distant aunt, Fredrica. “Finally,” she mutters. “Some of us have been waiting.”
I pull out my chair. “Then perhaps some of you should learn patience.”
Her smile disappears.
“Reyna,” my father warns.
I settle into my seat. “What? I only made a suggestion, father.”
“Must you always have something unpleasant to say? You don’t have to be cruel all the time, Reyna. It’s not your sister’s fault that she is favored more than you.” My stepmother says with a sigh.
I ignore her and reach for my glass of water. There we go. The family dinner hasn’t even started properly, and I’m already the problem.
How predictable.
The table is filled with all the family members. Aunt Fredrica smiles at me. “You look better than the last time I saw you, Reyna.”
“Oh, thank you, Aunt! How’s baby Nico? I miss my sweet baby niece. Is he doing all right?”
My aunt is about to respond just as my father clinks his glass cup, calling on everyone’s attention.
“Okay everyone, we have special guests to introduce at this meeting. Please welcome Killian Kozlov, the New York’s mafia king and his uncle, Bento Kozlov.”
I turn to look at the special guests and immediately forget how to swallow. My entire body freezes in complete disbelief.
The man from the hot tub slowly walks into the dining room, with an older man following behind him.
The same dark hair. The same broad shoulders. The same infuriating confidence that makes him look as though the entire world exists for his entertainment.
He is wearing a black suit now, perfectly tailored to his frame, with a crisp white shirt and a dark tie. He looks polished, composed, and entirely too comfortable.
As if he hasn’t spent the last hour making my life miserable.
His gaze finds mine almost immediately. For one brief second, neither of us moves. Then he slowly smiles as if to say ‘I got you’
Oh, no.
No, no, no.
Of all the men in New York, it had to be him. Why am I always unlucky?
The arrogant man I’d threatened, insulted, and nearly promised to castrate less than an hour ago. And now he’s standing in my father’s dining room like an honored guest.
Wonderful.
Absolutely fucking wonderful.
