ARIA AKA RED
The sound of birds singing gradually awakens me from my slumber. As I pry open my eyelids, I observe the dust particles dancing in the beam of sunlight that fills my room.
The exact same room which is not mine. Similar to this bed, these clothes, and the four walls that enclose me.
Fortunately, there are two glass doors that open to a terrace that overlooks a stunning rose garden.
My heart drops into the pit of my stomach when I remember why I'm here and who I'm herewith. I lift my hand, touching the gold chain around my neck feeding off the subtle strength it provides me with when I desperately need it.
I sigh while sitting straight, and my stomach thinks that now is the ideal time to remind me that...
"You skipped dinner last night." His baritone voice which feels like little feet drumming on my flesh reverberates across the room.
I yelp, placing a trembling hand over my heart as it begins to race.
My breath hitches as I search the room and our eyes meet, colliding. In the corner of the room, Artemis Volkov is seated in an armchair with his fingertips galloping over the armrests. The delicate lines that are embedded in his face suggest that he is in a foul mood.
"I didn't feel like eating," I reply as I look down at my fingers twisting between the bedsheet.
"Is this your plan? To starve yourself so you can return home to daddy?" His voice is firm with a hint of displeasure.
I gulp, "No." I say shaking my head.
[Good.] "Khoroshiy, because there is no going back home until I can learn to trust you." He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
I raise my gaze to meet his, "So I'm a prisoner now?" My voice quivers upon releasing a gusty breath.
"That's not what I said."
"You didn't have to. I'm wise enough to be able to read between the lines, Wolf." I snarl, eliciting a dark chuckle from him.
"You will eat three main meals a day. If I have to force-feed you myself like a child, so be it. It could be fun." A smirk stains his oddly handsome face.
I throw back the blankets, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed, and I turn to face him with my hands resting on my hips. "Whatever helps you sleep at night." I scoff, shamelessly drinking him in as desire taints my burning flesh like a forbidden plague. "Did you sit in the corner all night watching me sleep like some dirty creep?" My tongue darts out sweeping over my dry lips.
A devilish smirk spreads across his face as his eyes fill with amusement. He runs the pad of his thumb along his bottom lip, pushing off the chair as he rises to his full height. "I can do whatever I want, Red. You now live in my world, and the Wolf has caught your scent." He says gruffly approaching me ever so slowly.
With every step he takes, I take one back trying to keep the distance between us. That is until I find myself pushed flush against an unwelcomed wall and his arms caging me in as he towers over me.
The smell of his pungent sandalwood cologne overrides my senses. It's intoxicating. Sexy. And Sophisticated. With Artemis being this close to me it draws out feelings of attraction. It confuses me because he scares me, yet I know he won't physically harm me.
Removing one hand off the wall, he reaches into his back pocket and pulls something out. I hold my breath, squeezing my eyes shut. I was wrong. This cruel bastard will put a bullet between my eyes in a heartbeat without batting an eye.
He roughly takes hold of my left hand and I feel something cool slide over my finger. I open my eyes, downcast my gaze and watch as he slides a gold wedding band over my finger. It rests above the elegant engagement ring he slid onto my finger first. My eyes widen, causing my brows to draw together, and I hold my breath.
"As of yesterday evening, we are officially married." He states, taking a step back as he watches me intently. "Do you like them?"
I release the breath I was holding and swallow thickly. "Yes, they are lovely. But I wish you would have gotten me a silver wedding band instead." I say courageously as I meet his gaze.
"Silver? You are wearing gold jewellery," He hisses defensively, extending his arm, and touching the gold chain around my neck.
"This belonged to my grandmother." I shove his hand away.
He captures my wrist, holding it in a vice-like grip in front of my face. "I'm going to ask you something, Red and I want the absolute truth."
I remain silent as I glare at him with my nostrils flaring and my eyes narrowing into thin slits.
"I read your medical report."
Raising my brows, I don't bother to answer him.
"Your father, was he abusive?" He snarls with his upper lip curling.
"My father?" I laugh harshly. "Do I look like someone who has been abused?"
"You look like someone who is in denial." He says severely and the sound of me laughing ceases. "As I said, I want the truth." He takes one step forward, pressing his body against mine. "You had a series of broken bones within a span of nine years."
Tears start to burn my eyes. "It wasn't my father."
"One of his soldiers?"
I shake my head, "It was my mother."
He releases my wrist and steps back from me. "Your mother?" He asks with a scowl marring his features.
"My mother became mentally ill," I whimper, "She use to lash out at me when my father wasn't around, and if she wasn't physically hurting me..." I sigh, wiping the angry tears from my face with the heel of my hand. "She would lock me in the cupboard until my father got home and freed me from the darkness."
Through my cloudy vision blinded by tears. I quickly catch a glimpse of compassion flaring in his captivating eyes.
"She's the reason why I can not stand dark confined spaces. Her committing suicide was one of the happiest days of my life. It felt like I could breathe freely again without having to look over my shoulder every time I was left alone with her." I hiss venomously as images of my mother's abusive behaviour swarm my waking state., "It's a bittersweet feeling that's rooted itself into the branches of my heart," I continue, raising my chin as I endure to meet his shameless gaze.
ARTEMIS AKA WOLF I stand at our appointed table, conversing with Deniz Avci who is the kingpin of the Turkish family. They reside in the upper east end of Linkin and he specialises in trafficking and selling narcotics. He has come to the gala tonight in honour of my late father. The entire galas focus is to honour the late and prestigious Kingpins before our generation. "Wolf, I had no idea your wife was this young and beautiful," Zeynep gushes over Red. "The gold sequin gown accentuates your hips and your hair." She gasps. "Is that your real colour?" I cast a sidelong glance at Red admiring the way her cheeks flush from Zeyneps compliments. "Yes, this is my natural hair colour. My father believes it is a throwback gene from his side." "It's such an exotic colour and I love it," One of the venue waiters approaches our table with a silver tray filled with flutes of white wine. Zeynep leans over the table and snatches two from the tray, passing one to Red. "Bottoms up, askim
ARIA AKA REDI swallow back the tears of humiliation watching Wolf, my husband, shamelessly kiss another stunning woman in front of everyone.Gods! I'm being ridiculous! I don't even know why I feel this upset. It's not like I'm in some fairy tale story where I've grown feelings for him in less than twenty-four hours. Or maybe it's because he's paraded me around on his arm introducing me as Mrs Volkov, and now I have multiple eyes staring at me with pity or laughter glazing in them.I turn away, "Fucking jerk!" I mumble, swiping another two flutes from the silver tray that swings by our table. I drink the first flute in one fluid motion, placing it down on the table while I face Zeynep. A look of utter shock mars her face before her chocolate brown irises meet my gaze with a sense of understanding masking her features. Blowing air out of her nose, she shakes her head, "Mobsters always think they are invincible to the naked eye." She hisses as her gaze leaves mine and she stares at
ARTEMIS AKA WOLF "Your father was a rational man of tremendous importance to the organization. You have big shoes to fill, but I'm more than certain you will follow in his footsteps too." Augusto from the Cartel preaches. I shake his hand, "I'm sure-" Without any warning, the shrilling sound of women screaming reverberates off the walls as gunshots discharge through the air. I turn around to look back at the table where I left Red, and she isn't there. Neither is Zeynep. "BLYAD! [Fuck!]" I bellow, retrieving my gun from the back of my pants and I take off running toward the ballroom. A swarm of people pushing and shoving each other rush toward me, and I brace myself as I run straight toward them. "The girls," Deniz snarls, reaching my side. "Where the fuck did they go?" A gut-wrenching scream pierces my ears and my heart instantly stills. "Red!!" I growl and shove people out of my way, stepping on bodies that fall to the ground. I don't care what I have to do to get to
ARIA AKA RED"You know you have to do this Aria. After the death of your mother, I had to do things I didn't want to do just so I could put food on the table and keep a roof over your head. Now the time has come for me to pay the consequences and it's only fair that you bear the burden too." My father scolded me as he paced the living room with his head nestled in his hands."You know I would do anything for you father, but please, please don't make me do this," I beg, rising from the sofa as I approach him. "I don't love him let alone know him."My father stops pacing, he lifts his head with a look of disgust written all over his tired face."LOVE?! Gods child! Do you think I loved your mother when I married her? No. And look what kind of life I had to endure with her before she took her own life." He grabs me by the shoulders and shoves me against the door panel, knocking my head against the cold cruel timber as he gets in my face. "If you don't do this, Artemis will kill me, then he
ARTEMIS AKA WOLF My world lights up with a brilliant shade of red. Viktor... She said she fucked Viktor against the wall behind her. I will deal with his deceitful ass the second I leave this fucking room. I'll either use him as target practice or see how long he can hold his breath underwater before he finally gives up and just.. dies. She tilts her head to the side with a small smirk and it drives me fucking wild. She is tainted by Viktor's scent and it's suffocating me just thinking about it. I take a deep breath, close my eyes and roll my neck, clicking my bones into place. Sucking on my upper teeth, I open my eyes and rub the side of my jaw. Deep down I know Viktor wouldn't touch her, none of my men will unless they have a death wish that they yearn to share with the rest of their bloodline. So, I do what any rational, hot-blooded man would do. I call her fucking bluff... Twisting my wedding band around my finger with my thumb, I meet her gaze. "It's funny that you ment
ARIA AKA REDI run out of the room, taking the stairs two at a time as I descend the stairwell and run out into the rose garden.A small breeze blows past me, and I quickly become aware that I'm only in a long t-shirt that sits mid-thigh. I pull the hem lower, walking past the guards that stand by the large iron gates that are fit for a kingdom. One of the guards lifts his wrist to his mouth, his other hand touches his ear, and he nods his head removing his suit jacket.He walks toward me, coming to a halt as he blocks my path, and holds out his Jacket. "Mr Volkov wants you to put this on." He says in a nonchalant tone.I look up at the mansion to where my room is, and I see Wolf standing on the terrace looking down at us, his phone is pressed to his ear. I lift my hand and flip him the bird with a snarky smile on my face. I look back at the guard, "Keep the jacket, Romeo." I contest and storm off with my arms folded across my chest and my head bowed. What was I thinking when I le
ARTEMIS AKA WOLF The taste of her sherbet kisses still dances upon my tastebuds, driving me wild. The way she had spontaneously moaned in my arms, wrapping her limbs around my body felt so right and forbidden at the same time. Desire. Lust. Excitement. It's all still there swirling around in my stomach, igniting my heart, like I'm about to combust for her. She's got me looking crazy, hoping that she will save me from the depths of my misery. I roll my shoulders back, do the last button up on my pristine white shirt and roll the sleeves up. Exhaling, I close my eyes and tilt my head back, letting my thoughts wander through the misty atmosphere. Last night is mentally fucking with me. Sandro Venturi... The name still doesn't ring a bell. His father Giovanni never mentioned him, and I'm starting to question what other secrets Don Gio was keeping from the rest of the elite families. Zeynep is dead. And there is no coming back from that. The Venturi's had the balls to go thro
ARIA AKA RED"You know, you don't have to walk so close to me." I snap at Nio, who walks right behind me as I descend the stairs. "Where am I going to run off to? The front gate just to be escorted back inside?" I ask sarcastically. "It's my duty to watch over you.""Just as it was your burden to wait in the corner of the room while I changed my clothes?" I utter the words with malice. "Did Mr Volkov want you to see me half naked?" As my feet touch the marble floors at the bottom of the steps, I turn around to face him.His jaw ticks as he looks down at me from his towering position. "Do you seriously think that Mr Volkov gives two shits about you?" He smirks devilishly with haunting eyes. "You are nothing but a business transaction who won't put out." He chuckles, running his fingers through his chocolate brown hair. A murderous beat of angry footsteps comes to a halt, "I bet her husband would still cut out your tongue if he ever heard you speaking to his wife like that?" Ella his