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Frozen like soldiers, they didn’t meet my gaze. They didn’t move. They didn’t speak. They merely stood there.

I knew I had no chance of fighting, so I took a hesitant step forward, then flinched, bracing for any sort of impact.

When it didn’t come, I straightened up then stepped forward again, and again, until I was bolting toward the mansion that started all of this.

Busting through the front door I scoured the foyer and voices coming from the familiar kitchen area lured me closer. “You buried me alive?” I charged for him but three of his men drew their weapons and I halted, pure anger radiating off of me.

Antonio, with his back to me, slowly turned and with my chest rising and falling, I clenched both hands to fists at my side.

“I see the lack of oxygen hasn’t affected that pretty little brain of yours.” He stepped forward. Smack

His men stepped closer but he already wrapped a firm hand around my throat. My arms flew to his forearm as he lifted me off the ground and I gasped, fighting for air. “Antonio.” I choked out, my feet dangling inches from the floor.

“Get out.” He dismissed his men with his free hand and they lowered their weapons, heading for the door like rhythmic soldiers.

“Let. Me. Go.” I wheezed and he squeezed my neck, stepping closer as I wiggled my legs, fighting to be freed.

Moss green eyes zoned in on me. Something dark lingered behind his gaze and my body buzzed with warmth as though his eyes were the gateway to my own personal hell. Like I could see my devastating future, filled with pain, torture and sadness being played out in a fast paced trailer.

Finally, he dropped me and I fell to the ground, landing hard on my ass.

He crouched down to his haunches, elbows on his thighs. “Why don’t you go get some rest.”

“I will not sleep in this house, live in this house and I for damn sure won’t be your wife.”

He rose to his full height but so did I, refusing to let him look down at me from that position.

“You don’t have a choice, Nirah.” He lifted his hand to tuck a sandy strand of hair behind my ear but I smacked his hand away.

“What do you want from me?” I eliminated the space between us. “You want revenge? You want to punish me for what I did? Fine. Go ahead. But I swear to God, Antonio, as soon as the moment presents itself I am gone. And you will never see me again.”

He only gave his head a slight shake. “You’ll never leave again.”

Panic slithered up my spine but I masked it, knowing it was the truth. It was easy before, because he trusted me. Now, that trust had disintegrated.

“Our wedding is in two weeks.” He informed me, sending my heart tumbling to my ass. “You will put on that dress, walk down the aisle, accept my ring on your finger and say I do.” He stepped closer but I stepped back.

The cold floor beneath my bare feet nipped up to my calf and my lips parted.

He matched my every step until my back hit the wall. In my peripheral vision I spotted an empty glass on the countertop.

“Like hell I will,” I murmured, snatching the glass and smashing it to the side of his head.

I slipped out into the foyer but he grabbed a fist full of my hair, yanking my back to his chest.

“That wasn’t very nice.” He lowered his tone and my heart drummed behind my ribcage. Sweat beaded on my forehead as the heat of his body wrapped around me, trapping me in his orbit.

“What are you made of? Steel?” I groaned, trying to wiggle free from his hold.

“Don’t even think about disobeying me again.”

My teeth ground together. “But we were already married—”

“Tsk tsk tsk,” he applied pressure to my roots and I hissed.

“I know everything,” he whispered against my ear and my body stopped fighting against him as though fear was paralysing me. Everything?

I reached back to pull his hand from my hair but he wrapped his fingers around my wrist, pinning it behind my back. “Shh,” he cooed with fake sympathy and used his body to hold my arm between us.