8. Let me see you

Change is the only constant in this world; everything changes. 

But I didn't expect my life to change so quickly. It feels like my world has turned upside down. 

Even after getting engaged to Dimitri, I never imagined I would end up married. Yet here I am, standing in front of the mirror, wearing a black gown, already married to my nightmare—Nikolai De Moretti. 

During the wedding ceremony, the room was decorated with roses and scented candles. The fragrance that once brought me peace now feels suffocating. I can't shake off the dread that has settled in my chest. 

For the first time, my reflection frightened me. I've never worn heavy makeup, let alone such dark makeup. 

I looked like a ghost: haunted, tainted, and frightening. Still, Nikolai showed me around, introducing me to the guests as if I were the most beautiful lady, his trophy wife.

I exhaled sharply, shaking my head at my own folly. Stepping forward, I grabbed a wipe from the vanity and removed the makeup until my face was bare. 

Suddenly, I heard a sharp click of footsteps approaching. My body tensed, and my senses heightened. 

He is here! 

I have to do something to protect myself. That animal could do anything to me in the name of asserting his rights as a husband.

And then I saw a sharp knife, half hidden in the shadows.

I immediately moved toward it, curling my fingers around the cool metal. I hid in the curve of my bra. It was small and easy to conceal. 

If he tried anything against my consent, I wouldn't hesitate to shove it into his heart. 

I swiftly turned around, climbed into the bed, and pulled sheets over my body, pretending to sleep. 

The sound of his footsteps followed the creak of the door. And with every step, my heartbeat increased. My lungs were running out of oxygen. I wanted to breathe heavily, but I had to act normal. 

I heard him moving around the room for a few minutes, his intense gaze on me, before I felt the bed beside me dip.

And I exhaled. 

I was glad that my back was facing him. I waited for a few minutes before slowly opening my eyes. And... Boom.

My breath caught in my throat, and I immediately pulled back in horror when I found his face hovering above mine. My heartbeats skyrocketed, and my soul left my body for a second. 

He burst into a devilish laugh while I cried in pain when the knife dug into my skin. 

"How cute is my wife to think she can fool me?" he chuckled. "If you are forgetting, let me remind you that your husband is a Mafia King. Nothing can remain hidden from me."

As he stepped forward, one side of his lip curled into a smirk. I instinctively crawled back on my elbows.  

"Stay away!" I said. 

My words did not affect him as he hovered above me while I kept on kicking my body upward. 

"Every move of yours is making me attracted to you," he said softly, affection shining in his eyes. "How could you think of staying away from my wife on my wedding night?" 

One of his hands cupped my cheeks. 

"You have no idea how much I have waited for you." 

His fingers traced lazily down the side of my face, stopping at my jaw and tilting it slightly. 

"Don't touch me!" I shouted. 

Nikolai's smirk deepened as his thumb brushed over my lower lip. There was nothing playful about his smile. It was dark. Dangerous. 

“But you’re my wife. What kind of husband would I be if I didn’t get to know my bride?”

A shiver shot down my spine, every hair on my body standing on edge. My fingers curled into the sheets as he hovered over me. I could see myself in his eyes, his breath fanned my face. 

He was close. Too close.

His fingers moved from my jaw to the curve of my neck, before stopping at my collarbone. My breathing quickened up; his eyes flicked down to my chest, which was moving up and down heavily with every breath I inhaled. 

"Tempting," he mumbled under his breath. 

My hands rested against his chest to push him away so that I could pull out my weapon and attack him as I planned. But before I could make any move, he quickly clasped my wrists in one of his large palms and pinned them above my head. 

I wiggled only for him to tighten his hold. My back arched, and every movement brushed my swollen breasts to his chest. 

He was playing with me, pushing my boundaries and savoring my fear like the predator he was.

His finger slowly trailed along the strap of my gown, causing my heart to race.

"You wore black for me. But now let me see the skin beneath." My eyes widened, and I struggled wildly. "Dolcezza" 

And my struggle ceased. 

Dolcezza? 

I had heard it somewhere. 

It sounded so familiar! I never knew that one single word could bring warmth to my heart despite the situation I was in. 

I sucked in a deep breath when, with one swift move, he slid my gown down my shoulder. I started struggling again. 

"Careful," he whispered. "You don’t want to cut yourself, do you?”

My entire body tensed, and my eyes widened. 

He knew. 

Blast.