Chapter 117
(MILES)
“I haven’t forgotten,” I say quietly.
He rubs his jaw and nods. “This could work, Miles. Just try and think of it logically for a moment. The Triple Triad Syndicate would become untouchable. That way, I have reason to keep Arlo alive without losing face p>
I listen to him, taking note of how he feels he’s come up with the perfect solution to punish Arlo. I know in my gut that Arlo will never willingly agree to go with this plan. “I have spent enough time with Arlo to know he’d rather die than agree to be part of us p>
He shrugs dismissively. “Then we will just kill him and take over his syndicate the old-fashioned way. He should even appreciate that I am at least giving him an option. Not that he deserves it anyway. He is an insolent arrogant brat. I’m willing to overlook everything he has done and spare his life. All he has to do is go with the plan p>
My stomach dips because I know all too well that Sasha isn’t bluffing. If Arlo refuses to cooperate, he will kill him the first chance he gets. He will not care that it will hurt me, or that I don’t want him to do it. Sasha will make a choice that will benefit his syndicate. The bigger Triple Triads is, the safer we are as a syndicate. He knows that and he is aware that he should execute this move considering it is the perfect timing.
The only problem is that I’m caught in the middle. I’m bound to Sasha after years of loyally standing beside him, and the bite mark that I gave Arlo links me to him in ways that I can’t evade.
He leans closer to me. “You need to remember to make the right decision, not based on what Arlo wants, Miles. This is about coming up with a solution that works for me p>
“What of me not wanting to marry, Sasha? Doesn’t that bug you at all p>
“I’m actually looking out for you.” He shrugs. “Tyler thinks it would be good for you to marry, and I’m inclined to agree. Having an omega and a child will make you respected. You can’t be a bachelor forever. You’ve already claimed Arlo. So this will just work out perfectly for you p>
“For who?” I snap. “Certainly not me! Are you really going to force me to marry Arlo?” I grip the arms of my chair knuckles white. I feel cornered. Arlo will die if I don’t give Sasha what he wants. But if I go with Sasha’s plan, I will be stuck with a sassy, mouthy epitome of annoying omega, and a kid I surely don’t want.
“Don’t be dramatic, Miles. It isn’t the end of the world. This is merely a marriage of convenience. Nothing about your life will change…oh well, maybe a little p>
My eyes go wide. “How can you say that? You know Arlo. Is he surely the kind of omega you think I’d want to settle with? He is way too high maintenance and I like my life just as it is. Arlo would turn my life upside down. I know he won’t want the marriage either. He will take out all his anger and frustration on me. How will that make a happy home for us p>
Sasha’s face dims. “He will die if you refuse. Do you want him to die? I’m giving you an option here. That’s my way of allowing him to live p>
I wince. “Look, I appreciate that you’re trying to think of ways to give him a lesser punishment. But why am I being punished too?
“Do I need to remind you that you actually heightened the problem p>
“No.” I scowl. “If he hadn’t kidnapped me, I wouldn’t have been in the position to give him my bite p>
He narrows his gaze. “It was your fault you got kidnapped. All you had to do was to think with your big head instead of your little head. None of this would have happened p>
I shake my head defeatedly. “He was always going to come after you p>
“Coming after me isn’t the problem. The problem is that you claimed him. If you hadn’t done that he would have been dead already. You know that as well as I do. Even he knows it. But you gave him your bite, now see the mess we are in now p>
Embarrassment washes through me and I bite my jaw. He is right. I was stupid enough to have sex with a strange omega at the bar and now here we are. I exhale shakily. “So if I don’t agree to this, Arlo dies p>
“Yes. You’ll leave me no other choice but to kill him p>
Feeling defeated, I grate out. “So what happens if I can’t convince him to marry me? I know he will refuse, so how will I force him and drag him down the aisle p>
“Miles p>
He is quiet for a while. “You already know the answer to that.” He sighs as he comes closer to me. “I only kept him alive this long for the sake of my friendship with you. If anything, he should be grateful. But we both know he won’t be. He doesn’t even deserve this chance that I’m giving him p>
“I could take everything Arlo owns and kill him right this minute. I’m only doing this for you, Miles, not him. Because I know you will suffer if he dies, and I don’t want to watch you suffer. I don’t give a flying fuck bout that kid, but I care about you. I’m saving you the mental torment and pain you’ll go through if he dies p>
“This isn’t flattering to admit, but that kid you say will rather die than marry me,” I say quietly.
“So what does he care about if he doesn’t care about his life? What else does he care about that we can use to convince him p>
“Both his parents are gone. I don’t think there’s anyone he cares about that much. The closest thing he has to family is his men. He seems to care about his men.” I suddenly remember how upset Arlo was when Marcus was killed.
Sasha’s face lights up. “Then we can use his men as leverage. Tell him if he doesn’t go through with the plan, I will follow his men and slaughter all of them and their families p>
I jerk up. “You will do that p>
He laughs. “No. Why would I? If he is dumb enough to choose death, I will still take over his syndicate anyway. I need his men alive. He doesn’t have to know about that though. He already knows I’m a ruthless barbaric monster. Let him believe I’ll do it if he doesn’t follow through p>
“That kid is tough-headed as fuck. He might still refuse.” I groan.
“Then that’s his choice to make p>
Sasha gazes at me empathetically. “I’m really sorry, Miles p>
I know he is indeed sorry. Not for Arlo, but for me. “I’ll go talk to him, see if he buys p>
“Good,” Sasha says. “Let me know what he says p>
“Sure.” I get up to leave the study. Stress buzzes through my head.
I have to find s way to convince Arlo that marrying me will be a good thing because while I have absolutely zero desire to get married, entering this fake marriage will be less painful than watching Sasha kill him.
I hope.