Deal with the devil...

Leo Novikov is a chauvinistic man, living a carefree life and committed to the family business. When he reached his thirties, he was promised to lead part of Russia. However, this becomes impossible when he suddenly learns that he must marry the daughter of a Kosvolk in order to have absolute power and elevate his surname, as the Kosvolk and Novikov families would be the long-awaited union.

All of this is due to a contract signed by the founding members of the mafia organization, although there are many separate clans that want to overthrow the new bosses, while others want to maintain power through their dependence.

After being explained what he must do to obtain everything he has fought for, Leo takes a step back because he knows that marriage is not what he had planned for himself, as it would be the end of his bachelorhood and the freedom he enjoys with women and travel.

It's insane to think that he would marry an inexperienced girl! It's a disaster from which he wants to run away, but his father has him tied down to fulfill his obligations. The mafia members don't care if she has to fall in love or not; what matters is the union of both families, "the power."

The thought of escaping and not obeying his father comes to his mind, although he also considers not accepting, but that would be the end of his family, as the son of the Kosvolk could find the woman who will give him the power he needs.

It's a total catastrophe because Leo has no other path, although there is a glimmer of hope that Kosvolk would destroy that clause in exchange for granting him power, hoping that the father of the woman who is supposed to be his wife will oppose it. That idea comes to his mind, and he'll keep it as an ace up his sleeve. He won't tell his father anything, not as long as the father of that girl accepts. He has no other choice. He must and has to accept.

Leo didn't take much time to travel from Moscow to St. Petersburg, the city where the grand Kosvolk family resides. Everything was going well until fate played a nasty trick on him because it didn't take long for Leo to stumble upon the main piece of all his problems, "Pao."

The man had to blink a couple of times to determine that the girl before his eyes was not the same one he would marry, as he is almost twice her age. In his thoughts, thousands of things came to him, and one of them is that it is not possible to marry a spoiled, pampered, and whimsical brat who doesn't even know what she wants.

The difference between Leo and Pao is that he is a man with experiences, and the last thing that would cross his mind is to be attracted to a teenager, even if Pao claims to be of legal age.

Pao wasted no time and threw herself at the lips of the imposing Leo. For a few seconds, she imagined that she would have him at her feet, but everything collapsed when he rejected her, telling her that she is just a child and, worst of all, that she is promiscuous because the first thing she did was throw herself at a complete stranger. She reacted in the worst way possible; she felt offended, used, ugly, dirty, to the point of running away from there.

The man could only shake his head, frustrated, as he met the girl who would be his wife, a teenager! Many thoughts raced through his mind, and one of them was the question, what experience could this girl have? She's not my type, not at all!

And that's when the man decided to turn around and leave the Kosvolk's house. He felt so frustrated, disappointed, and furious because the organization was playing with him, putting a mere child who didn't even know her own name in his path.

Without speaking to the mobster who would solve his problems, he returned home to discuss the matter of marrying a teenager. His family was unimpressed when he described the girl who would be his wife. However, his family demanded that he go back and speak with the girl's father. They insisted that her being a teenager shouldn't matter since she was still a woman, even though they justified everything by saying she was of legal age.

It was all a surprise to him because his family agreed that he should marry the girl he had rejected. If he refused, he had to be aware that it would be the end of his family and the Novikov name.

What will Leo Novikov decide?

Will he sacrifice his freedom to uphold the family name? Although there's also the option that the girl's father might oppose and help him obtain everything, they want without resorting to marriage.

+

As Leo keeps appearing in Pao's life, his presence remains a challenge for her. In her mind, she still believes she has everything it takes to conquer any man. All she lacks is a bit of confidence and toughness, so that men stop seeing her as a whiny and spoiled child.

Unintentionally, she overheard a heated family argument in her parents' office, in the company of the man who ignores her. Her question of the year is, "Why am I not there?" Jealousy arises because they allow her brother to be in the meeting she should be attending, emphasizing that she is not a child, as they constantly point out.

"Everything is unfair for the unhappy girl." What she doesn't expect is that a big surprise is about to come her way.

+LEO+

I have been traveling from Moscow to St. Petersburg for three months, solely to find a solution to all my problems.

The moment the girl's parents found out about the clause, which they also didn't know about, they wanted to kill me just by seeing me. Their reaction is understandable because they see their daughter, the girl, and a man nearly twice her age as incompatible for having children.

My response to them was that I have no intention of marrying their daughter, but I also don't want that clause to harm my family.

Since the day I spoke about the matter, they have been trying various ways to undo everything, but until today, there are no solutions because it is something that is established, and both children have to fulfill it.

Her parents intend to take the girl far away. It would be a huge favor for me, but I won't allow it because I don't want to sit idly by. I cannot disappoint my family; I cannot end up on the streets. Time is ticking.

I park my Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD High Country review, and from here, I can see the girl in front of me with a couple of girls worse than her. I sigh when I see her because I feel like my life is a complete joke.

I have come to the Hotel Indigo, St. Petersburg because I have been in a meeting with Dmitriy almost all night. I was planning to come here to sleep and then meet with him again because this whole marriage thing is giving us a headache, but that's gone to hell now because the unexpected visit from the girl tells me I have to postpone the meeting with my bed.

"Leo," I open my eyes abruptly upon hearing that familiar squeal. I hadn't even gotten out of the car when the crazy girl comes to me, "please," she pleads, tapping on the car window.

This can't be happening! The last thing I needed was the girl showing up unannounced. How did she know where I was staying?

"We'll talk another time, and if you'll excuse me, I need to go inside because I urgently need some rest," I step out of the car, and the last part I said under my breath because I don't want to humiliate her more than she's already humiliating herself by coming here.

What does she want?

"Love, I'm going to introduce you to my friends," the girl exclaims, pointing at the other girls. "We just got out of class, and they were curious to meet you."

I am paralyzed upon hearing that. Love? It feels like two extra heads sprouted from my own. What is she saying?

"Hmmm... Your father knows you're here," I protested under my breath, even though I feel like I'm nearing the end of my patience.

"They know, my love. They even asked me to tell you to take me home," she says, winking at me. "Come on, Leo, don't be shy." The last word caught me off guard, and I stiffen as I feel her hand searching for mine until it entwines.

"What?" I mutter angrily.

"Play along," she whispers near my ear.

The crazy girl doesn't let me speak because all of a sudden, she presses her lips against mine. Her mouth moves more and more, claiming mine, demanding a response to the kiss. She closes her eyes, and for a moment, I let myself be carried away by the sensation this brat is provoking in me. Without any experience on her part, I follow the movements of the kiss.

"There's no need to display your love in front of the poor," I hear screams from the nearby onlookers.

The screams of the onlookers bring us back to reality, and we both pull away, locking eyes. Damn it! Now, this brat is no longer a virgin, considering I imagine she hasn't kissed any other fool who lets her do whatever she wants.

"Girls, this is my boyfriend Leo," the brat says, puffing up her chest, and I want to laugh upon hearing that.

Boyfriend? Not in your dreams, girl. You could never be anything of mine because you're not to my taste.

The three brats come towards me, extending their hands and timidly introducing themselves as Pao's college friends.

I have two options: expose this liar or play along so that she owes me a favor.

I choose the latter and greet the brats, then apologize because an issue has come up that I need to resolve, but I have to go to my room first. They just nod, saying it was nice to meet me, and that they also have a few things to take care of. But before leaving, they tell me that one day soon I have to join them for a movie.

To the movies?

"Goodbye, girls..." the brat lets go of my hand and runs toward her friends to say goodbye.

My heart starts racing, my desire to kill her increases, and if I'm going to die of anger, so be it! I don't care.

"I'll give you two minutes to explain everything," I raise my voice after making sure the other brats are far from us. "Come on, get in the truck."

"Calm down! There's no reason for you to get upset," she says with an air of grandeur. "It was just a little mischief, as if it were the last coin in the world," she scoffs, rolling her eyes.

"That's all you have to tell me?" I take a deep breath because this girl makes me lose my patience and all the air I breathe.

"Alright, you win," she sighs and crosses her arms. "I knew you were staying here, and since I didn't want to go with my brother, I came up with the idea of surprising you." I close my eyes and bring my hand to my face, shaking my head at what this girl has in her mind. "Okay, enough with the drama. My friends cornered me, and I couldn't refuse when they told me to say that you're my boyfriend. Although now I regret it because I'm too much of a woman for..."

"Girl, you're not a woman to me." Anger starts to consume me. "I'm telling you again to know your place. I don't want to hurt you, but it's not easy for me to keep insisting that you and I will never have anything. I'm not a solution to your stupid problems, and I'm definitely not some old rag you can use whenever you feel like it!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

"Wow... Wow... Wow... Tone down your hysteria," she says calmly, both in her voice and on her face.

"What do you mean, tone it down?"

"Let's leave this topic in the past," she waves her hands back and forth, downplaying its significance.

+PAO+

"I am that eighteen-year-old girl who wants to finish her degree in Telematics, but unfortunately, my father insists that I should not leave the house because outside these four walls, there is a lot of danger that I cannot escape from. Why be afraid? I cannot live in a world of fears; he has no right to suppress what I want and need. I need to be a free girl! I want to be like everyone else! What danger could I possibly face?

During the time I have been going to university, it has been thanks to my mother's grace, as she is the one who always advocates for me, considering that my idiot brother never gets denied anything. It has become clear to me that my brother is the eldest and that I have to respect him because a well-behaved girl should not raise her voice, let alone show disrespect... Ah, how can they expect me to behave when they want to keep me as a prisoner? It's not fair!

No, I believe it's not fair.

+

Twenty minutes later, on the way home, the fool sitting next to me parks his truck. Throughout the entire journey, neither of us has uttered a single word since he attacks me with hurtful words, and I respond with the calmness that he detests. Undoubtedly, his words affect me simply because I am a human being, and there are clearly other ways to distance myself, yet he challenges me when he belittles me as if I were any woman.

My mother has told me that it's because the man is older, almost double my age, and out of respect for my father, she wants to stay out of everything I want to do with him. My mother's words surprised me because I haven't told her anything about the encounters I've had with Leo, although there is a possibility that she may have seen something and hasn't told me.

Damn it! I look towards the street, and what my eyes see is my brother's Ferrari parked on the other side of the house's parking lot, which means the idiot left me stranded. Yes, the story about not wanting to come with my brother is a lie; he left me without caring who I could come with!"

"Thank you for bringing me the boyfriend of the year..." with a half-smile, I step out of the car and make my way towards the cabin a few meters away from the house because I'm sure my brother is there.

Regardless of what destiny has in store for me, I'm heading towards my brother. I have to hold him responsible for everything that will happen to me in a few minutes, as Leo, the grumpy one, will tell my father that I'm offering myself to him.

I refuse to sit idly by while my brother tries to disappear from me and have me sent to a boarding school once and for all!

"No, where do you think you're going?" without warning, I feel his hand grab my arm. "We need to talk about this whole boyfriend thing." His proximity triggers an inexplicable explosion within me.

This man enjoys being provoked; he loves my closeness just as much as I do. I declare myself a masochist, I go crazy seeing how he blushes or when he tries to insult me and fails because I'm the complete opposite.

"Yes, of course, we'll talk, Leo," I flash a huge smile, showing my white and perfect teeth, bringing my free hand to his cheek and lightly touching the smoothness of his skin with my fingertips. "Don't be like that, you know you like me."

"Pao..." he slowly pronounces my name, and we both freeze in time, savoring the journey of our eyes.

"Stop hiding what you feel, big Leo. I'm not afraid of you, and I don't plan on leaving you alone because you're the only one who has ever wanted to reject me," I instantly snap back to reality. "I think I need to execute the seduction plan," I confess to him without shame.

Without saying a word, he releases his grip on my arm, freeing me from his capture. My surprise is when he brings both hands to my face, forcing me to meet the gaze of those beautiful eyes that hypnotize me. Desire courses through my entire body, and without thinking, I respond to his kisses with equal fervor, tangling my hands in his hair.

Suddenly, he interrupts the kiss. His eyes burn with desire, igniting a passionate fire. My mouth is slightly open as I try to catch my breath and fill my lungs with air once again.

"Understand, Pao, we can't have something because we both have different paths, and you're still daddy's little girl," he emphasizes the last word, and I snap back to reality. For a moment, I felt like I was flying. "I have nothing against you, but I don't like the idea of both of us having something."

Why is it that every time he gives me the opportunity to get close, he quickly rejects me, regretting what he truly feels.

"Sh... Don't reject me, Leo, and I'm not asking you in a pleading way. Tomorrow, this will be forgotten because we have different preferences, but I don't see anything wrong with taking advantage of this time and opportunity that's presented itself," I place my index finger on his lips, and I can't help but feel a wave of emotions flooding over me. "I still don't know why you're here, but..."

"I've come for business, and from what I can see..." he falls silent after taking a deep breath, "you're not included in this conversation because, according to your parents, you're a good girl, well, I mean, you're a girl who doesn't understand the language of danger."

What does he mean by that?