Novels by mbanefojosephine23

June’s POV The next morning, I woke up wishing I were dead. Every inch of my body screamed in protest—muscles torn and bruised, my pussy still swollen and raw from how brutally he’d fucked me the night before, my throat sore from his cock ramming down it while he made me watch in the mirror. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the sick, suffocating shame coiled in my gut. I could still feel it: the stretch of him forcing his thick length past my lips, the way my cunt had clenched and dripped even as tears ran down my face, the humiliating gush of my own wetness when he’d choked me and called me his filthy little wife. I’d come—actually come—while he used me like a disposable hole. The memory made bile rise in my throat. I stayed in bed for what felt like forever, staring at the ceiling, trying to disappear into the sheets. Eventually biology forced me up. The shower scalded my skin, but it couldn’t burn away the feeling of being filthy. I scrubbed between my legs until

June's POVI spent the rest of the afternoon searching for that key.I went through every drawer again. Checked every jewelry box. Looked inside every shoe. Pulled books off shelves to see if anything was hidden behind them.Nothing.By the time the sun started setting, my back ached from bending over and my fingers were sore from searching. But I couldn't stop. That box sat on my bed, taunting me. So close to answers, but still locked.I finally gave up when the room got too dark to see properly.I took a shower. Let the hot water run over me until it turned lukewarm. My whole body was still sore from what Nikolai had done to me last night. Every movement reminded me.When I got out, I put on a simple nightgown and sat on the edge of the bed.The locked box sat on my nightstand now. I stared at it.What was inside? What were Sarah and Amelia so worried about?I picked it up and shook it gently. Something shifted inside. Papers, maybe. Or something small and hard.I was so focused on

June's POVI didn't even know what I was looking for.That was the worst part. I was in Nikolai's room, opening drawers, running my hands along shelves, looking through papers on his desk, and I had no idea what I was hoping to find.Clues, maybe. Anything that would help me understand what happened to me. Who these people were. Why I was trapped in this nightmare.I couldn't just stay like this. Couldn't just live in somebody's shadow. Pretending to be Chloe Russell while my real life disappeared further and further into the past.And the fact that Nikolai didn't even know it was him who killed me made everything worse. He looked at me with disgust and hatred, thinking I was some desperate woman who'd manipulated him into marriage. When really, I was the woman he'd shot in cold blood at a restaurant.The woman whose babies he'd killed.Blue's number still wasn't going through. I'd tried again this morning. Nothing. Just that automated voice telling me the number wasn't available.I w

Nikolai’s PovI didn’t even know why I answered for her.The question hung in the air. My mother was staring at Chloe. Betty was staring at Chloe. Even my father had paused his meal to watch her fumble for words.She looked like a deer caught in headlights. Eyes wide. Mouth opening and closing. Completely frozen.It was pathetic.“She’ll start next week,” I said.Everyone’s attention shifted to me.Chloe’s head snapped in my direction, her eyes filled with something that looked like panic mixed with relief.My mother raised an eyebrow. “Next week? That’s rather soon, isn’t it? Given her condition?”“She’s fine,” I said flatly. “The doctors cleared her. There’s no reason to delay.”My father nodded approvingly. “Good. The sooner she integrates into the company, the better. We can’t have her sitting around doing nothing.”Betty smiled. “How wonderful. You’ll be working together. Just like a real married couple.”I didn’t respond to that. Just went back to my food.Chloe was still starin

June's PovI didn't know what time it was when I finally pulled myself off the floor. But the light outside the window had changed. Gone darker. Evening was settling in.My whole body felt sore. Disgusted. Used.I forced myself to stand up and walked to the bathroom like a ghost. Every step reminded me of what Nikolai had just done. What he'd taken from me.I turned on the shower again and stood under the water until it ran cold.When I got out, I caught my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were red and swollen from crying. My face looked pale and hollow. Like someone had reached inside me and scooped out everything important.I dried off slowly and went back to the closet. Pulled out a simple dress. Nothing fancy. Nothing that would draw attention. I just wanted to disappear into the background.I got dressed carefully. My body protested every movement.Then I looked at the clock on the nightstand.Six fifty-eight.Shit.Dinner was at seven.I took a deep breath and walked toward the

June’s POVI couldn’t move.Couldn’t breathe.Couldn’t do anything except sit there on the edge of that bed and stare at Nikolai McCoy as he stood in my doorway like he owned everything in the world.Which, in this house, he probably did.“I said take it off,” he repeated. His voice was calm. Too calm. Like he was asking me to pass him a glass of water.“Nikolai, I—”“Did I stutter?”He stepped further into the room. One step. Then another. Each one slow and deliberate. Like a predator who knew exactly where his prey was and had all the time in the world to get to it.My heart was pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears.“You’re my wife now,” he said, stopping a few feet away from me. He tilted his head, studying me with those cold, unreadable eyes. “Do you understand what that means?”I shook my head. Not because I didn’t understand. But because my body wouldn’t let me nod.“It means,” he continued, his voice dropping lower, “that every single time I want you, I will take you.”T