(Emily's POV)The next day, something smelled like pancakes. It made my stomach churn.I loved pancakes.I rolled out of bed, brushed my teeth, and combed my hair, then padded out to the kitchen to find Dimitri at the stove, shirtless, his hair wet. I loved him like this, the casual side of him not many got to see. Like this, he was mine.But when I wrapped my arms around his waist, he tensed. Uncertainty flickered through me. He'd been quiet since last night after our wedding yesterday. I woke him up when he was having a nightmare, and an insecure part of me was obsessing over what could be his dream."Are you hungry?" he asked when I stepped away from him. I looked at the plate of pancakes on the counter and wrinkled my nose."Not right now." Grabbing the orange juice from the fridge, I poured a glass. "Is there something wrong?" I asked."Nothing.""Stop hiding anything, Dimitri. I want to know what's on your mind. I want to know more about you."I was sitting on my couch, not su
(Emily's POV)Eight hours later. I glanced out the window of the private jet. I'm finally seeing again the tall Eiffel Tower. I glance at Dimitri and had been his attitude the entire flight: indifferent. He and those stupid 'Delicious!' sounds coming from his phone were driving me crazy. Lucio wasn't any better company. He was flipping through a Cosmo in the row of seats at the front of the plane. And Mali was sleeping in the corner while snoring.After we got married two days ago, even though I'm pregnant, I'd been burning up, waiting for him to touch me, kiss me, and drag me to the convenient bed in the back. But he hadn't done any of that. When I got tired of waiting. I'd straddled his lap, ran my lips down his neck, and cupped his erection as it grew harder beneath my hand.I thought I was finally going to get what I wanted, but then he shoved me off him to the couch and said, "I'm saving myself for our honeymoon, wife"I glared at him.He thought it was funny.Frustrated, I got u
(Emily's POV)The sun rays that peeked through the window collided on my face. I took a glance out the window as the sun beat down relentlessly, even with the air-conditioned cranked up, I could still feel the heat as I already feel the sweat trickle down my forehead. I grab my handkerchief in my pocket from my medical scrubs and wipes the sweat dripping down my neck."Emily, could you check on the patient in room 201?" I turned my head to Mrs. Greene, the head nurse at Nuova Hospital as she handed me the files of the patient."Sure thing," I answered as I accepted the file. I tried to hide my yawn as I walked past all the people waiting to hear news of their beloved ones. There had been a horrible accident earlier that day. 65 people were injured and sadly there are 8 people were dead on arrival. The accident is just so sudden and unexpected. As I arrived at room 201, I slowly opened the door. And headed straight to the bed laid a very injured man. I examined the file in my hand, i
(Emily's POV)I woke up to a voice, a deep harsh voice. I felt my both hands tied behind me and I can't see a thing as I was blindfolded. But, I don't recognize his voice. By the sound of it, we were in a car. I tried moving around as I must be laying in the back seat. I struggled to free myself but it was no use. These ropes were too strong. Then suddenly, the car stopped. "I see you're awake." a deep and hoarse voice makes my whole body freeze in my seat.I heard the door of the car open and someone touch me as I was dragged out and pushed against the car. I struggled to escape from him but his grip just got stronger on my shoulder making me groan in pain."Take it easy, I won't hurt you unless I have to."I tried to hold back my tears. What did he want? What did I do? First the hospital, then my apartment, and now this? What did I do wrong to these men?"P-please... l-let me go." All I heard was a deep sigh. After a few minutes of silence as his hand still pinning me against the c
(Emily's POV)I was woken up by bright sun rays that peeked through the window and collided with my face causing me to bring the covers over my head. I rub my eyes and sit up before realizing that it's already morning. I blinked my eyes, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness. It's been two days since I was kidnapped and forced to stay in this huge room alone. I was on edge as I didn't even know their names. Those blue eyes. I couldn't stop thinking of his blue eyes. At least they kept me alive and feed me well for two days. I am still relieved that they didn't kill me.A knock from the door startled my soul as I jerk off at the corner of the bed I can't go further because of the chain in my feet. The door opened and a man came in as he walk over to the bed, near me."I see you're awake," he said before he motioned his hand to me to sit on the bed closer to him.I shot him a glare, at first I was hesitant to obey him but I saw a gun stuck in his belt pants causing me to control my
(Emily's POV)My eyes are sore from crying and I can't stop my tears from streaming down my face. I can't believe that I really signed the marriage contract. This is a nightmare, getting mixed up in the DiFronzo family. I'm scared that he wants me to do something I'm not prepared for. What else do they need from me? I already treated the injured man, that's the only task they asked for, right? But why they won't let me go?I jerk off the bed when the door opens. I prepare myself in case someone devil would enter my room but actually, I can't fight back since they have their guns, and that scared me the most."Easy Miss..." I felt relieved when it was just an old lady who entered the room."W-Who are you?" I asked, I felt relaxed to know that I am not the only woman in this house."I'm the head maid in this house. My name is Leila. I brought you some supplies, including a toothbrush and some new clothes." she said as she laid the necessities on the bed. I look at the things, they were
(Emily's POV)I sat there for a long time feeling depressed, emotionless, and scared by the quick turn of events. I didn't think this thing called life could get any worse. I was even more unwilling to uphold it, because respecting and upholding my duties as a wife meant that I would have to share a bed with him. My body, my innocence, and my virginity were extremely important to me and I had always wanted to save myself for the one I loved.I couldn't imagine giving myself away to a man as heartless, narcissistic, and dangerous as him when the only emotion that I had for him was hatred. I heard a knock on the door and a group of ladies wearing maid uniforms came in."The King has asked you to change into this and report in his bedroom, Miss." One of the maids laid out a beautiful but extremely revealing slim black dress with long sleeves on the bed. Does he really want me to wear this? I saw a pair of black heels to match. But I refused to spare it another glance."I will not be sp
(Emily's POV)I heard Steve's voice. Oh god, this can't be happening. I tried wiggling out of the handcuffs but yet again... no use. "Steve, are you alright?""Emily... H-How... How come you're here?" he asked with confusion. I can't see his face but I know that he has a lot of questions now."It's... It's a long story, brother." "No Emily! How the fuck are you here? How did you get involved in the mafia?""I-I saw something that I shouldn't have seen, Steve," I said as I cried harder this time. He remains silent which makes me confused. "Steve, did they hurt you?" I asked in fear but he didn't respond. "Steve?""No... I'm fine." he finally said.Then the light went on and I could see Steve clearly in front a few meters away from me. His face and clothes were covered in blood. His hands were tied to the ceiling, he was basically hanging there. I saw Dimitri leaning on the wall. He started walking behind me."What? no comment?" He asked. I kept my mouth shut, too afraid of what migh
(Emily's POV)Eight hours later. I glanced out the window of the private jet. I'm finally seeing again the tall Eiffel Tower. I glance at Dimitri and had been his attitude the entire flight: indifferent. He and those stupid 'Delicious!' sounds coming from his phone were driving me crazy. Lucio wasn't any better company. He was flipping through a Cosmo in the row of seats at the front of the plane. And Mali was sleeping in the corner while snoring.After we got married two days ago, even though I'm pregnant, I'd been burning up, waiting for him to touch me, kiss me, and drag me to the convenient bed in the back. But he hadn't done any of that. When I got tired of waiting. I'd straddled his lap, ran my lips down his neck, and cupped his erection as it grew harder beneath my hand.I thought I was finally going to get what I wanted, but then he shoved me off him to the couch and said, "I'm saving myself for our honeymoon, wife"I glared at him.He thought it was funny.Frustrated, I got u
(Emily's POV)The next day, something smelled like pancakes. It made my stomach churn.I loved pancakes.I rolled out of bed, brushed my teeth, and combed my hair, then padded out to the kitchen to find Dimitri at the stove, shirtless, his hair wet. I loved him like this, the casual side of him not many got to see. Like this, he was mine.But when I wrapped my arms around his waist, he tensed. Uncertainty flickered through me. He'd been quiet since last night after our wedding yesterday. I woke him up when he was having a nightmare, and an insecure part of me was obsessing over what could be his dream."Are you hungry?" he asked when I stepped away from him. I looked at the plate of pancakes on the counter and wrinkled my nose."Not right now." Grabbing the orange juice from the fridge, I poured a glass. "Is there something wrong?" I asked."Nothing.""Stop hiding anything, Dimitri. I want to know what's on your mind. I want to know more about you."I was sitting on my couch, not su
One month later(Emily's POV)Sunlight shone through the high windows of the church's bridal suite, lighting dust particles in the air like tiny flickers of gold. Nausea swirled in my belly, and I pressed a hand to my stomach and tried to breathe through it.It's our second wedding but I'm fucking nervous.I swayed as Lea tugged at my laces. "You've got to suck in, Emily. I've barely begun tightening it up."It felt like she was squeezing the life out of me. "For goodness sake, Lea, she can't suck in her boobs," Carol commented from her seat in the corner. She had a Vanity Fair magazine in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other."It's her backside I'm having trouble with. The laces are gonna be gaping at the seams if I can't cinch them in any tighter."And they wonder how I could ever be depressed...With another jerk on my laces, I breathed, "Oh, God," and covered my mouth as nausea traveled up my throat."Quick, Carol! The waste bin!" Lea exclaimed.My best friend hopped from he
(Emily's POV)Dimitri and I turn onto the main road right as the fire truck comes roaring up the lane, headed for the Castle's beach house, or what's left of it, anyway.I can see the firemen's faces as our car passes their truck, they're looking down at us, eyebrows raised, but unable to stop us from fleeing the scene."What a fucking trip!" I shout, my heart still galloping like a racehorse. "I did not know he was that crazy! I thought he was just normal crazy, like 'I don't want my food to touch,' or 'talking to yourself in the shower' crazy, not like full-out Shining."Dimitri is driving way too fast, hands locked on the steering wheel. Improbably, he's grinning almost as much as I am. Could my uptight husband be starting to enjoy our adventures?"I can't believe I found you," he says."Yeah, Did you find my shoe?" "Yes, I found it! And I remembered."He looks over at me, his blue eyes brilliant against his smoky skin. I don't know how I ever thought his eyes were cold. They're f
(Dimitri's POV)I roll down the window to try to get a better look at some of the cabins that are set back from the road, half-hidden in trees.Some of the driveways are so faint I can barely see them. In fact, I almost pass one by, failing to see the faint tracks through the grass. Until I smell a hint of smoke. It's so mild that I hardly know what scent I caught. Then I feel the automatic reaction, the hair on the back of my neck standing up, and my heart starting to race. It's a primal, terrifying smell. A warning of danger.I slam on the brakes, whipping the wheel to the left. I follow the long, winding path toward a double stand of trees. Between those trees sits a small blue beach house that I've seen once before in a battered photograph.I stop my car, hoping Oliver hasn't already heard the engine or seen me driving up the road. I slip out of the driver's side and crouch down behind the car, trying to peer around at the house.I send a quick text to Emily's brother. I'm an ho
(Emily's POV)"I need to pee," I tell him again as he forgot."You can do it with the door open," he says.I glare at him, in a stand-off between his stubbornness and my throbbing bladder.I can only last a few seconds. I drop my pants and sit down on the toilet, letting go. The pee comes thundering out, with more pain than relief.Oliver stands in the doorway, watching me. There's a tiny smile at the corner of his mouth. His eyes look hooded and pleased.I wish he would turn the fuck around and give me some privacy. Or at the very least, I wish I wasn't peeing for so long. It seems to go on forever, and it's fucking humiliating.He's right, though, if he'd left me alone in the bathroom, I would have climbed out the window in five seconds.When I'm finished at last, I pull up my pants and wash my hands, wiping them dry again on my clothes, since there aren't any towels.Oliver watches this too, with a scowling expression. I think he's looking at the cast again. Then I realize he's act
(Emily's POV)I wouldn't have gotten in the fucking trunk if I knew how far Oliver was going to drive. I feel like I've been in here forever. Also, I drank a lot of water with lunch, and I really have to pee. Also, I'm worried about what Oliver might have done with my purse. He wasn't stupid enough to put it in here with me, unfortunately. I'm anxious that he just chucked it out of the window or something, which means that my precious little package is already missing again.For a long time, I can feel that we're on the freeway smooth, steady progress in the same direction. Eventually, we turn off and start driving slowly and erratically down roads that are obviously narrower and less well-maintained. A couple of times the car jolts hard enough that I do hit my head on the top of the trunk.I've been hunting around in the dark, looking for anything useful. If there was a tire iron back here, I'd use it to brain Oliver the second he opened the trunk.At last, the car slows down. I thi
(Emily's POV)I'm sitting across the table from my new friend, Drake Lee. He passes me the little box I've been waiting and hoping for all week long, and I open the lid to peek inside."Oh my god, I can't believe it," I breathe. "I know," he laughs. "This was the hardest one I've ever done. Took me three whole days." "You're a miracle worker. Honestly."He grins, almost as gleeful as I am."You mind if I put the whole thing up on my YouTube channel?" he says. "I was wearing my GoPro the whole time, got some great footage.""Of course!" I say.I close the box, still hardly believing what I'm holding in my hand, and I stow it back in my purse. I give Drake a slim envelope of cash in return, the amount we agreed upon, plus a bonus for saving my fucking ass. "Well, call me if you ever need me again," he says, giving me a little salute."I hope I won't need you," I laugh. "No offense.""None was taken," he chuckles. He raises his hand to signal for the waitress."I already paid for the
(Dimitri's POV)I'm sitting at the table, surrounded by my men, basking in the glow of victory. We just got back in California. Our days in Bali will remain a memory. I'm also thankful that it's not our honeymoon or Zajac's head would float all over Bali's ocean.I find myself tuning out of the conversation because I want to look at Emily instead.I can't believe she stayed at Zajac's warehouse, looking for me.She could have been killed, or at the very least, recaptured and held hostage until my men returned the money they stole.She could have just run the moment she escaped the office. But she didn't. Because she knew I was somewhere in the building, probably being tortured, possibly being killed.I was frightened to see her hurt again because of me and I don't want to lose her.I've come to respect Emily and love her, too. I like the effect she has on me. She makes me more reckless, but also more focused. Before I met her, I was going through the motions. Doing what I was supposed