Chapter 2

I struggled as Nikolai pinned my hands together with just a single hand, his shirtless body hovering over me.

“Let me go!” I cried out in genuine panic.

“So dramatic, you could have just asked for a divorce.” He said in a low voice, his amusement throwing me off.

He wasn’t angry?

“You think this is a joke?” I blurted from beneath him.

“Your foolish attempt at killing me? Yes, Anya. You saw my tattoos, you know what it takes to earn those and yet you thought you could kill me with a pillow. What a silly girl!”

“Fuck you!” I cursed as I wiggled under him. “Next time I will use something sharp.” I spat.

He chuckled darkly. “This mouth of yours will get you in more trouble than your hands ever will.” He said as his eyes rested on my lips and my body shuddered.

He lowered his head. “You know,” he let out a soft growl in my ears. “I have killed men for lesser offenses than what you just did. So how should I punish you, Wife?”

My heart skipped a beat. Punish me? What would he do to me?

When his eyes moved to my lips again, I knew what he was going to do and yet I couldn’t stop him, I didn’t stop him!

You promised! I wanted to scream, but it was too late.

He crushed my lips with his and kissed me fiercely. It was hot and domineering, like a savage beast he owned my lips, fully claiming them; the soothing taste of caffeine lingering between.

At first I tried to fight him, but just like my hands that had remained imprisoned in his, my lips didn’t stand a chance.

My resistance melted under his warm breath as he ravished my lips while I struggled to catch my breath. I had forgotten what a good kisser he was. I found myself giving in to him, unconsciously raising my head to kiss him back.

It was when his free hand grabbed my thigh and gently slid down my nightie, sending a sensation running through my body, that I regained my senses.

Fuck no! I can’t let him do this!

Sensing his grip on my hand had loosened, I kicked him with my knee from between his open legs and then pushed him off me.

I jumped off the bed breathing like a lizard that had fallen off a tall tree. Without looking back I ran to the door, trying to leave the room, but as I turned the door knob and pulled the handle, I came to the realization that the door was locked.

“Open!” I screamed in frustration while pulling hard.

Just then I heard keys jiggling behind. I looked back and found him waving a bunch of keys while calmly sitting down at the front edge of the bed.

“Even if you managed to snatch it off me, it will still take you a couple minutes to find the right key. Like I said, foolish girl.” He smiled evilly.

I stood there, my face dropping in disappointment. How do I outsmart a man like Nikolai Vetrov?

I folded my hands and swallowed hard. “Open the door… I want out. I do not want to be your wife anymore; you cannot keep me here against my wish!” I stated.

“Hmm… You are right,” he said, lying back on a pillow with both hands comfortably crossed behind his head, his muscles glowing under the bedside lamp.

“I cannot stop you from leaving, but if you walk out that door, my deal with your father is canceled. And with the way things have been lately, I don’t think he will make it past this week when his enemies hear that he is no longer under my protection.” Nikolai smirked evilly.

I paused, my body naturally giving up the idea upon hearing that. I hated that he was right.

No, I didn’t care if my father got taken out; he was a monster who deserved death. What I was afraid of was what would happen after his death.

With the Patriarch of the Sokolov family gone, my sisters and I will be vulnerable to attacks. Quite alright, Big sister Katerina might take over with her husband, but she was worse than my father.

So yes, I needed my father alive, for now.

“If you are done thinking about it, come to bed, Kiddo.” Nikolai gently tapped the space beside him.

I cursed silently and slowly walked down to him. One of these days, I won’t need him anymore and I will drive the dagger through his heart myself.

I got on the bed and lay with my back to him. There was silence between us for a while and then his voice came again.

“Don’t you want to know why I left?”

I huffed. “No… It is too late now.” I muttered as I turned off the bedside lamp.

But deep down I wished he would tell me. I heard him sigh and turn off his own light.

For the past four years, I had wondered the answer to that question. And in the beginning, I tried to make up excuses for him, tell myself that he had a good reason. But as time went on and I never heard from him, it became clear to me.

He didn’t need a reason; he was just like every other man. He had gotten between my legs and then vanished.

What I couldn’t understand was why he needed to pretend to be nice to get it? He had snatched me from my abductors, he could have forced himself on me; I was just seventeen and he was a full grown man.

If his intentions were just to fuck me, he could have done it with or without my consent. Why did he go to great lengths to make me fall for him first? Why pretend to be a good person for days, showering me with love and care.

Was this all a sick game to him?

Tears rolled down my eyes as I thought about it. I hate you Nikolai Vetrov, I hate what you did to me and I will never forgive you!

T. B. C!!