The drive is a blur of adrenaline and fury. I race down the highway, weaving through traffic, my knuckles white on the steering wheel. Every second feels like an eternity, but finally, I screech to a halt outside Nikolai’s building.As I stride toward the entrance, I spot a cop, his gun visible in his waistband. He doesn’t approach.Smart man.“Cocky bastard,” I mutter. If Nikolai thinks being in a public place will save him, he’s sorely mistaken. My influence reaches far beyond his petty attempts at protection.I burstinto the outer office, making his secretary jump. “H-hi,” she stutters.“Leave,” I bark. She doesn’t need to be told twice.Without hesitation, I kick open Nikolai’s door. He looks up, a false calm on his face. “Dmitri.” He nods, as if we were meeting for afternoon tea.I refuse to return the courtesy. “You bastard,” I snarl, advancing on his desk. “You knew where she was all along. You sent me on a wild goose chase.”Nikolai leans back, unfazed. “I merely reclaimed wha
ANAThe knock on my door jolts me awake. For a moment, I’m disoriented, unsure how long I’ve been napping. These days, exhaustion is my constant companion.It must be Viktor, I think, my stomach knotting with dread. He’s probably here to tell me my time’s up, that I need to make a decision. I’ve been dreading this moment, putting it off as long as I can.I sigh heavily, my feet dragging as I make my way to the door. What am I supposed to tell him? That I still don’t have an answer? That I’m torn between protecting everyone and following my heart? That I miss Dmitri so much it feels like a physical ache, a constant hollowness in my chest that nothing can fill?My hand hesitates on the doorknob. Maybe if I’m quiet, Viktor will think I’m not home. But no, that’s just delaying the inevitable. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the conversation to come.“Viktor, I—” The words die in my throat as I open the door.It’s not Viktor.It’s Dmitri.Standing right there, in the flesh, looki
EPILOGUEDMITRITwo months later“You know,” Ana says as she picks a slice of watermelon from the fruit plate beside her, both of us lying on the deck of my yacht, watching the ocean as the vessel drifts, “I think I should go ahead and buy myself a jet.”Not knowing where the sudden desire is coming from but used to her saying random things out of the blue—I think it’s a pregnancy thing—I go with the safest response.“Of course. Which and when?”She turns to me, a smile blossoming on her lips and her face positively radiant. It’s hard to believe she’s the same Ana I saw when she opened the door two months ago.The doctor said rest, exercise, and sleep would bring the color back to her cheeks.And I might be biased, but I think she’s more gorgeous too. Lying down on the deck chair with the small bump, her body gleaming from oil and sunscreen, and the little sun hat over her head, Anastasia Orlov looks like a dream cometrue.“You are a sweet man, Dmitri, and you spoil me silly. I might
Book 2 introduces different characters and storyline while still maintaining the forced marriage To the merciless Mafia series. ********* I made a deal with a Bratva Boss, only to lose my virginity and now I’m forced to marry him. He was supposed to save me from a forced marriage not to kidnap me for his own pleasure. Nikolai Yezhov as always been the enemy; older, ruthless, dangerous and handsome. Now I’m knocked up by an older man whose forcing me to be his Bratva Bride. My plan was perfect; outwit my brother and become free of his control. Instead, Nikolai had plans of his own, trapping me in his mansion and claiming my virginity. His passion is cruel, his touch ruthless, but I succumb to his will every time. He has no intention of keeping his word, only to claim me for himself. I might have outsmarted my brother, but this Bratva Boss outsmarted me. He strokes me until I quiver, only to make me cry out with pain and ecstasy. I become addicted to his taste, his touch, hi
NikolaiPresent DayI lit the cigarette, feeling the familiar crunch of the filter between my lips. The flame from the lighter danced before my eyes before I tucked it away. I took a long, slow drag when she sucked, wrapped her fingers around me, and took me deeper until I hit the back of her hot throat. My jaw clenched, and I closed my eyes, letting the rush wash over me. The sound of her gag and feminine moans disturbed the silence in the office, and my fingers sought solace in her hair.I grabbed a handful of her soft locks, guiding her as her mouth went up and down, greedily taking as much as she could. I took another drag on the stick, feeling the tip over the edge coming sooner as the seconds ticked by. Nicotine hit my bloodstream like a freight train, and I hit the back of her throat again.My fingers tightened in her hair, the muscles of my thighs stiffened, and like a broken dam, I released in her mouth. And like a kid teasing the tip of her lollipop, her deep, satisfied groa
RosalynOne Week LaterI was a light sleeper. I blamed it on the trauma Ronan and Sean had forced me to endure when we were younger, when Father was away on business.I’d lie in wait, soaked in tears, clutching my pillow to my chest with one eye open because they could pounce out at any time to toss a toy insect on my bed or a real one, like Ronan did once.The slightest ruffle of the pillowy sheets, flash of light, sound of movement, or flutter of the silken drapes stirred me awake. The same happened when a chime on the nightstand vibrated with a hum. I snatched up my phone, groaning as I slid through the multiple notifications on the screen to fish out the message.I groaned, rolled my eyes, kicked my legs off the bed, and went to take a shower. The message was from Hannah: my best friendandbodyguard. She was waiting in the living room downstairs, and I wondered why.I’d known Hannah O’Conner for five years. She’d been nineteen while I was sixteen. She was younger and more vibrant, a
The urge to scratch his face or punch him in the nose was as overwhelming as the desire to run away from this horrible nightmare and not look back. I wanted death, and sometimes I wished I’d gone with Father that day.“I hate you, Ronan.” I resisted the urge to spit when his eyes twinkled mischievously.“Get her the fuck out of my sight,” he ordered Hannah, his eyes still holding mine, “and I don’t want to hear that anything went wrong. Do you hear me?”Hannah gave a curt nod, and he brushed past me, knocking my shoulder with his elbow. We both waited in silence until his steps behind us faded to nothing.****“I’m not getting that wedding dress.”She ran her fingers through her bob and smiled at me as we walked down the front steps. The air was warm, but the black gown made it feel like a hundred degrees. One of Ronan’s men pulled up in a Benz, got out, and handed Hannah the car keys before returning to his station.“He’s going to kill you, Lyn.”I flinched at the nickname and eyed t
NikolaiWhen the anchor mounted the podium and tapped on it, the microphone gave sharp, screeching feedback. The music and chattering buzz turned to a hush as other guests settled on the chair.“Ladies and gents, the Bercyna auction will be starting now,” came the brittle voice with a heavy English accent on the mic. The navy blue on his double-breasted suit gleamed under the light as he looked around the room. “As such, kindlyensure that you have your bidding boards beside your seat. We should already know that no individual here can place a bid without it. So, distinguished guests, the first item tonight is the Chandelier.”I flipped my bidding board. The number seventy-five was boldly printed on a white board in black. Anatoly smirked in the chair beside me and remarked on my consistency with the number at every auction event.Two blonde girls dressed in gold feather and sequin gowns wheeled out the piece from behind red velvety curtains. The Chandelier was a distorted painting of
NikolaiFive Days LaterRonan didn’t care much for his sister; that was understood. But he’d been publicly humiliated in his own territory. Knowing him as well as I did, that should have been enough to spark an irritation that would propel him to come after me. He never really allowed sleeping dogs to lie, so it was surprising that the past weeks had been met with nothing more than cold silence from his end.Aiden said he’d refused to discuss the incident at the church and kept mute since. But I knew the Irish mutt probably better than anyone did. Years ago, I’d spent months studying the asshole. He was not going to let it go. And if Aiden was unaware of his plans, it meant he secretly plotted to take me out.I tapped my steering wheel and adjusted the rearview mirror. The flash of a Mercedes bumper reflected through the mirror, and a smile tugged at the corner of my lips.Surprise, surprise.It was almost as if I had manifested the situation and was now living it. I’d been driving for
In a heartbeat, he dove in, launching an attack, kissing me harder and rougher than before. I released multiple groans into his mouth, working his buttons faster, my head swaying from the impact. He put one arm around my back to steady me and skillfully unhooked my bra with the other. Aggressively, I peeled off his shirt, and at the same time, he tugged my bra off.My breasts bounced in freedom, and he took a nipple in his hot mouth.“Yes.”I sighed, throwing my head back. My fingers found purchase in his hair, and I ran my hand down the length of his back, feeling a subtle ache grow in my chest. I knew I would rarely ever get such opportunities to feel him.Stars blinded my vision when he sucked hard, kneading the soft mound in one hand and flicking his wet tongue over the pebbled peak in his mouth. This insane rush of pleasure should have felt wrong, but it was quite the opposite. When he raised his head, he lay me back on the bed and parted my knees with one strong move of his hand.
One look in his eyes told me it was intentional. He was trying to get me in the mood to strip for him.“And all I wanted to do was shock you.”He laughed at my lame comeback, and I wanted to bite my tongue because I found even his laughter sexy.What is wrong with me?“Let’s do something.” He stroked the small of my back and tipped my chin higher up so I felt the warmth of his breath when he spoke. “It’ll be like a game. I will kiss you, and to prove that you don’t want me, you have to ask me to leave. And if you don’t ask me to leave, I’m going to fuck you hardwithouta condom.”I swallowed, and heat prickled at the back of my neck. Anyone with a brain knew he was setting a trap. I had a brain. Iknewthis game was fixed for his wins, but that tiny, relentless voice, nudging me to prove him wrong, made me nod. “Whatever.”“So, a deal then?”“Deal.”Smirking, he cradled the back of my head and pressed his lips to mine softly. The kiss was so gentle at first that my lashes fluttered shut,
Wasn’t he supposed to be at work or something?His amused gaze met mine after he locked the door behind him, padding over to the television to turn it off.“Clever you.” His thumb lingered on the remote button before he dropped it and turned around. My body tingled in awareness when his eyes ravenously swept from my head, past my bare stomach, and stopped at the aching spot between my legs.I blocked his view with my arms, trying to shield my partial nudity. “Um….” I averted my eyes. “I deserve some privacy.”He cocked his head to the side, a smirk forming after he licked his lips.“Why so eager now to put them back on when the intent was to have them off in the first place?”“Excuse me?” I had to act offended that he blatantly accused me of trying to seduce him when it was, in fact, true. “Why would I do something like that? This is my room, is it not?Although temporary, I believe I have the right to do whatever I want here, and that includes stripping whenever I deem fit.”“Hm.” He p
RosalynOff goes the scrunchie.Dua Lipa moved on the flat screen while “Levitating”reverberated on all four corners of the room, and I followed, shaking my waist and flipping my hair like a prisoner who could see the sun again after a hundred years of captivity.Off goes the shirt.Her pitch soared, and I threw my hands in the air, bringing them down in a spiral motion, dragging them down my strappy, low-cut bra, allowing them to linger on the waistline of my flared jean pants. I paused, my lungs heaving like I had run a marathon, my heartbeat thumping against my ribcage as Lipa dropped the climax of the song.Rewind.This striptease plot initially started with a revenge plan borne from a bubbling pit of frustration. To get back at Nikolai, of course. His betrayal still stung like the bite of ten jellyfish—not like I’d ever been stung by one before.But it stung, nonetheless. I wanted to get back at him, to make him know what it felt like to be left hanging at the edge of a cliff with
NikolaiTwo Weeks LaterTimur rubbed his hands with an arrogant smirk and pulled his chair closer to the table. His eyes lit with the unmistakable glow of a victor in an aggressive match. I scoffed, rolled up my sleeves, and adjusted the tilted angle of the chess board. We hadn’t even started yet, and he already looked like he held the trophy.“Why do you always set yourself up for defeat?”The sound of his laughter was just as I was used to—rich, haughty, and young. He ran a hand over his buzzcut, tilting closer to inspect the game that was yet to begin. “Are we doing this or what?”“Definitelyor what.” I pushed his head back with two fingers and positioned my elbows on my knees. “You just never get tired of losing. I used to love it—your silent way of respecting that I’m the boss—but it’s grown to be tiring.”“I bet five that Timur’s going to win today,” Anatoly piped up on the black velvet sofa at the corner of the office. He touched the tip of his thumb to his tongue and flipped a
“I helped them bring you here.”A turbulent of strong emotion crashed against the walls of my heart and threatened to drag me under. Was it disappointment, anger, betrayal, orrelief? I couldn’t tell, although the tidal waves seemed like all of them.“You helped them bring…?”“Don’t be slow, princess. Aiden works for me, and by doing that, he has to continue working for your brother.” When I glared at Nikolai, he cocked his head to the side and bounced the heel of his shiny leather shoes on the carpet. “What?”I ignored the handsome backstabber and faced Aiden. Looking at him made me want to cry. He’d always appeared so innocent yet fierce. I couldn’t say it was unusual to peg this type of atrocity to a man like him. On the contrary, men like him, Nikolai, Ronan…they lived for these kinds of tousle. But, deep down, in the recesses of my heart were….I may or may not have had the smallest crush on him while growing up.I thought he was one of thegoodones.“So, you’re…a spy?”“About a week
RosalynI woke up with a start, my eyes fluttering open to the darkened room. I barely slept for hours. My mind raced with thoughts that deprived me of rest. The weight of my actions bore down on me like a physical force, crushing my breath and making it hard to breathe. Every inhale felt like a struggle, like I was trying to suck air through a narrow straw, my lungs burning from the effort.It wasn’t the look on Ronan’s face that haunted me.Damn Ronan.I hated him from my core. No, it was Father’seyes, his words, his legacy. All haunted me now. I had done the unthinkable, the unforgivable. I had betrayed everything he built, everything he stood for. If he saw me now….I threw off the soft beige covers and got out of bed, pacing back and forth in the spacious room. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease, of danger lurking around the corner. Nikolai’s words when he showed up at the church unannounced, his actions that veered off the original plan, they al
Nikolai“We both know that these things are easier to put on paper. Executing the task? Now, that’s where the real work starts. It took lots of effort. Thanks, man.”“I know. I still don’t want it.”Anatoly grinned at the blond and threw a side glance at me over his shoulder. “Saints like this are pretty hard to find now, Niko. We should keep him.” The folded brown envelope bounced on and off his chest as he turned to pick a filled tumbler off the table. “At least accept the drink.”“I’m not thirsty either.”“Definitely a saint.” Anatoly chuckled and threw the envelope on the table, collapsing on the sofa to help himself with the Vodka in the glass.I rubbed my knee, crossing one leg over the other, and raised a brow at him. He didn’t budge, maintained a poker face, with his arms clasped behind his back and his legs spread only slightly apart. He looked like a soldier in the army, dressed in a suit and reporting for duty, not a thing out of place.“Just take it, Aiden. You deserve it