The priest turns toward me. “Do you, Lia Morelli, take Adrian Volkov as your wedded husband, to be with you always, in wealth and in poverty, in disease and in health, in happiness and in grief, from this day until death do you part?”

I stare at Adrian, at the promise of retaliation in his closed off features if I don’t say the words he wants me to.

He really shouldn’t have threatened me, because now, I’ll be completely on board with Luca’s plan. If not for anything else, then to get rid of him and the negative influence he has on my life.

Ever since he walked into it, I’ve lost complete control and I need to get it back.

During the past few weeks, I was planning to tell Luca I wouldn’t spy on the man who’s taking care of me, but Adrian showed me his true colors tonight.

“I do,” I say meekly, with no emotions at all.

“Are you sure, miss?” the priest asks, and Adrian stares at him as if contemplating whether or not he should chop his head off.

“I am,” I say. Because I’m going to make Adrian regret everything he’s made me live through since the day I first saw him in my parking garage. While I was ready to overlook that with the connection I thought we’d formed, nothing can forgive what he’s done to me tonight.

I’m still not over my ended career, but now, I find myself pregnant and also forced to marry him.

Adrian takes two small boxes from Kolya and slides a diamond ring onto my finger. It’s big, perfectly cut, and elegant. Simple and a flawless fit. However, I find no joy looking at it. If anything, it feels like an imaginary weight on my hand.

He places the other ring, a simple white gold band, in my palm and I turn off my emotions as I glide it onto his finger.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the priest says with a regretful tone. Maybe he knows exactly what type of man Adrian actually is and he’s pitying me. “You may kiss the bride.”

Adrian pulls me against his chest as he grabs me by my nape. “You’re mine now, Mrs. Volkov.”

I hate having his last name attached to mine. For some reason, it feels like I’ve sold my soul to the devil.

Worse, I actually married him.

But while Adrian considers this a win, for me, it’s only the beginning.

He forced me to be his wife? Fine.

But it’s by his wife’s hands that his life will end.

I don’t close my eyes as he presses his lips to mine. His kiss is all-consuming and meant to dominate me, to tear all my walls down.

But I’ve already lost everything.

Now, all I can do is win.

26

Adrian

It’s done.

Lia is now my wife, bound to me for life, whether she likes it or not.

If I wasn’t so pressed for time, I would’ve done this under different circumstances, after her leg was healed. It would’ve happened anyway, but my methods could’ve been gentler.

However, not only did she fall pregnant sooner than I expected, but I also finally have an alliance with Lazlo Luciano without having to get her involved.

I planned it for weeks on end, creating the perfect circumstances so I’d somehow end up in the same club as Lazlo during a meeting with one of the other Italian families, the Rozettis.

I had to make Yan into an assassin, have him kill one of the other Italians to save Lazlo, who’s always been at the crux of territorial wars. Even though the Lucianos have been ruling with an iron fist, they have a bloody history with the Rozettis, so it wasn’t a first that one of them would try to kill him.

By killing one of their capos and saving Lazlo’s life, I assured myself a direct line to the Don of the Lucianos. One he confirmed when he invited me to his house over a phone call.

Today has been productive.

My gaze flits to Lia, who’s sitting beside me in the car. She stopped pleading and trying to escape her fate, the desperation replaced by quietness. Maybe tying the knot has made her realize that there’s no way out for her.

Though I doubt she’ll accept it that so easily. She’s never really gotten used to having me in her life, and now, I’ve taken it a step further. But as I said, she’ll have all the time in the world to process it. After she’s safe from everyone—aside from me.

I take my time observing her as the lights outside reflect off her soft features. Her hands lie limply on her lap. They’re as delicate as the rest of her—breakable, even.

Just like her leg.

When her dream shattered in front of her, I felt a twisting in my gut. One I haven’t experienced since Aunt Annika’s death. I wanted to shield her from the world and everyone in it, and I knew that the only way to do that would be to bring her under my protection—officially.

She’d become a target, too, but as long as she’s in my sights at all times, I’ll be able to take care of her. Because there’s no way in fuck anyone is taking her away from me.

I may not be able to fully grasp the extent of my obsession with her, but the need to protect her and own every inch of her is a raging, insatiable beast.

Lia is still that delicate flower. However, there’s always been a simmering strength behind her apparent fragility. An inner energy humming under the surface, waiting for a chance to burst free. I’ve felt it when she’s underneath me while I’m fucking her, and also during her nightmares.

She bottles things up until they eventually explode, whether in the form of passion or bad dreams, no one knows.

The dress is a perfect fit, hugging her soft curves and enhancing her elegance. This look is probably my favorite of hers, not only because of the wedding dress, but also because of what it signifies.

She’s my bride.

My wife.

Fucking mine.

A dark sense of obsession takes hold of me, urging me to rip off that dress and sink inside her tight heat.

It takes everything in me to stop such thoughts and focus on what’s left to do tonight.

“This isn’t the way to my apartment,” she says meekly, her voice quiet.

“We’re not going back to your apartment. Ever.”

“What?”

“The lease is ending in a month, anyway. Besides, as my wife, you’ll live in my house.”

Her hands ball into fists. “When were you going to inform me of such facts?”

“I just did.”