Page 22 of Overdosed: Her Dark Side
“Don’t test my patience,” I warned, my anger smoldering.
“Fuck off.” Anders tried to shove me away, but he barely grazed my arm.
That was the breaking point for me. I reached for my gun and seizing Anders by the collar, pressed the cold steel to his throat. “Either you let me talk to her, or I’ll blow your head off.”
“Do it. Because if you don’t kill me now, I will kill you sooner or later,” Anders threatened. “I hate it that you’re my brother,” he hissed.
“You dare to call yourself my brother?” I scoffed, indifferent to his threats. I wasn’t scared of death. I was already dead inside. “You’re not my brother anymore. You’re my enemy.”
“Well then, one of us needs to die. It’s always been inevitable.”
“Stop it!” Melanie burst from the house, hastily tying her silk robe. Her chocolate hair was tousled by the biting wind. “Just stop it already!” she implored, tears glistening on her lashes.
“We need to end this, Shane,” Anders spat. “There’s no place for two Vergoossens in this world. It’s either you or me.”
“Mommy?”
Mommy?
My heart dropped. I turned toward the door. I wasn’t sure whether it was real or just a cruel mirage born of my bleeding heart. A little girl with the beauty of Melanie. Two peas in a pod. She was terrified. Her little lips trembling.
“Mommy?” My gaze drifted to Melanie whose face drained of color.
TEN
Melanie
A week earlier.
Ireturned home from the Vergoossens’ office, completely baffled. Anders’ wicked words kept reverberating in my mind. I couldn’t help but doubt my choices. Was agreeing to his deal the right move? The more I dove into his world, the more evident it became that he was just as twisted as his brother.
For Anders, it was revenge. His ambitions and desires. He wanted Vergoossen Enterprises Holdings, Karl’s mafia legacy, and everything else that belonged to his brother. Including me.
For me, it was more complex.
Protection. I wanted to be able to finally live my life fear-free. After the deal was done, Anders assured I’d get his protection. He offered to help us hide so that even Shane wouldn’t find us again.
Retribution. As twisted as it may sound, I wanted to get my revenge on Shane. He might not have loved me, but I knew him. I knew he was possessive. A jealous type. I knew seeing his prey with another man, let alone his brother would hurt his alpha male ego.
And money. When I left New York, I had no money or support. Contacting my parents was out of the question. I tried once, and it didn’t go well. My father not only refused my help, but he relished my downfall. He savored the satisfaction that he had been right about Shane. And that only exacerbated my pain. I regretted it ever since. I was on my own. I had no parents. No family. After everything I’d gone through because of them, they were dead to me. So, when Anders offered me a hundred million dollars to marry him, I couldn’t say no. This money was my ticket to a fresh start. To help me start anew and provide the life for my daughter that she deserved. Far away from this dangerous world.
And now, there was no turning back. I knew I had to play this game ‘till the very end.
I lost track of time, lost in my thoughts until a loud bang at the main entrance jolted me back to reality. Assuming it was Betty and Hope returning from the playground, I strolled down the stairs. Ready to see my princess. But my smile slowly faded away. Anders.
He dawned a glass of whiskey and tossed it back onto the cabinet with anger. “Shane has decided to fight for the companies.” He wiped a drop of whiskey from his mouth. “He’s doing it on purpose. Because of you.” The anger in his voice made me tremble.
I didn’t say anything. I merely watched him walk toward me.
“You have to marry me, Melanie. Soon.”
“Wasn’t that the plan all along?”
His eyes darted between mine.
“The sooner, the better. I can’t wait to do my part and leave.”
Anders nodded, his breath steadying. “Very well. I’ll arrange everything, and we’ll get married in two months.”
