Mariana's PovHe’s not pathetic.No, he’s not. He’s hot, so fucking hot.With his eyes feasting on my body, on my calves, a growl rumbling low in his throat, and his hands kneading my ass, I tremble.“Pathetic?” He asks, a smirk dancing around his perfect lips.“Yes, you are,” I hush, my eyes clouding over with lust.A chuckle, low in his throat, rumbles.His hand molds itself to my breast, his eyes darkening. “Oh,” he breathes a hush, “your skin is soft. I almost forgot how soft you feel.”“Don’t,” I warn.“Why not?” He asks, “does it make you hate yourself how you were crawling on your knees for this pathetic gentleman? How you let him bend you over, spit on you, degrade you while fucking you right in front of his girlfriend whom you murdered out of jealousy?” His chest rumbles with a laugh, “now who’s the pathetic one, dear sister-in-law.”My nose flares. I move to create a distance between us, his hand slaps the back of my head, fingers curling into my hair.He leans in, kissing m
Alejandro's PovOne month later.The feeling is exhilarating. The feeling of getting entangled with powerful women—with a powerful woman. The feeling of falling for a woman who can put her foot down, a manipulative woman.And for me, that woman is my beautiful sister in-law.A little backstory here: I was birthed by a weak woman. My mother was so weak it disgusted me every time I saw her tears and every time she was on her knees in front of the fucker who poses as my father.And it was at that point in my life that I realized I could never be with a weak woman.If my mother was stubborn, she’d still be alive.If she was deadly, she’d still be here with me.If she knew how to manipulate situations, then maybe she’ll still be here today.Now, that brings me to my woman, my Mariana.She uses me, comes to me when she pleases and discards me right after, gets on my last nerve, and fucks me over so much all I want to do is hate her. Yet, I find myself falling for her every single day that p
Mariana's PovAlejandro's words hit me like a thunderbolt. "I love you, Mariana." My mind reels, thoughts scattering.Time freezes. His face blurs, features melting into a haze. I feel my heart stutter, air catching in my throat.I'm paralyzed, unable to process. Two simple words, yet they shatter everything."What?" I stammer, my voice barely audible.His eyes stare into mine, the orbs burning with intensity. "What did you just say to me?" I press, my words tumbling out in a rush, in disbelief."I love you, Maria," he repeats, his voice firm, his jaw hardening.His words hang in the air, daring me to refute them. My heart races. I search his face, seeking signs of jest. But all I find is sincerity.My shock suddenly disappears, giving way to anger, my eyes blazing. "How dare you," I hiss as memories of his games and secrets flood my mind.He’s playing with me. He’s at it again, attempting to manipulate me into believing that a man like him is capable of love.“How dare you walk in
Alejandro's PovThe door swings open and I am fast enough to create a safe distance between Mariana and myself. My brother walks in, his face twisted in disdain, his eyes narrowed suspiciously.Way to go Radimr, always swooping in and ruining the mood.“What is going on here?” He asks, his eyes darting between me and his wife.Mariana puffs out a breath and struts to her seat. She plops down, a bored expression etching her face. “Nothing is going on, Radimr. Why are you here?” She questions.Radimr’s response? A low, husky laugh. “Nothing. . .” he murmurs, “then why are you. . .” he stops, his gaze shifting to me. “Why’s my wife crying?”I throw both hands up and shrug my shoulders. “Nothing. . .I don’t know. I met her this way.”With a low grunt, Radimr propels forward, his jaw locking. “You. . .”I cut him off. “I think something fell into my eyes and now they’re irritated.”“Really?” he hums, but I see the disbelief in his eyes. “And why’s your mask off?”“I was just trying to help
Mariana's PovI puff out a breath and squeeze the last of my clothes into the small travel bag I intend to go on my travels with.A little backtracking here: earlier today while Alejandro, my husband, and myself sat in my office deciding how to track down the soldier who dared to steal from the family and run off, Alejandro had volunteered to track him through the countries the fucker has been in and out of in the last few days.And at that moment, my stupid little heart thought it was an opportunity. An opportunity to experience those seven days Alejandro promised me without dealing with my husband’s suspecting eyes.What did I do? I made a declaration that I regretted right when the words left my mouth.“I’ll go with you,” I blurted, surprising both brothers.“What?” My husband had asked, eyes wide.“You know how good I am with words, baby,” I responded as I slid my hand into his. “Sending Alejandro alone for something like this might turn out to be a mistake. He lacks in communicat
Mariana's Pov“My love should be enough for the both of us, Mariana.”His words shake me to the core. And what shakes me more is the emotion swirling in those orbs of his. Why won’t he get angry at me?Why won’t he scream at me? Do something that shows me how much I drive him to the point of anger?“You’re a fool,” I mutter, a hand raking through my hair. “Come get my bags, soldier!” I command. A smile coats his lips as he approaches. He picks up my bags as though they weigh nothing and then he turns around, intending to exit the room.The door creaks open and Radimr walks in, his eyes on me, tender. He flashes me a smile and I mirror his smile.Huffing out an angry breath, Alejandro storms out of the room. But he doesn’t leave—he stands by the door, his eyes peeking through the small space.He watches as his brother’s arms envelope me in a hug, he watches how I reciprocate that hug with so much enthusiasm. His eyes cloud over with rage. And then Radimr’s mouth crashes on mine, rava
Mariana's Pov“It was you who put him in that state after all. How did you do it, Maria, huh? Was it the cookies you couldn't stop serving him? Or your special teas? How the fuck did you, right under our noses, succeed in reducing Don Vladimr Zakone Vaslav to a vegetable?”My brows twitch and a muscle feathers in my jaw. I throw my back against the backrest and heave out a sigh, my eyes locking with his.“I’m still waiting, Mariana,” Alejandro presses. He tries to sound serious, but I notice the slight upturn of the corner of his mouth and the look of awe in his eyes.He’s not angry.Good.Perhaps he is but is exceptionally good at concealing it: the logical part of my mind warns.My brows twitch. “Mind your business, Alejandro,” I mutter, my tone bored.His chuckle rumbles. “Your business is my business, amore mio,” he replies, “especially when my name was mentioned. “And that mad son of yours, his punishment will be doubled for ever putting hands on Alejandro. . .” I didn’t think a
Mariana's Pov“It was you?” I ask, unsure, “the soldier who stole from the family?”“Bingo,” he smiles broadly, “we’re going to have a blast, baby.”I lean back into my seat and allow my brain fall into silence and calmness for a moment. Just a few minutes. And then laughter erupts in my throat.My chest quakes with the frequency of my laugh, tears gathering at the corners of my eyes.“You’re a fucking genius aren’t you?” I ask, cackling, “all that calmness you exude, all that patience and endurance. . .you had it all figured out.”Alejandro’s eyes are on me, observing, careful. The movement of his arm is slow, deliberate as he puts his gun down.“You’re not mad at me?” He asks.I tip my head to the side, my teeth diving my bottom lip, nibbling sensually. Alejandro throws his hips in the air, a small grunt resounding low in his throat.“Is there a reason to be angry?” I ask and wait.He hesitates for a moment before tucking his gun away. And that’s when I strike. He doesn’t see me com
Alejandro’s PovThis anxiety—I’ve never felt anything like it before. My nerves are all over the place, my skin trembling. I kiss Mariana again for the millionth time in a handful of hours.She smiles at me. The smile is distant, almost like it doesn’t reach her eyes. I smile back and pull her closer, holding her as tight as I can, fearful that this might be the last chance I get at holding her this close to me.And no, this has nothing to do with her winning the fight or dying in that cage because as long as I breathe, Mariana will walk out of that cage alive and well.But I’m afraid of the responsibilities that come with the position she’ll occupy. I’m afraid that she might forget our love and become intoxicated with power.All of this might just happen in a few hours.“The way you’re holding me, Alejandro, one might think I’m about to die from a terminal disease.”She says.Is she trying to make a joke? Does this seem like a joke to her?I open my mouth to speak but a knock on the
Mariana’s Pov“I will fight in her place. . .”The world around me goes completely silent the moment Alejandro blurts those words. When I planned to use him as my human shield in chaotic times like this, I didn’t expect to fall for him so ridiculously hard that I’m unable to imagine him getting hurt for my sake.Love is a strange and terrifying thing. I never imagined feeling it this deeply, this intensely. Not for Alejandro. Not for a man who was supposed to be my shield, my weapon. And now, the very thought of him stepping into that cage for me… it’s unbearable.The second reason?It’s pride. It’s survival. These men already think I’m weak. They see me as nothing but a woman—Radimr’s wife and mother of his son. If Alejandro steps into that cage in my stead, I will be proving them right, I will become that which they think I am.Weak.Unworthy.And then, everything I’ve clawed my way toward will crumble before my eyes. I can’t let that happen. I won’t let that happen. So, no. Aleja
Mariana’s PovOne word.Fuckers.No, let’s make it two words.Misogynistic fuckers.They’ve kept me in here for hours, scrutinizing me, digging into my soul in their fruitless attempt at finding the truth of what truly happened to my husband.Alejandro too is seated here as a high ranking made man and a member of this family. Surprisingly, my father, mother and brother are here too. Not inside the parliament room, but they’re right outside the door, waiting for when the chaos escalates so they can stand in for me.It warms my heart.“Let’s go through it again,” one of the elders says, “what did you say happen to your husband? Tell us that story again, in detail.”“I. . .” I open my mouth to speak but Alejandro’s thick, aggravated voice resounds, cutting me short. “I believe she has told that story more times than we all can count.”“Yes, we know that,” another elder says, his russian accent thick. “But we need to hear it again.”“Why?” Alejandro asks, “why are you poking a woman wh
Alejandro’s PovDon’t sleep tonight.I’ve thought about those words in every way possible, imagined every possible scenario that’ll make Mariana ask me to stay awake tonight, and yet, I’ve found none.Or maybe I haven’t thought about it as deeply as I should.I wanted to hold her, to ask her more, but the presence of her husband made that impossible. And now, hours have ticked by, and I’m still unable to get my answers.Wait—is tonight the night? Is her plan unfolding tonight?Truth is, I don’t even know what her plan is, but I strongly suspect it has everything to do with ending Radimr. So, if she’s asked me to stay awake tonight, it might mean she needs me close.I pull open my room’s door and step out into the hallway. The manor is too quiet. Everyone is asleep, and those who aren’t are standing guard outside of the house.My stomach twists with a warning that chaos is brewing tonight, but I push it aside and start walking. I make a turn towards the stairs and start moving up the s
Mariana’s PovTime flies when happiness fills your days.It’s been two months since I gave birth to my Angel. Two months since my heart swelled with love so pure and overwhelming, I thought I might drown in it.I love my son.I love him for coming into my life and unraveling a part of me I never knew existed. For being my light in the darkness.But most of all, I love him for arriving exactly when I needed him—as though sent by the universe itself to give me a way out.Because today, after weeks of persuasion, my husband has finally done what I’ve been waiting for. He has presented my son to the elders of his family, naming him as his successor should anything happen to him.It’s tradition, a ritual of power. To the outside world, it’s a declaration of legacy. To me, it’s the final piece of the puzzle.I know Angel is too young to be entangled in this messy, bloody business, but I had to secure his place in this world before setting my plans into motion.Plans that have been months in
Alejandro’s PovThis is the happiest I’ve ever been in my life. For the first time, it feels like I have a complete family—no, I know I have a complete family.In the last three months, the universe has granted me a gift I never expected: uninterrupted time with the woman I love and the child she carries. Our son. Every morning, I wake up beside her, wrapped in the warmth of her presence. I feel my son’s first kick as the sun rises, and his tiny, eager movements as the night falls. I’ve stayed awake with them, laughed with them, cried with them, fallen sick with them, and loved them. I’ve been a father and a lover in every way that matters.Why? Because Radimr’s travels somehow stretched from days into weeks, and weeks into months.“Something else has come up, and I’ll need to stay another week. . .” That’s been his excuse for three months.On the phone, Mariana plays the part of the concerned wife. She sighs and murmurs her disappointment, as though his absence truly pains her. But
Mariana’s PovWhen my eyes open, I’m met with the most beautiful sight I’ve seen in days. Alejandro, sleeping peacefully, his lashes fluttering, arms still wrapped around me.Wow!How did we fall asleep?I lean in and smack a kiss on his lips, causing him to stir a bit, groaning, his arms tightening firmer around me. I kiss him again, this time longer.It doesn’t take seconds before his mouth parts, his lips fusing with mine. I moan just as a groan vibrates throughout his body.His eyes flutter open, just a tiny slit, the lazy gaze holding mine. It’s like realization dawns on him and he retrieves his lips from mine in a swift motion. “Mariana. . .” He whispers groggily.“Make love to me,” I declare.His brows pull into a furrow, lips formed into a pout. “I. . .” He starts and I cut him off.“Please,” I hush, my lips ghosting over his.His resolve falters. And he’s staring at me with adoration as well as restraint.Then there’s the feral desire burning in his eyes. In mine too. The ris
Mariana’s PovTime seems to slow down when things aren’t really going your way.Maybe I pushed too hard, too far the other night. Far enough that Alejandro has been completely ignoring me for days now. Far enough that Radimr has become ware of me, always staring at me with suspicious eyes. Far enough that the maids in this house seem to avoid me as often as they can.To simply put, I’ve been living an isolated life for the past seven days.Just me, and my heavy fucking stomach. It’s dreadful just as much as it is comforting.I’m pulled out of the daze when a towering figure stands in front of me and wraps his hand around me. “Don’t look so sad, I’m just going to be away for just a few weeks, my love,” Radimr whispers as he hugs me. I thin my lips into a smile. “I’ll miss you.”His smile is radiant when he replies, “I’ll miss you too. Please don’t over work yourself. . .or get to upset while I’m gone. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to my son.” Stupid fucker.I scoff. “I’m a big g
Mariana’s Pov“Look at that,” Alejandro says, his voice low, the smirk on his lips sharp enough to cut. “How easy it is to lure you out here and break your heart into a million pieces.”The words land like a blow. He doesn’t even try to soften them. And I know exactly what he means. When he came into my room, kneeling by my bed, whispering the words I had been desperate to hear for months, he knew. He knew I was awake, knew I’d hear every word and cling to the hope they offered.It wasn’t an accident. He said them to draw me here. To break me just as much as I’ve broken him.Petty bastard.But it’s not the cruelty of his intention that stings the most—it’s how he chose to do it. By humiliating me in front of someone else. Bringing her into a room that should have been our sanctuary, our safe haven.My lips tremble as I force out the question. “What is that supposed to mean?”Alejandro steps forward, his movements slow and deliberate, his smirk twisting with mockery. “What are you doin