HIS DARK DEVOTION

Iris POV 

My heart races violently with every passing second from his closeness, his hot breath grazes my forehead, his intense eyes they’re stripping me bare and that lustful stare... It's even making it hard to breathe. I feel like I’m going to faint.

My lips tremble as I try to form a word, a last time testing my luck.

"Please… can-cel the wedding, Mr. Stone.”

I try to keep my voice steady, but his presence makes it impossible. I silently pray to God, please, make him cancel it. I can’t marry a criminal... a murderer, rapist, or whatever monstrous crimes he’s committed. I can’t marry him.

His brown eyes are piercing, the scars running across his cheek make him look even more dangerous and his thick, wavy, shoulder-length hair frames his face with an unsettling beauty. But I know how ugly he is on the inside. Why does God make the worst men look the most beautiful? Maybe He realizes His mistake and leaves behind the scars.

“Now I’ve seen you, there’s no chance of that.” His voice comes low and deep, making a shiver run through my whole body.

His lips are nearly touching mine, my heart threatens to explode. I instinctively lean back to avoid touching.

I flinch the moment his thumb brushes my lips. I try to move away from him, but his hand clamps tightly around my waist, making it impossible to even breathe. The grip is so tight, I am sure, it is going to leave bruises.

“You’re stuck with me,” he growls, pressing his face into the crook of my neck. Goosebumps rise on my skin. He inhales deeply, like he’s trying to control something in him. His nose lingers at my small like a predator scenting prey. I open my mouth to tell him to stop but nothing comes out.

“I’m a dirty bastard,” he mutters. “You can’t imagine what I’ll do with you, little thing.” I gulp, a hard lump forming in my throat. He’s a sadist.

He pulled away from my neck, as his eyes met mine. I don't know but there is something in his eyes that is terrifying me to my core.

He slowly travels his hand towards my lips, presses his thumb between my lips, but I clamp my mouth shut, teeth clenched. He smirks at my resistance, then slides that same thumb into his mouth, sucking it slowly, never breaking eye contact.

“So sweet... so young... too innocent for a bastard like me,” he says. “No doubt, I’m going to ruin you badly, little thing.” My blood ran cold from fear. His presence screams violence.

I desperately try to get away from him, but it is getting difficult too much difficult. He is strong, hung like Hulk. A thin layer of sweat covered my forehead. Never in my life was I this afraid of someone.

“Iris ma’am and sir, everyone is asking for you downstairs,” a maid’s voice came, and my whole body drowned in shame. In which position we are. He is literally hovering over me, our bodies smashed against each other, there’s no space between us. I try again to get away from him, still there's no use of it.

He simply waves his hand to dismiss the maid without looking away from me. I want to scream ‘Don’t go! Please don’t leave me alone with him!’

He grabbed my throat tightly, forcing me to look at him, “You are going to become my wife," he said, his voice carrying the dangerous finalness. "You'll sleep in my bed, eat at my table, wear my ring." He paused, his eyes burning into mine. "And when I fuck you, you'll scream my name like a good little wife.”

Every word he spoke felt like acid burning into my soul. What less can I expect from a monster like him? They only know how to manhandle a woman, fucking crowd.

My breath hitched in my throat as his gaze flickered to my lips hungrily. He landed in. I struggled against his grip.

I kicked, thrashed, and tried to claw at him, but he caught both my wrists and twisted them behind me with one hand. In the next breath, he trapped my legs between his, caging me in completely. I was pinned in the wall, helpless in his hold.

My eyes squeezed shut as he leaned in again. I felt the sharp scrape of his teeth drag across my cheek, he bit me. 

“Ahhh..” A raw scream tore from my throat as pain bloomed fast. His tongue followed, licking the sting he left behind.

His voice drops like a cruel whisper against my ear. “You're mine now.” Goosebumps crawled across my skin, and my gut screamed danger.

‘In your fucking dream.’ How badly I want to shoot back. But I know better not to be. I am quiet because of my own reasons.

He slowly pulled away from my cheek, and it felt like every inch of my body had been violated.

He parted away from me and I finally caught my breath. He walked away, I tried to gather my senses. He is insane. I can't marry this man.

As I move behind him, I can’t help but notice the difference between us. He’s taller than me while I’m 5'3", he’s maybe 6' or 6'2". Not only physical differences, we have inner differences too. Where this monster destroys people's lives and I try to make sure they get a good one. I climbed the stairs where our family was waiting at the dining table.

Our family is seated at the table. I start to walk toward my mother, but my father’s cold glare stops me in my tracks. I know what he wants. But I am not going to obey it.

“Iris, sit with Xavier,” says my soon-to-be father-in-law, Declan Stone, the man behind all the criminal empires. In his sixteen he is still cruel. A manipulator. His dark blue eyes reflect how disgusting he is. He doesn't even spare a child that just had started to breathe.

“I-” I try to refuse, but his next words silence me.

“I don't ask you.” He says, his eyes burn into me, making it worse. I feel humiliated.

Putting my eyes down I walk to his side chair, sitting as far from him as possible.

But he put his hand on the chair, and in the next second, he drew me so close to his chair. His hand flowed to my thighs. His grip was tight and harsh. I tried to move his hand, but one glare from him, and I knew he was warning me to obey. I need to be calm. I can't lose my temper now.

The meal begins in heavy silence until my father speaks. “Do you like our Iris, Xavier?”

“Yes, she's…. sweet,” The same thumb touched his lips as he spoke those words. A smirk on his face. My fist tightened. How badly I want to smash his face into this table.

Declan turns to me. “You have done your Master's in Finance, right? And now working as a teacher in an NGO.” The way he said NGO like it is the dirtiest thing in the world.

“Yes,” I replied while clamping the anger formed on my tongue.

“After the wedding, you’ll work at our company.”

I open my mouth to respond but a sharp grip on my thigh stops me. Xavier.

He speaks as if he owns my life. I earned my skills for my passion in it, not converting those bastards’ black money into white. I worked for it. There is no way I am working with them, and marrying this bastard.

“I’m not-.”

“She’ll do what she’s told,” my father interrupts. “After all, she’s going to be your daughter-in-law now.”

My father's eyes scream at me to stay silent. It hurts to know there is no one to understand your feelings, not even your own family.

I swallow the emotions clogging my throat and blink back tears. I hate this. I hate how easily my emotions betray me. The tears come faster than I can stop them.

I lose my appetite completely. I just want to go to my room and cry my heart out.

“I’m full,” I say abruptly and rise from my seat. I didn't stop till I reached my room.

My father called after me, shouted my name, but I didn't stop. I slammed the door behind as soon as I entered.

My back touches the door as I slide down. My eyes quickly moisturize. My tears come but I take deep breaths to control. I don't want them to flow on something not worthy of it. I hate my emotions. Emotions are curse. I don't know how much time has passed since I was sitting in this position. My back hurts, muscles hurt in a worse way. I know this pain I am about to get my periods. God, why.

A knock sounds, I get up with numbness in my body and open the door with a heavy heart knowing who could be at the door and yes, it's my one and only father standing there.

“What was that behavior?” he hisses. “Do you know how embarrassed you made us? They even brought gifts for you!”

“Dad, are you not seeing this? They’re criminals. You really want me to marry him?” I asked in disbelief.

“Yes, and don't patronize me,” he said like they are normal for him, not criminals. At the same time, I have doubts about him being my father. Now I am confirmed he is not, because no father wants his daughter to marry a criminal who has an endless case on him.

“One day he’ll kill me. You can come collect my body then because I swear, I won't survive this.”

A harsh pain ran through my cheek as he slapped me hard.

“Shut up. You are going to marry Xavier and it is final.”