RHEA'S POV.~I'm not going to save you because of your love for me but because of mine for you~Aleksander loved me. It was a world shattering admission. Every fiber of my being wanted to light up like a Christmas tree or explode like fireworks. There should have been untold joy and comfort that came from hearing him say those words.However the front door slammed in my face and he left. Aleksander was gone. Leaving me cold and shocked, unable to process what just happened. While he might return my feelings, he wasn't here and the viscous rage in his dark eyes had terrified me, even if it wasn't directed at me.That wonderfully amazing man paid off the debt i owed to the hospital. Even hours after he left, I was still stunned he had done that for me. While I was tearing myself apart with worry, there was some slight consolation in knowing he cared.Finding out how much Aleksander had paid to keep me exclusively for three months was another shock. Five million dollars and he acted like
Aleksander Makalov stood in the doorway, a dark figure with nothing more than the hallway light illuminating the outline of his impressive, tall frame. I heard the deep steadying breaths he took and watched his shoulders rise and fall. All I could do was to stand at the foot of the bed, watching him while frozen."Rhea", His deep husky voice caressed my senses and made my heart restart with a hard jump."Ty prostish' mine to, chto ya' sdelal?","What is it , Aleksander?", I lastly asked when I heard him speak Russian. "Where have you been?, What has happened?", I finally took a step in his direction.He stepped into the room and flicked on the light on the dresser. The dim light lit up his face and i gasped when I checked him out. Dark circles were stressing his brown eyes and he looked positively haggard. Roughy but still fuming with each quick breath he took.Aleksander's dominating presence consumed the bedroom as he took another step towards me. The closer he got, the warmer I go
The dried crimson blood on his knuckles was jarring. I inwardly knew it, that it wasn't his blood. Somewhere deep in my blood, I knew I should be afraid of Aleksander. I should be afraid of him and what he had done, whatever it was. Yet I couldn't find that fear.All my focus went to the sensations of Aleksander plowing into me. The sound of our skin slapping together and the heat of his body crushing me down. His mouth fell on my shoulder and I felt him biting into my skin. Shivers danced through me with the heady concoction of pleasure.Aleksander thrusted into me so hard, over and over. It felt as if he would split me in half from the force of it. His movement was desperate and wild. One hand curled over mine and the other on my hip to keep me in place.I screamed into the bed when he used a knee to push my legs further apart. This pushed him deeper inside of me and I felt his cock ramming into my cervix. It was hard and fast but I didn't want it to end. Despite the blood on his h
RHEA'S POV."Stay here with me. Don't leave Rhea", A month later, when it was past the time for our contract to end , Aleksander asked me to stay with him. To permanently move into his home and out of my studio apartment across the city. I couldn't say no, not to him.Aleksander and i didn't talk about what happened that day he momentarily disappeared. Although I didn't know what became of Dax. I heard rumours from the other dancers that there had been an incident at the theater when Luke was fired. I didn't bother asking because all that mattered to me was that all those vile men were out of my life.No one knew the full story and i think it was better that way. Especially with the new sense of relief that could be felt in the other dancers at practice. All the contracts were over now and our new unnamed owner immediately implemented salary raises and the end of the year bonus.Aleksander didn't say anything about it but I thought I knew who it was. Aleksander was probably the owner
RHEA'S POV."I did what I had to do", I heard Aleksander speak , his words were as sharp as a knife and made me freeze more in the place I was hiding in."For her?, You seriously think she is worthy the trouble we will be in if Dax's family retaliates", Nikolai's words made me to cover my mouth to hide a gasp. Aleksander growled back and I could feel the growing tension in the foyer."She is worth everything. Let them come if they want to. I will do the same to them", He seethed through his teeth. Claws of dread wrapped around my throat and i couldn't breathe."You being foolish , Aleksander. All of this potential war with the Genoseve family, just so you own the Prima ballerina of New York? Is your sense of entitlement and your over grown ego bigger than your head?", Nikolai's voice rose over a whisper, growing almost into a shout.I didn't understand what he was saying. Nevertheless my heart was beating painfully in my chest and my limbs were cold. Nikolai could be harsh but his wor
"It is very easy to love you. I wish you would stop believing that you don't deserve it", I whispered softly to Aleksander to avoid disturbing others. He pulled his face away staring so deeply into my eyes. I thought he stopped breathing as our eyes locked."I love you Rhea, i would do anything", The sudden tenacity in his tone and the spark in my eyes caught me by surprise. Raising my hand, I placed my palm on his cheek. He leaned into my touch, eager for it. "You have already done everything for me, Aleksander", I murmured. He has done more than that."Just keep loving as much as I love you and we will be alright","I can do that", He nodded his head. Without warning, he pulled away and looked at his aunt. Clearing this throat loudly, Aleksander got everyone's attention."Tetya, I think there is a thing that got missed. Can you check the lower branches of the Christmas tree. I thought I saw something down there",Annika stepped gracefully between Ricky and Devin to get to the lumino
I truly looked and felt like royalty today. After all, I was marrying my dark prince. The brilliant power of the sun bloomed within my chest. Bright, joyous emotions flooded through me too fast to grasp them all at once. Happiness, love and nerves mingled in my humming blood and racing heart. Each second that passed echoed in my head like the ticking of a bomb. I might explode into a million pieces before walking down the aisle.Either we were lucky to set a date at my dream venue or Aleksander knew the right strings to pull. It astounded me that I sat in the front of a mirror in the St Patrick Cathedral today. One of the dreamiest locations in the city to have a wedding and here I was.With towering gothic spires of white marble that touched the sky and brilliant stained glass windows, it felt like getting married in a fairytale castle.Outside of this cathedral, I had stopped to pray the night I met Aleksander. I had sent a silent prayer to the heavens to protect my loved ones abd
ALEKSANDRER'S POVFor much of my life, I'd never believed in fate. To think that something was destined to happen sounded outlandish. It turned everything I thought I knew upside down the night I first watched Stella on stage.Suddenly I believed.God had to be real because she was an angel walking the earth. Fate had to be real because I was destined to see her, to feel her... to have her. Rhea was the one -the only one for me. My shining star, and now my wife.Rhea is my wife!Those words blared through my mind on repeat. From the moment we kissed, everything became official. I couldn't get that thought out of my head. I didn't want to. With all the frantic energy roiling through my body, I wanted to soar to the tops of the cathedral and scream it from the jagged spires.Flashes of light exploded around us. The guests cheered and shouted their congratulations. At one point I remember my aunt planting kisses on my cheeks. Everything moved in a whirlwind of motion.All I cared about w
EPILOGUE RHEA'S POV Three wonderful years came and went. Each one became a new chapter in my life that I'd never forget. I couldn't when I had otherworldly love pouring through me every day. More than I ever thought I'd experience in my life.Trudging through the grief of losing so much family ate a hole in my heart. Aleksander came along and slowly threaded the chasm together, healing me with each delicate touch and sensual kiss. An unlikely love formed from that illicit contract, and through turmoil and pain, we forged our story.Glowing, floating on top of the world, I swept into the kitchen. A delightful buzz from champagne left a rosy flush across my cheeks. I poured myself a glass of water, listening to precious laughter drifting from upstairs as I did."Rhea!" Annika's excited coo made me whirl around from the sink. I came face to face with her, waving her red nails, gesturing for a hug. I stepped into her arms. Annika shimmied against me. "How did the event go?""It was great
The technician broke the silence first. "Your chart says that you're estimated to be about eighteen weeks along. Is that correct?""Yes," Rhea swiftly answered. Her smile widened. "The size of a bell pepper this week.""That's right," the technician chortled. She glanced between the three Makalovs in the dimly lit room. One hand clicked a button on the ultrasound keyboard and the monitor flickered on. With the probe hovering over Rhea's navel, she asked, "Are you interested in knowing the gender?"Rhea's throat bobbed. Her fingers twitched in mine. Simultaneously, we locked gazes. It was an important question, and one we hadn't discussed nearly enough."I'm going to love them, regardless." Her bottom lip trembled as she studied my face. "As long as they're healthy.""Do you want it to be a surprise?" I whispered in my wife's ears alone. Leaning closer, I nuzzled into the side of her face. "Whatever you want, baby. Just say the word."Despite her nerves, Rhea giggled. She turned her he
ALEKSANDER'S POV A month passed, and we returned home.Keeping my promise to Rhea, I relinquished the reins over to Nikolai to close the loose ends with the Genovese crime family.My aunt and uncle understood and approved of my wish to keep my hands clean for my wife's sake. Nikolai didn't bat an eye when he proclaimed the Genovese would accept a deal and leave our family alone if we did the same.Antonio recovered from his injuries from the car accident. After two weeks in bed, he returned with renewed vigor. The incidents of that day wounded his honor, and he stated he needed to make up for it. As much as I argued, he needed to take time away. He continued showing up in uniform.Rhea had a checkup with her doctor. That was an appointment I wouldn't miss for the world. I held her hand through the follow-up tests, using her as my lifeline through the stress. I'm sure I was the same for her.The thumping sound of a heartbeat lifted a weight off my chest. Rhea cried from the sweet tast
Keeping one hand on his cheek, our lips a hair's breadth apart, I hooked my other arm around his neck. Chest to chest except for his hand on my breast, I breathed my promise into him. "I love you, Aleksander. Forever."A relieved shudder rushed through his body from head to toe. The stuttered sigh past his lips tickled my mouth. I repeated my vow to him, again and again, accompanied by each primal thrust of his hips. "I love you. I love you. I love you."Lush warmth blossomed in the center of my being. It rose from a taut coil in the depths of my core. All at once the carnal pleasure of Aleksander making love to me exploded through my body, rushing in waves from between my thighs to each of my limbs.Quaking against him with searing pleasure wracking my body, Aleksander couldn't hold back. My pulsing cunt forced him into the throes of his climax, following the heels of mine. He painted me from within, claiming me in the salacious way that I enjoyed.He caught my cries on his tongue, s
He seized me in his hands, tenderly stroking them over my fevered flesh. I didn't notice when the gloves came off, but I savored the sensation of his skin on mine. Aleksander explored every dip and curve of my body as if discovering me for the first time.His scruff tickled my throat as his lips tasted me from my chin to my collarbone. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and Aleksander grabbed my hips. In one swift motion, he lifted me off the floor. My legs curled around his waist.The stiffness of his growing erection slipped against the wet center of me. A groan escaped from his mouth into mine. We shared a brief moan at the sweet moment of friction.Aleksander's lips clashed with mine in a passionate frenzy. He moved forward, marching us under the hot spray of the shower. We didn't stop until my back met the tile, crushed between the shower wall and Aleksander's perfectly sculpted frame.I grasped the back of his hair in one hand, tugging slightly as Aleksander's teeth nipped at my
RHEA'S POV Every ounce of my consciousness slipped from my grasp the moment Aleksander freed me. While all the world moved around me, my thoughts stayed still within the pit of darkness consuming my mind. My awareness stayed on my pulsing veins, coursing with cold blood and the rough pounding of my heart throbbing through my limbs.Each breath cleaved through my lungs, strained and burning. Only the heat of Aleksander's hand on my arms kept me on my feet. He was my anchor to reality during a turbulent car ride, and as he swept me through the blinding lights of a semi crowded lobby.A hotel, I thought, somewhere downtown. My eyes couldn't focus on anything, from the onlooking strangers in the shadows to the overly bright glow of opulent lighting. Aleksander and Nikolai's hushed voices brushed against something inside my head. I knew they were with me, but I moved on autopilot.My body floated on a cloud. Up an elevator. Several turns down hallways that felt like a damn never-ending ma
Men screamed. Blood and brains splattered the walls and floors as they went down.A figure popped out around a corner. I fired one shot at his head, and he descended to the ground like an axed tree falling in a forest.Another came behind him. Too close to shoot from afar. My left arm shot out and blocked his. I used the momentum to force his aim up. My opponent shot and missed, bullets lodging in the ceiling. With my left hand, I pointed the gun at his stomach and fired two rounds.The last shot went into the side of his skull as he stumbled to his knees. Then he dropped like a stone on the filthy concrete.An arm emerged at the end of the corridor I passed through. I pulled the trigger, yet nothing left the chamber.Regardless of my unloaded pistol, I grabbed the arm in front of me. One twist of the wrist forced his weapon from his hand. The gun clattered away on the floor.The man grunted. When I jammed the butt of my gun into his face, breaking his nose, he screamed. As he fell, I
ALEKSANDER'S POV Nikolai burst from the front doors of the Makalov mansion. I followed hot on his heels, rushing toward the line of awaiting cars parked around the massive fountain at the end of the driveway.The very last thing Nikolai and I expected was to receive a call from an anonymous contact who worked for the Genovese. Someone in their organization vehemently opposed a potential war. Enough to give away Luca's location.Rhea was the one thing in this world I wanted more desperately than my body needed air. Luca Genovese stole her from me. Now betrayed by his own, I would take his life.The fiery glow of dusk settled itself over the horizon. A brisk wind whipped up the edges of my coat. My fingers twitched, itching for a cigarette to relieve my bristling nerves.Leaving Annika safe at the mansion, I joined my uncle in the backseat of the first car. Personal guards accompanied us. All well-trained and armed with the same pistol I carried.Savage anger writhed like a serpentine
"I'll handle it." The snarky response pulled me from my thoughts. Then the door at my back pushed open with a grating creak of metal on metal. I slammed back into reality, where I sat handcuffed to a chair in some semi-abandoned building.Every breath I took burned my chest. My body tensed with the fear running in my blood. As Luca's shadow rose ominously over the opposite wall, I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move a muscle as each sinister thump of his shoes carried him closer.Luca appeared in front of me with an eerie aura. His disturbing grin slashed wider upon finding me alert.I tried maintaining my gaze at first. He lasciviously ogled every inch of me with a malicious sneer, twisting his features. The threatening glint in his eyes forced my gaze down to his expensive leather loafers crunching on bits of broken glass beneath us."You're finally awake," Luca announced, cocking his head to the side. "The accident was unfortunate, but I didn't think your driver knew any defensive ma