The Wolf and the Sheep Read online

  In that moment, I felt like I had nothing left to lose. “Fine…I’ll do it.”

  2

  Arwen

  My diaphragm tightened as I hit my last note. With my mouth wide open and my lungs screaming in pain, I filled the auditorium with my strong voice and brought the production to a close, seeing the curtain close in front of me as I finally ran out of breath.

  The lights were bright, roses were thrown onto the stage, and I could see the audience rise to their feet as they gave a standing ovation. The adrenaline I received was more powerful than any other high I’d ever known, better than sex with any man. It was euphoric, dreamlike.

  I watched the curtains close as time stood still. Ever since I was a little girl, this had been my dream.

  To be an opera singer.

  Now I was.

  With the curtains closed, the symphony concluded. That only made the applause louder, the sound of whistling and cheers more audible. I stayed on the spot and enjoyed the moment a little longer, cherished the connection I felt with every stranger in the room. They could have spent their Friday night doing anything else—but they chose to spend it with me.

  Dante came backstage with roses in his hands. He was tall, handsome, and had the cutest smile, and his eyes lit up as he looked at me. He came right up to me and kissed me. “You were amazing.”

  “Thank you…”

  He presented the roses to me. “I could watch you sing every night.”

  “And I’d love to sing every night if my voice could handle it.” There was already a vase sitting at my makeup station, so I set the roses inside and added some water.

  “So how about I take you to dinner?”

  “Singing for two hours does make me hungry.”

  “Perfect.” His arm hooked around my waist, and he escorted me out of the theater, making this night even more magical.

  I pulled up to my childhood home and felt the presence of previous generations the second I stepped foot on the grounds. The house had always been large for three people, but now it felt too big for just one.

  I entered the house and searched for my father, noticing how it seemed particularly dark. I carried a fresh arrangement of flowers and put them in a vase in the kitchen, just to lighten the place up. My mother used to be the same way, freshening up the house with flowers directly from the garden. She’d been gone a long time now, but I still carried on the tradition.

  Father stepped into the kitchen, wearing jeans that were too baggy around his waist and a shirt that also seemed too loose. He was paler every time I saw him, sour like spoiled milk.

  He kept telling me nothing was wrong—but now, I wasn’t sure if I believed him.

  “There’s my princess.” He walked up to me and kissed me on the head. “How was the show last night?”

  “Full house with a standing ovation.”

  “Wow, that sounds amazing. This country can’t get enough of that voice of yours.”

  “I don’t know about that…but thank you.”

  He eyed the pink lilies in the vase, giving them just a glance before he turned back to me. “How are things with you?”

  “Good. You know, just lots of work and lots of practice.” I’d been meaning to introduce Dante to my father, but since he was the first man I would bring home, I was nervous about it. My father had always been protective of me, and I wasn’t sure how he would feel about it. But then again, there probably wasn’t a single man he would ever think was good enough for me. “What about you?”

  “You know, nothing too exciting.”

  We moved to the dining table with a pitcher of lemonade and made small talk. I told him that the opera wanted to add a few more shows, but since I needed to preserve my voice, they would use my understudy. We talked about the weather, the football game, and other things that didn’t really matter.

  He started to cough harshly, pressing a napkin to his face as he heaved at the table.

  “Daddy, are you alright?” I placed a hand on his shoulder, concerned that this cold wasn’t going away. It only seemed to get worse with every passing week. “Are you sure the doctors said you’re okay? You look worse every time I see you.”

  He wiped his mouth and chuckled. “Well, that’s a nice thing to say.”

  “Come on, you know what I mean. You don’t seem well… Is there something you aren’t telling me?” Would my father keep something like that from me? Would he lie to my face and pretend everything was okay when it clearly wasn’t?

  His smile faded away as his eyes filled with the distinct gloss of melancholy. Like impending tears in a painting, his emotion was clear in the subtleties of his gaze. Sometimes the cliff face of despair was more obvious than the tears themselves. “I’m fine, princess. But there’s something I need to tell you… You aren’t going to be happy about it.”

  “Alright…”

  “The money is gone. I can’t pay my debts, I’ve screwed over a lot of people, and soon, men will be crawling all over this place and picking it apart piece by piece. I’ve pissed off some scary men…and they won’t be happy.”

  I had both French and Italian blood, and I came from a line of wealthy aristocrats I was proud of. Our fortune was massive, and while I never asked for a penny more of it than what was in my trust, I’d assumed it would always be there when it was time to inherit it. “What…? What are you saying? We don’t have any money?”

  He shook his head. “No…not a euro.”

  Money wasn’t important to me, but knowing it wasn’t there terrified me. Without my share of the trust, I couldn’t afford my nice apartment, I couldn’t afford to keep performing because it didn’t pay enough. I couldn’t afford food or clothes. “I don’t understand… How did this happen?”

  “It doesn’t matter,” he said with a sigh. “It doesn’t change what’s going to happen. Bottom line, we’re broke. That means we’re also in danger…”

  I couldn’t believe this was happening.

  “I’m sorry, princess. I know you’re disappointed in me… I’m disappointed too.”

  I wasn’t anything at the moment. As long as we were both healthy, we could figure out a new plan. I would have to get a day job if I wanted to keep performing at night. I’d have to reconsider my career options now that I couldn’t live off our wealth. It was devastating…but doable.

  “There’s only one way I can keep you safe…and you aren’t going to like it.”

  “Keep me safe? I’ll give up all my possessions and take them to the bank to pay our debts. Whatever it takes.”

  “No, not from the banks. I have worse enemies than the banks…”

  I didn’t ask because I didn’t want to know.

  “The only way you’ll be protected is if you marry into another family, a powerful and rich one, one with enough credibility that they won’t bother with you. You’ll be unattainable.”

  “Well, this isn’t the 1800s, Dad. Arranged marriages are absurd in this day and age.”

  “Maybe…but it’s necessary.”

  So he was serious. “You aren’t thinking of actually marrying me—”

  “I’ve already found the perfect husband for you—Maverick DeVille.”

  I had no idea who that was. “Uh…not gonna happen.”

  “Arwen, I know this is hard, but this is about survival. We won’t survive unless we do this. You have no idea what kind of men will be hunting me down.”

  “What about you? Why don’t I just go with you?”

  “Because you’ll be on the run forever. You’ll never have a normal life. You’ll never be able to sing again. Maverick can keep you safe. He can keep the dogs away. I know you don’t like this, but trust me, this is what—”

  “I’m already seeing someone…”

  “Well…I’m sorry.”

  “You’re sorry?” Now that I realized that this was deadly serious, that my father really intended to marry me to some stranger, the terror was starting to suffocate me. “You’re sorry that you’re making
me marry a guy I don’t even know? Well, the answer is no. I refuse.”

  He bowed his head. “Princess—”

  “Don’t ‘princess’ me.” I pushed my hands against the table and stood. “When I marry someone, it’ll be for love. It’ll be because I can’t live without him. I’m not marrying some guy because I’m scared of your collectors.”

  “Arwen, you don’t understand.” He rose to his feet, moving much more slowly.

  “I’m not listening to this.” I started to walk off, refusing to entertain this nonsense.

  “Arwen.” His voice grew stronger. “You don’t understand what you’re up against.”

  I stopped in my tracks, the tears immediately burning to the surface.

  “I won’t survive this. And when I’m gone, there’s nothing standing between you and death. Arwen, I don’t want to say this to you…but these men won’t just hurt you. They’ll rape you…they’ll torture you. I wish there were another way…but there’s not. Maverick DeVille is the only way you’ll live. So, we don’t have a choice.”

  3

  Arwen

  My apartment became my fortress for the next few days.

  I dodged my father’s calls even though I felt like shit for doing it.

  I sat at the kitchen table with a bottle of red wine in front of me. It was one of those nights when I didn’t bother with a glass. Getting my hit straight from the bottle was the only way to guarantee my satisfaction.

  White candles were lit on the table before me, setting up a beautiful ambiance so I could practice my singing. A window that stretched from the floor to the ceiling was beside me so I could see Florence underneath me, the Catholic church just a few blocks over.

  But I had no interest in singing.

  My life had been turned upside down in a matter of seconds. All my freedom had been stripped away, all of my independence. Now my family was in such trouble that I had to marry some random guy.

  Like that was ever going to happen.

  As much as I loved my father, I was angry with him. How did he ruin our livelihood? How did he destroy my inheritance? How did he get involved with such cruel men that my life was really that vulnerable?

  How could he do this?

  I’d already lost a mother. Now I would lose a father.

  Dante knocked on the door.

  “It’s open.” I rose to greet him, to greet the only person in my life who could offer any comfort.

  He stepped through the door wearing a collared shirt and jeans. He had dirty-blond hair, bright eyes, and a handsome face that was borderline boyish. A hint of a smile was on his lips, and happiness shone in his eyes. But when he saw my expression, all of that joy faded away. “What’s wrong?”

  “Everything.” My chest tightened because air was too painful for my lungs. My life had been so simple a week ago. I’d had a family fortune that would keep me and future generations wealthy until the time stopped, but now I was penniless. My father squandered everything we had—including his life.

  “What are you talking about?”

  I didn’t cry because I refused to shed tears. The last time I’d sobbed my heart out was at my mother’s funeral, and it hurt so much that I vowed never to do it again. Crying made me feel weak, made me feel useless. It didn’t solve the problem, and it only made me pathetic. “My father just told me he lost everything…all of our wealth.”

  Dante was still as he stared at me, as if what I’d said was so ridiculous, he couldn’t believe it. “What? How?”

  “He didn’t give me any specifics.” And it didn’t matter either. Whatever he pissed away our money on didn’t matter anymore. Our bank accounts were empty, and our debtors would still come to collect.

  “But your family is worth a fortune. How could he just spend it all?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know…I really don’t.” I’d wanted Dante to come over tonight not for interrogation, but for comforting. But I had to tell him this horrific news, how our lives were about to change forever. “He said he was marrying me off to someone because it’s the only way he can protect me…” I knew that would be the worst piece of news, the revelation that would affect us the most. Dante and I hadn’t been together long, but the sparks were flying. It seemed like we could have a future together…if we were together long enough to experience it.

  Dante’s concern slowly stretched away, replaced by a stony look. As if it were a defense mechanism not to react, he kept his feelings bottled deep inside. That boyish charm was gone, and there was only devastation in its wake.

  “He said a lot of dangerous men will hunt him down, and unless I want to run for the rest of my life, I don’t have a choice. I guess this man is powerful enough that I’ll be untouchable…at least, that’s what he says.”

  “Who’s the guy?”

  I rolled my eyes. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not marrying him.”

  “If you aren’t marrying him, then what are you going to do?”

  “I don’t know… We’ll run to France. I still have relatives there.”

  “Then isn’t that the first place they’ll look? Will your relatives be safe?” He was speaking reason, but I didn’t want to hear any logic right now.

  I grabbed the bottle from the table and took another drink.

  Dante kept watching me with his pretty eyes. “Who is he?”

  “Maverick DeVille…whoever the fuck that is.”

  Dante’s eyes narrowed in recognition. “I recognize that name. His family owns a cheese business outside of Florence. It’s been in their family since the days of kings.”

  “My father wants me to marry a guy who smells like cheese?” I asked incredulously, not the least bit impressed with his family wealth. “If he made wine, then at least he would be somewhat useful. But cheese?” I made a disgusted face. “This is not happening. And how does that make him powerful?”

  Dante’s eyes lowered as he considered the question. “A lot of wealthy families have ties to the underworld. Maybe he uses the business to launder his money. He’s not the first one… Sounds like your father did the same.”

  Why did rich people waste their wealth trying to get richer in sleazy ways? “This is a nightmare. I keep thinking I’ll wake up any second, but I never do.” My hair was a mess because I’d been fisting it all night, making it frizzy because I kept yanking on it and spinning my fingers through the strands.

  Dante didn’t absorb the information quickly. He sighed quietly to himself then moved toward the large window, thinking about the load of turmoil I’d just dropped on him. Our relationship wouldn’t survive what was coming. We couldn’t run away together because we would get caught. And if we got caught…we would both die.

  I refused to marry Maverick, but I had no other options.

  None.

  But I was more stubborn than a mule, inheriting a decisive attitude from my mother. I didn’t take orders like a good soldier. I wanted to be the general, to call out the orders and watch lesser men obey me.

  My father wanted me to sacrifice everything I believed in by marrying this stranger.

  But I’d rather die…

  4

  Maverick

  Bernadette had drifted off to sleep beside me. Her leg was tucked in between mine, and her palm was flattened against my hard stomach. Her parted lips rested against my hot skin, still wet from our kisses. Her breathing was slow and steady, implying she would sleep in such a state of peace that she may never leave.

  But I wouldn’t allow her to stay.

  No one was allowed to stay.

  My phone vibrated on the nightstand, and my father’s name showed up on the screen.

  It was difficult for me to see his name without feeling a rush of hatred. That man’s gaze was focused so tightly on one goal, he forgot about all the objects in his peripheral vision—including me. I was just a tool at his disposal. I did his clean and dirty work and never expected a thank-you.

  I certainly wouldn’t get one now.

  I le
ft the bed and didn’t bother being gentle. Her head fell to the pillow, and she sighed as her precious sleep was disturbed. Just to be obnoxious and get her to leave, I answered the phone. “Father.” The name was nearly ironic coming from my lips. He hadn’t felt like a father for a long time. “Caspian” seemed more appropriate at this point. I walked to the table near the window and lit a cigar. Looking out the window, I could see the lights contrast against the beautiful city. Lights were pointed directly at every cathedral, illuminating the beautiful history of his amazing place. Once the smoke started to smolder, I blew it out of my mouth.

  “Martin will introduce you to Arwen tonight.”

  So, she had agreed to this arrangement? I hoped the woman had more class than to accept an arranged marriage. If she refused, I would have gotten out of the deal. Also, I would have respected her for it. But now it seemed like I was stuck. “Alright.” My father really expected me to go through with this, to marry and subject myself to domestic torture even though it wouldn’t change what had happened to my mother. I’d be considered selfish for refusing—but he was selfish for asking.

  “He’s taking you to the opera tonight.”

  Great…I was already going on a first date. I’d just fucked Bernadette thirty minutes ago, so my dick still smelled like her. But now I had to put on a suit and meet a woman I would never care for. She would have my name and my protection—but she would never have me. “Alright.”

  “Do you know how to say anything else besides alright?” he challenged.