Laurent had not notified his daughter of the Don's final decision. The decision where Ivanov was literally coming to retrieve her.

He wasn't willing to set up a meeting between the two until he knew he was getting something out of it. If they didn't talk he couldn't come get her.

Little did he know, as he dodged Dominik's calls, the boss was making his own plans to retrieve his fiancé.

Salina pouted around as everyone in her home avoided her. Pressing her palms to her fathers desk, they glared at one another.

Her cousin, Drake, sat in the chair behind her and rubbed his face worriedly.

"What aren't you telling me? There's been zero updates from the Don?" This is her life here. She deserved to know what was happening.

"No, ma fille. No updates, maybe he's found a new interest. There's been many talks of the women offering themselves up to him. He's a busy man after all."

my girl

For whatever reason, this made Salina more annoyed. And a tiny bit jealous. A new interest? What the hell is that supposed to mean? He's going to send her this necklace, claim her for everyone in the mafia world to see, and then find a new freaking interest? What the hell is that?

"I don't believe you," Salina leaned forward to hiss. Her nails bit into the wood of the desk.

Laurent looked down at her tight hands. "Now, Selly... let's calm down please."

"Don't tell me to calm down!" She stomped. Behind her, Drake flinched a bit.

"This is my life you're bartering off here. I have a right to know."

"If he wanted you to know anything don't you think he'd make you aware of it," Laurent suddenly barked. Salina reared her head back as his volume raised, slowly she rolled her neck as she closed her eyes. Scowling, she looked back at him.

"If I find out you're hiding something-"

"What are you going to do, Salina?" Laurent scoffed as he became fed up with her attitude.

Drake wiped his brow, motioning for him to shut the fuck up behind her.

They always did this. They always got under each other's skin.

"We'll have to wait and see," Salina turned to storm off through the door.

"That one's going to bite you in the ass," Drake shook his head at his uncle. He stood up and followed after her.

"Hey," his french accent was much thicker than her own as he wrapped his arm around her to slow her down.

"Get your hands off me," Salina swiped at his torso. "You are one of the only ones he listens to at this point. But do you try and talk him out of this? No! Do you come to me and tell me what's happening? No," she hissed up at her cousin. The same cousin that she'd grown up alongside. They were close, but none of it mattered anymore. Once he'd gotten involved in the business he made his priorities clear.

Just like everyone else.

Drake shook his head at her, "Selly this is how things are. You know this. It's best to just endure, you know we have your best interest in mind. It'll be good."

Her tongue weighed heavy with every word she wished to spit at him, but she kept quiet. She bit her lip so hard it bled but the pain was welcomed to keep her mouth shut. With a heated glare, she poked her tongue into her cheek and pushed away from him.

Salina, in her anger, grabbed her things. She paced around, wondering where she could go to take a minute from this all. The guards had moved all of the breakable things away in her path to her bedroom.

A soft knock caught her attention. She opened it with a frown, seeing two of her newest guards. They've been with her for the past two months among her other long term guards. It was unusual for them to come to her on their own though, especially after she'd stormed out the way she did.

The one, his name was Fern, smiled a bit down at her. Salina couldn't help but return it. Fern was nice to her, he often asked her if she was alright in times like this. He was assigned with the man besides him, Gabriel.

Gabriel and Fern were always together when checking on her but Gabriel was always silent. He was intimidating and watched over her well, however.

Fern glanced at her purse in hand. "Want us to escort you to the cafe you like, miss?"

Sighing quietly, Salina leaned against the doorframe. "I don't feel like bringing the entire army to sit and drink coffee. I just want to be away and alone."

Fern frowned, "Well, I can't promise complete privacy. But Gabriel and I could manage to get you out for a few hours. I'm sure we're capable of watching you ourselves." He smirked down at her.

Salina glanced up at him through her lashes. "Really?"

Fern nodded, "Gabriel will go get the car. And I'll get you outside so we can leave without alerting your father. Just for a few hours though, Miss Salina."

Salina grinned, looking at Gabriel as if for confirmation. The man grunted, brushing up his sleeves nonchalantly. She got a glimpse at a tattoo. It looked like the end of a dagger pointing down on his forearm. But the thought was disregarded as she nodded gratefully.

"Thank you," she sighed.

"You get ready and I'll bring you down in five, sound good?"

Salina nodded and got ready in record time. A soft summer dress fell to her thighs. She already had her purse and her recently straightened hair brushed out and left alone.

Rubbing lip balm over her lips, she was promptly escorted through the house. Fern knew the exact ways to get her through the house without any security seeing her, but she supposed with him being security it made sense.

In the car, both of them were quiet. Salina was glad, she didn't particularly want to talk to anyone at the moment as she spiraled.

Tears welled at her water line and she blinked them away to avoid messing up her makeup.

If the men noticed, they didn't say anything.

What was making her so upset? She wondered as Gabriel opened her door for her. Thanking him quietly, she acknowledged that it wasn't her fathers behavior.

That was normal. Was it the frustration of not knowing? The blind leading this entire situation was.

Could it be that she silently hoped for an out of her fathers grasp? Was it that she knew leaving his grasp led right into the arms of another man she knew nothing about. Aside from the fact that he was known as the devil incarnate.

Soft music played in the cafe as she was ordered with a softer voice than normal. Handing the cashier the money, extra change included for tip, she sat at her favorite seat.

She didn't acknowledge that the cafe was empty, both Fern and Gabriel sitting at a table adjacent to her.

Was she upset because her father insinuated Ivanov didn't want her? Why wouldn't he want her? Had he deemed there was something wrong with her before even meeting her?

Or was she just upset because ultimately she was screwed either way?

When her food was brought to her, Salina didn't notice how the baristas left out the back.

Her eyes were zeroed in on the steam billowing up from her latte. She smiled a bit at the heart that was drawn into the foam of the drink. Her sandwich was sitting next to her.

Salina only noticed a change in atmosphere when the door dinged. That was when she finally tensed without lifting her head up. Her hand slid to her bag, the silence was unsettling.

Just as she was about to look for her security, someone sat across from her.

"You're very deep in thought," the voice was deep and rough. It made her insides tremble.

Her dark eyes peered up, they were hesitant and suspicious. She was on the defensive.

But his stark, cold eyes met her own. They were cold yet held an interesting kind of amusement in them.

Her guard fell a bit when she observed the man. He was gorgeous, his features dark and contrasting against his pale skin.

The man in front of her dwarfed the chair and table he was in, leaning back against the metal furniture cockily.

He was in a button up, a gray one that hugged his muscular figure. He rubbed his hand over his strong, stubbly jaw. His nose looked like it had been broken previously and Salina couldn't understand why she found it a hundred times more attractive.

Swallowing hard, she tried to ignore her attraction to this man as her thighs clenched nervously. His knee brushed her own under the small table.

Her breath hitched when the undone buttons of his button up revealed the handle of a familiar looking sword tattooed on his skin.

Everything was processing quickly yet all too slow as Dominik checked her out.

Fuck, she was ethereal in person. He thought she was pretty in the fucking picture? They didn't even do her justice.

Her pretty tits were cinched up by her dainty little sundress.

They both realized at the same time that it was the same dress he'd bought her.

Right above her cleavage sat his family's emblem. He watched her lean back nervously in her seat.

Finally, after her buffering moment. He was almost positive she knew who he was. Smart girl.

Salina's eyes darted to Gabriel and Fern who sat casually at another table. They didn't move to do anything.

"Don't worry about them," the man leaned his elbows against the table. Resting his chin against his folded fists, he smirked at her.

"They work for me, жена. They'd better not give us problems," he gave them a stern look from the corner of his eye.

"Work for you," she breathed out slowly. He hummed at the sound of her voice, soft and sultry as he'd imagined.

"You're a difficult girl to get a hold of."

Salina inhaled shakily, keeping her gaze on his mouth to avoid looking him in the eye.

"I wasn't... I didn't know," she whispered. Every panicked thought she had early was silenced, fear festering in her chest made her still. She couldn't lash out, not if she wanted to live.

Pissing off the Russian Devil was not on her to do list today. Fuck, she thought she'd have more time to ready herself. Should she have prepared something for him? Maybe a presentation?

"I know, дорогая," he practically cooed with a dark look on his face. His hand slid to her own, brushing his thumb over her knuckles. His own knuckles had tattoos on them.

sweetheart

She held her breath as she didn't flinch away. His calloused hands touched her softly, it made her stomach feel warm. When was the last time someone showed her affection like that?

"I'm not upset with you, we're engaged after all," he rumbled. This had her eyes shooting up to his own, just like he wanted. Those pretty doe eyes with her thick lashes batting up at him.

"We are?" she furrowed her perfectly styled brows.

This had Dominik's head tilting. Then his eyes rolled, of fucking course Laurent couldn't follow simple directions.

"No one made you aware of this?" he hissed.

Her head shook, "My dad mentioned the arrangement when you- you took power I think. Of the Italians at least." Her voice was raspy, her throat cleared nervously. "I got the gifts a little after that. But he just said today that you- you might've found a new interest," her tone dipped down as she finished her small rant.

"A new interest?" he scoffed. Dominik was pleased to see her distaste at the idea of him taking a different interest. If he could have Salina seeing him the way he does her, neither would have to worry about any new interests.

"I told your father he had seven days before I collect you." Dominik leaned forward as he stared down at her smugly. "Can you guess how long ago that was, pretty girl?"

His Russian accent thickened as he lowered his voice. Salina, still trying to catch up to this enormous change in events, nodded.

"Seven days."

Dominik looked at his watch, seeing the hand tick to the exact second he desired. It was exactly 168 hours since he'd last spoken to Laurent. Since Laurent had started dodging his calls.

"Такой умный," the intimidating man praised.

so smart

Salina inhaled deeply, trying to screw her head on straight. keep your chin up, be respectful, use your head.

"Why do you want to go through with the contract?" Salina brought her cup up to her mouth, hoping he didn't see the tremble in her hands.

He did, it made him soften a bit inside. Dominik pushed down the feeling.

"My image is very fragile in this world. I'm at the age where I need someone consistent besides me. Or someone close to a partner at least. I need a Donna who I believe fits the role," he answered simply.

Her brow furrowed, wouldn't he benefit more from the loner, stone cold facade he'd built over these years?

"How would having a wife benefit you?" Salina leaned forward with cautious curiosity.

He rolled his eyes a bit. Salina's mouth twitched up into a sneer but she tampered it down before he caught it.

"A wife doesn't benefit me. A Donna does. A woman who can be what I need her to be. People that work for me need to know I'm not going anywhere. I need to have ties that carry my legacy and have my best interest in any and every situation. That would be my Donna. And the heirs we have in the future. If I'm killed- am I truly dead if I have someone else to fill the position as if I'd never left?" His brow cocked as he watched her face. She tilted her head as she absorbed what he was saying. He wasn't looking for a wife- he was looking for a partner. Salina didn't mean that in the romantic sense either.

He could see the gears turning in her mind.

"And you want me to do that? You think I'm capable of that."

"I do. And I know you are."

"Yeah astute observation... I would like to know how you got that." Salina rose a brow at him while pressing her index finger to the table curiously.

Dominik scoffed, smirking down at her. "Of course you would. Come, let's go. We need to pack your things considering your father has failed to do anything of use. Then we'll go home."

Salina didn't move however and neither did he. She needed him to answer one more thing first.

Salina grazed the edge of her mug with her sharp fingernail, "Why go though all the trouble for me then? Besides needing a Donna- I get that part sort of. I'm just positive you had other options."

"What trouble? This is a cakewalk," the man across from her scoffed. "So far you havent even thrown a fit yet. What a good girl," Dominik practically cooed to her as he leaned across the already small table. He grinned wildly down at her.

At the sudden proximity, Salina felt her face get warm. "You're crazy. This whole thing is crazy. You dont know me," her brown pigmented skin hid how flustered she became as his cologne filled her senses. But she couldn't forget that he hasn't really given her an answer to her question.

"I do know you."

Salina's brows immediately furrowed, "You do not."

"I do to."

"Do not."

Dominik waved his hand dismissively, "I do. Now, drop it. The only trouble is your father. We both know he's a nuisance."

".....Whats your point- he's been a nuisance my entire life nothing is going change that," Salina finally relaxed her posture just to lean back against her chair. Her legs crossed over one another.

Dominik watched her closely, scratching at his jaw in thought. "Wouldn't it be easier for you to live without your father watching your every move?" He enjoyed this conversation, she wasn't backing down from him.

"And swap one insane man for another?" Salina crossed her arms with a raised brow. He acted as if they were talking about the weather rather than a wedding. "Swap him for an arguably more insane man according to rumors."

His pink lips pursed as if he was trying to hide a blooming smirk, "If by insane you mean genius and also your only shot out then sure."

"You would dig me so far deeper into the business. Like I said; you're crazy."

Dominik leaned forward more, trailing his calloused index finger over her left ring finger. He dragged it over her smooth skin, flipping her palm up. Salina bit her bottom lip instinctually as she tried to hide her shuddering breaths. His brow quirked up as he stared intensely at her, pressing his thumb gently over her fluttering pulse. Now they were both painfully aware of his touches affect on her.

"Only crazy for you," Dominik winked seamlessly at her. An embarrassingly sheepish noise got stuck in the back of her throat. She choked it down and tried to remain collected. The man before her let his smirk soften into a grin momentarily until his face fell back into neutrality. "Reality is, you can turn this into something beneficial for yourself or-if by the nonexistent chance you escape me-you could get married to some prick. But I dont see that happening while I'm around."

Silence fell on the two of them like a blanket, she stared back at him while tapping her fingers on wood of the table.

"Fine."

Once again, only one of the mans dark brows lifted a bit. "...Fine?

Salina ignored the blood she felt flushing her face. No longer able to hold his staring contest she narrowed her eyes at the wood she was picking relentlessly now. "Fine. I'm agreeing. If you're going to get down on one knee now is the time."

Dominik actually laughed a bit at that, it was a short- if not condescending laugh. "Fuck that. I don't kneel for anyone. And I'm surely not kneeling when you're already mine. Now lets get your bag. We have many things to do today."