Chapter 2 Fractured Will

Lyla Rose

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"Why, her?" I croak out, my voice trembling, but not from fear. From the pain, the rage. "Why?" My eyes burn with the tears I refuse to shed, but I feel them gathering at the corners.

He leans in, his breath hot against my ear. "Because she's going to give me what I need. A fucking heir. Something you can't do." His hands drop from my face, his eyes locking on mine, unblinking. He steps back, his expression devoid of warmth, like he's already gone somewhere I can't reach. "So yes, I'm divorcing you. Tomorrow."

"I will end her and then we'll see what happens. I'll carve her open, and you won't be able to do a damn thing," I warn and I mean every word.

He freezes, his body stiffening as he slowly turns to face me. The playful mask vanishes, leaving only sharp angles and dark intent. "Rose, I swear to God, if you lay a finger on Maria, I will lock you up in the basement and throw away the key. You will never see the light of day again." He jabs a finger in my direction, his eyes wild. "Do not test me on this."

"Oh, yeah? So protective of another woman, huh?" I laugh bitterly, but my chest aches. "Protective of a woman who isn't even your wife yet."

His jaw tightens, his eyes darkening to a stormy blue. "She's going to be my wife. The mother of my children. Of course I'm protective of her." He steps closer, his voice hardening. "Something you would understand if you could carry my baby." He spits the words like venom. "But you can't."

I swallow the sting in my throat, the desperate need for him still clawing at me, but I force it down. "That's not all I am..." My voice trembles, but I push on, "I love you, and I don't want you marrying another woman. Why is that so hard to understand?"

"Why?!" I scream again, my voice hoarse, raw with emotion.

"Because I need a fucking heir! I need a damn son to carry on my legacy!" He shouts back, his anger matching mine, his voice echoing through the walls. "You can't give me that!" His fist slams into the table, rattling everything on it. "I love you, Rose! But I need a damn heir!"

"I don't need your love. Just don't marry another woman." My voice lashes out as I shove him back, feeling a spark of power surge through me.

He stumbles, taken aback by my sudden strength. "Stop it, Rose!" His voice drops, the warning low, but it has no effect. "I'm getting married tomorrow. End of discussion." His hands smooth down his suit as if he's preparing to leave, to walk away from this entire mess. "I have a wedding to plan." He turns his back to me, moving toward the door.

"I won't divorce you." The words fall calmly from my lips, even though my chest is tight, empty inside.

He pauses, then slowly turns to face me, his eyes cold, calculating, as if sizing me up for the first time. "You don't have a choice." His voice is quiet, almost threatening. "I'm ending this marriage tomorrow, whether you like it or not." He steps forward, towering over me now, his presence suffocating.

"I won't sign the divorce papers, so you can't marry Maria," I say simply, shrugging my tiny shoulders, as if the weight of the situation isn't pressing down on me at all.

He stares at me, disbelief creeping into his blue eyes. "Are you kidding me right now?" He laughs, but there's a flash of something darker there. "You think I can't force you to sign?" He leans down, his face so close to mine that I can feel his breath on my skin. "I'm the fucking mafia don, Rose."

"I won't sign it." I chant the words stubbornly, my resolve hardening with each passing moment.

His patience snaps. He grabs my arms roughly, his grip bruising. "You will sign those papers tomorrow morning before I walk down that aisle!" He shakes me slightly, his eyes wild with anger and desperation. "I will drag you kicking and screaming if I have to. Do you understand me?"

"I won't!" I scream, the sound of my voice raw, louder than before, shaking with emotion.

In an instant, he slams me against the wall, his large hand pinning my wrists above my head. His body pressed against mine, his face inches from mine, but there's no comfort, no love, just cold control. "You're acting like a child, Rose." His voice is eerily calm now, and it cuts deeper than any shout. "If you don't sign those papers voluntarily, I'll make you." His eyes darken further as he releases my wrists and loosens his tie. "The basement has no windows."

"You'll lock me up for what? So you can marry a fucking whore, huh?" The words come out as a slap to his face, my anger boiling over. I slap him hard, the sting of my palm matching the pain in my chest.

His face twists with fury, the slap reddening his cheek instantly. He grips my wrist, his fingers digging painfully into my skin. "Watch your mouth, Rose." His voice drops to a low, dangerous growl. "Maria is not a whore. She's a lady."

"I don't care! You're not divorcing me!" I scream louder, my body shaking with rage.

With a vicious motion, he releases my wrist and backhands me across the face, the force sending me stumbling. "Enough!" His roar reverberates through the room, his anger taking over. "You're giving me no choice! Tomorrow morning, you'll be drugged and forced to sign! Then I'm marrying Maria, and you'll be locked in the basement where you can't hurt her. I won't have my useless wife hurting the woman who's going to be the mother of my child!" His footsteps thunder as he storms toward the door. "Deal with it."