Page 48 of Bound in Debt

“Will I have bodyguards too, in case I decide to pull a runaway bride?” I scoff.

“If need be. However, I trust that you’ll be happy with how your father and I built your trust. The prenup will be a simple addition, an extra layer of security.”

I’m not sure what universe she’s living in. Tacking a baby clause onto a forced marriage to a cheating, gold-digging asshole isn’t what any sane person would call a happy surprise.

But it doesn’t matter.

I’m working on my own plan.

I’m getting a new identity; I know just the guy to help me out.

And then I’m getting the hell out of here.

16

DANTE

Another five minutes, and I’ll have to assume Victoria decided to blow me off. I can’t blame her for freaking out, but I’m going to need her to calm down and think this through.

Her mother is a bitch for setting up her trust the way she did. These entitled pricks running around here with their arranged marriages and contractually-obligated “heirs” are sickening.

The moment her mother said the trust requires a kid, my own stomach turned. That wasn’t part of the plan. Bringing a child into this universe, under these circumstances, is cruel to say the fucking least.

Especially since Victoria and I aren’t a love match. Not even close.

We’re a desperate Hail Mary.

A black Audi pulls into the empty lot of the park and a woman emerges. The orange glow of the streetlight brings Victoria into full view.

A tight dress hugs all of her curves as she purposefully strides in my direction. She’s in heels, but there isn’t a single hitch in her smooth glide as she moves from the pavement to the grass. She might as well be gliding across a stage. I watch every move she makes, hypnotized by how good she looks.

If she wasn’t such a bratty pain in my ass…

“Did you find the place okay?” I ask stupidly, at a loss for how to start this conversation. But I need to be the one to start it if I want to keep this from becoming an epic meltdown. I’m not ready to deal with that shit tonight. Tonight is about taking care of business—efficiently.

“Fine,” she clips out, stopping within a few feet of me. “You wanted to talk.”

I did, but I’d hoped to have a conversation as adults, with less attitude.

“The terms of your trust?—”

“It’s not going to work,” she cuts in, giving a shrug of her shoulders. The poor park lighting means I can’t fully see her face, but I can imagine the scowl twisting her features. “The first quarter of my trust isn’t going to be enough to pay the debt and I’m not about to get pregnant.”

Fuck.

She’s right. Marrying Victoria is pointless if it won’t satisfy Lombardi and clear my brother’s debt. Waiting for the money to be released after the ceremony was one thing—at least we would have known it was coming and I could have assured Angelo we were good for it.

“So, I guess this is it.”

I steer my focus back to her through the clutter of my mind.

She’s done.

Well, she may think this is over, but she’s still in danger. And still engaged to my nephew.

“Not exactly,” I respond. “The debt remains.”

“Then I suggest you run back to Italy,” she sneers, crossing her arms over her chest. “There’s nothing here for you anyway. Liam is?—”