The whole way home, Nikolai didn't say a single word. He just drove toward my hell, gripping the steering wheel so tightly that I am sure his knuckles turned white under the blood of those bastards. I stayed silent too, looking anywhere but at him. My body was as stiff as a board, my mind racing with millions of thoughts. The car came to a halt in front of his mansion, and before I could even collect my thoughts, he was already out of the car. The next thing I knew was that my side of the door yanked open, and he pulled me out of the car roughly yet cautiously.I kept my head down as we passed the servants. Their eyes were heavy with sympathy, and I hated it. That look. That pity. It only added to the humiliation burning in my veins.Without a single word, Nikolai shoved me inside the room and locked the door. I turned around to face him. He kicked off his shoes and I braced myself for his rage. For him to lash out, scream, or worse, beat me. But nothing like that happened. Inste
The kiss wasn’t just a claim; it was a brand. His hands moved to my back, pressing me closer as if he wanted to mold me to him permanently.And I melted. I melted in his arms perfectly, as if I were made for it. A traitorous moan escaped my throat when his lips moved to the sweet spot behind my ear, leaving a trail of kisses along my jawline. He wasn't just kissing me with his lips, but he was worshipping me. With each kiss, it felt like he was burning his name in my flesh. My fingers curled into his damp hair to push him away but instead, I found myself holding him tighter. My body was betraying me. “See?” he smirked against my collarbone, dragging his tongue along the sensitive skin. “You can deny me all you want, but this…” His hand slid down, squeezing my thigh possessively. “This reaction? It’s all mine.”I gasped when my breathing became erratic. My resolve was crumbling under his gentle touch. My body was melting, becoming a putty in his hands. The undeniable heat roused i
Betrayed.That’s exactly how I feel right now, and that too by my own body.Shame burned in my chest, hotter than the fever wracking my body. How could I? How dare I take pleasure from the same hands that shattered my world? The same fingers that killed my family. How could I stoop so low? For a few moments of pleasure, how could I forget what he did to me? A soft knock on the door disrupts my thoughts, irritating me further. "Go away! I don’t want anything," I snap, for the fifth time today.My voice is hoarse from the cold I caught yesterday, all thanks to him. My body is burning with fever, and my throat is raw and clogged with cough, making it difficult for me to speak and breathe. The contrast between hot and cold is unbearable, leaving me exhausted. But more than that, I miss my father and brother. After my mother died, they became overprotective of me. When I was sick, they took care of me like a child, fussing over me and making sure I was comfortable no matter how busy
I was running wildly in the open field, the cold breeze brushing through my hair, making it flow behind me in waves. The warm golden glow of the setting sun spread over everything. My crackles of pure happiness filled the open field along with the soft ruffles of leaves. The sweet scent of wildflowers filled the air as my fingers grazed them while I ran. “Run, Alessia, run... while you still have time,” a deep, familiar voice called out behind me.I turned my head slightly and saw a silhouette of a strong, well-built man. A playful smile made its way to my lips as I pushed my legs harder, determined to outrun him.“I will run so far that you won’t be able to catch me!” I chirped, my voice resonating with pure delight. A deep and dark chuckle followed my loud and carefree laugh. "You are mine, Alessia, and you can't outrun me. There is no escape from me." His words sent a shiver through me, but before I could react, strong arms wrapped around me possessively. My body instantly mel
I had been waiting for Nikolai to return for two hours now, biting my lips in anticipation. I just couldn't wait to see his reaction. I just wanted to soak in the frustration on his face, knowing that, at least for once, he was not in control. Since evening, I had been doing my little happy dance in the room. Our plan had worked. Dimitri was able to take down his clients, leaving Nikolai with nothing. I had celebrated it by eating so much that even the servants were surprised. They were probably wondering if I had finally accepted my fate here. If only they knew. I slumped back further into the pillow, holding the book tightly as I tried to focus on the words to pass the time. Just then, the door to the room opened.My head snapped up to see Nikolai entering as if he owned the place, which he did.I was more interested in his expressions. His jaw was tightly clenched, and the way he exhaled sharply told me he wasn't pleased. In fact, he looked furious.Behind him, a maid entered,
Dimitri stood a few feet away with his gun raised and pointed directly at us. My heart leapt to my throat as I tried to make sense of what was happening. I had known Dimitri was planning something, but I never expected him to act so recklessly. Nikolai is already in a bad mood due to his shipment. I am sure he wouldn’t think twice before killing Dimitri. "Welcome," Nikolai muttered under his breath, calmly. This calm demeanor of Nikolai is more terrifying than his angry one. "There is no need to get scared, Alessia." Dimitri said holding the gun tightly with both of his hands. "I am here to save you from this monster" Nikolai let out a low chuckle, tilting his head as he studied Dimitri. "Save her?" He arched a brow. "From me?" He tsked, shaking his head. "How adorable." "If you don't want to die, move aside, Nikolai, and let Alessia come to me," Dimitri warned. Nikolai exhaled sharply and stepped aside. My eyes widened in surprise. "He loves you a lot, doesn't he?" Nikola
The gun felt heavy in my hand, my fingers trembling as they curled around the trigger. I hadn't intended to touch it but Nikolai threw it at me. It was about to hit my face so I wasn't left with any other option than to catch it. "Don't!" Nikolai warned me as I was about to throw it away, "If I catch it, then I won't hesitate to shoot your lover with the last bullet. I am already eager to do that. It's better if you play along!" I swallowed hard. My gaze flicked to Dimitri, who silently urged me to keep it. My heart raced in my chest when Nikolai sat in a chair with a dangerous calmness. "Be a man, Dimitri." Nikolai tilted his head. "Have a seat." Dimitri clenched his jaw tightly, his eyes narrowing at Nikolai. He pulled another chair and sat in front of Nikolai. Both of them were now sitting in front of me. My gaze shifted between them as they had a cold war with their eyes, no one ready to back down. Finally, Nikolai turned his head to me, breaking the silence. "The gun you
Nikolai's attention was fully on me, making sure I was fine when Dimitri attacked him from behind. A loud gasp escaped my lips when Dimitri pulled him back with his collar, whirled him around, and punched straight at his jaw. But Nikolai was quick to gain control over the situation. He was quick to sidestep just in time. The force of the missed punch sent Dimitri stumbling forward. Dimitri was about to crash into me, but Nikolai grabbed him by the collar and yanked him back before he could. Dimitri's eyes were flashing with pure fury. “You were always reckless,” Nikolai mused, rotating his neck. His voice was calm, but the sharp and wild storm in his eyes told a different story. “And that’s why you’ll never beat me.” "Shut the hell up!" Dimitri shouted, which flinched me at my place. And in a fit of fury, Dimitri punched Nikolai again, and this time in the rib. A grunt escaped Nikolai’s lips, not of pain but of amusement. “Oh?” Nikolai smirked, provoking Dimitri “That’s all
My heart leaped into my throat when Nikolai insisted on checking the bag. Of course, I didn’t want to give it to him. His eyes were too sharp—he would catch on instantly. If he found the test, everything would be over before I had even gotten the chance to know the truth myself. I swallowed, gripping the bag tighter. "Alessia, don’t test my patience and just hand over the bag to me." And before I could move, suddenly we heard a loud honk from behind. It startled me, and Nikolai let out a frustrated sigh. Thank God. And thank you to whoever was behind us. Nikolai just shook his head and started the engine. I let out a breath of relief. The journey home was silent, but I knew a lot was going on in Nikolai’s head. As soon as he pulled up in front of the house, I was out of the car before he even cut the engine. I had to act fast. I knew Nikolai would bring up the bag again, especially after my blatant protest. The moment he parked the car in the garage, I reached into the bag,
My heart started pounding in my chest as Nikolai drove toward our destination. My mind was busy thinking of ways to deceive the mafia king and get what I wanted. I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but I had no other option. Even if he wasn't home, I would have to find a way to get my hands on a pregnancy kit. Suddenly, fresh air hit my face as Nikolai rolled down the window. I frowned and turned my head to Nikolai, finding his attention on the road. "Fresh air," he reminded me. "That’s what you wanted, right?" I slowly nodded and shifted my attention back to the road. The air carried the scent of damp earth. The ride was quiet, but my mind was filled with many thoughts. "Hope it’s doing you some good!" Nikolai asked all of a sudden. I nodded again without turning to look at him. Nikolai had always stayed one step ahead of me. In the past, he had always figured out what I was planning. I just hoped he wasn't already suspicious. My body leans forward when he braked in front o
What in the world? No! This can’t be happening. My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. I can't breathe, blink, or move. I stared at Nikolai, but he didn’t seem to notice my internal panic. His expression remained unreadable, but I could feel his gaze studying me. I quickly averted my eyes before he could read me. I forced myself to breathe; my chest heaved up and down heavily. My mind was spinning—completely blank one second and then flooded with so many thoughts the next. My hands trembled as I pressed them against my stomach. If I was… if I was pregnant… Then what? What would I do? A shiver ran down my spine. I wanted to scream and cry, shake myself and wake up from this nightmare. This can't be happening! This CAN'T be happening! Nikolai grabbed my shoulder and shook me slightly, bringing me back to my senses. “Alessia, what happened?” My head snapped to him, and I found concern written all over his face. “I have been calling you for so long, but you a
What does a person do when they have no other way left? When every door is shut and every path leads to a dead end? They adapt. They make peace with their circumstances, not because they want to, but because it's the only way to survive. And that's exactly what I’ve done. I’ve stopped questioning and stopped fighting the inevitable. Maybe it’s not acceptance—maybe it’s just exhaustion. But to stay sane, I’ve convinced myself that this is my reality now; that resisting won’t change anything. I don't know if it is making me weak; all I know is that it is necessary for me not to go completely mad in this house. I have faith in God that, soon, He will give me a reason not just to survive but to truly live—to be genuinely happy. I was done folding all the clothes and was arranging them in the wardrobe when the door opened. I didn't bother to look that way; it was probably a servant coming to call me for lunch. "What are you doing?" I was surprised to hear Nikolai's voice. He w
As my eyes slowly opened, I saw a man walking through the streets. Due to the darkness, I couldn't see him properly, but from the side, he looked like Marco, my brother. My heart leaped into my throat as I called out to him, but he didn't hear me, as I was at a distance. My heart slammed against my chest as I turned and ran towards him. I had to cross the entire balcony and exit to reach the street. I just hoped that he hadn't moved away from me by the time I reached him. While running, I left my heels behind. The sharp wind hit my face as it was about to rain, but I didn't care about anything. I just wanted to reach my brother and hug him tightly. I couldn't believe my eyes; he was alive. A spark of hope ignited in my heart, and maybe he had been saved in that incident, or maybe he was here to take me back. A strangled cry escaped my throat when my ankle twisted. My breath was trapped somewhere between my lungs and throat. The clouds crackled above my head, but I didn't care a
When the car slowed to a stop, I fully expected to find myself in front of a lavish five-star restaurant, the kind that matched Nikolai’s personality: extravagant, cold, and overwhelming. Instead, I found myself standing in the middle of a small and warm restaurant. It was dimly lit, with rustic tables and soft golden lights. Suddenly, the scent of freshly baked bread and rich spices wafted through the air, and I couldn't help but inhale it again and again. It felt so familiar, even though I had come here for the very first time. I swallowed hard and turned my head to Nikolai, only to find him already watching me, his dark eyes filled with something close to fascination. My brows furrowed. Why does he always look at me like that—as if I am the most precious thing in his world—when he has already taken away my happiness, my life? I cleared my throat and tore my gaze away. “Have a seat, my lady,” he said smoothly, pulling out a chair with a soft smile on his lips. I glanced at
Alessia's POV It had been over a week since Nikolai had brought me back to this hell. Since then, I have done nothing except sleep. No matter how much I slept, I felt very tired and restless all the time. Every time I spent a night with Nikolai, I regretted it the next morning. No matter how much I swore to resist, I always lost control whenever he was close. I had barely spoken to him since then. I avoided him most of the time. To my surprise, he also gave me the required space instead of forcing his presence like at other times. He was trying to act all soft around me, but I knew his reality. I wasn't going to be lured by his fake care and concern. I knew what a skilled manipulator he was. The soft click of the door opening broke through my thoughts. I immediately shut my eyes, curling deeper into the mattress, pretending to be asleep. A few seconds later, I heard the soft click again, which meant he had closed the door. He stayed there for a moment before I heard the
Nikolai's POV"This is so unfair. You promised that island to me!" Antonio shouted, his voice hoarse from hours of suffering. He was tied to the chair, exactly where and how I wanted him, beaten black and blue by my men. His arrogant posture now slumped against the chair. The blood dripping from his temple soaked into his white shirt, painting it red. He was always under the illusion that he could outsmart me. Even in the past, he betrayed me by joining hands with Alessia's father. But today, reality had hit him harder than my men’s fists. I leaned against the heavy wooden desk, casually swirling the whiskey in my glass, letting him cry a little more. It was bringing peace to my heart. The air was thick with the smell of iron and blood, something I am used to. I wanted Alessia to witness the consequences of her actions, but I knew she wouldn't be able to stand here. She hasn't been feeling well for the past few days. After that night, she struggled to even walk to the bathroo
Third person POV Alessia's whole body shuddered when Nikolai pressed the ice cube directly against her clit. Her body was on fire; she needed release, but Nikolai's actions made it even more challenging for her, while he was thoroughly enjoying her predicament. He wanted to tease her, punish her, and teach her a lesson so she wouldn't repeat the mistake. He understood that she was overwhelmed by emotion and revelation, which caused her to escape, but she didn't realize the blunder she had committed. She was too innocent to understand others' intentions. Antonio could have done anything to her. As a Mafia King, he had many enemies looking for his weakness, and now she had made it obvious. They would surely come after her. She would have to understand that only he was her home, her solace, her only place to turn to. No one knew her body better than he did, and he was taking advantage of exactly that. He slowly and teasingly began rubbing the ice on her clit. Her legs tightened